A Gift of Darkrai
For AGVacation, all I ever wanted, Vacation had to get away (From the song "Vacation" by The Go-Go's)
Katrina was glad school was finally out! Of course she would be going to a different school next year. That presented a whole new set of issues, both good and bad. She had talked to other girls; they gave her the word on teachers to watch out for, both good and bad. She also was told what students to watch out for, both good and bad.
"Watch out for Lionel, he comes on sweet at first, but he has more arms then an octopus!"
"You can always count on Angel. She really is uber cool, a totally loyal friend."
"If you include Connie in anything, she will try to take over. She's a control freak!"
"When you need notes for a class you missed, or were drawing fan characters instead of paying attention, ask to copy Raymond's notes. He notes are the best!"
All that could wait until September though. For now, it was summer vacation. Wootz!
One afternoon Katrina decided to walk in the woods and find a place by the stream to do a bit of sketching. The late afternoon shadows in the woods made some spectacular effects. Besides, she had worked with her mom all day cleaning the house. Katrina needed a break! Katrina put her sketching materials, 3 cans of Coca-Cola ® and a small bag of chips in a backpack and walked down stream. She found a spot that had just the effects she was looking for! Katrina sat down with her back against a tree. There was plenty of tall, soft grass near the tree. That grass made a nice cushion to sit in; it was almost comfy! She started to sketch. As the shadows grew longer, the effects became more spectacular. Once Katrina was satisfied with her sketch, she drew Darkrai into the scene. There she thought, Darkrai would really enjoy hanging out here, it's a great place.
Living on a lighted stage approaches the unreal, For those who think and feel, In touch with some reality beyond the gilded cage (From the song "Limelight " by Rush)
Katrina opened one of the cokes and ate a few of her chips. She continued to sketch, and her hand seemed to move almost without conscience effort! She had drawn Darkrai in several places now! Why? She had only intended to draw him in one area. Then Katrina felt very tired. She laid her head back against the tree and closed her eyes for a few seconds.
Katrina's eyes fluttered when she heard one of her other cokes 'pop' open!
"Hey, who do you think you…you're, you're YOU'RE DARKRAI!" Katrina squealed.
"Of course I am, who else would I be? I hope you don't mind that I took one of your cokes, and some of your chips", Darkrai said as he stuffed a handful of potato chips into his mouth and washed them down with a swallow of coke.
'No, I don't mind at all, help yourself. I'm… Katrina said, but before she could finish her sentence, Darkrai finished it for her.
"You're my biggest, most crazed fan-girl", Darkrai said.
"Well, yeah, I am actually. How did you know? How did you get here?"
"Because I read your web pages. The veil between the reality world of earth and the role-play world of earth is so thin in the satellites that orbit the earth. All the Internet traffic passes through satellites! I hang out there a lot. I can keep up with all of my fans that way. I really love drinking coke!" Darkrai said as he rolled around a bit in the soft grass and finished his coke.
Katrina, totally spellbound, silently offered him her last coke. Darkrai took it and said, "Thank you Katrina, coke is my favorite soda. Of course when I'm with a fan girl that likes Pepsi, then Pepsi is my favorite. I have lots of fan girls!"
Darkrai picked up Katrina's sketchbook and studied the work. Then he gently held Katrina's hand and studied it. "You'll be a great, and recognized artist one day. You can behold with your eyes, then move it with your hands to paper. But you always make it your own in a signature way. That's the difference between a great artist, and one who just puts things on paper."
Katrina felt the wind moving the grass at her side, and then she remembered that Darkrai had not told her how he got there. "How did you find me?"
"Oh, that's easy! This is just a dream! You, of all people know I can create and insert myself in your dreams. You're just asleep and leaning against this tree. As a matter of fact, it's getting a bit late. The shadows grow long. You need to get home. " Darkrai said as he stuffed the last of Katrina's chips into his mouth.
"Will I see you again Darkrai?" Katrina asked. This was one dream she really didn't want to wake from. Funny, it didn't seem like a dream.
"You'll see me again, sooner then you know. I'm always near, and always watching you. I care for my fans as much as they care for me. I better go now so you can wake."
"You're not leaving till I glomp you good!", Katrina cried out. She reached out for Darkrai and he began to bark in a high-pitched tone like a small dog!
Did you see the lights as they fell all around you, Did you hear the music, a serenade from the stars (From the song "Serenade" by The Steve Miller Band)
Katrina woke with a start! A small terrier dog was 10 feet from her and barking, but not in a threatening manner, its tail was wagging.
An elderly woman was by the stream and said, "Sporty! Come here! Stop that barking! You'll scare that poor girl out of her wits!"
The elderly woman came near Katrina. She had a kindly smile under a huge, floppy sun hat.
"Are you all right my dear? Sporty didn't hurt you did he? He's just friendly."
"No ma'am, I'm fine." Katrina replied. "I must have dozed off. The dog just startled me." Then Katrina noticed all 3 coke cans were empty, and so was the chip bag! But she had drunk one can, and ate only a few chips! There was a huge area of grass next to Katrina that was all flattened down! Sporty was sniffing that spot like mad!
"Oh good, I'd feel terrible if he had really frightened you", the woman said.
Katrina felt compelled to ask, "Ma'am, was there someone near me when you walked down the stream?"
"No dear, but from a ways back, it did look like there was a cloud of dust or mist next to you. But as I approached, but it just blew off in the wind."
Katrina stuffed her pad and other things in her backpack and said, "I have to get home. Have a nice day."
When Katrina was approaching the back door of her home, she heard her parents inside the house. What they were saying made her stop in her tracks.
"It's the strangest thing Jerry. I had to stop by the post office and get some stamps. Old Mrs. Bailey that works there said to me, " Hello Alana, I was just going to call you dear. I haven't seen this in ages, and I've worked here a long time. A package arrived for Katrina, C/O you, but addressed 'General Delivery' of this post office! It's been years since anything; much less a box arrived General Delivery! The return address is a business in another state."
"Then Mrs. Bailey lowered her voice, and looked around; which was funny, since we were the only ones there", and she said, "Whatever it is, it's safe. They bring the 'sniffer' dog in some nights, you know, looking for contraband. The dog was here last night. The dogs ignored this box, or the postal inspector would have taken it away."
Jerry said, "Well, I don't like it. What is this company, 'AMAZING & COOL COLLECTABLES'? What business sends a package to general delivery? I didn't know the post office even accepted general delivery mail anymore! Do we even know anyone in that state? I'm not sure Katrina should have it Alana."
"Now Jerry, it was sent to her, but C/O me. So, whoever sent this wanted me aware of it. I checked out this company on the web. They have a site. They sell all kinds of collectable items. They don't sell anything weird or inappropriate. Let's do this, after supper, we call Katrina in and have her open it in our presence. Remember, it can't be anything bad or dangerous; if it was, the dog would have hit on it. The postal inspector would have confiscated the box."
"Yeah, I guess that's the best way to handle it. Maybe there's a letter or card inside that will explain."
Katrina started whistling as she approached the back door. Her dad let her in. Her mom had disappeared, but came in to the room a moment later. Katrina helped her mom get dinner ready. All through dinner Katrina was bursting with curiosity! Who had sent her a package? And it was a box? What could it be? After dinner her younger brother went next door to play.
After they cleared the table, Jerry nodded to Alana. Alana stepped to the hall closet and brought back a brown cardboard box. Jerry said, 'Katrina, your mom got this from the post office today. It's addressed to you, but C/O your mom. Who sent this? Do you know anyone in this state?"
Katrina looked at the shipping label. She had never heard of the company. She couldn't think of who had sent it.
"Um, I don't think I know anyone from there. My on-line friends know what state I live in' but that's all. Not our town, and not mom's name, or even our last name. I just don't know who it's from."
The box was sitting on the kitchen table. Katrina wanted to open it right away, but she knew she dared not touch it. Her dad could be really hinky about stuff like this. She had to be cool, and let her dad be in charge.
Jerry took a small folding knife from his pocket and slit the wide, clear tape sealing the box. He turned it over, and another, slightly smaller box slid out of the first box. The inner box was covered in bright, glittering, wrapping paper. To its side was taped a card. On the card had been typed: ALWAYS NEAR
Jerry was about to pull the wrapping paper, but Alana gave him a look. Jerry slid the box to his daughter. "Go ahead and open it."
Katrina tore open the paper and opened the box. She squealed, "DARKRAI!" Katrina pulled a 12-inch tall Darkrai plush toy from the box. It was brand new, and made in Japan. It had the official label on it.
Katrina was smiling from ear-to-ear as she hugged her new plushy. Katrina said, "I had a dream. Darkrai was in my dream; he said I would see him again soon. He said he would always be near me. It's true!"
Alana looked in the second box. There was nothing else in it. She looked at her husband and just shrugged her shoulders. The next day Alana called the company. The woman who answered the phone said, "Oh my yes! I do recall that transaction. It was the strangest thing! A letter arrived with a bank draft and instructions. The instructions were typed. There was no return address on the envelope. The instructions were very specific on how it was to be wrapped, and how the card was to read. Whoever sent it included enough extra money to make it worth my time to find that type wrapping paper.
Is there a problem with the item?"
"Oh no, no problem at all. My daughter loves it! She slept with it last night. She is a huge fan of the character. Well, thank you, good-bye.
Right then Darkrai was hanging out in an ATT satellite and listened in on the conversation. He just sat back and smiled!
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