Beyond Magic And Wonder

At eight year of age Sky was the most withdrawn girl at school .
Sky was a very shy person . It was hard for her to make friends .
She could never get along well with others .
From the first day she started Rosebank Primary School Sky had cut herself off from other people . In the three months she had been there Sky had been a loner . It took about an entire year for her to finally make a friend . Her friends name was Chloe . Sky and Chloe enjoyed each others company . They got along well . They travelled on the same bus to and from school and they sat together for lunch breaks in school . They never played sport on the playing grounds much . Sky and Chloe would rather find a shady spot under a tree and pretend they were fairies with magic wands . They wanted to change the world and everybody in it into Chocolate .
Sky and Chloe spoke quietly about their ideas and their dreams .

Chloe was different than the other girls at school . She had a thin build and pale white skin with freckles scattered all over her face . Chloe was a girl who couldn't get a lot of sun otherwise her skin would go red and peel off .
She always wore long sleeved clothes and a she had this huge floppy hat that sat on her head . Her face was constantly in shadow . Chloe lived with a large family on a farm . Her parents were real country folk . Most weekends Chloe had lots of chores to do . So she rarely went anywhere other than school .

Sky was an only child . Her Dad had a job that required him to travel quite often . Over the years Sky and her parents had moved a few times .
Sky had a long list of schools where she had attended .
She often felt that she held the world record for the most schools attended by anyone 8 years or under .

The same thing was about to happen again .
One day her Mum called Sky into the kitchen and told her that they had to move away again to another area . Sky was totally devastated .
She cried and cried and at school Chloe knew something was wrong . Eventually after a lot of pestering Sky broke the news to her friend .
Every day after that at school there was a tension and sadness about Sky and Chloe . It was really hard for Sky to think about leaving for a new school.

"Don't worry Sky "
Chloe often said .

"I'll never meet anybody like you again ."
Sky would say .

"You'll meet some new friends Sky .

"No I won't Chloe . I can't make friends easily . "
Said Sky who was very upset .

"Ok sure I know Sky but if you just give it time ,you'll see everything will work out just fine . Trust me ."
Said Chloe .

"Will you visit me sometime in my new place Chloe ?
"Ok ."

"Will you write to me Chloe ?
"Ok

"Do you promise not to forget me Chloe ?

"All right Sky . Lets keep in touch . We can write everyday ."
Chloe replied .

When Sky had the new address she handed it over to Chloe and in turn she gave her address to Sky .

It was only a few days later when Sky and her family moved .
A great big truck pulled up at the front door and in no time at all everything was loaded on to the truck and off it went .
As Sky watched the front door of her old house close she wanted to jump out of her parents car and run away as fast as she could .
But the car drove off . There was a set of traffic lights near Rosebank School and they went red just when Sky's Dad approached .

It was just by chance that Chloe happened to be there on the corner and she gave a wave to Sky who sat looking out the car window with a sad expression on her tear stained face .
In moments the lights went green and that was it . Rosebank school was now a thing of the past . Another memory . Another fork in the road . Another thing to forget . Another sigh and another mile further up the road .
Sky and her parents moved into a bigger house where there was a huge front and back garden with a swing set and a slide already there for her .
The town was busy and larger that anywhere she had ever been before . The new school was absolutely enormous .
To answer all her questions about her first day at the new school Sky's parents had to consult the social worker and members of the pastoral care team at the new school .

On the first day Sky walked into school she was a nervous wreck .
Her knees shook and her hands shook . She kept her eyes wide open and her mouth shut .
Her new teachers name was Mr Sparrow . He had a baldy head and over both of his eyes were these two gigantic eye brows . They sat there on his forehead like hairy brown caterpillars longing for flight .
When Mr Sparrow talked he had this habit of raising his eye brows which in turn extended these rippled wrinkles that stretched over his forehead .

Sky was getting nervous in the new classroom . She put her hand up and sadi

"Can I use the bathroom please ?

"Sure Sky
replied Mr Sparrow .

Sky reached the door in three bounds and then ran down the corridor like a wild horse and she never stopped running until she hit the playground .
She sat there on a seat and looked around . She stood up and took another look . She was now very lost .
All around her all Sky could see was trees . She was in the middle of a forest and there was no sign of a school anywhere .

What had happened ?
Where was she ?

"Hello Sky .
Said a tiny voice from under a tree .
The voice was that of a tiny fairy .

"Who are you ?
Sky asked .

" I'm the magic in your heart and the wonder in your mind ."
Came the reply .

"What do you want from me ?"
Sky asked .

"Only what you want for yourself ."
The fairy said .

"What would that be ?.
Sky replied

"Your happiness Sky ".
The fairy replied .

"Ok . Where would that be ?
Sky asked .

"Its in your mind and heart .Its whatever you wish for Sky ."

Sky closed here eyes for a moment and then opened them .
The fairy and Sky felt a warm glow as if something special had just occurred

"What am I to do now then ?
Sky asked .
The fairy pointed this magic wand and said .

"You must walk beyond the door now . Its time for you to go , the same way you came in ."
The fairy said .

"Hows that ?
Sky asked .

"Why through the door over there by the door ?
The fairy replied .

"what door ?
Sky asked .

"The door between my world and your world Sky of course ".

" Can I stay here with you ?

"No , That is not possible Sky . 

"Here you can briefly stay for part of one day only . This place can never be home for anyone except those who have been changed into supernatural beings or for those who may have asked for it and were granted that in a wish and I'm afraid that doesn't apply to you Sky, so you must return back through the door . When Sky walked back through the door to her surprise she was met by Chloe . Sky shouted out in excitement .

"Chloe . What are you doing here ?

"Well my Mum and Dad have sold the farm . It was getting too much for them to run and when they were offered a large sum of money recently for it , guess what they said .

"Yes "
Said Sky

"Yes they said yes and guess what school I'm going to Sky ?

"My school ?
Sky said .

"That's right . We're going to be forever friends now Sky ."

THE END

By Paul Mc Cann