15 Cerebrosian Reading

Prologue

"Rensmith Varbersen decided to leave Cerebrosus, for that was the only way to save his people." He retold from memory. How was he able to remember everything and still make the story exciting every night? She knew if her mother ever found out about Tonight's forbidden tale, another argument would unfold. She did not know why, but her mother had never liked it when her children heard that story.

The young girl sighed contentedly, a grin befitting the Cheshire Cat found its way to her face. "I want to go to Cerebrosus," she told her father, wide-eyed and hopeful.

The man tucked his daughter into her fairy-themed comforter and said, "Maybe one day we'll be able to visit." A similar smile etched his face. He kissed her forehead and turned off the matching fairy lamp.

"Mommy says you shouldn't make promises you can't keep," a new voice jumped in haughtily, "she also said you aren't supposed to tell that story anymore." Another girl, no younger than five, entered from the left of the room, where a white door, painted with pink flowers, was ajar. She skipped to her bed, decorated with a pink ballerina slipper pattern and a canopy featuring pink drapes. Her father made his way to the powdered pink bed.

The older girl tsked. "Where's your sense of adventure, Bianca? Imagination?" The two started to bicker. She could not fathom how her younger sister was uninterested in the tales that their father weaved. The older sister knew this land wasn't real; however, that didn't stop her from wanting to visit what sounded like the best place imaginable.

"Alright, you two, it's time for bed." He interrupted their banter as he tucked Bianca into her themed bedding. He clicked a lamp resembling a ballerina off. After kissing the younger daughter on the forehead, he made his way to the door.

"Dad," a whisper floated through the air. He turned to look at his daughter, beckoning him back to her bed. Puzzled, he walked back to her. She knew the place wasn't real, but she still needed to ask. "Do you really think it's possible to visit Cerebrosus?" She stared into his dark eyes, matching her own. The man with the bell-shaped nose, droopy ears that he'd compare to an elephant's, a buzz cut of hair that was starting to gray, and a birthmark on his right wrist, gave a wicked grin.

Eyes lighting with excitement, he whispered in his daughter's ear, "I know it's possible." She gasped, immediately covering her mouth after, and her dad winked as he rose to leave the room. The young girl's heart swelled with hope and elation. So it was possible to visit the place of her dreams. In the morning, she planned to ask her dad how to get there. She wondered why they never visited before, if he knew of a way. Just as she started to wonder why, a commotion broke her concentration.

"You told them that story again, didn't you?" A stark feminine voice accused. It was her mother.

"So what if I did? What's the big deal?"

"I already told you, I don't want their heads filled with that nonsense." The woman started, "It's already ridiculous enough that you believe it's true."

The man sighed in defeat. He knew no matter what he said, he would lose this argument. "There's no need to be so hostile, love." The woman grunted in frustration. "You knew my beliefs when we met." The child swore she could hear the hurt in his voice.

It took a moment before the woman spoke again. "I didn't know you would try to indoctrinate our children!" She exasperated. The man shushes her.

The child sat up a little and looked at the door. She felt her dad looking at it. Would he come check if she was asleep? "Let's talk elsewhere." The man commented.

The girl clutched her stuffed fairy, which had dark raven hair and ebony skin- and shut her eyes tight. Footsteps faded into the hall as the girl tried to rid her thoughts of the argument she just overheard. She couldn't understand why her mom wouldn't believe her dad when she did. She squeezed the fairy and asked her for comfort. Eventually, the child was lulled to sleep by an unknown force.

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May 17, 02:35 AM