Joyful Findings- CWWC Final Story!

This is the FINAL post for CWWC! I have had a blast working with Loren, the young lady who put this on. I hope she does it again next year! I used a grand total of 11 prompts in this one story! Without further ado, I present: "Joyful Findings"

Mr. Newton plopped down on the couch, and opened the newspaper. “Missing dog.” It said.

“Look honey,” He called to his wife, “We made the front page!” 

“Yes dear, I see. I hope someone finds him, for Jamie’s sake.” Mrs. Newton replied, coming in and sitting down next to him. He nodded in reply.

 They had recently lost their dog Sparky, and their daughter Jamie, was taking it rather harshly. 

“Hey!” Jamie suddenly appeared at their side. “Anyone call for Sparky?” The silence told her what she needed to know. Her face dropped. She rushed up to her room, brushing away tears. She busted through her door. She tripped and broke a snow globe. She continued to fall until she was full out on the floor. She didn’t even care. She laid there, not caring what happened. 

She suddenly noticed she was soaking wet, and not with tears. She looked up and saw she was in the woods. It was raining like crazy! She released the tree branch she was clinging to. She looked around carefully. The only landmark she noticed was a wooden post with the engraving, “Here be faeries.” 

“Hmp,” She thought to herself. “They need some grammar lessons.”

 She started to wander around. She continued to look around the muddy forest as she went. While doing so, she saw some odd, white creatures tromping around her. Somehow not scared, she simply continued to walk on. She passed quite a few odd things, not worth mentioning. 

But after a while of wandering, she began to grow weary. Thankfully, she had spotted a nearby abandoned cabin that she might be able to stay the night in. She retraced her steps and quickly found it again. She went in the squeaky door, turned and shut it. She jumped as she read what it said. “The worlds not safe anymore,” It read. She noticed it had a ton of locks on it, eight to be exact. A bit befuddled, she continued further in. She approached a bedroom, with a simple bed and nightstand. She began to crawl in it. 

“Hey!” Jamie jumped. “Watch it will ya?” Jamie quickly retreated away from the bed, and the voice. 

“Who’s there?” Her voice trembled as she watched the covers unveil a small creature.

“I should ask the same for you!” The creature replied. “But, if you must know. I am Kite. Who are you?”

“I am Jamie. May I ask, what are you?”

“Well, seeing as you already asked, I am a Ferryman.” 

Jamie wondered why that sounded so familiar. She pondered for a moment, then suddenly she knew. She had a book, with a beautiful cover on it. It was a waterfall, with a Ferryman and a dragon on a nearby branch. She loved that book, and had read it over and over again. “A Ferryman?” She inquired.

“Yes, a FERRYMAN.” Kite said it slowly, annunciating each salable clearly. “Do you have a problem with that?”

“Of course not. I just…” Her thoughts trailed off. 

“Now, I have a question for you! I guard the portals here day and night. So, how did you get here?” And so came the explanation. 

They chatted on a while longer until Kite noted how late it was. “You’d better get some sleep. You can sleep on the roof.” She nodded towards the stairway. She headed up to the top of the tin roof. She leaned over the edge and inhaled deeply. The air was more fresh up here. The stars and moon seemed brighter somehow. She felt, free.

 The sky flashed around her, she was suddenly back in her own room, on the floor. She heard a gentle rap on the door. She stood up and opened it. Her dad stood there. 

“Any news?” She asked him.

“I have been asking around sweetie, but the only answer I’ve been getting is, ‘I can’t help you.’” He imitated a large man with a deep voice as he said the words. “I am sorry honey.” They hugged in front of the bay windows in Jamie’s room. She sobbed on his shoulder, and he comforted her. They finally disengaged and Jamie sat down on her bed. Her dad left the room quietly.

 She looked up at her jars of paint. She had forgotten about painting in her mourning of her dog. She picked up her paint brush and set to work. She painted two girls playing in the sprinklers, with princess dresses and lots of glitter. She stepped back to admire her work. Maybe there was some joy after all.

-The End