Rhymeland

The bright sun hits your eyes. Where are you? What is this place? Why are there so many kids around as well- and why did the gate swing open and admit you when nobody was there to unlock it? So many questions, and, as of yet, no one around to answer them. You and the others set off down the dirt path. The entire yard, almost, this side of the huge, crooked castle, is a garden- every visible inch filled with gorgeous, well-kept flowers. Tulips, roses, forget-me-nots, bleeding hearts, magnolias, daffodils, sunflowers, lilies...

And then you see her. Sitting on a rocker at the far end of the path, down at the base of the steps. A massive light green dress coating the ground around her, a bonnet sitting atop her head, and small spectacles on the end of the bridge of her nose. She looks kind. She looks like your grandmother- sitting there so sweet you'd swear she were about to offer you cookies and milk. Upon her lap rests a large book.

"Hello, my darlings!" She greets you with a simple smile. She speaks to you by name. Your defenses are dropped around this little old lady. You find yourself enthralled by her, and, perhaps, slightly in love. When suddenly, she stands up, and leads you inside. "You must meet your teachers!" She tells you, "And of course get something to eat! No child of mine will ever go hungry, my little goslings!"

And so here you are! Seated firmly at long tables, close to every one of your new classmates. Piled high are sweets of all sorts, as well as meat, grains, vegetables- whatever else you could ever want, here it is, right here and now, and you can stuff your plates to the brim with whatever you want.

The nice old lady comes to the front of the room.

"Oh, I'm dreadfully sorry, my dears!" She cries, holding a wrinkled cheek, "I'm afraid I forgot to tell you a few things."

The lights gave a small flicker. A few other people were coming out to stand with her now, all adults.

"You may call me Mother Goose. And this is my school."

Thoughts of home ran through her head....

What if I was running back to my parents to apologize right now, what if I was being held by my mother.... So many what if's... But she couldn't turn back now. She wouldn't even know where to begin if she were to turn around.

Pushing her hair back, she began to snap out of her own daydream and looked around as she noticed gates in front of her. They swung open like arms reaching out wide, inviting her in... She pushed her dirt-covered fingers across her worn and torn jeans, her fingernails catching on each tear and frayed piece of string. The garden was beautiful, flowers delicately placed in large arrangements, the vines weaving through the gate's openings...

Eyes weary and tired, she stared at the sweet lady standing in front of her. The woman's voice was whimsical, like out of a child's fantasy, or daydream. Of course, Arabella had been walking all night after leaving her bike and many other things behind.

Just like out of a child's daydream...

The old lady suddenly gathers the group in, foods piled high and she introduces the teachers. Arabella keeps quiet during all this, trying to comprehend what was going on.

"You may call me, Mother Goose. And this is my school." She states with full pride. Arabella's defense walls seemed to be waning with each passing tick of the grandfather clock against the wall, this lady... Mother Goose, as she so proudly declared herself as, seemed to have this aura about her. Emanating a sweet, grandmother-like way, Arabella felt comforted by this, and yet discomforted at the same time. With a deep breath her hands fell in her lap, falling silent as she waited for someone to speak.