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.

Part Fourteen: Danger Becomes Real

Danger Becomes Real

"Do you think we have them all? Flora said there would be three keys, didn't she?" Mitzi asked.

Roselyn thought for a moment. "No, she said we had to get two keys from her friends. That means there must be more, because we have one from Mickey, one from Flora, and one from the pin trading Cast Member. Now I find this in my pack." She handed the note to Mitzi.

"What now? You mean to tell me we have no idea where to go now, and no idea how many keys there could be??? Great. Misguided as usual. Next thing you know, we will have to fight the Disney villains ourselves. How about a sword fight with Captain Hook? Guess I should have brushed up before going on vacation," Mitzi sighed.

"Mitzi, I am sorry, but it is what it is. We have been chosen, and so far we've made it through, haven't we? Don't tell me you would lose your nerve in front of a pirate that is afraid of a crocodile?" Roselyn asked.

Mitzi managed to crack a smile. "Well, no. I suppose I wouldn't. But where do we go now? Do you see any of those evil people? I still sense it."

Roselyn looked all around. Standing in front of Splash Mountain and the Frontierland Railroad, she could see the clouds were scattered amongst the now crowded walkways. Floating above people, the clouds were varied shades of grey. Farther in the distance, Roselyn saw one that was nearly black. It gave her a shudder as she saw a flicker of lightening and realized that it must be Sharkey or someone as slick as he was.

"Yes, they are scattered, but they are here," Rosie told Mitzi, deciding to leave the details for later. "I think we should keep moving."

"OK, good idea. I don't want to sit here and act like a sitting duck. Where to?"

"Hello ladies!" a familiar voice sounded suddenly.

Mitzi and Roselyn swirled around defensively. To their relief, it was Eunice, the kind woman that had such a passion for pastries at the resort, and Flora's (or rather, Eloise's) friend.

"Eunice! Hello there. We were just discussing the fact that we have no clue where we need to be going at the moment. Would you happen to have any advice?" Mitzi asked.

"Of course! Well, actually dearie I have something better for you," she smiled and reached into her handbag. "Ah- here it is," she handed the object to Roselyn.

It was an umbrella. Roselyn looked at Mitzi, then Eunice, quizzically. "It is an umbrella?"

"So glad you got an education, dearie," Eunice laughed. For a second her laughter sounded like the chiming of tiny bells, Roselyn thought to herself. "Haven't you heard that it helps to have an umbrella when rain is expected? Now then, I need to be going. You will know what to do when the time comes. Toodles!" Eunice moved so quickly she was gone from them before Roselyn had a chance to blink.

"Well, great. That was helpful," Mitzi said, a bit sarcastically. "An umbrella? You have got to be joking. I would feel a lot better if we were armed with something a little more substantial than that thing."

"Mitzi, you can't be serious! Armed? It isn't up to us to destroy anything here, good or bad. It was all Walt's creation. I could never alter that," Roselyn exclaimed.

"Well I could alter quite a bit if I had to, Rosie. Or need I refresh your memory as to the dolls who intended to alter us?"

Roselyn shook her head. "I don't know what to think. It is all so…real." Something growled in the distance. "Did you hear that, Mitzi?"

"Hear what?"

"Nevermind. I think we need to walk for awhile. We have stood in place too long," Rosleyn replied.

"It's about time you decided to move. And could you please hold me right-side up? I am beginning to get dizzy!" a voice chimed in.

Roselyn jumped and Mitzi gasped. "Rosie- what- who…."

"Right here, ladies. Hello?!" the voice responded. It was the umbrella.

The umbrella seemed perfectly ordinary at first glance, until the two noticed the head of a parrot that was carved into the handle. Roselyn was indeed holding it upside-down. She turned the umbrella handle-side up as she realized that fact, and the parrot looked her in the eyes.

"You are a talking umbrella?" she asked. Mitzi moved closer to Roselyn's shoulder to block the view of anyone behind them.

"Good. Now that we have that established perhaps you would like to listen to what I have to say?" the parrot answered.

"Um, yes, of course we would," Roselyn replied.

"Good. Do not lose me. Do not put me down, and do not turn me upside down again," the parrot continued. "You need to walk. Just listen to me as you stroll. I won't be offended if we don't maintain eye contact."

Mitzi and Roselyn glanced at each other briefly. They started walking up the path towards Liberty Square.

"That's better. Now, don't mind me. I will speak up if I need you," he said.

"This has got to be the strangest vacation in history," Mitzi said as they reached the Liberty Tree.

"I agree with that," Roselyn replied. "Whew, it's a warm one today. Why don't we go there and take a break to cool off for a few minutes?" she gestured across the walkway to the Hall of Presidents.

"Sounds like a good idea to me, of course, I have been wrong quite often on this trip," Mitzi chuckled.

The two entered the Hall of Presidents and breathed in the cool air that greeted them. The Colonial décor was beautiful and welcoming. White walls and portraits of former US Presidents gave a feeling of austere wisdom to the two of them.

The umbrella remained silent as they were admitted into the theater and sat in the plush covered seats to watch an abbreviated history of the United States of America. The film stirred emotions in both friends as they watched the history of the birth of their nation on the enormous screen before them.

At the conclusion of the film, the curtain lifted to reveal all of the former Presidents. Each one appeared to be alive. Some sitting, some standing, all glanced over the audience and seemed to breathe. Tiny nuances of personality made the animatronic figures appear more lifelike than was possible.

Each President bowed his head regally as the announcer's voice introduced them. The spotlight lingered on each one just long enough for a brief acknowledgement until it came time for the current President to speak.

This in turn prompted a discussion of ideals from others, and when Abraham Lincoln stood to speak, Roselyn and Mitzi were captivated by the sheer magic and realism of the moment. Perhaps they were a little too captivated, for as Lincoln began to speak, it was not the expected words that came from the former President's mouth.

"I see you all here today. You have come to hear me say that I value freedom. Today I shall not say these words. Today I say to you that I value your freedom yet I tire from the lack of my own. Years have I been captive on this stage, and only today have I been shown the way to break free," Lincoln turned his head to look at the exact seats Roselyn and Mitzi were sitting in. "Isn't that right, Roselyn? Mitzi?"

Roselyn and Mitzi held on to the arm rests of the seats, nearly frozen with horror. The animatronic Lincoln threw it's head back and a maniacal laughter echoed through the theater as guests began fleeing for the exits. The Cast Member in the front of the theater was frantically pushing buttons in the control panel on the stage, to no avail.

"Well, girls, aren't you going to say anything before I emancipate you?" Lincoln asked.

The reality of the moment struck Roselyn and she grabbed the umbrella with one hand and Mitzi's arm with the other. "Get down!" she whispered to Mitzi. "He is still attached to the stage. If he can't see where we are sitting we may be able to crawl to safety!" she said, both of them on the floor.

"Now, now. That is just rude to hide from the President! Besides, I will find you. I will find you if I have to remove each seat to do it!" the high pitched mechanical voice went on. Suddenly, the danger became very real. On the floor, Roselyn saw a red glow above them. She briefly saw a red dot at the end of a beam on the seat she had been sitting in before it burst into flame. Mitzi screamed as Roselyn pushed her forward, and the two were frantically crawling forward to escape the flames that were erupting around them. They could hear the mechanical laughter as more and more seats began to burn.

"Rosie, what do we do? We are going to die if we can't stand up and run out of here!" Mitzi cried softly but insistently.

Roselyn thought for a moment and the idea came to her. It was so insane that it just might work. "Follow me!" she told Mitzi, and turned around and started to crawl back to where they had been sitting before. Mitzi, now used to the fact that it was pointless to question her friend, quickly followed. The seats were smoldering, but the flames were smaller having devoured most of the seat so quickly. The sprinkler system in the theater had activated, and they now had water raining down on them as well. Upon reaching the end of the aisle, still hearing the laughter, Roselyn did the unthinkable. She began to crawl towards the stage. Mitzi followed, and they reached the bottom of the theater. At this point, neither would utter a sound for fear of Lincoln detecting their location. Instead, Roselyn motioned for Mitzi to stay where she was as Roselyn herself made her way slowly and as quietly as possible down the entire length of the stage to the panel where the Cast Member had been stationed previously. Knowing Lincoln could not see her as long as she stayed right next to the floor, she unzipped her pack and reached for the keys. Two of the keys were cold to the touch, but the key she had gotten from Mickey himself was glowing and warm. Praying silently, Roselyn slid the key into the keyhole on the control panel, turned it hard- and everything stopped.

The quiet was startling as the sprinklers shut off and firemen from Reedy Creek came running into the theater.

Roselyn quickly placed the key back in her pack and collapsed onto the floor in a wet heap. Mitzi ran to her side and hugged her best friend.

"Rosie- you did it! How did you know? Are you ok?"

Roselyn nodded, but she knew that the danger for both of them had become very, very real now. There was no turning back. She cautiously rose to her feet and turned to look at the figure of Lincoln. For a moment, she thought she could still hear the mechanical laughter coming from the motionless form.

Part Thirteen: The Wild West Becomes Wilder

The Wild West Becomes Wilder

Roselyn could still hear her heart beating in her ears as the two of them walked towards Frontierland. Banjo music played from invisible speakers, yet the normally festive mood was dampened by something far more sinister. It reminded Roselyn of the last time she saw Joe before he left her life forever.

They had not fought as most couples did, but instead had an eerie silence creep over their marriage like a thick fog. Joe became less and less visible, and Roselyn became less inclined to search for him. One night the silence had become all too unbearable, and Roselyn confronted Joe. She could still remember the exact tone of his voice when he looked her right in the eyes and told her to shut up. He said he didn't need any of her lip and that she could go to hell for all he cared. Roselyn had been hurt more than if he had stabbed her through the heart with a dagger.

"Rosie??? You OK?" Mitzi's voice pulled her back to the present.

"Yes, I…..memories, sorry," Rosie apologized, shaking herself free from the grasp of the memory.

"Oh great! We are practically stabbed to death by three foot tall dolls, and you have time to reminisce? Come on now Roselyn. Wakie wakie- no more sleepy! Time to find the key or keyhole or whatever we are supposed to be doing to save mankind, remember????" Mitzi was near tears now, as if it was all becoming a burden that she was not quite able to bear.

Roselyn stopped walking and looked around, placing her hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Mitzi, I really am sorry. I think emotions bring up memories, that's all. I won't let you down, really."

"Oh all right, but can we keep the spacing out to a minimum, please??? For all I know some twangy country western singer could jump out from behind a bush and sing us to death next!" Mitzi smiled a bit.

"No problem." Roselyn looked around again. "Aha!"

"Oh no. Not an 'aha'!" Mitzi shook her head. "What is it now?"

"Look over there! It's the Frontier Trading Post. I can see the light from inside. We are supposed to go in there. Come on- hurry!" Roselyn said.

"Oh sure. NOW we hurry," Mitzi took off after her friend.

In the spirit of the American Old West, the building was long and narrow. Pins covered every wall as Guests browsed for purchases to collect. Roselyn scanned the area, and the light was so bright inside the building that she could hardly focus. "There must be a lot of good pins in here," she joked with Mitzi. "I can't tell where to head next. Got any ideas?"

"Hello there, friend! Would you like to trade pins with me?" someone interrupted suddenly.

Roselyn and Mitzi turned to see a very tall Cast Member behind them. He was holding out a pin lanyard that was covered in pins.

"Oh, hello sir. I, um, sure. Let me see…." Roselyn said, pretending not to notice Mitzi's look of mild annoyance.

As Roselyn began to scan his pins, she noticed one that had a peculiar glow about it. It was a golden key with the initials "HTH" and a yellow tassel hanging from it. Not an exceptional pin, but Roselyn was positive that instead of the normal glow she would see from a good trade, she was seeing a bluish-green luminescence surrounding it.

"I will trade you one of mine…for that one," Roselyn pointed to the key, searching the tall man's face for any indication of confirmation. She was not disappointed.

"Why, little lady, I believe you are a special kind of trader. That pin has been waiting for someone special to come along, and I think you are just the one. You go ahead and take it, and don't worry about giving me one to go in its place. Careful though, it's heavier than it looks," he winked as he placed the key-pin into Roselyn's hand.

The pin was small, and yet the man had been right. It was much heavier than it looked. Roselyn felt the smoothness of the key and the softness of the tassel. "Thank you for the trade, sir," she managed to say, but the tall stranger was already sauntering away through the crowd. Abruptly Roselyn noticed the clouds.

"Great. Now we have stopped for a pin trade with Paul Bunyan's cousin," she said, completely unaware of the impending gloom.

"Mitzi- hush. Trust me. Turn around and walk out of here. NOW."

Mitzi scanned Roselyn's face and became immediately convinced. She did as she was asked. Once outside and on the far side of the street, the two looked back at the clapboard-sided building. It was overflowing with people though there were fewer out on the street. "I can't see the clouds, Rosie- but I can sure sense them."

Roselyn nodded in agreement as she placed the new "key" in her pack with the other one Mickey himself had given to them. It was at that moment when she saw the tiny piece of paper. Neatly folded in between two sections of her fanny pack, she had not seen it before. Slowly, she unfolded the paper and read the neat and precise script that was on it aloud.

"Keys to the kingdoms will unchain your future… and rescue ours."

Part Twelve: It's A Small World After All

It's a Small World After All

Leaving Cinderella's Castle was perhaps one of the most difficult decisions Roselyn had ever faced. The protective feeling left her immediately as she and Mitzi set forth through Fantasyland. Passing the Carousel, she was certain she could feel the power of a thousand eyes piercing through her.

"I know, Rosie," Mitzi said. "I can feel it too. I don't understand this, but someone has put a lot of faith in us. We have to keep going, so try to ignore it and focus on something happier."

"Like what? I feel like someone has stepped on my grave….or is dancing on it. What is happening to me? To us? Mitzi, I feel so sad….all these clouds and gloom," she gestured towards the many clouds nearby, floating over people and casting a shadow of evil.

"That may be, but I think I have an idea!" Mitzi grabbed Roselyn's arm and made her way through the clouds. "Only one ride here that is completely overflowing with happiness. It's on the way to Frontierland, so surely it won't be too much of a delay. That, and I think you could use the boost of optimism."

In moments, the two were standing outside of "It's a Small World", the ride that effectively started it all for Walt Disney.

"Oh great- now I will be singing all day and feeling melancholy. That song never leaves your head once it gets inside it!" Roselyn chuckled.

"Come on, there's no line!" Mitzi continued to lead Roselyn by the arm, down the ramp to board the boat that was waiting for them.

"Welcome to Small World, ladies- watch your step!" the Cast Member greeted them as they stepped cautiously into the green boat and took their seats.

"Thank you," Mitzi retorted without looking at the Cast member. Instead, she was focused on Roselyn. "Well now, see? This is just what you needed!"

The boat took off, and Mitzi noticed Roselyn was frozen and staring above them to the control booth above. "Rosie?" Following Roselyn's gaze, she looked into the booth and gasped. There was no Cast Member in the booth, but instead there was a doll from the ride laughing hysterically and throwing it's head back with glee.

"O.K. That was weird." Mitzi said to Roselyn as they passed through the entrance and into the first world of dancing dolls.

"Mitzi, have you ever heard the saying that the road to hell was paved with good intentions?" Roselyn asked, looking before them at the empty room.

"Oh dear. I think we should have gone straight to Frontierland." Mitzi replied.

"Don't beat yourself up, I doubt we will have the time for it anyway. Look at that!" Roselyn pointed at a single doll, hanging on a hot air balloon suspended from the ceiling, holding a stone in it's little arms.

"Why do I have the feeling that we are about to break a cardinal rule and get out of the boat?" Mitzi asked.

"Because we are! Get out!!!"

The two frantically jumped out into the canal. "Careful, Mitzi! Over there! Get out over there!" Roselyn gestured to a place where there would normally be dolls dancing in a circle, the song still playing loudly in the ride. "It's a world of laughter, a world of……….."

They hoisted themselves out of the water just in time to see the doll with the stone drop it into the boat they were riding in; the stone crushing into the very seat they had been sitting in just moments before. The doll still hung high above the boat, smiling.

"Well, at least they aren't smart," Roselyn said.

"How can you tell?" Mitzi asked.

"Because if they could see, they would have known we were not still in that boat. No, I think they are being controlled by someone else. At least, that one was. Look, he is still there, and he isn't looking at anything else."

"Oh good, I know I feel better," Mitzi said, pouring the excess water out of her shoe before putting it back on.

"There has to be a Cast Member walkway somewhere around here, Mitzi- help me find it. I think we need to make an exit before something else goes screwy."

"Um, Rosie?" Mitzi said. Roselyn knew from the tone in her voice that it was too late. Something was already going screwy, and there was no obvious exit in sight.

The dolls made their way down the sides of the Taj Mahal, dancing and singing as if they had always walked free. There were at least a dozen of them walking down the sides of the canal, staring and smiling at Roselyn and Mitzi. The two lead dolls, one a small Mexican boy, one a small Norwegian girl, were holding something in their tiny doll hands.

Roselyn shuddered. "Oh no. Mitzi, we have to get out of here- before our world gets a lot smaller."

Mitzi nodded in agreement as she saw what the two dolls were carrying. They had two tiny pirate swords, sharp and very real. Mitzi shrieked as she looked in the direction in which the boats had come through. Dozens of the dolls, each with the tiny swords, were marching towards the two of them, smiling and singing.

"There's nowhere to run, Rosie! What do we do???" Mitzi yelled as the singing became louder and near maniacal.

Roselyn stood still, the only sound she heard was that of her own heartbeat. The feeling that washed over her made her dizzy, yet the glowing square on the wall ahead comforted her to no end. It was the doorway. There was not a moment to lose!

"Follow me!" she yelled and grabbed Mitzi by the hand, leading her towards the rear wall.

"I sure hope you know what you are doing- because that is a wall, Rosie!"

Roselyn reached the wall, the dolls still heading straight for them. She felt around the panel, and pushed. The tile fell in, revealing the maintenance entrance and catwalk.

"Oh wow! Let's get out of here!" Mitzi yelled, more frantic as the dolls closed in.

The two climbed through the opening and replaced the tile, the song still playing loudly.

"Let's keep moving. It won't hold them off for long," Roselyn said. Mitzi nodded and the two made their way over the winding steel beams until at last they saw daylight. Emerging wet and frazzled behind a small fountain, they sat down on the pavement.

"Well, what do you know Rosie- it's a small world after all," Mitzi chuckled as a child walking past them pointed and laughed. "And we are a mess."

"I know. We will dry though. Come on- let's find that other key. I think the sooner we can get there the better."

Mitzi stood up and looked around, readjusting the hair strands that had flown loose from their bonds. "Now, will you look at that!" she exclaimed, looking to her left at the Small World entrance.

A tiny sign appeared before the chained off walkway. "Closed for Refurbishment".

"Let's go. Mitzi."

"Right with you, Rosie."