A Time Between Two Worlds

            

            Before she opened her eyes, Marge knew that she was awakening in a different place. Again, she knew this. It had been happening ever since she moved home with Enid and Arthur. It seemed a little odd to her that the mobile in the campground should have made such a lasting impression on her memory.
            She had no pressing reason to arise. But, that’s just the way the body is. At some point consciousness returns, and there you are. Awake.
            Enid had gotten a cat since the last time Marge had lived at home. This was a default patterned tabby named Pearl. Well read Marge thought, “pearl of great price,” and laughed because she knew this Pearl was a freebee. Right now, Pearl was asleep between Marge’s chin and shoulder.
            There is always a reluctance to wake a cat for some reason.
            Out in Enid’s territory the TV was banging on about some outrage or other, or some bit of political maneuvering.
            “How did I end up here,” Marge wondered. Maybe Pearl wondered the same thing because she got up and left the room, exiting through a four inch opening in the doorway.
            “Marge,” she told herself, “This would be a very good day for a walk in the forest.” Herself agreed.
            It was too bad that Pearl couldn’t come along. She seemed like a very nice kitten.
            Both Ralph and Ramona had said that she was welcome to come see them anytime, so she bundled up in preparation for a walk in a fair bit of snow. The heavy snow season hadn’t quite started yet in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. That usually happened in February.
            “Mom,” she yelled at Enid in the living room, “I’m going to go out and wade through the snow for a while!”
            “Take your phone!” Enid called back distractedly, just like she always had.
            Once outside, it was chilly and quiet. It was so quiet that it almost sounded like some kind of white noise, just faintly.
            Her car sat at the edge of the dirt road in front of the house with a light dusting of snow on it. It hadn’t been driven in days. There were some bird tracks on the hood. So birds were moving around, even if she hadn’t seen them yet.
            The path hadn’t been walked; there were no prints. Hers would be the first since this snowfall. No flowers. The bushes looked packed away for the winter. Just sticks. It looked like a Wyeth painting.
            Thaga and Ooog’s house was quiet too, but she saw that smoke rose from the chimney and there was light in the windows. Marge could smell bread baking clear out on the path. She wished then that she had taken time to eat before going out.
            A layer of snow on top of tall dry grass is exhausting to walk through, but it wasn’t too far, so Marge marched on. The wind pinked her cheeks, and she started to think about Ramona’s fire with a convenient log beside it to sit on. Snow managed to make its way into her boots. If she had had far to go it might have ended badly.
            But Maeve was watching from high aloft, so in actuality, someone would have come for her if she had gotten too tired.
            When she entered the forest, it was much easier going. As we know, snow doesn’t really pile up in Ralph’s domain. It just makes things look wintery and festive. Once again, the puma bros. found her. They smiled their cat smiles and bunted her gloved hands, as if to say, “Come on! Hurry up, girl!”
            In the distance, a bit further on, she could see flames. Warmth and company were near.
            Before she had even entered the Home Clearing, friendly faces were turned in her direction. She could see Maeve there seated on Ralph’s shoulder. Ramona sat beside him with Cherry on her lap. Blue sat at their feet.
            “Come in,” called Ralph in his basso voice that carries very well indeed.
            Ramona waved toward the fire. Blue stood up and barked a greeting and Cherry grinned.
            It was just like coming home.
            “I missed you all,” said Marge. “So, I decided to visit. There wasn’t a lot going on back at the house. Just the TV and nothing much to do. My room is already neat. I guess I could have read something, but I was lonely for you. Is Twigg around?”
            “Twigg is out following a young buck. I expect to see him pretty soon,” said Ramona. “Come near, warm up. You look frozen, Marge.”
            “I am nearly frozen, you’re right,” she said. She took a seat. The heat of the fire drew her in and she relaxed, just sitting there.
            “Are you well?” said Ralph.
            “I am well, thank you. But I feel as if I am between two worlds,” said Marge.
            “You are between two worlds,” said Ralph. “But you are only native to one world.”
            “It’s not very comfortable. I feel as if there is a veil between myself and where I belong,” said Marge, quietly. “When I told you that I wished that I could be one like yourselves, I was not lying and I still wish that.”
            Ralph looked at Ramona for a moment. Maeve glanced at her and then back at Ralph expectantly. Everyone was very quiet. The fire crackled. Sparks flew up. The sky was white and very low. Blue laid her head on Marge’s knee and looked at her with icy blue eyes.
            “There is a way. Are you sure? You must be sure because, if you’re unsure, nothing will come of it,” said Ralph at last.
            “Oh, more than anything, I wish it!” said Marge.
            “It’s hard at this time of year, but if you are very brave and determined, it can be done. And when it is done, you will be in two worlds, not between them,” continued Ralph.
            “How can this be?” said Marge. 

❄🤍❄