Opening her eyes and rubbing them and Mahi jumped up with a start. She gasped and panicked, taking her surroundings for woods gradually. She paced up and down the path once or twice and called out in her shrill yet childish voice that echoed, aided by the seclusion.
"Mom! Dad! " She shouted so loudly that her throat began to hurt.
All the exertion however, helped her see things more objectively.
"What the hell are you doing here, Mahi?" She asked herself, scratching her head.
With the thirst for thrill and want for exploration, running all through her, she at last decided to pick herself up and look around, gather scenic beauty to write on and find her way out.
Walking down the trails and under the shady trees, she heard someone sobbing. She decided she would follow her instincts and go after that voice for that would if not anything else, definitely give her a destination to reach up to. Blindly relying on the voice for directions, she soon found herself near a marshland and a little girl with red hair weeping.
"What happened, sweetie?" She knelt down to have a closer look at the girl.
"My ball!" The girl cried, pointing towards one of the trees. And Mahi spotted a ball stuck in the branches.
"Aww, don't worry, i'll get it for you!" She exclaimed lovingly.
She grabbed a fallen branch and headed towards the tree. Shaking those widespread and weirdly positioned branches brought the ball down.
"Here you are, little redhead!" She laughed cheerfully and turned but what she saw had her shocked and her mouth wide open.
In place of the girl stood a fairy with huge butterfly-like wings and a magic wand, smiling gently at her.
"Young lady, i am pleased and i want to give you something!" She majestically and authoritatively said as she waved her wand.
And before she had known, a glittering, vibrantly and vividly colored plethora of dust engulfed her.
"Pixie dust!!! " She thought to herself wondrously. She was now in the midst of the most enticing thing about all those fairy tales she had read as a kid. The very next moment, her old pajamas she had got up with were transformed into a shimmery, long and wavy purple gown, probably the prettiest dress she had ever seen.
"Fairy... " She tried to say something but the fairy admonished it.
"No time for chatter, you're late my girl! " She said in a worried tone. She waved her wand again and neighing magnificently came a spotlessly white horse, speeding out of nowhere.
"Come on, be quick, get onto the horse! " She ordered and Mahi obeyed "He will take you to the ball! "
"A ball? But i can't. .. " She tried speaking up again only to be silenced again.
"Girl, don't waste time, talking to me! Go go go, quickly!"
"Dance" She said inaudibly.
It so seemed that the horse was soon riding on the wind and she waved to the kind fairy as the horse headed eastwards. With the bracing wing soothing her olfactory senses and the speed her adventurous desires, she felt she was on the top of the world and fetish round her not being able to dance disappeared into the thin air.
A while later, a huge heavenly palace brought the horse to a halt. Mahi got down at once, gazing unblinkingly at the tall towers that were touching the skies. Dusk had fallen and a million little lamps decorated the castle with cumbersome light and beauty. Picking up the train of her dress, she ran right in across the gates and corridors and stopped only when she entered a humongous hall. She saw couples dancing, lost in each other's love and was looking on admiringly when she felt a tuck at her hand.
"Oh beautiful lady, would you like to dance with me? " Asked a young man whose attire was suggestive of his royal descent.
"But oh, i can't dance... " Mahi mumbled but he heard.
"Never mind, i will teach you!" Said the prince and she conceded not only because he looked lonely but also because that chivalry and those dreamy, charming eyes had her dazed.
"Oh, how handsome and gallant is he!" Her heart said "Like those princes of all the stories my grandmother relates!" He took her hand and lead her to the dance floor.
"1, 2..." He said, wrapping an arm around her and the other holding her hand and moving leftwards twice.
"3,4..." They stepped rightwards, rhythmically.
"5,6,7,8" He said as she held his finger and effortlessly twirled and danced, like wool spun into yarn.
They continued dancing as a romantic tune was played, with all eyes on them and she forgetting herself while dancing with him.
...
"Mahisheee!" She felt a voice almost deafening her.
"It was certainly not my prince's voice; oh he has such an alluring baritone voice." She was just framing herself when she heard it again.
"Mahi, girl you're late for college!" Said her caring mother but it seemed distracting to her.
"Oh god!" She got up yet again abruptly, smiling at the memory of the dream that stayed with her as she started preparing for the day that happened to be her birthday.
All the blessings a life can unfold,
May you have Gods best in everything.
Wishing u a Happy Birthday!!!
Smiles and laughter, joy and cheer
New happiness that stays throughout the year
Hope your birthday brings all these and more
Filling life with surprise and joys galore
Lots of love
Thanks Di for always being such a dotting sister, an amazing friend and a wonderful guide! There are so many important things that I've learnt from you. People like you are difficult to find. Only few are there who climb the stairs of success with the incredible mixture of kindness, generosity and affection in their heart; and you are one of them.
Wishing you a pot of gold and all the joy your heart can hold. A very happy birthday Di!
- Your Cupcake