“It’s a scrapbook, sort of. It’s from a long time ago, when I met your dad.”
“Where was he from?”
“He was born and raised in this very town, of course.”
“Oh.” Sarah grimaced as she realized how disappointed she sounded.
“But we did a lot of traveling,” her mother continued. “And your father and I had a lot of fun before we finally came back home.” Finally, her mother turned the book so Sarah could see the pages.
Sarah gasped.
Sketched in perfect detail on the page was a picture of Adlin, just as Sarah remembered her. The silver dragon stood with her head bowed and her tail draped behind the person that was next to her. That person was a beautiful young woman who looked only a little older than Sarah herself. She wore the bright green robes of the Emerald Enchantress and had curly brown hair. For the first time, Sarah recognized who she was.
“You… you’re the Emerald Enchantress,” she whispered.
Her mother winked and closed the book. “Not all fairy tales get forgotten,” she said. “And just as I’m not going to let you forget your friends in this world, I can promise you that you’ll be able to visit your friends in the other world, too. Come here, and we’ll share our stories.”
Sarah pulled up a chair next to her mom and looked with wonder at the book. “Who tells her story first?”
Sarah’s mom turned to a blank page in the book and picked up a pen. “You go first. We’ve got to make sure we write it down while it’s still fresh in your mind.”
Sarah’s eyes lit up and the tale poured out. She remembered every detail, and her mother scrambled to get it all written down.
The two shared their tales until they were too tired to continue. And when Sarah finally went back to bed, she looked forward not only to the dreams she would have, but also to the day ahead.
About the Author
Charlie Brooks is a lifelong resident of Vermont who fell in love with fantasy literature at a young age. His other published novels include the fantasy epic Shadowslayers and the sci-fi thriller Reality Check. He is a two-time quarterfinalist in the Amazon.com Breakthrough Novel Awards. His short story “Fantasy as You Like It” won the 2006 Chaffin Award for Fiction, and his tale “Eight-Bit Heaven” won the New Millennium Writings Fiction Prize in 2011.
Greystone Valley draws inspiration from some of Charlie’s favorite fantasy stories, including The Chronicles of Prydain, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and The Narnia Chronicles. Most importantly, it is a tale for Sarah, who is Charlie’s wife, friend, and greatest inspiration.
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greystonevalley.wordpress.com
Email:
[email protected]
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