It was just a door. Nothing special about it, most would never even notice it. It was a small door that was painted black, just like the rest of the small community theater. You had to pass by it to get into and out of the theater, but it happened to be hidden right under the extra spotlight tower. If it was an ordinary door it would lead to the cramped space just below the bleachers, but of course, this door seemed to have a mind of its own.
"Crazy pen! How can an inanimate object fly out of my hand?" said Freddie. She had been doodling on those white tennis shoes for weeks now, adding a little more every time she got the notion to. So far they already had song lyrics, quotes, robots, and two city-scapes, one night and one day, on each tongue.
"What happened?" said Angel as she looked up from her book. The two were sitting in the stands watching yet another rehearsal for the community production of The Wizard of Oz. Neither of them had big parts, so they spent a lot of rehearsal just sitting and entertaining themselves.
"My pen just committed suicide by jumping into the Black Pit of Doom." Freddie said while turning around to peer into said pit. It was so dark down there that she had to squint, even with her glasses. She finally gave up when her uncontrollable mass of brown hair began to fall in her face
"You mean behind the bleachers?" questioned the petite dirty blonde bookworm sitting next to her.
"Yeah. Isn't that what I said?"
Angel rolled her eyes at her friend as she passed Freddie her purse. "Dig through there, sure to be a pen hiding in there somewhere." she said returning to her book.
"No." Freddie said seriously. "I started these shoes with that pen, I intend to end them with that pen." She was already stomping down the bleachers, hell bent on getting back that pen, even if it meant facing the horrors of whatever else lay under those seats. Reluctantly, Angel followed her. But as they opened that black door and stepped through, an amazing sight greeted their eyes.
They were staring at a rushing river in the middle of a forest. It was apparently late fall, for all the trees were beautiful shades of red orange and gold.
After a good ten minutes of shock, Angel was the first to break the science. "Uhhhhhhhh…"
"Come now Angel, surely you are capable of something a little more poetic." said the warmest and deepest voice Freddie and Angel would ever hear. If you asked them about it now, Freddie, ever the adventurer, would say that it was like flying up with the clouds on a bright summers day. Angle would describe it like a quilt, all encompassing and full of unconditional love. Angle didn't need to turn around, she knew who it was when she heard his paws first crunch the golden leaves. After all, had she not been reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe? Freddie on the other hand, immediately turned around and gasped, for before her stood the most beautiful creature she had ever seen. It was a Lion. Not one that you would ever see in the zoo though. No, this one was could not be contained by a mere cage, and even if it could, who would want to chain such a majestic being? The sunlight glinted off his fur, making it look like pure gold. Yet even with all this power, Freddie knew that she had nothing to be afraid of.
"Ah well, I guess that is to be expected. It's not every day you get transported to another world, now is it?" the Lion said as He walked up to stand beside Angel.
"Uh, no sir." said Freddie timidly.
"Aslan?" Angel asked softly.
"Yes my dear, but I believe that you know me by another name."
Angel just smiled the biggest smile anyone had ever seen. She was clearly thrilled.
"It's beautiful isn't it?" Aslan said.
"It sure is." Freddie said.
"Just like you my darling. I made you exactly the way I wanted you to be. Never doubt that."
How had He known? Freddie had been struggling with her looks for as long as she could remember, especially in these past few months. The one thing that she did know was that He spoke the truth. He had created her. Maybe not when He was a Lion, but some other time, some other place. Freddie immediately broke down crying as Angel silently hugged her. Aslan moved over to Freddie's side, His mane brushing up against her leg.
"Your hair is what helps make you beautiful. If you think it's too big you are seriously mistaken. Have you seen my hair?" He added, shaking His mane and chuckling merrily.
Freddie began laughing between the sobs. How could He do that? Make her laugh and cry with both sorrow and joy in the same breath? The Lion just smiled and turned to Angel.
"Angel, remember that it is okay to be smart. Stop pretending to be someone you are not. Just like Freddie, I made you this way for a reason. Don't underestimate your purpose."
Now it was Angel's turn to be shoked. She stood completely still, Freddie still crying into her shoulder, and slowly nodded, her expression still bewildered.
"Now, let's get you two back to your world shall we? We wouldn't want you to miss your curtain call." Aslan said with a smile on his face. "Oh, and Freddie, I almost forgot. I believe I found something of yours."
Freddie was startled to feel something appear in her pocket, right where she always kept her handy dandy pen. And sure enough, when she reached into her pocket she found the exact pen that she lost earlier. She looked up and Aslan winked at her.
"There's no place like home!" was the first thing that Angel and Freddie heard when they got back through the door.
"I do believe that I have some more words of wisdom to write on my shoes." Freddie simply stated as she turned and sat down, and immediately began to write the wisdom of the Lion.