Chapter 1

A Taste of The Unknown

The soft rays of sunlight were creeping slowly through the window, illuminating the

nursery in a sort of ethereal light. As usual, these rays eventually brightened up the grins of

Marcella's two favorite dolls- Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy. As they sat together up on the

toy shelf directly across from the window, they both thought to themselves in silence. Ann was

thinking of how beautiful the day would become and how nice it would be if Marcella could

take them out on a picnic in the garden later that afternoon. Andy leaned a little more on

Ann's shoulder and was contemplating the fact that the light seemed just a little too beautiful.

He slowly looked up at Raggedy Ann and said "Ann, don't you think the morning seems

kind of… I don't know… Different?". Ann was silent for another moment, as she was usually the

most contemplative of all of the dolls. She turned her head to meet Raggedy Andy's gaze and

replied in a more concerned tone, "Now that you mention it, it does seem kind of odd. It looks

more like the bright light at the end of a cave or a tunnel than it does the morning sun peeking

through Marcella's window.". "Do you think it's a sign of some sort?" when Andy finished

speaking, both of them shrugged, but now they felt they had something to worry about.

Just then, the other dolls began stirring. The little Dutch Doll, Henny, who always cried

"Mama!" when he was tilted one way or another, peered up at Raggedy Ann and Andy through

the light from his little bed and asked aloud, "Good morning, Ann and Andy! What seems to be

troubling you?". "Yes, what seems to be troubling you?" asked all of the other dolls.

Sometimes, Ann and Andy both wished the other dolls would not echo one another like that,

but today, they did not seem to care. Ann raised a hand and pointed to the sunlight filtering

through the window. "This light is what is troubling us. It just doesn't look like all of the other

morning lights." explained Raggedy Ann. Andy scooted closer to the edge of the shelf and

dropped into the midst of the other toys, gathered himself up and said, "Ann and I have agreed

that it looks like the sort of light ya always see when you're leaving a cave or a tunnel. But we

aren't sure what that could mean!".

The other dolls looked both bewildered and confused by this. Susan, the china doll who

once had a cracked head, stepped forward and took a look about the room before speaking up.

"I agree. This light is more like a blanket being thrown over the world for warmth than it is a

flame by which to see." her words were a bit more poetic, but everyone understood what she

meant. Then the Camel with the Wrinkled Knees came forward, looking very nervous, as if he

had had an epiphany. Ann, Andy and the other dolls looked at his appearance and suddenly

were washed over with fear, even as he spoke. "I-I've s-seen a li-light like th-this be-before…"

trembled the Camel with the Wrinkled Knees. He looked as if his legs were about to give, so he

interrupted himself to take a moment to gather his emotions. The dolls were all on the edges

of their seats. "B-Back wh-when A-Ann and A-Andy re-rescued m-me…" he stammered. But

before he could utter another word, Ann and Andy both jumped up. "We've got it! It's the

Light At the End of the Tunnel that the humans talk about!" and Ann gasped as they both

shouted in unison before nearly fainting, falling from the shelf and into Andy's arms.

When Ann gathered herself, she spoke up again, this time asking, "But who is the light

coming for?". The Penny Dolls both appeared shocked as they said, "Oh, dear… We hope not…"

and the other dolls followed suit with a "Oh yes, we hope not…" as Andy scratched his head and

figured out just who they were referring to. All together, Ann, Andy, the Camel and the other

dolls exclaimed, "NOT MARCELLA!" as they began to make a mad rush for the door of the

nursery so they could go to check on Marcella, who had yet to wake up.