-CHAPTER FOUR
"Come on, Sarah!" Toby shouted as he pulled Sarah into the house, where Robert and Linda were waiting to greet Sarah. "How was the ride home, honey?" her dad inquired. "I got stuck in some traffic leaving the city, but other than that it was a breeze," Sarah replied. "Oh, sweetie, you must be starving. We have dinner waiting in the dining room. Why don't you go wash up and I'll set the table," Karen said. Sarah smiled and nodded. Sarah still couldn't believe how Karen had really taken a 180-degree turn as far as temperament goes. Sarah would never admit it, or even realize it, but the real reason was it was her attitude that had changed. She was no longer the selfish child she used to be. Sarah was a mature woman now. Her step- mother was never truly evil, they just didn't see eye to eye for awhile.
She opened the door to her private bathroom and turned on the faucet, splashing cold water on her face. Sarah grabbed at a fluffy pink towel hanging next to the sink and dried her face. Glancing up into the mirror hanging above the sink, she let out a sudden gasp. Two black beady eyes were staring back at her in the mirror. The eyes were framed by silvery white feathers, and the eyes peered at her as though they knew something she didn't. The wings were spread high above the head of the owl, and the claws were clutched on a tree branch. After Sarah caught her breath, she realized it was only a painting of an owl, reflecting behind her in the mirror. "What the hell is going on with me today? First that peach, now this weird painting of an owl just showing up out of nowhere. What is going on." Sarah asked aloud, puzzlement shadowing her eyes. She shook her head and headed back downstairs.
After dinner was cleared off the table, Sarah sat back down with a cup of coffee to have small talk with her dad and step-mother. They chatted about little things, how Sarah's final exams went, how old friends were doing, what she was planning to do for the summer, etc. Finally, when there was a lull in the conversation, Sarah took the opportunity to ask them about the painting. "So, where did you guys get that interesting painting in my bathroom," Sarah asked casually. "Oh, don't you just love it!?" Karen squealed. "I was out with my sister at this antique shop and when I saw it, I had the strongest impression that I should get it. And it made me think of you, Sarah, for some reason. That's why I hung it in your bathroom, since I know you don't like your room to be touched." Sarah's dad laughed and made a joke about Karen and her sixth sense. Sarah leaned back in her chair, deep in thought. She knew there was something meaningful about an owl, but it was lost to her, and it drove her nuts. There was something about it. something. But what??
"Sarah!! Come upstairs, it's time for my bedtime story!!" Toby yelled down the stairs. Sarah laughed, said good night to Robert and Linda and headed upstairs. Toby was sitting on her bed in his pajamas with a tattered teddy bear. "I see that Lancelot has been keeping you company," Sarah said with a smile as she flopped down onto the bed next to her little brother. "Yeah, I practice all my stories on him before I tell them to you. He really likes tonight's story." Sarah laughed and threw a pillow at Toby. He shrieked with laughter and threw Lancelot at his sister. "Hey! That's no way to treat a knight of Camelot," Sarah said, holding Lancelot in her lap. "Are you ready for me to tell you my story tonight?" Toby asked her. "Yeah, you can start anytime, munchkin."
"Once upon a time, there was a fair princess named Sandra. She lived in a palace with her father and mother. They were all very happy together, and had many happy days. But one dark night, the queen (Sandra's mother) died, leaving the king and the princess sad and lonely. Then, years later, the king found a new love and they married. Sandra did not like the new queen. By now, Sarah was a teenage princess and she talked back, and was rude. When Sandra's step-mother had a child, Sandra took her anger out on the little prince, which greatly upset the king and queen." Toby paused for dramatic flair. Sarah stared at him, biting her lower lip. "Toby, does this story have any real people in it?" "Nope. I had a dream about this family, so I just added on to it." "He must not realize the similarities between the make-believe family and our own." Sarah thought to herself.
"The princess lost sight of the real world. She read books all day, and didn't like to be with other people. The king was worried about her. One night, the king and queen had to go to a ball. Sandra was asked to stay at the palace and watch the little prince. She threw a fit, but the king and queen left anyway. Sandra went into the prince's chambers, where he was crying because he knew she was mad. She made up a pretend story about goblins and magical worlds, and how a goblin king was in love with her. The goblin king had powers, magical powers. He could take children away and keep them in his castle, where they would turn into goblins. Sandra wished the goblins would take her baby brother."
"STOP!" Sarah yelled. "Sarah, what's wrong? I haven't gotten to the best part yet." Toby asked, with a bewildered look on his face. "I-I. I already know this story. You told me it before, or you got it out of one of my old books," Sarah stammered. "No I didn't, I told you already. I dreamt this story, and now I'm telling it to you." "Toby, look. I'm really tired. How about you finish your story tomorrow night?" "But, Sarah! I haven't even begun it! There's still the part where Sandra goes to the goblin king's world, and she makes friends there, and she dances with the king, and-" "Toby, stop it!! Please, you can tell me it tomorrow night." Sarah said angrily, rubbing her temples furiously. "Well. okay then. Goodnight, Sarah." Toby said as he slipped out of Sarah's room with Lancelot, shutting the door behind him.
"What is wrong with me?!" Sarah thought to herself. "I didn't have to freak out at Toby like that." But his story scared her. She knew from the beginning it had to be about her. The similarities were too great. A spoiled princess whose mother died young that resented her step-mother and half-brother? How could it be anyone but her?? But, if the princess in the beginning of the story was her, what was all that jazz about goblins and magic and different worlds? Sarah's head was throbbing from thinking this over and over. Giving up for the night, she turned off the light and collapsed on her bed, asleep in minutes. Outside the moonlight-washed window was a white owl, perched on a tree branch, looking into the window. It gave a single hoot and flew away.
"Come on, Sarah!" Toby shouted as he pulled Sarah into the house, where Robert and Linda were waiting to greet Sarah. "How was the ride home, honey?" her dad inquired. "I got stuck in some traffic leaving the city, but other than that it was a breeze," Sarah replied. "Oh, sweetie, you must be starving. We have dinner waiting in the dining room. Why don't you go wash up and I'll set the table," Karen said. Sarah smiled and nodded. Sarah still couldn't believe how Karen had really taken a 180-degree turn as far as temperament goes. Sarah would never admit it, or even realize it, but the real reason was it was her attitude that had changed. She was no longer the selfish child she used to be. Sarah was a mature woman now. Her step- mother was never truly evil, they just didn't see eye to eye for awhile.
She opened the door to her private bathroom and turned on the faucet, splashing cold water on her face. Sarah grabbed at a fluffy pink towel hanging next to the sink and dried her face. Glancing up into the mirror hanging above the sink, she let out a sudden gasp. Two black beady eyes were staring back at her in the mirror. The eyes were framed by silvery white feathers, and the eyes peered at her as though they knew something she didn't. The wings were spread high above the head of the owl, and the claws were clutched on a tree branch. After Sarah caught her breath, she realized it was only a painting of an owl, reflecting behind her in the mirror. "What the hell is going on with me today? First that peach, now this weird painting of an owl just showing up out of nowhere. What is going on." Sarah asked aloud, puzzlement shadowing her eyes. She shook her head and headed back downstairs.
After dinner was cleared off the table, Sarah sat back down with a cup of coffee to have small talk with her dad and step-mother. They chatted about little things, how Sarah's final exams went, how old friends were doing, what she was planning to do for the summer, etc. Finally, when there was a lull in the conversation, Sarah took the opportunity to ask them about the painting. "So, where did you guys get that interesting painting in my bathroom," Sarah asked casually. "Oh, don't you just love it!?" Karen squealed. "I was out with my sister at this antique shop and when I saw it, I had the strongest impression that I should get it. And it made me think of you, Sarah, for some reason. That's why I hung it in your bathroom, since I know you don't like your room to be touched." Sarah's dad laughed and made a joke about Karen and her sixth sense. Sarah leaned back in her chair, deep in thought. She knew there was something meaningful about an owl, but it was lost to her, and it drove her nuts. There was something about it. something. But what??
"Sarah!! Come upstairs, it's time for my bedtime story!!" Toby yelled down the stairs. Sarah laughed, said good night to Robert and Linda and headed upstairs. Toby was sitting on her bed in his pajamas with a tattered teddy bear. "I see that Lancelot has been keeping you company," Sarah said with a smile as she flopped down onto the bed next to her little brother. "Yeah, I practice all my stories on him before I tell them to you. He really likes tonight's story." Sarah laughed and threw a pillow at Toby. He shrieked with laughter and threw Lancelot at his sister. "Hey! That's no way to treat a knight of Camelot," Sarah said, holding Lancelot in her lap. "Are you ready for me to tell you my story tonight?" Toby asked her. "Yeah, you can start anytime, munchkin."
"Once upon a time, there was a fair princess named Sandra. She lived in a palace with her father and mother. They were all very happy together, and had many happy days. But one dark night, the queen (Sandra's mother) died, leaving the king and the princess sad and lonely. Then, years later, the king found a new love and they married. Sandra did not like the new queen. By now, Sarah was a teenage princess and she talked back, and was rude. When Sandra's step-mother had a child, Sandra took her anger out on the little prince, which greatly upset the king and queen." Toby paused for dramatic flair. Sarah stared at him, biting her lower lip. "Toby, does this story have any real people in it?" "Nope. I had a dream about this family, so I just added on to it." "He must not realize the similarities between the make-believe family and our own." Sarah thought to herself.
"The princess lost sight of the real world. She read books all day, and didn't like to be with other people. The king was worried about her. One night, the king and queen had to go to a ball. Sandra was asked to stay at the palace and watch the little prince. She threw a fit, but the king and queen left anyway. Sandra went into the prince's chambers, where he was crying because he knew she was mad. She made up a pretend story about goblins and magical worlds, and how a goblin king was in love with her. The goblin king had powers, magical powers. He could take children away and keep them in his castle, where they would turn into goblins. Sandra wished the goblins would take her baby brother."
"STOP!" Sarah yelled. "Sarah, what's wrong? I haven't gotten to the best part yet." Toby asked, with a bewildered look on his face. "I-I. I already know this story. You told me it before, or you got it out of one of my old books," Sarah stammered. "No I didn't, I told you already. I dreamt this story, and now I'm telling it to you." "Toby, look. I'm really tired. How about you finish your story tomorrow night?" "But, Sarah! I haven't even begun it! There's still the part where Sandra goes to the goblin king's world, and she makes friends there, and she dances with the king, and-" "Toby, stop it!! Please, you can tell me it tomorrow night." Sarah said angrily, rubbing her temples furiously. "Well. okay then. Goodnight, Sarah." Toby said as he slipped out of Sarah's room with Lancelot, shutting the door behind him.
"What is wrong with me?!" Sarah thought to herself. "I didn't have to freak out at Toby like that." But his story scared her. She knew from the beginning it had to be about her. The similarities were too great. A spoiled princess whose mother died young that resented her step-mother and half-brother? How could it be anyone but her?? But, if the princess in the beginning of the story was her, what was all that jazz about goblins and magic and different worlds? Sarah's head was throbbing from thinking this over and over. Giving up for the night, she turned off the light and collapsed on her bed, asleep in minutes. Outside the moonlight-washed window was a white owl, perched on a tree branch, looking into the window. It gave a single hoot and flew away.