Feles Ridiculi Sunt

I have been accused

I have been had

I hope to be excused

Because all of my stories are sad

But this one won’t be

This one shan’t be a

This shall read by bees

This Wont see a sad scene

So what to write whats a fable

About a man whose skin is unstable

About a boy whose past tragedy is his label

No no those are to sad I wont be able

Instead what about a circus goer who’s happy as a clown

No I have already foreseen that and it ended in a frown

Or maybe a Story of a puppy whos situation is most yucky

No wait theres deception there and that dog wont be so lucky

But a story of something cute and cuddly may do the trick

A short story a story so short it looks to be three sizes thick

A story I assure you that isn’t some type of sad story front

Heres a funny silly story by the name Feles Ridiculi Sunt

-Seshat

There once was a girl named Sarah. A girl who waved to buses that drove by her old wooden home that was across the farm fields . A girl who always made sure to keep the house extra tidy and brush her teeth before bed. A girl who did this and more with no issue but a smile that was painted across her face.

Though she had no people to share it with at school, and no one to share it with at home. So she shared her smiles with herself when her mommy and daddy were away at work. She would share the household chores, the organization of different foods in the fridge though the bottom was beer only. And much more that made her smile all the more harder to share with others though she never faltered. All because of her cat, a stray she found in her still overgrown backyard that was stuck between her house and a branch that fell the night of a storm.

She hated storms, not because of the loud booms in the distance or flashes of heaven through her thin shallow home. Nor the fact she would be home alone as her mommy and daddy left to find “shelter” as Sarah was tasked to guard the house though she was only seven years old. No she hated storms because of all the animals and families who got hurt because they didn’t have Sarahs of their own to protect their house.

Though Sarah never did toot her own horn as one storm a flash of heaven came, shaking the house causing Sarah to fall over as well as mommy’s vase of juice she kept on top of the fridge. The vase fell on Sarah’s head and when she woke up she was in the hospital. Sarah remembered how mommy was so mad at losing her juice that Sarah had to be hit with a stick for a whole month. Sarah learned “discipline” from the stick according to her parents ‘loud conversations’ as daddy called them. From that day forward Sarah promised to never break one of mommy’s vases again.

From the storm Sarah adopted a new way of being gentle, as well as her cat. So I guess storms weren’t all that bad, though Sarah feared them still. So much in fact Sarah always sat on the ground and hid behind her legs when the storms would pass over, her back aching from storms passing when one night she heard something from outside. A meowing from beyond her fragile walls that Sarah defended like a fort.

Sarah was confused, she thought of what to do at that moment. She thought of something she only saw once a month called car toons. And they weren’t anything with wheels Sarah was surprised to learn, but little stories of drawings that moved around places. She only was allowed to watch them with their grandmas and they always made Sarah’s smiles feel more comfortable.Sitting back as she watched these stories and ate hot food instead of her cold ones from home. From Sponges to men in costumes, and now, Sarah had to be one of those characters, thinking of the heroes that would battle some and save others.

Sarah stood up from where she sat as another flash from heaven shook the ground, she steadied herself grabbing her back that was riddled with old lessons and rushed to the back door. Through the kitchen and stumbling on knocked over cans from the cupboards above she found her footing by grabbing the backdoor handle. Looking across the kitchen to remind her to pick the cans up later she pulled the interfacing door ever so slightly and jumped back. The back door slammed towards Sarah almost repeating a nose smashing she felt weeks before.

She then walked to the now open and wavering back door, as it kept slamming into the wall against it with the wind and grabbed the door frame. Sarah looked outside with the wind being too loud for anything to come above it. She had never tried to come out during a storm but watched and saw as the trees danced sideways with the wind, this made Sarah laugh, losing track of what she was doing. A change in wind and the back door slamming her fingers between the door and frame reminded her as she jumped away from the house, screaming as she fell into the muddy backyard.

The stones beneath her cushioned her fall as the lessons on her back flared up again and her fingers stung. She grabbed her now damaged finger and suckled onto them to fix them like her cuts before. As she did this she heard something else scream besides her. Through teary eyes and pain filled fingers and back she heard and saw something in the thorn bush besides the house. She knew better than to jump into a thorn bush but did other creatures? She then thought of her reason for hating storms and realised they didn’t.

She then jumped to her feet, the wind pushing her small body around as she caught herself on the back doors steps and looked into the bush, inside was a small cat. With eyes as big as marbles and a body as big as a rat, she read about cats at school and their smaller counterparts, Kittens.

This drenched kitten was meowing and looking around, a thorn vine beneath its body as it found trouble standing up straight. Though Sarah didn’t know much about kittens or cats besides the things she learned from a book in school she leaped towards it, a gash of blood coming from her hand as she reached for the kitten with her bruised fingers. Sarah couldn’t reach it as she looked around for something to cover the bush. But finding it hard to see with the intense rain and wind. Sarah knew what she had to do as she jumped from the backdoor steps into the bush, snatching the kitty up as her body was scratched by every thorn in the bush, she then stood up, rushed for the back door, and with all her might and help from the wind. Pushed the back door open and got the kitty inside. From that, she earned a new cat, his name was Thorn.

Sarah thought of that night as she stood up from organizing the fridge and walked to her room walking into her room to see Thorn resting on her mismatched sheets and pillow casings. Her bedroom was located beside the front door in her house. Her bedroom door had a dent in it from Mommy and Daddy slamming open the door from the many nights prior. They always came home angry, either at each other or something at work but always cooled down once they both had a few beers. Or as she used to call it silly juice.

It was a teacher from her old school who taught her that word instead of beer. Sarah found the word oh so funny, saying it throughout that day and into the night when she walked a mile home in the dark and said it to her daddy. Though he didn’t find the word so joyous as he screamed at Sarah about how stupid that word was. Her daddy had to teach her a lesson however the teacher this time wasn’t a stick to Sarah’s back, it was a bottle to the head. When she awoke beside her daddy’s chair she understood his frustrations with beer. She was just as dizzy as daddy when he would wake up. Tied with a now bruised and bleeding lip and had a huge headache Sarah learned to never call it a silly juice again and instead beer. She learned as well this was called a hang over.

When Sarah saw Thorn on her bedsheets she was almost about ready to jump on him and share some smiles with him. Before she did however she walked over and grabbed her book on animals. Looking for a yellow sticky note that read “Make sure you take care of that cat now, follow everything these books say -Mr Skopien.” She always used this nice man’s message as a bookmark to find the page on cats. In the book she read about what cats ate, how they got sick, the cat’s history which Sarah was reading over again so as not to forget. And most importantly there are different types.

From the few pages of cats in the book Sarah learned that Thorn was a white male American Bobtail. And that cats had befriended humans from eating mice that attacked farmers’ crops, which is why humans are friends with cats throughout history. Sarah always loved learning this, being the one few lessons she learned on repeat that made her smile. She then looked to the kitten whose eyes were squinted and head rose from Sarah’s entrance. Thorn didn’t mind it though as he stayed, laying on the end of Sarah’s bed basking in the sunlight from the window above.

Sarah then closed her book, hiding it in her organized closet so her daddy wouldn’t see it, breaking it and walking over to the bed. She then listened for any cars approaching the house and grabbed the secret bowls hidden under her floor. One was for food for the cat and the other for water. Sarah knew how daddy would act if he learned of her having a cat but its been a few weeks now and hiding Thorn has become easier as long as daddy had a few drinks.

She looked into the bowls below and found the food empty and water dirty, she then walked the water bowl to the sink and poured it out, then filled it with fresh water. She returned to the room with Thorn now wondering on the floor above his food bowl curious of how empty it was today. Sarah smiled and apologized to Thorn, grabbing the bowl and taking it into the back of her closet and filling it with food. The giant bag of food slouches as it hits once full contents now a fraction of his fill. Sarah had to remind herself next time she was dismissed from class to ask Mr Skopien to get her another bag of food for the cat. Sarah remembered when he got it and brought it to Sarah’s porch the first time she told Mr Skopien that for a book store owner he was very strong. He laughed at that as he said goodbye and Sarah dragged it into her closet and away from Mommy or Daddy’s eyes.

Bringing the meal to Thorn, the small kitten ate constantly. Sarah then started to pet the small kitten, noting how warm he was from the sun through the window. At that moment Thorn started to vibrate and a low hum came from him. Sarah learned this was called purring and was a sign of love from a cat to any animal or human. Sarah smiled at this vibration beneath her palm as she pet the kitten more and more. Wishing for the moment to last that much longer but knew it couldn’t.

Sarah then stood up and walked to her dresser, the top two dressers had the few clothes Sarah owned and the ones below held notebooks and text books she was allowed to have from school. Sarah remembered her first day of school when she was allowed to go on her own. It was the first couple hour walk to school she ever did, as well as the first time she was told to bring home something. She brought home books and was given a notebook from one of the other kids in her class. The books made the walk home harder as they were heavy and when she arrived at night she found her mom’s blue, dirty car beside her home.

Sarah didn’t think much of it as she walked to the porch and opened the front door. Before she could even speak however she was struck in the face by a blur. The force scratching Sarah’s face with its long nails and a scary shriek came with it, but not one of Sarah’s. Her mommy stood above her, Sarah reached for her cheek which was now red with blood. Her mommy bent down and grabbed that same cheek, her eyes watery and skin moist from tears past shed. She then looked into Sarah’s eyes lovingly before striking her other cheek, screaming at Sarah.

Sarah was screamed at for being home later than expected by her mommy, who worried the whole day that her little girl would be safe. She then reached for Sarah again but learned from the reach before Sarah didn’t let her. Her mommy yelled at Sarah again, kicking her in the stomach with her boots slamming Sarah into the front door and causing something nearby to fall over. Sarah was then blamed for whatever was broken and accused for not loving her mommy as her mommy laid on the floor beside Sarah and cried. Sarah also cried at this moment, her stomach in a bruised knot as the tears made her newly given gashs of her cheeks burn from the salty tears. In the weak state Sarah was in she let go of her aching stomach and crawled to her mommy, she needed to prove her wrong that she did love her and held her as she cried on the floor.

Sarah’s mommy then punched her in the stomach, standing up and blaming Sarah for how she acts against Sarah, she then ran out the front door, kicking the newly given books into the dirt and driving away in her car. Sarah remembered her jaw hurting and stomach bruised after this, after an hour or so of getting her strength back she then went outside and slowly gathered all the books from the dirt and mud and slowly walked them back into her home. Placing them on her bed before passing out on the floor beside her bed.

When Sarah awoke that day she was gasping for air, she found her chest being beaten continuously with the teacher being a book by her father as her mommy watched. When she finally came to, she learned it was for bringing these radical views into their house. They then left Sarah there on the floor after dropping the total of books onto her aching body as the house filled with mommy and daddy fighting over their lefts and rights views. Sarah didn’t listen carefully however as she lost consciousness, learning to not bring certain, unknown books into the house.

Grabbing the few books from her dresser she was allowed to read on, Sarah then took notes in her notebook throughout the night, learning things other kids knew about. Like mathematics, english, science, and last but not least. Animals. Looking over at Thorn who rested against the window gently as she wrote in her notebook. Some clouds impaired the sunlight Thorn basked in, and it started to rain. This was the perfect backdrop to Sarah’s studies as her focus was drawn away from a car pulling up to the house, and worse. Something slammed against her bedroom door as she finished her sentence.

“SARAH! BRING BE A CLUCKING BEER” Her father screamed from the other room, scaring Sarah out of her seat.

“BE NICE TO MY CLUCKING DAUGHTER YOU OVERWEIGHT PIG” Mommy screamed back to daddy, though Sarah knew her father wasn’t a pig. In her realisation of what was asked of her Sarah ran to her mirror and checked she was wearing her smile. Sarah then opened her bedroom door as the front door slammed open and stopped whoever was still outside from entering.

“LET ME IN RIGHT CLUCKING NOW!!” Her mother screamed, Sarah closed her door letting the front be open as she reopened her door to apologize. However she wasn’t able to, her mother lunged for her, Sarah’s head slammed into the floor making her dizzy as mommy grabbed Sarah’s shoulders and shook her repeatedly. Sarah’s head ached as she did this repeatedly before being slammed into the floor once again.

“YOU DONT EVER LISTEN SARAH!, WHEN YOUR FATHER ASKS FOR A BEER YOU GET HIM A CLUCKING BEER, YOU TRY AND KEEP US OUT?!? BARICADING HIDING IN YOUR ROOM AND WISHING WE WERE BOTH DEAD DONT YOU SARAH?? SARAH!!!!” Her mother then punched into her over and over again, Sarah’s chest gaining new bruises as her body ached more and more with every impact. Her mother then started crying as she stopped and held Sarah in her arms.

“Im Sorry.. Im so so sorry YOU MAKE ME THIS WAY!” Her mother then switched, slamming Sarah into the floor then pushing against her skull to stand herself up.

“GET THE CLUCK UP YOU LAZY LITTLE GLITCH AND GET ME AND YOUR USELESS FATHER A BEER!” Mommy said walking over to her father and crying in his arms. He then swatted her away as he had gotten his own beer at this point and is now watching television. Sarah couldn’t remember what she was doing before as she grabbed her chest and put on her smile, walking to the kitchen and grabbing her mommy a beer from the fridge. As Sarah had trouble walking over with tears flowing through her eyes she heard a loud scream.

“AHHHHHH KILL IT KILL IT KILL IT!!!! WHAT THE CLUCK IS THAT THING???” Sarah’s mommy screamed as she ran from Sarah’s room towards her. Sarah was then helped up by her hair as she was dragged from the kitchen, slammed into the dining table and other furniture and thrown into her room.

Sarah’s jaw connected with the floor beneath her as her mother stepped on Sarah’s back and pulled her hair, causing her spine to bend to its limits and look towards her bed. On top of it, was Thorn, sleeping in his spot on the bed peacefully. Sarah finally remembered, she didn’t hide Thorn in her closet today, she had forgotten to.

“GET IN HERE AND KILL THIS THING YOU LAZY CLUCKING MAN!” Mommy yelled to Daddy as she stood up, dropping a bottle a little close to Sarah’s planted body then rushing to Sarah’s bed to grab the cat. In one hand Daddy held the cat, his face red with anger as usual as he grabbed the kitten by the throat and screamed.

“WHERE DID YOU GET THIS SARAH!??” Daddy asked, Sarah was too bruised to speak at this moment as she looked up to Daddy and tried to answer. Instead the pressure on her back grew as Mommy kicked Sarah into the floor.

“YOU DUMB GLITCH! I WAS TALKING TO HER” Daddy yelled at Mommy, pushing her back as they continued to scream at one another over Sarah and her behavior. Sarah just laid on the floor, her body aching and unable to move as she tried to turn around. She was then lifted and thrown onto the couch, her fathers bottle upside down and raised in the air.

“NO NO NO!!! NOT THE BOTTLE!!! USE A BAT OR STICK!!! SHE WILL NEVER LEARN IF YOU USE THE BOTTLE!!!!!” Mommy pleaded with daddy before the bottle came down, he then dropped it, causing it to shatter.

“YOU GLITCH YOU OWE ME A BEER” Daddy screamed, punching Sarah in the stomach with the hand that held the kitten. Daddy then left outside as mommy chased after him shouting as they went to grab a stick from the yard. Dizzy and seeing dots Sarah looked down at the kitten in her lap. Its hair was raised and its tail twitched violently as fear overtook it. Darting for Sarah’s arms to hide itself from whatever had attacked it.

Sarah looked down to the kitty below, why didn’t it smile? Why did it shake? Was it cold? No it couldn’t be, it wasn’t raining, it was bleeding, and groaning. It curled into Sarah’s chest as its claws stabbed into Sarah. Realising what was happening Sarah jumped to her feet, she needed help. She grabbed the kitten running to her father and mother. They, according to their footprints in the freshly made mud, walked to the side of the house to the shed. She followed the steps as Daddy had a big knife in his hand and was fighting ownership of it with Mommy.

“ILL SEND THAT THING TO BELL! AND YOU’LL BE WITH IT TO YOU GLITCH” Daddy screamed as more rain came down and they struggled in their tug of war. Suddenly Daddy pulled and taught Mommy a lesson to her stomach like the kitty as he gained the knife and walked towards Sarah. Reaching her, Daddy’s face was bright red and angry.

“HOLD THAT THING TO THE GROUND!! NOW!” Daddy demanded, reaching for the cat in Sarah’s hand. All of Sarah’s pleas to help it being heard as Sarah did as asked, laying the hurt Thorn down so Daddy could look at it. Daddy raised the knife up as Sarah held it still and petted it as it struggled, scared of Daddy. But Sarah knew he would nurse it back to health, he just had to. Sarah was excited for her future, her smile feeling comfortable for the first time in a while as he raised her knife up in the air. Excited that Thorn can learn a lesson then be Sarah’s brother once Daddy nursed it back to health. Learning lessons with Sarah and being a little knight in defending the house once it’s done.

Could cats be family Sarah wondered as suddenly Daddy raised the large knife and chopped down. His knife missed Thorn by inches as Mommy jumped on Daddy’s back. This sent the knife down Daddy’s arm, missing Sarah’s hand by inches as he cut Thorns tail off and in the travel there cutting into Sarah. The force pushed Sarah into a prickly bush at the side of the house, and took the kitty with her as she fell into the prickly bush below.

Sarah awoke in a dark cave, the tops of which dripped down on her. She looked down to see she was in a small, short-sleeved, bright blue dress with a white apron, and long striped socks. Sarah looked down, checking for the normal holes in her clothing which were missing. She then stood, looking around where she was, behind her was a door, solid brown with no cracks like the backdoor. The word on it read the words L I F E which Sarah remembered was a board game she played with others in school once. She then heard something behind her, the distant sounds of children laughing and cats meowing.

She turned around and saw a figure laying in front of a warping doorway that flashed purple and pink as it swirled. The figure in front of this was Thorn. Remembering what had just happened Sarah rushed over to the feline friend. Reaching where his tail was and freaked out.

Could cats live without their tails? Well lizards could so maybe he could. Though Sarah didn’t think so. Suddenly Thorn awoke, jumping from Sarah as he reached out and scratched her face. Sarah jumped back and grabbed her head, the scratch burning something she never felt before. She then expected blood, standing and looking up as for it to not be on the carpet like Mommy and Daddy taught her but it never came. A small moist feeling did come from her hand as she looked down and saw Thorn licking her. Though she didn’t know why?

“I’m sorry Sarah, it’s all her fault, she was on top of me is all” Thorn said, Sarah was confused who he talked to before realising he spoke and changed from a frown to shock.

“Yes, I can talk, and yes I understand you don’t.” Thorn spoke again, noticing Sarah’s shock before turning towards the purple vortex behind him. Sarah looked with Thorn at the doorway above.

“Do you know what this means? There’s only one way out for something as bad as this, you can’t go back once you do what you just did” Thorn said, Sarah looked behind her as a light highlighted the door behind them. She wasn’t in the mood for a board game as the scratch on her face stung her head and made her mind fuzzy. Plus besides the light, that side seemed dark.

Looking back Thorns was gone, leaving behind a detached tail as his butt went through the purple. Sarah grabbed the tail and looked behind her one last time, the door was dimly lit but the light seemed more interesting. She stepped through the purple gate following Thorn as her last adventure ended. And a new beautiful bright one began

The world twisted and warped as Sarah fell. She fell though multitude of places, first a building where babies cried, then a home with four stick figures flew with her, the four stepped away as three returned. Then three went away and it was one, suddenly an animal showed for the one as they all flew away from Sarah. A couch with hot food and cartoons fell away from her as well. Books, pencils, papers. All of this fell with Sarah as she hit the bottom and lost her consciousness and the world went still.

When Sarah awoke she found herself in another cave, brightness came from it as Thorn sat at the exit. Sarah stood herself up, walking out into the bright new world to find herself somewhere she couldn’t understand. A bright green field stretched across as far as the eye could see. A brown path with figures and wagons walking along it towards a distant beyond that Sarah wished to see.

“Welcome, this will be your new home for a while if you can hear me. “ Thorn said, getting Sarah’s attention. Still trying to get her bearings as she sat with the cat and petted it.

“It’s also where I’ll fix you, and you’ll be all better.” Thorn said, purring at the attention as he looked down into Sarah’s other hand and saw his tail. Sarah realised that she needed to fix his tail, and at the thought Thorn stood, walking in the grass field towards the dirt path. As they walked together Sarah was still stuck on her surroundings, the sky was as blue as her newly acquired dress and filled with fluffy white clouds. It was as if it never had stormed here, she admired this beauty and strangeness as she walked with Thorn.

On their journey Sarah noticed little things that didn’t seem possible before. Like when they passed a house built into a tree thats yellow resident stretched its body to the top then squashed into the window above. Or when they passed a forest and Sarah could have a sword she saw a baby elephant eating an apple. Sarah tried to take in these wonders as Thorn continued on. She finally looked across the grass field to icy mountains before Thorn sat on Sarah’s foot causing her to fall. Sarah tried to get up by her knees but found the dress restricted her as she laid on her back and stood straight.

“This is where you will be fixed, I bet you know what this is already dont you young lady” Thorn asked as Sarah looked at the stone wall in front of her. Looking up a wall of wide fencing with metal at the top of it as it raised in front of her. At the other side of the rising fence was a pink figure wearing white. It dashed after seeing Sarah and Thorn.

“Quickly! Get her inside!! We’re losing her!” Thorn said, dashing under the spike-covered fencing as it was still too low for Sarah to join in the chase. When it finally raised high enough for Sarah to duck underneath she knelt down and looked up. Seeing Thorn running up stone covered stairs after the pink figure. Sarah quickly joined him in chase, catching up with him though barely as it was difficult to run in a dress.

Sarah ran after the kitty as the colorful buildings wisped past. It was until Sarah ran up all of the stairs before she let herself catch her breath. She looked to Thorn who sat a couple meters away looking towards a door handle he couldn’t reach. Sarah looked back at what she ran, surprised at how high she was relative to the walls she was just under. Besides this she saw the buildings were confusing, the floors were pink compared to the green fields across the walls. The buildings looked like candies and sweets that Sarah saw pictures of when cleaning magazines the wind brought to her house. It was surreal but Sarah needed to help Thorn.

She ran over to Thorn and opened the door above, Thorn dashed through it and as he reached a table he collapsed. Sarah ran towards Thorn, thinking how this wasn’t the time to take a nap. However when she came up to Thorn she found his natural smile in the window sill missing. Instead a frown went across his face as his body breathed heavily. Sarah grabbed the small kitten, shaking Thorn to try and wake him like his mommy and daddy did to her.

“The shaking is completely normal for a patient who’s close to loss” A feminine voice spoke behind Sarah as she turned around and saw the pink figure was in fact a woman. Though not one like Mommy or any friend from school, this one was see through and looked to be made of something else. Her skin was as pink as bubble gum and her hair were wads of gum flowing down her shaped head.

“I am the doctor operating on this patient, please step aside so I can assess what has happened to her” The Pink doctor spoke to Sarah, pushing her away with an extended arm as she looked at Thorn. Sarah looked to where the pink doctor touched her dress, a pink sticky residue left in its wake. When Sarah touched it she found it was sticky and after getting the courage to lick it, she found it sweet.

Sarah looked up after her rather strange wonders of tasting pink residue off a dress she just randomly had on and saw the pink doctor carrying Thorn out the door as it slammed behind her. Sarah then ran towards the door back into the outside world and saw the pink doctor walk towards a massive building atop a new set of steps. Around her, figures came out of the houses made of sweets, inside them were a multitude of candys. Some lollipops watched the pink doctor walk into the massive building above. As did some candy corn who walked towards Sarah and then swiftly moved away as she walked to the pink doctor.

Inside the massive building were pillars, holes in the walls that held stairs that led to places unknown. In the back wall at the center was a set of chairs, the one at the very center being the largest. With carpet leading up to said chairs as candy canes lined the pillars, holding spears in their hands as they stood. Sarah looked at these candies and smiled at them, waving to some as they waved back, she then reached out to one for a high five which one of them accepted.

Sarah swiftly remembered why she was here and licked her hand of minty flavor which she enjoyed as she ran towards the pink doctor. She ran up stairs that spiraled for what seemed like forever before reaching a cracked door. Inside, the pink doctor had placed Thorn into some machine on the side. Sarah dashed for the machine, looking to the sleeping Thornas suddenly a loud alarm blared and the glass of the machine fogged.

“Their loss is too great for them to be in the facility at this time, we need them moved away from the patient so we can save her” The pink doctor said, closing the door behind Sarah and walking towards her. She reached out her hand and opened it towards Sarah, thinking she was being moved Sarah put her hands in the pink doctors but she took her hand away.

“In order to save her, I must have the proper tools, though without them, saving her will be close to impossible” The Pink doctors hand was still outreached, Sarah couldn’t figure out why she called Thorn a girl but didn’t question her on it. She then realized what the doctor wanted, handing her the cat’s tail which she took and threw into another chamber of the same machine. Another blare and the glass that blocked Sarah and the tail fogged as well.

The Pink doctor then let out a loud breath, laying on a nearby sofa as she did. Sarah rushed over to a nearby fridge and looked inside. Though there was no beer, just different chemicals in vials that Leah didnt wanna touch in fear of a lesson. Leah then walked back to the Pink doctor, watching her eyes expecting a lesson to learn but nothing came.

“Im surprised shes alive honestly, and no, she cant hear us, not in the state she’s in” The Pink doctor started, looking towards Thorn who Sarah had to remind herself was a woman. Sarah looked back to the pink doctor whose head was in her hand.

“I think she was abused before this accident occurred, can you imagine that? On something so sweet as her” The pink doctor said, scoffing at the thought. Sarah didn’t understand how she would know how Thorn was treated but Sarah thought she did a good job. She never hit the kitty, even saving her from a storm but that’s it.

The Pink doctor then suddenly stood, leaning against the window sill that leaked light into the room and looked back to Sarah.

“With her condition, have you thought of moving on?” The Pink doctor asked Sarah as she opened up a window. She pointed below, where the pink candy floor and snow covered mountains meet was a dirt path much like the one Sarah and Thorn had traveled to get there. Sarah knew there had to be a way to help Thorn as she looked to the Pink Doctor and nodded.

“Very well, I’ll be here with you for a journey together. We will make sure she gets better.” The Pink doctor responded, Sarah didn’t know what she had just agreed to but was excited to see where it would bring her in her journey to come.

At the bottom of the castle and down the steps she ran before, she saw a pretzel wagon that held many boxes atop it. In Sarah’s hand was a gigantic ice cream that she held by the stick. Inside of said icecream was thorn, and another smaller popsicle was his tail.

As Sarah joined the Pink Doctor onto the wagon a slew of different figures showed around them. Some waving and others clapping to the wagon as they were dragged off with the help of a horse made of graham crackers. Sarah wondered if this is what it felt like to be a princess in one of her books she read from school as the wagon left the castle and it became a blur behind them.

On their journey between the pink floor and icy tundra was one of confusion to Sarah. Instead of the wonders of the grassy fields she saw before she felt a mixture of cold and sticky as the trail teetered between the two regions, it was like the mist before a big storm but it never moved. The animals were strange as well, with the snow having penguins and the pink lands having little peppermint children running around them. Sarah could’ve swore she even saw a penguin with a crown at one point before the wagon abruptly stopped and the Pink doctor looked ahead.

“I think it’s time to move on, I’m sorry” The Pink doctor broke the silence in a somber voice. Pointing to the end of the path where a large body of water expanded past her view. Sarah learned this was called the ocean and at the other side of said ocean, a distant land. As they finally arrived the Pink doctor walked towards a nearby pear, a gummy bear fished off the side of it. Sarah looked at the ocean below to see if he would catch anything but nothing was in the waters below.

“Its hard to move on, but I’ll be here with you if you have any questions.” The pink doctor said in a somber voice as she waved off a boat that held the cargo that was on their wagon. With it was Thorn as Sarah realised what the Doctor meant, looking out into the ocean below. Sarah knew she had to travel across it and meet Thorn on the other side. But how was a different story, she looked back towards the candy kingdom she just came from and the kindness and generosity they showed her as she felt determined to do it. She looked to see no other boats on the port as she realised she would have to swim. Though this did not deter her, her smile had no wrinkles, as she walked into the ocean and fell with the current.

Expecting to find the sand beneath her toes she continued to fall into the water below. Until her head was submerged. Sarah closed her eyes to stop the water from entering, she covered her mouth as her body continued to fall. She felt as if she were flying as the water around her body rushed away from her in little lines. The darkness behind her eyelids slowly lit up again, as if she were closing her eyes while looking towards the son. Though her feet didn’t feel anything solid beneath her as she continued to fall for what felt like forever. That happened for a few more seconds till she finally felt the ground beneath her.

Sarah was too scared to open her eyes expecting to see darkness on the ocean floor. Instead when her eyes escaped her and she took a little peak she found it was bright and unnaturally vibrant. Fully opening her eyes she found it especially strange as she found herself at the beginning of a gravel road. Her vision blurred and eyes burned as she tried her best to hold her breath, until she couldn’t anymore. Opening her mouth as the water rushed in.

And then rushed out, breathing at a swift pace before calming down. Sarah couldn’t believe what she was doing, she looked to her hands and feet and took in the strangely fresh air. Though Sarah swished her arms around her, feeling the water beneath her arms she could breath air as if she was above. Trying hard not to overthink it, Sarah remembered what she had to do, looking ahead to the gravel road and walking across it.

Surprisingly the fun and interesting things around her still followed her from the surface above. As she walked past buildings of different shapes and sizes, she could’ve sworn one looked to be a pineapple. She walked through a city of plastic cups and cans the size of sky scrapers. Where she finally found fish however they stood on their bottom fins and walked around like Sarah did. Some looked at her in shock while others in confusion. Before leaving said city Sarah found herself walking past a star fish sleeping on a bench which made her think of Daddy.

She thought of a day when Sarah walked home from school and she saw one of these people asking for money. The sign the man had read that he was a veteran which made Sarah oh so happy to meet one in person. She sat next to the man and talked to him about how it was to help sick and helpless animals. The man laughed and told Sarah she was funny which made Sarah smile at the complement.

She then remembered the bunch of crackers her teacher gave her and told her to never tell her daddy about it and gave them to the man on the bench. The man tried to refuse them saying her talking to him was enough but Sarah wanted to help those who helped the animals. When Sarah came home and told Daddy about it an hour later, he was furious, teaching Sarah a lesson with his backhand, telling her that they were the lazy scum of the earth and told Sarah to never interact with them. That day, Sarah learned what a homeless person was, and how much daddy hated them.

Walking past the starfish who slept with no sign on the bench Sarah continued on her path. Looking around some more as she traveled down the gravel road. Though she looked behind her because she thought someone was following her at a distance. Through her travels she saw some more things, her legs getting tired as she traveled, seeing things she couldn’t believe if she tried. A tree under the water, protected by a dome, a gigantic bucket with a disembodied hand holding it up, a green cup with a straw the size of a building.

Sarah thought she was tired, like she was when she walked home from school and decided to sit down and rest for a second. She sat and closed her eyes, thinking of everything that has happened so far. Reflecting on the candy kingdom and its generosity and her wonders through this ocean land to reach Thorn and make sure he is ok. Sarah still wondered why the candy people couldn’t have sent Sarah with him but never paid much mind to it, letting her legs calm down and breathing.

That was until the sound of a car pulled up in front of her house. She opened her eyes realizing that this time it wasn’t in front of her house but in front of her. She looked up to see a boxy car with lights above it. Inside were blue fishes with glasses, one with a mustache and star on his chest and the other just a star. They both stepped out of the car and walked to Sarah, one kneeling while the other stood.

“Do you think it’s ok to allow her to go?” One of the blue fish asks, this one a manly voice with a mustache. Sarah just looked at him in confusion as to who they were speaking to.

“What do you mean?” The other blue fish, a feminine voice asked, just as curious as Sarah.

“She barely entered the hospital a few days ago and now has to go into court.” The mustached blue fish stated, making Sarah’s eyes widen at the words. Had she been walking for days? It only felt like a few hours. And did they mean Thorn? Why did he need to be playing basketball now of all times.

“Well, the administrator said so, so we kinda have to listen” The feminine one said, Sarah realised they must be the ones trying to convince Thorn to play. Sarah couldn’t believe it and thought that Thorn needed to rest first.

“ She should stay here and rest, not out there, she can’t even observe the court. So why has she been there?” The masculine one agreed. Sarah nodded to him as he repeated her thoughts.

“I couldn’t tell you, and it’s not our job to ask why, you know that.” The feminine one stated, reaching to Sarah and picking her up by one arm. Sarah didn’t understand why the fish helped her up and tried to thank her. Before she could, however , the feminine fish walked her into the back of her car. Sarah stepped in and sat down, the seat feeling soft below her as she hadn’t sat since the pink doctors couch.

The two fish then got into the front of the car, the motor turned as Sarah sat back and relaxed for a moment. These fish must be helping her with the rest of the journey like the Pink doctor did before. Sarah took this opportunity to relax for a moment and continue reliving the events that got her there. How she entered the water and the fish’s city and how big the cans were around her. She thought and thought before she realised she fell asleep as the motor whisked her away.

A sudden loud knock on the vehicles door awaking her as she shot up and hit her head on the top of the car. Sarah was confused and worried of where she was at this moment, trying her best to take in her surroundings as she was taken from the back of a police car. She was then rushed into a huge wooden box, pencils lined it like pillars that held up the ceiling from outside. When entering said building she found a multitude of fish around her as she was walking through the center. She found herself at the front as she was placed into one of two tables in front of a gigantic one.

One fish sat in the center of the big wooden table. Two fish sat beside the one in the middle, though they were lower than he was. A red fish sat beside Sarah who looked down to her and smiled. A blue fish with glasses and a mustache stood beside Sarah as the gavel rang out.

“Good evening, ladies and gentleman of the jury, today’s subject is one of horrid manners, as these two have been found to have possessed and abused the young lady, who has been brought to the court, with permission of the hospice.” The black fish spoke between Sarah’s table and the giant table after clearing his throat. Sarah then looked around, realising Thorn was there and Sarah was being blamed for his injury.

“This is just gonna be settled out of court like they always are anyways, and plus she shouldn’t even be here, who in the facilities board allowed her to?” The blue fish behind Sarah said in a worried panic, distracting Sarah as she tried to look around again.

“Thank you, is there any additional records needed to be added before this court is to continue?” The old fish at the top of the table spoke in a grovelly voice, behind him the walls were bright blue.

“Yes your honor, here, I have pictures of the lady’s body taken the night of hospice” A new fish said from a smaller table, Sarah was curious what these photos were. A fish with a little star on his shirt was handed the photos as he walked up the table and handed it to the fish at the top. Recognizing him as the one with the little car that Sarah had ridden here in.

“Alright, now with no further delay, we may all be seated.” The old fish said, Sarah’s head spinning around trying to analyse every detail, surprised of what a lot of fish there are. The room suddenly went silent as the black fish in the middle walked around the center.

“To begin, we can look at the patient’s back side, seeing as it’s damaged and unbearably destroyed.” The Black fish spoke, the crowd shocked by what they saw before the black fish pointed to Sarah with a fin.

“This is indisputable proof of abuse as of her time being conscious and makes them guilty of the crime!!” The black fish accused Sarah, the image of Thorns separated tail blinding her of what was happening as she wondered how he was.

“Objection your honor, those injuries could’ve come from anything, she is fairly young and children are susceptible to falling” The red fish beside Sarah spoke aloud, defending her from the black fish in the center. Sarah finally realised that she was the one being blamed for Thorns, and that the red fish beside her was defending her. But why was there people doing something like this for her? Sarah knew she didn’t do it but shouldn’t she just be taught a lesson and that’s it? Sarah didn’t understand why they talked about if Sarah did it or not and just thought how her Daddy would’ve called it a waste of time.

“Overruled,” the old fish said.

“Thank you, your honor, as we can see with these images here” The black fish started, displaying a multitude of pictures of Thorn. One of him in a bush, one of him with a scratch on his nose which Sarah didn’t see before. One of his chest which showed his ribs and a final one of scratches on Thorns back. Sarah now really hoped he was ok.

“As you can see here, she was turned in with more than her initial injury,this is proof that she had been previously beaten, misused, underfed, and more in the hands of them.” The black fish spoke, pointing to Sarah and the red fish as he finished the sentence. Sarah hadn’t ever seen these injuries previously, not even when they walked down the dirt road earlier. But would Thorn even tell her if she did see?

“Well yeah, anyone could’ve seen that, but they probably have the money from not helping her to pay the judge off.” The blue fish behind Sarah mumbled to himself, as if to answer Sarah’s thoughts. Sarah was confused, she never had any money anyways. Whether she spent it on her pet cat or not. And what did the blue fish mean by paying the judge?

“Objection! There’s no telling that these things could’ve happened during or between the time of the accident and now, as such his words are subjected as hearsay and nothing more!” The red fish shouted, interrupting the black fish. The red fish’s words were ones of Sarah’s that she didn’t have the heart to speak aloud. She looked at the red fish and nodded in thanks.

“Here we go, say the word Mr Judge.” Sarah overhead the blue fish behind her in angst.

“Sustained, though if you object again I may hold you in contempt. Now you may continue sir.” The old fish or Judge said to the red fish. Making him bow and take his seat besides Sarah once again.

“Now, without further interruption. Look at this here!” The black fish started once again readjusting his collar. As Sarah wondered what sustained meant as she saw him pull a picture of her bed from his suit.

“This here shows the home she lived in at the time of the accident, having her live in such a crude living space should be plenty of evidence to find them guilty under the eyes of the jury and law. And as such should be sentenced to prison! Thank you” The black fish finished, sitting down on a table across the center path from hers. Sarah couldn’t believe it, how could he have gotten that image? How could anyone have gotten any of the images shown today? There fish. Not people. The craziness of the situation caught up to Sarah as she panicked in her seat. The thought of prison weighed on her mind as she heard of it.

One day while Sarah was drawing in a book a few years ago she looked up from her book to the front door. She saw her mom pull into the driveway and with her was daddy. She remembers how fast she ran out of that house and hugged daddy. He pushed her into the dirt but it was all the evidence she needed that he was alive and home. She immediately demanded beer like she remembered he did when he was gone for a few months.

Mommy told Sarah that he was out on an adventure, and that Sarah wasn’t allowed to ask why. Now that daddy was home she could ask him all about it. When she got him his beer Sarah asked daddy how it was, he just looked down to her and back handed her. Daddy wasn’t in the talking mood and after a few beers and an argument with mommy through the walls came into Sarah’s room.

He walked to her strangely like he did after a few drinks and hit her again. From that and many more hits and jeers Sarah learned he was in prison, how he was beaten and bruised for doing nothing wrong. He cried as he beat Sarah, asking her how anyone could do something to someone who did nothing wrong? Once he was done Sarah had learned two things. If Sarah told anyone daddy can cry she would die, and that prison was a bad place that good people went to for no reason.

“And now, your statement sir, as to why they should walk free once again?” The judge asked the red fish, his interest peaking more when speaking to the red fish than black.

“Thank you your honor, now as to the living conditions of the patient has nothing to do for the court hearing as it stands now, as such it is irrelevant to the court and issue at hand” The red fish started, somehow knowing what Sarah had said which he looked over and winked.

“Furthermore my client has informed me that they never gave permission to enter or even go close to their estate and that the investigation was to stay in the hospice, as such the investigation overstepped their bounds and this court hearing needs to be redone on a new or different date! That is all your honor.” The red fish finished as fast as he started. Sarah’s smile widened as he somehow had figured out Sarah’s complaint. She would be able to get out of here and help Thorn still.

“WHAT A LOAD OF BARNACLES” A crustaceous cheapskate screamed from the crowd after the red fish finished defending Sarah and promptly sat beside her. The crowd shouting and hissing at him and Sarah. Some even threw things at the duo as the blue fish behind them started to block them and tried to quiet the crowd. The judge helped by calling to order and banging his gavel. After which, silence came and then the decision.

“Sound, it’s true that that image of the house wasn’t in fact brought to the attention of court, as such this court is adjourned till a further clearance can be achieved.” The Judge said, he then banged his gavel as the crowd regrew in anger and yelled to the judge and Sarah. She was then escorted back into the small cop car and driven away from it all.

As the car drove away from the city Sarah had thought to herself of what had just happened. She wished the Red fish was with her now as he was dropped off a while ago. Who was he and why did he defend Sarah? Did he know her somehow or even know Thorn? Sarah thought fish and cats never got along though. She remembered asking Mr Skopien about it once and he said that there was a catfish so maybe their friends. Was the red fish a catfish? Sarah didn’t know. What she did know is that they had passed the city, the strange buildings which she came to realise weren’t mirages, and now are going uphill.

Sarah couldn’t have imagined going up this hill on her own, thankful to the two fish for both protecting her and helping her. Sarah thought of a naughty thought then, she questioned why didn’t her daddy or mommy ever do this. Why didn’t they ever give her rides to school? Sarah never questioned it before, but thought of Mr Skopien and school. Sarah remembered what the other kids’ parents did. But why not hers? Why didn’t they help her like the red fish helped her or she helped the homeless man? Sarah’s thoughts were then stopped short of the car’s break.

At the top of the hill, Sarah’s side door opened, being held by the blue fish who drove there. Stepping out, she saw that the top of the hill stopped abruptly, and a strange darkness came from the roof of the ocean. Sarah had somehow made it to below the surface once again. Looking back she saw that the blue fish had come up behind Sarah, he kneeled below her and grabbed her hand.

“Dear heavenly father, though your wisdom is just, why must you bring such heinous things into this world? No one deserved the issues that girl did. Not even the worst of men or sourest of women, and yet you allowed her to be misused, mistreated, beaten, and starved. Why lord? Are we but pawns, why must you allow this upon us… In truth, I don’t know, and in faith, your word is righteous. And for this, I pray you bring a similar fate onto the ones who did this to her, and that she rests in peace and love. Amen” The blue fish spoke, not to Sarah but someone else. Maybe to himself as his eyes were closed and body focused. He then let go of Sarah’s hand, walked back to his car and drove away, leaving Sarah close to the surface of what happened. Confused, Sarah looked away, and to the surface above her.

Sarah walked through the strange roof above her, the sun beating on her soaked body. She was on a beach, the side of which the water came in below her somehow dried shoes. Though her somehow dry clothing wasn’t what had shocked her as much as the world around her. The beach below her feet glowed, as did the buildings and cars that passed by as they danced to their destination. Looking up to the sky Sarah saw that it all looked like something in a cartoon. The perfect blues and clouds that looked so fluffy you wanted to take a bite out of them.

Sarah stepped forward, wanting to travel the city before she heard a slight crunch beneath her feet. Not the sand beneath her, but something else. Looking down did nothing as the dress blocked her view as Sarah then stepped back and saw something peculiar.

A mouse, and no not one on all fours, this one was standing on its two legs and looking at Sarah, arms crossed and tapping its foot angrily. Sarah had no idea what to make of it, or the equally strange cat behind it with a gigantic hammer. When Sarah stared at the strange cat she only thought of Thorn, the mouse looking behind him and jumping away from the hammer as it slammed into Sarah’s foot. A jolt of sudden pain came through Sarah as she grabbed her foot and bounced back, trying to see it was ok. She fell back onto the sand as she looked up to the due as the cat chased the mouse with the hammer all the way down the beach.

Sarah couldn’t decide if she liked this place as much as the rest, looking down to her feet and realizing it didn’t hurt anymore. She then stood up and walked towards the roads behind the beach, it went every which way and cars zoomed by, some so fast a visible Woosh followed suit. Sarah then came to the cross walk, learning in school it wasn’t smart to jay walk and pressed the button. At a blink of an eye the green turned red and multiple cars stopped in their tracks behind the lines. Sarah crossed the road, looking at what had to be hundreds of cars that waited for Sarah to pass. As she made the threshold her dress ran with the wind as the cars behind her sped once again at breakneck speeds.

Walking through the city was a lot more tame to Sarah’s glee, besides the occasional scene like she saw from the beach. As she walked through she found each of the people in their suits were all animals. All neatly coordinated in their own way as if drawn on paper as some passed Sarah and tipped their hat to her. Others smiled and bounced as they walked, the happiest Sarah had ever seen someone in a suit. Seeing everyone wearing a smile and not yelling at one another made her think of her parents again. This time with only naughty thoughts that Sarah had lessons on not to think. Like why they couldn’t be as happy as her which she learned with a ruler. Or why she never had a hug, as Mr Skopia called it when he wrapped his arms around Sarah in the library.

These thoughts of them made her sad, though Sarah had no idea why. She then decided to think of happy thoughts as she walked through the city side walks. Like the red fish or the pink doctor who helped her though she never asked. Sarah wished to see them again, but knew she had to be strong. And to finally find Thorn in this land beyond the sea, just like the pink doctor had wanted. Though Sarah’s train of thought wavered a few times on her journey she always pushed forward, always making sure to get back on track while still enjoying her time. Her thoughts came to reality as beside her a loud musical crush sounded in the air, and a piano had smashed down beside her. Looking up, she saw a scruffy looking bull dog with wrinkled skin whistling and looking away from Sarah as if he didn’t drop it. Sarah just looked at the dog in disbelief and continued on her way.

The cities bustling streets seemed endless as she journeyed down each one trying to find where Thorns could be. Down the road she had found that it had turned into a circle. The circle spans multiple ways of which Sarah could go, each with their own names and strange activities. Sarah carefully walked to the center of the round road trying to see what she can from the center.

The road she had just come from was named Jones street, and of course the occasional mishap happened as she walked them previously. Observing it for but a second as a black duck crossing the street fell down a manhole, leaving its bill floating then falling after them. The road to the left of Jones was named Seuss Drive. Looking down at it Sarah saw a multitude of monster-like characters in different clothes. A green man with a small brown dog running with a sack on his back from strange children and even a dark blue elephant with a flower.

Deciding not to go down that road Sarah found herself looking to the next street over, called Groening Boulevard. There, looked to be a somewhat normal looking town, like the ones Sarah saw on her walk to school, but the people were bright yellow and all were misshapen. Sarah had a bad feeling of that place and decided to look to the next, named Disney lane, it was the one Sarah liked most of all.

Its buildings were replaced with castles, women with crowns and pretty dresses filled throughout them, and the smell of something sweet wafting through the air. Deciding on this street Sarah had crossed the road and traveled through. Though Sarah swiftly returned after finding her eyes tricked her. The road beneath her was cracked and had holes throughout it, the sidewalks covered in broken glasses that looked to be a beer called dreams. The smells of sweet food were from the cigarettes the princesses smoked, each looking at Sarah in anger as she tried to speak to them.

The next street she looked down looked pale and dark, nothing happening besides a street sign that was too far down the road for Sarah to read. Skipping that street remembering what had happened at Disney Lane, Sarah saw she was at the street to the right of Jones street that was titled Shuster avenue.

Inside it, the city buildings finally returned, though not as bouncy or full of any strange animals. Just strange humans, each with faces of small eyes, large noses, and even larger mouths that made them seem sort of normal. Of course that normalness went away as a bunch of men surrounded a green car. Its horn honking made everyone visibly mad. That is till a man in blue with a red cape comes down and picks up the car, throwing it. Making the car and the honking go away.

Sarah sat there on the sidewalk, looking around to the different streets in defeat. She missed the candy kingdom and fishy streets, how simplistic they were as she traveled through them. The funny and somewhat strange things the lands held which Sarah thought of fondly in this time. Sarah then felt something above her, a brush of air that pushed her shoulder as if someone was touching her.

“All the roads she could’ve gone in, the future she could’ve had. All gone because of them” a distant voice screamed behind her. Sarah realised it came down the blank open land. The only thing in it was the road and a single street sign. Sarah decided to ignore it, trying to now figure out what street to choose next.

“She should stay here and rest, not out there” Another gust of wind shot through the blank land behind her, another hand on her shoulder brushed away. This one sounded familiar, but from where? It didn’t matter, all that did matter was that she was stuck, didn’t know where to go and was alone. With no one to guide her like before, she can’t go anywhere. She can’t trust anything, and Sarah was now scared. Sarah wished her Mommy and Daddy were there, then she stopped. Why did she wish that? They weren’t like the other kids’ mommies and daddies, they were mean. They taught her lessons with items found around the house, not words like the red fish in court. They were the worst, yes Sarah had realized, looking down at herself and feeling her back for the first time since she got there. The scars were gone, the injury on her stomach from daddy’s fist that morning gone as well. All gone and it’s like they never were there.

“With her condition, have you thought of moving on?” A familiar voice said, Sarah recognized as the Pink Doctor. Yes, Sarah had thought of that, but how could she? She had no one to help her in this time, noone to meld her like her mother and father did before. Sarah was scared, for the first time, she was scared and alone. Trusting herself like with Disney lane got her nowhere and if she didn’t trust herself she didn’t have anyone else. She was alone, and no one was there to help.

“It’s also where I’ll fix you, and you’ll be all better.” A very familiar voice came from behind Sarah, her eyes opened wide in realisation of who it was. She turned, hoping to see him, the reason she traveled all this way, but instead there was nothing. The whiteness of the world, a road and at the side of the road, a street sign. Sarah then reheard that voice in her mind, a promise of fixing her, of making her happy again. She then stood up, and walked towards the sign, no longer afraid of what could happen here and letting something else beside her choose. When she walked to the sign she looked up, the sky above was white, the grass and ground around her white. The Road that stopped abruptly with the sign being the only color. The sign, that read Outcault Way.

When Sarah finally read the sign, the witness of the world went away. In its place, a dark place. One side of the road held a place Sarah didn’t miss one bit, her house on the side of the twisted road. The broken down walls of her small home looked dim and a stark contrast to what she had journeyed all this way through. On the other side of the road, a purple opening at the end of a path. Like the one she took at the beginning of her journey.

“Theres only one way out for something as bad as this, you can’t go back once you do what you just did’ the voice echoed throughout the land. Sarah knew she had to choose, she hated choices, in her hand wasn’t a cat’s tail this time through. But instead, she had the journey she had just journeyed through. She looked back on her old house. Would the Pink doctor think it wise for someone like her to return there. Would there ever be another red fish to help defend Sarah at home when she was taught a lesson? Would Sarah ever have another adventure like this again, with the choices she would have to make on her own? No, Sarah couldn’t do it, she didn’t trust herself to do it and as such knew she couldn’t do it.

So she ran, ran to the purple portal where all of her friends will be. Towards the light at the end of the tunnel and away from the doomy gloom of life. When she made it through the purple vortex she relived her life one last time. Looking at all the things again like Daddy and Mommy, Mr Skopien and the kids at school. All those behind her as she went through the dizzying vortex and out the other side.

On the floor once again Sarah awoke. She didn’t find herself in a smelly cave or scary court room or even a distant or strange land. Instead, she found herself inside of a room of pillars, a red carpet that ran up into a set of three chairs. Positioned like the court rooms table however with no place for placing anything. The sun illuminated these chairs somewhere above.

In the center chair, Sarah could’ve sworn she was dreaming, or worse yet. She was imagining it. But in that chair, was Thorn, and his tail whipped left and right around him as he purred in the rays of sun on his body. Her best friend and buddy, just doing what he did best, basking in the sunlight and purring. Sarah then ran up to him and grabbed him from his chair. Swiftly picking him up and hugging him close to her as his warm fur rubbed on Sarah’s arms.

Sarah then turned around, sitting in the chair with Thorn in her lap as the gigantic door from the other end of the room opened suddenly. A group of people, creatures, and other such things walking in and taking their seats. There were fishes from the ocean, candy made by men and women from the candy kingdom with the Pink Doctor at the front. A multitude of the different characters from the city she had just explored and they all looked to her.

Thorn on her lap brushed her hand as something metallic followed with him, looking down to her cat she found a collar she never gave him. The name on it was King Throne. Sarah then looked down into her own hand, a ring placed on her finger she never had before this moment. It read, Queen Throne.

Sarah then looked down to the people she saw, some she met, others she walked passed, each of them hers to teach and care for with no repercussions. Each of them, to learn from and smile with without any lessons being learned like she had done. She couldn’t believe where she was, smiling as she looked to the land she now controlled. The people she ruled over. And when her smile finally ended, and for the first time, she cried, she cried from all the pain, all the travel, but most of all. All the friends she has made, all the people she was with. And she stood, wiping her eyes and petting her cat as she stood. Her smile is now wide and a part of her.

“Thank you” is all Sarah said, before her next amazing adventure began.