Chapter 19- Michael's Choice

Chapter 19- Michael’s Choice

“Rose? Roselyn- oh for the love of Pete will you wake up?” Mitzi stressed. Rose heard her and could not help but come back to consciousness slightly amused.

“Who is Pete?” she mumbled.

Mitzi sighed with relief as Rose sat up and leaned against the front of the bed. She had fallen into Michael’s arms when she fainted, and he gently allowed her to slide to the floor as he ran to get Mitzi.

Rose shook her head. “I just do not understand this. So much to forget! How could I have forgotten?”

“Hush now, Rose, it will be all right. You are home now. We can figure things out together,” Michael said, speaking out from the blue velvet covered chaise in the corner of the room.

“Excuse me?” Mitzi looked puzzled as she exchanged glances with Rose and then Michael. “Why do I get the feeling that I missed an episode of my favorite television show? Someone want to fill me in here? “

“Oh Mitzi, I don’t know how to tell you this,” Rose said, glancing nervously at her hands and noticing that they looked quite smooth. She quickly attributed that fact to the lighting of the lumieres and turned her attention back to her best friend of several years. “Mitzi, I remember…..Michael. He was …is…my love. My true love. “

Mitzi jumped to her feet, shocked. “Did you drug her? What did you give to her? I demand that you tell me right now!” she accosted Michael. Michael, who could not help himself, chuckled.

“No one gave me a thing, Mitzi, really- it’s the truth! I was so in love with Michael…I…don’t understand how on earth I forgot anything, especially this,” Rose cried.

“But….Rose! He’s, well……he is old!” she glanced at Michael. “No offense intended…er…Michael.”

“None taken, Mitzi, but she speaks the truth. I have loved her for my entire life. There has never been anyone else. I let her go because I was forced to do so, not by choice. I knew in my heart that she would come back to me one day,” Michael glanced at his hands. “Obviously I thought that would be a long time before now.”

Mitzi stood in the center of the room and stared at Rose and Michael. “I am trying to wrap my head around this, truly I am. I know you wouldn’t make this up on your strangest day, Rose, but it is a lot to absorb.”

Rose nodded. “Coming here has been a lot to absorb, Mitzi, and you have been the best friend I could have ever asked for. I know this will take you some time. There are things I don’t completely understand myself.”

“OK, tell me this- why is he old, and you are not? I mean, how much older was he when you lived here?” Mitzi asked.

Michael replied calmly. “I was 10 and Rose was 6 when I met her. I was drawn to her even at that early age and very protective almost immediately. When I was 15 and she was 11, she was taken. I knew that leaving the confines of the park was out of the question, so I went to Walt. I asked him for permission to leave and search for her. He told me that I would age rapidly if I left and asked me to stay, but I was headstrong. I knew the price that would have to be paid, yet Rose was worth more than anything to me. Walt did not try to force me to stay, but instead he allowed me to leave. He was a very intelligent fellow, Walt.”

“Did you know where she went? Did you ever see her?” Mitzi asked. Rose remained silent as she recalled the once handsome and strong young man that had given up everything for her.

Michael sighed. “No. I searched everywhere. They hid her quite well. I looked for years before my own mortality forced me to return. By then, Walt was ill. I lost Rose, and then returned only to lose him. It was a very bleak time for me.”

“Oh Michael, I am so sorry,” Rose cried, a tear running down her cheek.

“Walt spoke to me shortly before his death. He told me that Rose would be protected from within herself and that she would one day return. That is how I became the caretaker of sorts for the Magic Kingdom. I confess that I did not understand what it meant that she would be protected from within. Such a fragile, sweet girl. It made no sense to me, until now,” he said, looking into Rose’s eyes as the years melted away for both. “You have the gift. Walt created you, your essence. That was not the case for myself. It explains everything.” he said.

“Um, hello? It does? I am still not quite clear on this, folks,” Mitzi said.

“It means, Mitzi, that I have the power of Walt Disney within me. He created me, but Michael was already a creation of someone else long before Walt immortalized him. He does not have the ability that I do, am I right?” she looked at Michael for assurance.

“That, my dear, is exactly right,” he replied.

“I see, so is that why you have been having these experiences since we got here?” Mitzi asked.

Roselyn nodded. “I am so sorry I got you into this. I had no memory of who I was or where I came from, you know that. I would never have come with you had I known it would put you in any danger, Mitzi.”

Mitzi looked at her friend. They had been through everything together. Children, divorce, tragedies and celebrations. She smiled. “Oh shut up. You know I would have come anyway.”

Roselyn stood and hugged Mitzi. “You are incredible.”

“No, I am ordinary. You are the incredible one, Miss Rose,” she replied. Mitzi paused. “So now what?”

“I am so glad you asked that!” a voice from the doorway boomed. Mitzi shrieked and even Michael seemed startled.

“Merriweather- you should not sneak up on people like this!” he retorted.

“Nonsense, nonsense. I am here to help of course. This will never do. I need to rummage through the place, Michael,” the fairy stated. “Today is far from ordinary, my dears. Today you will be extraordinary.”

Merriweather turned away from the door in a whoosh, and Michael followed after her. “You know you can’t just use anything you want to from these rooms. It could be disastrous!” he shouted after her. Mitzi and Rose exchanged a quizzical glance and then followed the two figures down the narrow hallway.

Merriweather was poised outside of a large blue door. “Open this door, Michael. When you see what we are going to do I seriously doubt that you will have any issue with it.”

Michael thought for a moment, then shrugged. “This is not your typical day, now is it?” he said as he took the keys from his pocket and proceeded to unlock the door for her, standing aside with a look of concern on his wrinkled face.

Merriweather was agile and fast. She sprung into action in a blur before the others’ eyes. “Now where would that be? I know it is in here, I checked with Pixie Hollow myself,” she muttered. Mitzi was the one who giggled as they observed the bulky woman try to stuff herself under a cabinet in search of her quarry.

“AHA!” a victorious but muffled cry of delight came from under the cabinet. Merriweather retreated and stood, dusting herself off. “Observe, my dears, a gift that many would die for.” She held her hand out to them, and in it was a beautiful and ornately decorated violet vial of what Rose thought was some sort of liquid.

“What is it, Merriweather?” Rose asked.

“It is not for you directly, Rose dear,” she turned. “It is for Michael.”

Michael looked at her with a heartbreaking look on his face. "Merriweather, I…I am not the man I once was. I don’t know if my…this body can tolerate a potion. It could kill me.”

There was a moment of silence in the room and Merriweather slowly approached him. “Yes, dearie, it could. No one is certain of the outcome, but we are all certain of one thing. If you do not try, we will all fail. Rose needs you, and she does not need you as you are now, does she?” She gently took Michael’s hand in her own and placed the vial in it, closing his hand around the object. “It must be tonight, dearie. She has arrived.”

With the last bit of news announced, Michael seemed to transform before them all. His eyes narrowed, a slightly dangerous gleam that they had not seen before appearing. He nodded, and moved to approach Rose.

“I did it for you then, and I do this for you now. I love you Rose. Please, remember that. Remember me. “ The years melted away for both of them as he leaned in and kissed her. It was a kiss that she knew she would never forget. It transcended every aspect of their being, and it left her completely speechless and unable to move as he pulled away from her. He turned and walked out of the room.

Chapter 18- A Past Revealed

Chapter 18- A Past Revealed

"Come Rose, follow me," the gentleman spoke in a hushed tone as he led her from the room.

The two headed down the dimply lit corridor past several doors, one of which Roselyn guessed Mitzi was sleeping.

After a few moments, the man stopped in front of a door that was made of smooth and dark polished wood. Taking out a key from his vest pocket, he placed it in the ornate lock on the door and turned it clockwise. With a loud "click", the door was prepared to reveal the secrets in the room beyond. Rose took a deep breath to prepare herself, yet nothing could truly prepare anyone for the sight in the room.


"It's wondrous, isn't it?" the gentleman remarked upon seeing Roselyn's face.

"Oh my, yes. It takes your breath away! What is all of this!" Roselyn gestured to the dozens of oddly shaped artifacts that were all around them. There were some shells on the floor sparkling in the dim light (did shells sparkle?), musical instruments of all shapes and sizes floating above their heads silently without any visible strings to hold them there. In the far corner of the room, there was a golden wardrobe that smiled at the two with a cheerful face. In the middle of the rear wall was a mirror, about six feet tall, which seemed to be suspended in mid air rather than attached to anything, its gilding shining with unimaginable magic. These objects, and many more, too many to count, were strewn about the room as if it were some sort of magical storage facility. Roselyn giggled to herself as she thought of the unremarkable attic in her own home. She could spend hours in this room.

"Now, Rose, come over here," the man headed towards the rear wall. He stopped in front of the ornate mirror and looked at her. "Are you ready?"


Rose crossed the room, looking precariously above her to make sure the large tuba would not fall on her head. She looked at her host and nodded tentatively.

"This is the Magic Mirror. It will show you all you need to know, but you can not ask it questions. It is rather, tempermental and I would hate for it to get into a bad mood again. The last time I asked it a question it would not talk to me for 8 years," he said.

"You mean to tell me….this….this is THE magic mirror? From Snow White?" Roselyn gasped.

"Of course, Rose. This is where Mr. Disney kept all of his magical props. I have been caring for them for a long time, ever since..well, perhaps you had better look into the mirror first," he replied.

Roselyn gazed at the mirror. The depth of the reflection was amazing, better than any 3D movie she had ever seen. The colors were vibrant as a haze of smoke appeared, first bright green, then gradually lightening to hues of blue, and finally Rose could see someone.

There was a girl standing near Cinderella's Carousel, eating cotton candy and smiling as she twirled around in her beautiful pink dress. She had ribbons in her long blonde hair that matched her dress perfectly. The girl seemed to be around ten years old, Roselyn could not be sure. She looked so happy. Then another figure joined her. A man, about 30 Roselyn guessed, walked over to her and bent over, talking though Roselyn could not hear what they were saying. The girl nodded, smiling, and took the man by the hand. They proceeded through the castle walkway, all the way down Main Street USA, and at the end of the street, the girl hesitated. She seemed concerned quite suddenly, and as she turned she seemed to look right at Roselyn with a look of alarm.

In an instant, she tried to pull away from the man she was with, but it was too late. The man picked her up and exited the park gates. As they left, the girl went limp in his arms. To bystanders and park guests, it simply looked as if the man's daughter had been exhausted and fallen asleep in his arms. How sweet. Yet Roselyn had witnessed the truth, and she nearly fainted as the mirror revealed the identity of the man. It was her ex husband, Joe. There was no doubt in her mind. But who was the girl?

The mirror then clouded once more with misty blue haze, and Roselyn had to look away.

"Rose, oh Rose, are you all right? Do you want to stop?" the gentleman asked.

Roselyn shook her head. She had to continue now. How could she stop when her mind was reeling with so many questions?

The gentleman slid his arm about her waist to offer some support. "Very well. Look closely," he said.

She gazed into the depths once again and the haze returned. This time, as the mysterious fog cleared, there was a young man standing in a wooded clearing. He was pacing back and forth, wringing his hands and shaking his head, tears running down both cheeks. The young man was about the age of 15, Roselyn guessed. He was terribly upset and Roselyn had to fight the instinct to reach out and try and touch him to offer comfort.

Suddenly, a bright light floated down beside his head, and Roselyn knew at once it was Tinkerbell. The greenish glow alighted on his shoulder and he seemed to calm down long enough to talk to her. When she left his side, he walked through the woods and proceeded to go through a dark tunnel. He walked for a few moments longer, and Roselyn felt as if she was taking the walk with him. He walked with purpose and it was clear he was doing something very important.

Night was beginning to fall, and the lights of the Magic Kingdom flickered to life as the young man reached Cinderella's Castle. He strode through what Roselyn knew was now the restaurant, and he revealed the cast service elevator, then boarded it. The elevator stopped, the doors opened, and he was in a large room with minimal furnishings. Someone was sitting at a desk nearest the cathedral window to his right, and he approached the person with a great deal of confidence. Again Roselyn gasped, as she realized who the man was. It was Walt Disney.

The young man and Mr. Disney spoke for a long time, both with concerned and saddened expressions on their faces. Mr. Disney stared out the window when they finished for several minutes, finally turning to the young man and nodding his head slowly. He reached out his arms and hugged him the way a father would hug his son as if he were saying good-bye. The young man broke the embrace, wiped the tears from his eyes, and left the room. He left the castle, walked down Main Street, and left the park. The mirror hazed once more.

Roselyn could not understand what she saw, but she remembered not to ask the mirror. She turned instead to her host.

"Can you explain any of this, I mean, I understand some of it and can see the emotions, but it would help if the thing had volume," Roselyn said.

The man nodded. "I most certainly can. The young man you saw was me, Rose. And the little girl….that was you."

Roselyn felt dizzy. "OK, now I think I need to sit down."

"Of course, of course," the man bustled about to find her a chair that would not grab her or float. He located one and pulled it across the floor. "Sit, Rose, sit," he said.

He patted her on the hand. "Now let's work this out, shall we? The facts are the facts, so they say, and there is nothing to fear from what has already come to pass, so I will tell you more of your story," he said.

"Rose, you were created by Mr. Disney the same as we all were. We were his greatest treasures, his imagination gave us life the moment his pen hit a page. Quite miraculous really. No one knows how he did it, he just did. I was created when he wrote a character description for Peter Pan. You, my dear, were created when he did the same for Sleeping Beauty. You are, in fact, Briar Rose."

"We were very happy when Mr. Disney brought us here. There was so much room to play and run, and the fun was endless. We had the choice of course, to stay in Neverland and not age, or to give up a day or two, sometimes even years, to play inside the human world at the Magic Kingdom, but we were never to reveal our secret or to leave the proximity of the park gates. That would be disastrous and would break Mr. Disney's heart, not to mention place us all in danger. It was simple unmentionable, and for the first few years things were quite chipper."

"I met you one day by the carousel. You were eleven, and you were already quite a beauty. Your personality was pure magic and I loved to be in your presence. I was a boy of 14 when we met, yet I chose to give up some years to sneak away and play with you. We would spend hours just walking and talking, and I…." he stammered and stopped.

"You…loved me. Didn't you?" her voice barely a hoarse whisper, Roselyn understood.

The man nodded. "I loved you so. You became my reason for living, and I could not wait for your twelfth birthday. You see, our years were a bit different than human years. Our aging process, if you will, is based on our story. We mature faster yet we keep younger appearances….that is…unless we were to leave the park," he sighed. "I doubt you remember any of this. I am sorry. But look, I have carried your photograph with me all these years," he took a worn photo from his pocket and held it out to her.


"The girl…was…that me?" Roselyn asked, her voice shaking.

"Yes, Rose," he answered.

"Oh God. You left…for me?" she began to cry, realizing the sacrifice he had made.

"Yes, my Rose," he answered, gingerly lifting his hand to her cheek to wipe away the tear that was falling.

"Michael?" she remembered.

"Yes."

Roselyn fainted... in the now old man's arms.

Chapter 17- Lumines and Ghosts

Chapter 17- Lumines and Ghosts

As they descended down the stairs that had appeared just inside the tree, spiraling down into yet another unknown, Mitzi made a sound that could only be described as a snort.

“Mitzi? You ok?” Roselyn asked.

“Oh yes, I am fine. Just wishing I had lost that final 15 pounds before this trip is all. My this is a narrow stairwell!” she exclaimed as she examined the tiny steps.

“It will get larger, just ahead now,” their host commented from somewhere below. :It was not built for adults, you see.”

“I believe that!” Mitzi retorted. As soon as the words left her lips, she blinked in utter amazement as she looked around. It was a large room, nearly the size of her living room at home. There were small gold lanterns every few feet along the wall that lit the vastness, yet they were not electric lights, fire, or gas. Mitzi was pondering this puzzle when their host appeared in a doorway at the other end of the room.

“This way, this way. I have it all ready for you now,” he gestured.

Roselyn and Mitzi followed, speechless. They walked, still cautiously through the doorway to find a delightful site. There was a small table, just big enough for four, filled with scones and fruit plates. In the center was a pristine tea pot that matched the delicate china cups before each place setting. It was so clean and spotless, and a happy room.

“This is…incredible! You live here?” Rosleyn asked.

The man shook his head sadly and thought a moment before he responded. “Yes, I am alone now. There used to be many of us, but they had to return. I…I chose to stay behind.” He cleared his throat. “Please, forgive an old man. Sit…sit and let us have tea. You need your strength, now. I am sure you have many questions, but you are safe here and you can rest for the night. Morning will be best to prepare you, I think. Yes, morning.”

They ate their fill of the delicious food items laid before them. The conversation was kept light and no one wanted to spoil such a treat with discussion of the gloomsayers, although they themselves felt like the matter hung over their own heads as clouds.

When finished, Mitzi yawned and Roselyn stretched. Adventuring was tough business and was beginning to wear on the both of them.

“Come, let me show you to your rooms,” the man said. “You must rest.”

He stood and motioned for the two friends to follow and they eagerly obliged. The kitchenette doorway led into a hallway, again fairly narrow but just large enough for an adult to walk through. Suddenly, Mitzi let out a small shriek and they stopped to look at her.

“LOOK! Oh my! What on earth?” she gestured to one of the golden, illuminating lanterns that were attached to the wall. Roselyn looked closely. There, in the midst of the nearly blinding golden light, were two very distinct eyes staring back at her.

“My goodness ladies- don’t make such noises. You will frighten them and we will have to surface for candles or flashlights if they choose to blackout. No worries, they will not harm you,” he said.

“What…are…they?” Mitzi and Roselyn asked at the same moment.

“They are illumes, dears. They control the lanterns for most of Neverland these days.”

The two looked at one another, surprise yet again spreading across their faces. “Neverland?”

“Come, you have had a long day no doubt. I will answer questions in the morning,” he replied as he continued to shuffle along the corridor.

Soon, he stopped at a pink wooden doorway. It was a shiny door, and he had to stoop to open it and walk through. “This is your room, Rose. I do hope you like it,” he stated, a hint of excitement in his voice. “It has been waiting for you.”

Roselyn gasped as she ducked into the room. It was small, yet brightly lit with pastel accents on the furniture and a pink and blue striped bedspread. Rose sat on the bed and ran her hand over the cool and soft spread. She could not figure out what material it was made from, but she suspected it was not anything man made. The bed was so soft and inviting, she could not help but yawn again.

“Mitzi will be next door, and I am two doors away should you need anything at all. Rest well, Rose,” the gentleman said, and without hesitation, he closed the door behind him. Roselyn laid back on the amazing bed and fell asleep instantly.

She dreamed of bright colors, and of children’s laughter. She was young again in the dream, and running in a field of flowers chasing after someone, but she could not see who. She stopped running beside a large oak tree for a moment, and heard someone softly crying. She looked around the tree, but could not locate where it was coming from. Suddenly she realized- she was not dreaming the sound. Blinking her eyes abruptly, she forced herself out of the peaceful slumber. A moment later she gasped with astonishment as she made out the figure that was sitting in a chair next to the bed. It was the gentleman, and he was sobbing quietly with his head down and his eyes closed.

Roselyn was torn. She wanted to comfort him, yet she had no idea how she could possibly accomplish that if she did not know why he was crying. She didn’t want to startle the old man, but she decided it would be best if she attempted to get some answers to the dilemma. She cautiously moved her hand towards his where it was resting on the bed.

The man did not jump, he merely lifted his head and looked at her, tears streaming down his wrinkled face. “Oh, Rose,” he sighed.

Rose grasped his hand, and although he was frail, there was something entirely familiar about his touch. Familiar, and comforting. “I think you had better tell me the rest,” she remarked. He nodded, slowly and silently, and for a time the two sat in the dimness of the room before he continued to speak.

“You really don’t know, do you?” he asked.

This time, it was Roselyn’s turn to nod. “No, I am so sorry. I wish I did. I wish you would stop crying,” she responded, squeezing his hand a bit more.

“Forgive me, my Rose, for I am old and my emotions wear on me more now than they did in my youth. I shall tell you. I must. For finally you have come home, you have come back to us, and you need to know who you are.”

Roselyn prepared herself for what was coming. At least, she thought she did.

Part 16: An Unavoidable Occurrence

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Chapter 16- An Unavoidable Occurrence

“Who is that?” Mitzi asked, nodding her head quizzically towards the gentleman on the park bench.

Roselyn could only shrug her shoulders in response. How strange the past few days had been- she couldn’t begin to guess what would happen next or even if it was real or a dream.

“Dear ladies! Come- come I have saved you a seat! Rest yourselves!” the gentleman called out to them.

Roselyn gasped as she viewed another bench materialize out of nowhere across the clearing. Glancing first at Mitzi, she took a tentative step forward.

“Oh come now, Roselyn. There is no time to be leery of an old man like me. I mean you no harm. Oh Archimedes, I had hoped she would remember more by now! Gracious me what shall we do?” the gentleman spoke aloud, seemingly to himself as the two companions made their way to the empty bench that now sat adjacent to the man.

“Um, hello,” Mitzi said, trying to maintain some form of manners in the awkward presence of the stranger. Roselyn was too busy thinking. What did he mean he had hoped she would have remembered more? Who was he talking to?

“Why hello, my dear Mitzi! I am so grateful to you for coming back and bringing Roselyn too. We owe you a debt that I hope we will be able to repay one day. As for you,” he nodded in Roselyn’s direction, “we have some catching up to do.”

“I…I am afraid I don’t understand. I don’t know…remember…anything. I don’t know what is happening. I don’t even know if you are real!” Roselyn said, almost tearful but too perplexed to allow herself that luxury.

The man laughed; a good hearty laugh. His silver hair and matching moustache glimmering as he threw his head back. Regaining his composure he smiled at the two of them. “Oh, my dears, I am real. Old, but very real nonetheless.” He stood up from the bench and approached them. Roselyn noticed that he was not very tall when he stood, yet he had a warm and confident sensitivity about him. She felt more at ease with each shuffling step he took towards her. The man reached out his hands and took Roselyn’s, patting them reassuringly. “My goodness we have been waiting a long time for you, Roselyn,” he said, and Roselyn could see the tears of sincerity in his eyes.

“I don’t mean to offend you, sir- I really don’t. It has been a strange trip, that’s all. Mitzi and I are trying to solve something here and to be honest I have no idea what we are doing.”

“You, my dears, are saving us. All that is good on these hallowed grounds- it is all in jeopardy. They have been gaining strength for the past twenty years, the gloomsayers. Now they want to finish the job and replace all of us old timers. Our values and ideals mean nothing to them. They see our world as a golden opportunity as a means to indulge in petty selfishness; to rule over all who come here rather than to serve others. Walt used to say that the reason he created the evil entities was to create stability, but the balance he created is out of control.”

“Begging your pardon, and please don’t take offense, but how do Mitzi and I fit into all of this? Why us?” Roselyn asked, not taking her eyes away from his.

“You are special, Roselyn. You know that, even if you can’t remember. Tell me something,” he paused and took a deep breath, “what is your earliest memory?”

Roselyn was taken aback by this. Mitzi gasped. Roselyn’s past was something she simply didn’t discuss, not with anyone. It had taken Joe, her ex husband, years to gain a granule of information from her, yet this man was so kind that she could tell he meant her no ill will.

Taking a breath herself, Roselyn recanted what she knew to be fact. “I remember a man taking my hand and smiling. Walking with him on a beach-I don’t know where. He bought me some hard candy at a store and told me to wait for him there,” she grimaced as she relived the experience within her memory, but the old gentleman patted her hand in encouragement.

“Then what happened, dear?” he asked.

“I waited. I waited there and he never came back,” she answered, trying to be matter-of-fact.

“How old were you, Roselyn?” he asked.

“I….was…….11,” she said as she heard Mitzi gasp again.

“You don’t remember anything before that?” he asked her. Roselyn shook her head. She had tried many times to remember. Countless hours in several foster homes were spent in quiet solitude trying to figure out who she was and who she belonged to. The only thing she managed to cling to was her name. She knew her name was Roselyn, but she had no idea what her last name had been, who her parents were, or where she had lived. It was an empty void she had tried to overcome for her entire adult life, and yet here she was in the middle of the woods telling it all to a man she didn’t know- or at least that she didn’t remember.

“Your name is Rose,” he said calmly.

“What?” she stared at him, stunned.

“Your name is Rose. We played together when we were younger, my friend. I have waited for you for many years. I knew that the magic of this place would lure you back one day, I just hoped it would be in my lifetime. And now, when we need you the most, here you are. It is…a miracle, Rose,” he wiped the lone tear that was running down his wrinkled cheek.

“Why can’t I remember? Why?” Roselyn asked him.

He shrugged his shoulders. “I wish I knew. I think that leaving us so young must have done something to the magic. We know it has started to come back to you, however. That is certain. We knew you had the gift as soon as we saw you. That it could only be you!” he paused. “Of course, they know it too.”

Roselyn felt dizzy. So much to think about and so much had happened already. She must have appeared woozy for a moment because the gentleman grabbed her by the shoulders quite suddenly. “Rose? Come on, let’s get you a nice cup of tea.”

Mitzi cleared her throat. “Sorry to interrupt you there, but aren’t we in the middle of the woods? Where is the tea?”

The gentleman looked at her and smiled, a sparkle of mischievous energy in his eyes. “You’ll see! Come now, follow me,” and he walked across the clearing, stopping by the trunk of an old tree. Mitzi followed, taking Roselyn by the hand.

“Um, sir…it’s a tree,” she said.

The gentleman looked around and overhead. He threw his head back- and crowed. Loudly. Mitzi and Roselyn jumped at the startling and sudden sound he made, and then they were mesmerized.

The tree trunk began to shift its shape, slowly at first as if it were uncertain it wanted to be disturbed. Within moments, there appeared a door frame big enough for a man to walk through, and stairs just beyond the entrance that descended into more of the unknown.

“Whoa,” Mitzi said.

“Whoa indeed, Mitzi,” the gentleman replied. “Come now, don’t tarry! It’s tea time!” and he disappeared into the trunk.

“Could this trip be any more like the 60’s at this point?” Mitzi laughed a bit nervously.

“I don’t know- I don’t remember the 60’s,” Roselyn laughed at herself and the sheer irony of that comment. “Come on Mitzi- it’s tea time!”

They stepped into the darkness together.

Part Fifteen:Waterfalls and Trees

Waterfalls and Trees

After the Fire Department released them, Roselyn and Mitzi walked out of the Hall of Presidents and back under the Liberty Tree.

"I do not believe this. I really do not believe that we were just attacked by Abraham Lincoln!" Roselyn shook her head.

"Well, if you want to be technical, we didn't. It was an animatronic figure of Abe. Could have been BoBo the Clown and would have had the same thing happen. Don't hold it against him," Mitzi laughed nervously as she attempted to shake some water out of her hair.

"You are handling this well," Roselyn stated.

"Well, it happened. Might as well embrace the experience, right?"

Roselyn shrugged. "I suppose so. I think we could have been seriously hurt in there, Mitzi."

"Well, no kidding. What good will it do to think about it now though, Rosie? How did you know to use the key like that, by the way?"

"I just felt it. I don't really know how else to explain it. A...warming of some sort just came over me and I just knew," Roselyn replied, a frown wrinkling her brow as she tried to find the words to describe the indescribeable.

"OK, well that's great, but what do we do now? We are soaked and I have no idea what we need to do next," Mitzi said.

Roselyn thought hard as she looked around. There were no bystanders with clouds. Not a single one. "That's odd," she thought. Suddenly, the umbrella she was holding chimed in.

"EXCUSE ME. I am still here, you know."

Roselyn jumped and turned the umbrella beak side up. "Oh, sorry. I am not used to my umbrellas talking to me," she startled.

"WELL, if you want to know where to head next, you may ask me," it replied tartly.

"Ask you?"

"Oh I love the high intelligence level. Must I repeat myself every time I speak to you?"

"Er...um...sorry. Where...should we go now?"

"Much better. Good heavens! Now then, come...let's walk towards the castle. It is safer to keep on the move, you know. Keep them guessing," the umbrella said.

The three of them began the trek back towards the castle. Still no clouds appeared anywhere around. "Why are there no clouds? I can't see any!" she asked as they walked past a Christmas Shop.

"They are on the other side of the park, I would imagine. You heard the call, did you not?" the umbrella asked.

"Call?" Roselyn looked perplexed.

"Oh goodie- back to repeating again are we?"

"Sorry! I just do not understand what you mean by that," Roselyn said.

"I see. Did you hear nothing earlier? A screech, a growl?"

Roselyn thought. Of course! "I heard it! A low growling, rumbling sound. I didn't see anyone, but yes- I did hear that! What was it?"

"That, my dear, was the call. The evil is congregating somewhere nearby."

"Won't people notice? I mean, all those people in one place?"

The umbrella rolled it's eyes. "Roselyn, think. You are in Walt Disney World. Magic happens every minute here, you have seen that have you not?" It paused. "Thousands of people are here right now. In each attraction, hundreds each hour. It is not unusual for a large group to congregate, especially if they are protected by forces of good...or evil."

"You are definitely the smartest umbrella I have ever met," Mitzi chuckled.

"Funny," the umbrella retorted. "Now, I think it would be wise to meet with an old friend. He will be able to help guide you, and I believe you need it."

"Who?"

"You will see. First, I feel like a ride. Hmm. Let me see now," it blinked and looked around quizzically. "Aha! I know where we can find him. Could be rough going, but you should hold up well. Yes, that will do!"

"Hold up well? What does that mean?" Mitzi asked.

This time the umbrella chuckled. "Ladies, let's go to the left here- across that wooden bridge, that's right. We need to head for Splash Mountain."

"Well, at least we are already soaked," Mitzi said. Roselyn nodded in agreement.

They walked past the landing and looked at the people on Splash Mountain's final plunge. The guests screamed with delight as they plummeted over the waterfall into the "Briar Patch" with Brer Rabbit.

On a normal day, this would look like fun to Roselyn. Today, however, she was apprehensive. Each ride she and Mitzi had gone on had turned into a different sort of adventure- the dangerous sort.


They waited in line for awhile, more relaxed than the previous waits due to the lack of clouds hovering around them. This was viewed as a welcome break by both women. Soon, it was time for them to climb aboard their log and begin the journey that would culminate in a 52
1/2 foot drop.

The geese and other critters started to sing "How Do You Do?".

Soon, the riders found themselves at first drop, going down into the caverns of Chick-A-Pin Hill where Br'er Rabbit was laughing at Br'er Bears misfortune.

The critters then began to sing "Ev'rybody's Got a Laughing Place". Br'er Fox managed to trap Br'er Rabbit in a bee hive as a droplet of water fell on Mitzis head.

A family of rabbits and moles sang "Burrows Lament" just before heading up the final lift.

Roselyn thought how adorable the ride was and was beginning to relax as the scene grew rather dark, minus the light coming from the exit of the cave at the top of the ascent, and just before that she saw Br'er Rabbit about to be cooked into a stew, one of Br'er Foxes other bright ideas. Cute, she thought. Then it happened.

The ascent was a slow one, as two buzzards looked down on them and told them to turn back.

The darkness was eerie, and the umbrella spoke in a hushed, harsh whisper. "It's time, ladies. Open me, and hold on."

Roselyn opened the umbrella. Mitzi clung to Roselyn. "Why do we need to hold on?" she asked just before they reached the summit before the plunge. Suddenly, they were going over the falls and it was too late for questions or answers.

The updraft seemed to come from nowhere and swooped under the cloth of the umbrella, lifting Roselyn and Mitzi out of the log and high above the park.

"Ooooh loooord!" Mitzi gasped.

"Won't someone see us?" Roselyn shouted to the umbrella, holding on for dear life.

The umbrella laughed as they glided through the air. The entire Magic Kingdom was visible to them. Roselyn scanned the park for the clouds and located them in an area adjacent to SpaceMountain. "There they are! I can see them!"

"Hang on, ladies," the umbrella shouted as they shifted direction rather suddenly. Mitzi squeeked.

They were beginning to descend, although it was not immediately clear where they would land.

Moments later, the Earth was getting closer and closer. At last, their feet gently touched the ground.

Mitzi whirled around and sat down. "OK- didn't see that coming."

"You ok?" Roselyn asked, sitting on the ground beside her.

"Yeah, I am ok. Just a little shaky. That's all. Where are we?"

Roselyn looked around. "Umbrella? Where are we?"

The umbrella was silent. "Umbrella?" Roselyn asked again.

"Oh. Great! We land in the middle of the woods and our talking know-all umbrella decides to be mute. Wonderful."

"Mitzi, come on. I think we should head towards some form of civilization," Roselyn held out her hand and helped Mitzi to her feet.

"OK. Which way?"

Roselyn thought a moment. "Well, as we landed I noticed that Splash Mountain was behind us, so let's head that way."

The two began to walk through the wooded area. The ceiling of pine trees preventing much sunlight from getting through, but also providing a repose from the heat. They walked for a minute or two when Roselyn froze in her footsteps.

"Uh-oh. What now?" Mitzi asked. "Rosie?"

Roselyn gestured towards what she saw. In the midst of the clearing ahead was a pristine park bench, and on the bench sat an old gentleman with a top coat, hat, cane, and beard. He was smiling at them.