| Fantasy Fiction posted November 19, 2009 |
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Somethings never die, if only you will ....
Just believe!
by Begin Again
Fantasy Flash Fiction Contest Winner
It was a day to remember!
It was a beautiful autumn day. The crocuses were in bloom. The sun was shining bright. The brook rippled over the rocks. An old man dozed on a bench.
A fuzzy green caterpillar worked its way across the bench. When he reached the old man's pant leg, he stopped and looked up. Wow, that's going to be a climb. But climb I must!
He moved across the pants, over the leather belt, and up the shirt, stopping whenever the old man shifted in his slumber. Huffing and puffing, he reached the old man's shoulder. He stretched with relief.
The caterpillar wanted to rest, but he was on a mission. In his loudest voice, he called out. "Psst! Jackie, wake up."
"What?" Jack's eyes flew open. He lifted his nodding head to see who was talking to him, but no one was there.
"Jackie, it's me." The tiny voice was only a whisper in the old man's ear.
Jack looked around. He shook his head. Humph! I'm hearing voices. Crazy ole man!
"No, Jackie, you aren't crazy. I'm here."
The old man rolled his eyes in every direction, but he couldn't see where the voice was. However, he did see the caterpillar on his shoulder. Lifting it off, he held it in his hand and smiled.
"Jackie, don't you recognize me?"
Startled, Jack jumped and the caterpillar went flying through the air, landing on the bench. He blinked his eyes in disbelief. He sat the caterpillar in the palm of his hand. "Sorry, little fella. I thought I was hearing things. Didn't mean to throw you around."
"It's okay. You didn't hurt me."
The old man's mouth fell open and he gaped at the caterpillar. He looked all around and then back at the caterpillar. Caterpillars don't talk. Am I losing my mind?
"It's been a long time since our last adventure. Don't you remember?"
"I'm afraid not. When I was a young boy, I had many adventures."
"We can have those adventures again."
"I must be dreaming. Caterpillars don't talk."
"Caterpillar!" His little body puffed out. Indignant, he replied, "Jackie, it's Puff. You couldn't have forgotten, could you?"
A tear trickled down the old man's leathery face. Thoughts of a magical place drifted through his mind. Bits and pieces of a pirate ship and a flying dragon brought a smile to his face. He sneezed and Puff held on tight. Suddenly, everything was clear.
"Puff, my magical friend. I've missed you and all the fun we shared."
"We can do it again. You just have to believe."
"I'm too old."
"You're never too old for magic. I'll show you. Just close your eyes and remember."
Jack closed his eyes. He thought of a time when a magic dragon lived by the sea and frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee. Together they traveled on a boat with billowed sail. Jackie perched on Puff's gigantic tail. Noble kings and princes bowed whenever they came. Pirate ships lowered their flags when Puff roared their name.
"Grandpa ... Grandpa, wake up."
Jack opened his eyes and stared into the twinkling blue eyes of his grandson.
"I wasn't sleeping." Opening his hand, he showed the fuzzy green caterpillar to Tommy.
"Wow, a worm. Where'd you get it, Grandpa?"
Placing the caterpillar in Tommy's hand, he smiled. "This isn't a worm. It's a magical dragon. If you believe, you can visit faraway lands."
"Really?" The little boy looked at the caterpillar and then at his grandfather.
"Yes, Tommy, but you must believe."
"I do! I do!" Tommy jumped up and down, making his Grandpa laugh.
"Just close your eyes, rub the furry caterpillar, and sing ... Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea. He frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee."
Tommy closed his eyes and began to sing with his Grandpa and softly rub the little green caterpillar. "Puff, the magic dragon ..." and they drifted off together.
Some things never die ... you just have to believe!
It's been brought to my attention that the author notes are not enough. It is not my attention to plagerize. Please note that this story was based on a song called, "Puff, the Magic Dragon" written by Leonard Lipton and Peter Yarrow. It was made popular in 1963 by Peter, Paul and Mary. I have merely expanded it with my thoughts.
It was a day to remember!
It was a beautiful autumn day. The crocuses were in bloom. The sun was shining bright. The brook rippled over the rocks. An old man dozed on a bench.
A fuzzy green caterpillar worked its way across the bench. When he reached the old man's pant leg, he stopped and looked up. Wow, that's going to be a climb. But climb I must!
He moved across the pants, over the leather belt, and up the shirt, stopping whenever the old man shifted in his slumber. Huffing and puffing, he reached the old man's shoulder. He stretched with relief.
The caterpillar wanted to rest, but he was on a mission. In his loudest voice, he called out. "Psst! Jackie, wake up."
"What?" Jack's eyes flew open. He lifted his nodding head to see who was talking to him, but no one was there.
"Jackie, it's me." The tiny voice was only a whisper in the old man's ear.
Jack looked around. He shook his head. Humph! I'm hearing voices. Crazy ole man!
"No, Jackie, you aren't crazy. I'm here."
The old man rolled his eyes in every direction, but he couldn't see where the voice was. However, he did see the caterpillar on his shoulder. Lifting it off, he held it in his hand and smiled.
"Jackie, don't you recognize me?"
Startled, Jack jumped and the caterpillar went flying through the air, landing on the bench. He blinked his eyes in disbelief. He sat the caterpillar in the palm of his hand. "Sorry, little fella. I thought I was hearing things. Didn't mean to throw you around."
"It's okay. You didn't hurt me."
The old man's mouth fell open and he gaped at the caterpillar. He looked all around and then back at the caterpillar. Caterpillars don't talk. Am I losing my mind?
"It's been a long time since our last adventure. Don't you remember?"
"I'm afraid not. When I was a young boy, I had many adventures."
"We can have those adventures again."
"I must be dreaming. Caterpillars don't talk."
"Caterpillar!" His little body puffed out. Indignant, he replied, "Jackie, it's Puff. You couldn't have forgotten, could you?"
A tear trickled down the old man's leathery face. Thoughts of a magical place drifted through his mind. Bits and pieces of a pirate ship and a flying dragon brought a smile to his face. He sneezed and Puff held on tight. Suddenly, everything was clear.
"Puff, my magical friend. I've missed you and all the fun we shared."
"We can do it again. You just have to believe."
"I'm too old."
"You're never too old for magic. I'll show you. Just close your eyes and remember."
Jack closed his eyes. He thought of a time when a magic dragon lived by the sea and frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee. Together they traveled on a boat with billowed sail. Jackie perched on Puff's gigantic tail. Noble kings and princes bowed whenever they came. Pirate ships lowered their flags when Puff roared their name.
"Grandpa ... Grandpa, wake up."
Jack opened his eyes and stared into the twinkling blue eyes of his grandson.
"I wasn't sleeping." Opening his hand, he showed the fuzzy green caterpillar to Tommy.
"Wow, a worm. Where'd you get it, Grandpa?"
Placing the caterpillar in Tommy's hand, he smiled. "This isn't a worm. It's a magical dragon. If you believe, you can visit faraway lands."
"Really?" The little boy looked at the caterpillar and then at his grandfather.
"Yes, Tommy, but you must believe."
"I do! I do!" Tommy jumped up and down, making his Grandpa laugh.
"Just close your eyes, rub the furry caterpillar, and sing ... Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea. He frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee."
Tommy closed his eyes and began to sing with his Grandpa and softly rub the little green caterpillar. "Puff, the magic dragon ..." and they drifted off together.
Some things never die ... you just have to believe!
It's been brought to my attention that the author notes are not enough. It is not my attention to plagerize. Please note that this story was based on a song called, "Puff, the Magic Dragon" written by Leonard Lipton and Peter Yarrow. It was made popular in 1963 by Peter, Paul and Mary. I have merely expanded it with my thoughts.
Fantasy Flash Fiction Contest Winner |
 Recognized |
|
"Puff, the Magic Dragon" is a song written by Leonard Lipton and Peter Yarrow, and made popular by the group Peter, Paul and Mary in a 1963.
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