Carolyn woke up groggily the next morning after having spent most of the night staring at the ceiling. She had tossed and turned, tortured by images of her beloved Hillary. She roused herself slowly from her luxurious four-post queen bed and threw a terry blue housecoat over her bare body. Charles was awakened also by the commotion. “Did you sleep?” Carolyn shook her head in disgust. “No…I’ll make the coffee. Do you want some eggs…or something?” 50
“Nah…just some coffee thanks…and maybe some toast. I don’t have much of an appetite.” Carolyn smiled in knowing recognition and turned to leave. She walked down the hall past her daughter’s room and stopped. In the corner of her eye she thought she saw a shadow dart across the room. She leapt through the door and spun around wildly. “Hillary? Hillary is that you?” Something seemed to peer at her from behind the shuttered closet. It looked to her like a small pair of beady staring eyes. “Hillary? Who is that?” She knew instinctively that the watching eyes did not belong to her daughter. The frenetic mother rushed over and flung the shutters wide. She stared at a vast menagerie of fantastical stuffed animals. At that moment Charles, wearing his blue striped pajamas came rushing into the room.
“What’s going on in here?” Carolyn turned to face him. “I…I thought I saw somebody in here…I guess it was nothing…my mind playing tricks…” She turned once again to look down at the colourful, quixotic animals. A wonderful black and silver stuffed gryphon looked back stoically. A large brown tufted camel sat beside.
She fell down hard onto the pink carpeted floor. “I’m going crazy! I can’t even tell you what I thought I saw! Oh God…why can’t the police find her?” Charles comforted his overwrought wife. “It’s okay…it’s okay. We’re both exhausted. Why don’t you come downstairs with me.” Carolyn smiled and held his hand tightly in hers. She got up, composed herself and closed the closet shutters. As she did so, a 51
small lock of hair fell from the door’s hinge. She reached down to pick up the bright red hairs. She gathered them up, stuck them in her pocket, and left the room.
Hillary, Samantha, Digby and the camel emerged again onto the gravel path.
Hillary looked up at the sky. “When does it get dark here? I’m starting to get tired.” Samantha was busy walking up ahead trying to figure out which one of the three possible directions to take. “We need to go this way. Take the camel and lead him ahead. It never gets dark here, Hillary…I told you that. If you fall asleep for too long here, you might not ever get back, so you have to try and stay awake. You can take small naps if you must. Come on, we need to get out of here, that troll might be back…or maybe something worse.” Hillary attempted to process all of the confusing information. She started to wonder if this never-never-like land was such a wonderful a place after all. As she considered her present situation carefully, she dutifully followed Samantha in the new direction. She caught up with her look-alike and posed a question. “I’m worried about Digby. Are you sure that you can help him?” Samantha shrugged her shoulders. “I didn’t say that I could help him, I said that the Thinker could. If we can find him or her in time, they can help.” Hillary began to stretch her arms out and yawn loudly. “I’m so tired. I wish I were back in my bed right now.” Samantha gave her a scolding look. “Don’t you 52
understand? If you fall asleep for too long, you may never find your way back again! And don’t forget how angry your father will be!” Hillary realized the truth of the remark. “You’re right. I really wish that I could see my Nana again though.” All three of the friends walked along the endless path. Digby was still unconscious, atop the camel. Suddenly a huge, gaping black hole opened directly underneath them. They tumbled down helplessly in the darkness as Hillary screamed in fright.
After several moments, they landed upon a vast sea of brightly coloured plastic spheres. Samantha looked over at Hillary apologetically. “I’m sorry, I forgot to tell you about that. Sometimes this happens. There seems to be holes and doors and places everywhere. It’s not dangerous…as long as you don’t panic. Hillary reached over to find Digby. He and the camel had become separated. She caught up with her ill friend and dragged him over to Samantha. “There sure are a lot of balls here.
It reminds me of when my Mom and Dad took me to this restaurant on my birthday. It was a lot of fun. I always wished we could go back there.” The memory of the joyful family event caused her sadness. Samantha quickly tried to cheer her up. “You know Hillary, this place is not so bad when you get used to it.
Look at these ones here. Did you know they’re really candy jaw-breakers?” She picked one up took a lick. Hillary followed her lead and was pleasantly surprised.
“You’re right. These are pretty good.” I wish Digby was feeling better. He would love to have one.” Samantha attempted to ease her concerns. “Don’t worry, there 53
will be plenty of treats for him. We still need to get out of here, and there’s only one way to do it. You have to hold your breath, and swim straight down. There’s a magic door at the bottom. You go first, and I’ll help Digby and the camel.” Hillary had no reason to doubt her words and followed her directions. The young girl had been in swimming lessons for two years and was considered an excellent swimmer. She took a deep breath and plunged down into the confused rainbow of gigantic round jaw-breakers. It was tough to push her way through the multi-hued sea of spheres, but she was a strong girl, and managed to do it. After several minutes of difficult pushing, she felt the bottom of the tank. Her small hand grabbed onto the door handle and pushed it open. She climbed out from behind the bright colours into a perfectly white room. She waited for a moment as Samantha soon followed behind her.
Carolyn and Charles sat heavily across from each other in their bright gleaming steel kitchen. The rising steam from their hot mugs of coffee drifted up into the sun’s warming rays. Carolyn looked down absently at her mug.
“Remember when we bought this?” He looked down at the image on the mug. “We got that on our visit to the Metropolitan, didn’t we?” Carolyn nodded. “Remember how fascinated Hillary was by the paintings? She loved this Dali, I think that’s 54
why I bought it at the gift shop.” Charles took a sip on his coffee and reached over to comfort his distressed wife. “Hey…there’s no need to talk about her like she’s never coming back. If I know anything about Hillary, it’s that we should always expect the unexpected. Believe me, I think there’s more to this than either of us could understand...I just don’t know anymore. Maybe I was a little hard on your mother, you should go see her later… it couldn’t hurt. Or I could stay here with you. I will if you want.” Carolyn considered her response. “Maybe that’s a good idea about Mom. You go to work, I’ll be okay.” Charles took another sip of his coffee and got up to leave. Carolyn stared at the surreal, strange painting etched on the mug. She walked over to the counter and picked up the phone. As she put it to her ear, she thought she heard a very faint voice. It was barely audible and almost drowned by static. She struggled to hear the words. “You…need to find me…I'm lost....” The unearthly voice was suddenly gone. Carolyn was instantly overcome with a paralyzing fear. Her body slid slowly to the kitchen floor. The voice she heard was not Hillary's. It was somebody completely unknown to her, yet the voice was somehow familiar at the same time. She was now at a complete loss after initially intending to call her mother. With some effort she was able to punch out her mother’s phone number. “Hello Carolyn, are you all right?”
“How did you know it was me, do you have call display now?” 55
“ Dear, I don’t even have an answering machine…nobody much else calls me these days…anyway, I expected your call. Do you want me to come back over there?” Carolyn’s spirit was strengthened by the soothing sound of her mother’s voice. “No…no, I need to get out of this house for a while, I’m starting to see things.” I need some fresh air. Let me take a shower and get cleaned up. I’ll be right over.” She hung up the phone and attempted to compose herself. As she grabbed her coffee mug to head upstairs, Charles came bounding down. “Now you call me anytime, honey. I’m going to have my phone with me at all times. I’m going to call that detective as soon as I get to the office. Are you sure that you’re going to be okay?” His wife nodded. He kissed her quickly on the forehead and turned to leave the house. Carolyn watched him leave and laboriously began to climb the stairs. A flash of red and green suddenly streaked by the top of the stairs.
Carolyn stopped dead. “Who’s there? Is there somebody there? Do you know where Hillary is?” She ran up the stairs and looked left and right. The house was silent. Cautiously she stepped towards the bathroom. She disrobed and pulled the shower curtain open quickly. She turned the water on and began washing away the heavy morning cobwebs. Carolyn did not shut her eyes for even a moment.
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Hillary could not understand the perplexing scene that confronted her. As she looked up at what seemed to be the floor, she saw nothing but a bare white painted surface. She looked down at her feet and saw chairs, sofas, books and cabinets on the ceiling. Yet Hillary was very aware of the rush of blood to her head. Also, her long blond hair hung straight down from her head. Samantha looked over at her and was clearly amused by the comical sight. “This is the upside-down room.
Practically everything here is mixed up!” Once she began to slowly understand the strange logic of the place, Hillary was pleased by the odd arrangement. “I’ve never walked on the ceiling before-especially a ceiling with chairs! Hey, where’s Digby and our camel?” Samantha seemed decidedly unconcerned. “I think they must have gotten lost somehow. Don’t worry, they’ll show up sooner or later.” Hillary was understandably agitated. “I’m worried about Digby! He looked so sick.” Samantha put her arm around her twin’s shoulder. “I wouldn’t worry about Digby, I think he knows what he’s doing…don’t forget that he was born in this place, just like me. Here now, watch what I can do!” Samantha jumped up high into the air and came down gently onto the white floor below them. She was immediately propelled by the ceiling’s trampoline surface even higher into the air. She shouted out to Hillary as she began to again fall to the ceiling. “Come on, it’s fun! You try!” Hillary was a little bit afraid of heights, but decided to try anyway. She jumped up as high as she could and came down onto the bouncy ceiling. She also began to 57
bounce higher and higher towards the floor. Soon the two twin girls were bouncing in perfect unison. Hillary at once lost all sense of direction, as up and down became entwined. Samantha yelled over to Hillary. “Now watch what I do!” Samantha bounced even higher and soon was able to touch the floor. As soon as she did, she immediately flipped over. “Now you’re upside down, and I’m right side-up!” Hillary followed her doppelganger’s lead and finally touched the floor.
She was instantly flipped over on her head. Her hair fell naturally down past her shoulders. She was now right-side up and standing facing Samantha, amongst the furniture. “How can you tell which way is the real right way up?”
“You can’t! Sometimes you’re on the ceiling, sometimes on the floor, I don’t think it really matters which way you are-although it does seem as if the furniture should be on the floor.” Hillary agreed. “I think I understand.” She looked over to see a large archway at one side of the strange room. “What’s through there?” Samantha looked over at the empty room. “I’ve never even been in there. I don’t think we should go, sometimes in this place it’s best to stay away from what you don’t know. Anyway, we need to get back to the pathway and the maze.” Samantha gazed around the room with great concentration. “I’ll start on this side, and you start over there. Feel along the wall for a soft spot. That will be the doorway out. Hillary ran over to one end of the room and began to carefully feel her way along the wall. Each wall was perfectly white and featureless. She worked 58
her way from one wall to the next. Halfway through her examination of the second wall, she felt the wall grow soggy. She was happy to have found the passageway first. “Samantha! I found it!” Her twin came running over and touched at the soft spot in the wall. “Yes, good work! You found it. Now here’s how we open it. I will give you a few of my portal potions. Samantha handed Hillary several purple glass vials. She showed her companion how to use the bubbling liquid within. As the young girl tossed the liquid onto the wall, a faint impression of a round oak door became evident. Soon the door became fully evident. Samantha reached down and grabbed onto the heavy iron doorknob. She pulled open the door and quickly crawled through. Hillary followed close behind. The two companions were once again sitting on the gravel pathway. The tall green hedges stretched ahead as far as Hillary could see. Samantha got up, dusted the dirt off her green and blue tartan dress and looked around. “Well come on now, we can’t just stand here. Let’s get going.”
Annie Koestler had lived alone since her husband had died twenty years ago.
Her German husband had been the manager of a large steel firm. His insurance policy, along with some wise investments had left her financially very comfortable.
Despite the abundant sum in her bank account, Annie was a simple woman who 59
enjoyed simple pleasures. Although her extensive travels had certainly broadened her simple tastes. Having been raised with eight other brothers and sisters by one parent on a farm, she had learned to appreciate the value of money. She had remained a reclusive widow since the death of her husband. It was difficult to imagine a woman with such eccentric views and manners co-existing comfortably with anyone else. Annie was contradictory in nature and remained stubbornly proud of the fact. She was a woman seemingly destined to live her remaining years in solitude. The one bright light in her otherwise predictable existence was her precious Hillary. Charles and Carolyn had always been busy with their careers, and Hillary had practically been raised single handedly by Annie. Initially this situation had been mutually beneficial. However, as Hillary grew older, she increasingly became more withdrawn and introverted. Hillary had great difficulty making friends, and her socialization skills were underdeveloped. Her father had been quick to blame Annie for his daughter’s unusual behavior. Carolyn had staunchly defended her mother, but could not help but notice Hillary’s sometimes odd and disturbing tendencies. This trend seemed to grow more prominent the more time Hillary spent with Annie. Eventually the surrogate parenting arrangement collapsed; and Carolyn quit her job to be with Hillary full time. Annie was relegated to seeing her gifted, precocious granddaughter on holidays and the occasional weekend.
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There was a knock on Annie’s door. She got up from her wicker rocking chair to open the door. She had no doubt as to the identity of the visitor. “Carolyn, how are you?” Her daughter practically collapsed into the arms of her mother.
“God Mom…I think I’m going crazy! I need to sit down. She shuffled over to the sofa and sat down in a heap. She found herself staring around at the fascinating collection of memorabilia that her mother had collected over the years. The walls of the living-room were painted bright red, with a rich purple and yellow Persian rug covering the dark wood floor. Oriental drawings and representations of various Hindu Gods were scattered everywhere. A four feet high serene bronze Buddha sat directly in front of her. The décor was decidedly different than that of her own minimalist home.“ Really Mom...what is with all this weird stuff? It gives me the creeps…I could use a cup of tea,by the way.” Her mother came over and sat down beside her. “Now you just relax. And don’t call my stuff creepy! Is any of my stuff any weirder than a picture of a half naked man being tortured on a cross?” Hillary shook her head disapprovingly. “You better not let Charles hear you talking like that! He’s already convinced that you’re some kind of witch. It’s hard enough getting him to let you see…Hillary.” The mention of her daughter’s name seemed to instantly transform the atmosphere. Annie had left the room to make tea.
Carolyn stared fixedly at the striking allegorical Bosch painting on the wall. Her 61
mother returned after a few minutes. “I know that Charles doesn’t like me…no great secret there… nothing I can do about that. You must know though, that I would never do anything to harm Hillary.” Carolyn took a sip of the strong tea and rested her head on her mother’s lap. She looked up into her mother’s piercing gray eyes. “Oh I know that. Listen Mom, I need to talk to you about something. It sounds crazy…but here goes.” Annie chuckled to herself. “Crazy? Well I guess you came to the right place!” Carolyn reached into her pocket and pulled out several strands of bright red hair. “You see these? I don’t know…this morning I saw something out of the corner of my eye. After I opened Hillary’s closet, I found these stuck in the door hinge. Then there’s that security camera from the mall. I didn’t tell you about that. The videotape shows Hillary walking away with a little red-haired boy.” Annie simply nodded knowingly. “That sounds like Digby.” Carolyn straightened her body up and gazed meaningfully at her curious mother.
“You mean you know about Digby? I guess if you’ve spent any time with Hillary, you’re going to hear her talk about him. Listen to me, I talk about this imaginary friend as if he were a real person!” Annie stood up and walked over to the window. It was still several days until Christmas, and the air outside was very cold. A light dusting of snow fell upon the white ground. “You say that you don’t believe this Digby is real, and yet you've held his hairs in your hand, and you’ve seen him on a video tape. Are you sure you don’t need to rethink your definition of 62
what’s real and what’s not?” Carolyn was clearly confused. “Mom, I realize that you’ve always been a little eccentric, but what in God’s name are you talking about? Are you telling me that Hillary’s imaginary friend has magically come to life and kidnapped my daughter? If that’s what you really think, I’ll just leave now.” She rose with great indignation and grabbed her coat from the chair. Annie made no attempt to stop her. “Carolyn. You know I want to help you find Hillary, but you have to keep an open mind. She is not like other children. She has…certain abilities. Remember, there are stranger things in heaven and Earth, than are dreamt of in your philosophy…or something like that...” Carolyn boldly dismissed the suggestion. She opened the door to leave. “Very impressive, mother…you’ve outdone yourself. When you’re ready to talk some sense, call me.” She slammed the door behind her and walked purposefully out to her black Mercedes. Her mother ran out to her just as she was turning out of the driveway.
Carolyn glared at her mother for a moment, then finally lowered her car window.
“Yes. What is it now? Are you going to tell me that a gang of evil elves and fairies kidnapped my daughter? Is that it?” Annie merely smiled politely at the sarcastic quip. “Very funny. I just want to give you something, it might help you. Take this home with you and read it. You must be very careful to not let any other person read it. In the wrong hands, this can be an extremely dangerous book. This was always Hillary’s favourite. I wasn’t supposed to give it to you, but I think you 63
might need it now...to help you understand what's happening.” Carolyn was tired of arguing and did as she was told. She received the book without mention and tossed it on the passenger’s side. The distraught woman drove off with great haste.
Hillary was beginning to get tired. Her eyes grew weary as she doggedly followed Samantha along the seemingly endless gravel pathway. “So you think that Digby will be okay? I miss him already.”
“He’ll be fine. Sometimes people disappear here for no reason, then they come back. Don’t worry. Anyway, we have enough to worry about here.” Hillary looked over with some distress evident in her usually serene expression. “Do you mean more trolls?” Samantha shook her head. “Trolls are nothing! Wait until you see the…” she walked over and whispered very softly into Hillary’s ear, “the dragons.” Hillary was shocked. She exclaimed very loudly. “Dragons? I hate dragons…they always cause problems, especially for princesses!” Samantha quickly put a hand across her twin’s mouth. “Shhh! You mustn’t say the word out aloud! Sometimes they hear you! And dragons cannot stand to hear their
…oh…I’ve said it myself! We better run!” Samantha grabbed Hillary’s hand and rushed down the path. They came to another fork and turned right. A loud bellowing roar thundered through them. Hillary turned around and saw an 64
enormous fiery red dragon slicing methodically through the still air above. It had a very long spiked tail and a thick, scaly reptilian body. Burning yellow eyes shone terribly from the beast’s horny head. It was steadily gaining on them. “Samantha, look!” The fearsome beast was getting closer as it began to swoop down towards them. The dragon’s furnace-like breath could now be felt on their backs. Hillary ran across to the hedge and hopelessly hid her head in her arms. “Don’t worry Hillary, this has happened before. I know what to do…this usually works!” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small plastic doll. Hillary looked carefully at it, and recognized the figure of a medieval knight clad in full armour. Samantha quickly placed the figure upon the gravel and knelt before it. “Oh Tiamat, please make this knight alive, so that he might help us.” Hillary watched in wonder as the tiny knight grew steadily in stature until it was more than ten feet high. Samantha cheered mightily and motioned for her twin to join her. “Come on. We’ll hide inside!” She then proceeded to open a small door in the knight’s armor. Hillary and Samantha rushed inside the knight’s leg. A circular staircase appeared directly inside. “Come on. We can climb up these stairs to watch him slay the dragon!” The girls ran up the long set of stairs until they reached the very top. Each one sat in front of one eye slit in the knight’s headgear. Hillary watched hesitantly as the fierce red dragon came swooping down towards her. She cowered in fright as the thunderous lizard roared a breath full of fiery orange wind. The brave knight raised 65
his mighty shining sword and plunged it deep into the beast’s heart. It collapsed in a huge smoldering heap before them. Both girls were delighted by the knight’s courageous feat. They leapt into each other’s arms as Hillary shouted triumphantly. “Yeah!
…that was great! How do you know so much stuff, Samantha? I’m pretty smart, but I never learned how to stop a dragon.”
“I don’t really know.” She shrugged her arms. Hillary continued to question her. “Did you have some teachers, or did you learn it all yourself?” Samantha again seemed confused. “I don’t really know how I know, I just know that I know…maybe that doesn’t make much sense?” Hillary gave up her line questioning and began to walk back down the circular stairway. Both girls exited at the bottom of their towering steely savior and continued on their way. “What about the knight, Samantha? Will he be okay there all alone?” Samantha considered the query and shook her head. “I don’t know, usually things just disappear when I’m done with them. If I can't see something, then it must not be there, right?”
“Samantha, what happens when we find the way out of this maze? Where will we be then?”
“I don’t know exactly what you mean. I know we would not be in this place anymore. I’m really not entirely sure what would happen. I guess I’m a little afraid.
You could always find your way back to the elevator…back to the real world. I 66
also know about secret ways of visiting your world for a short time, but they are forbidden.”
“Doesn’t that scare you, Samantha-being stuck here forever?”
“No…why should it? This is the only place I know. What difference would it make? I would still be somewhere right? It’s better to know that you’re somewhere, than to pretend that you’re nowhere, right?” Charles had spent the morning hours in tiresome board meetings. His usual attitude of calm control had been sorely tested that day. He gazed out his expansive office window at the tumultuous city below. His office was characteristically austere, yet featured some of the unusual curios he had collected over the years of traveling for the company. He genuinely enjoyed the comfortable lifestyle that his great success had made possible, but inwardly resented the time spent away from his family. He secretly feared that his daughter’s social reticence and introversion were at least partly his fault. He realized that it was probably too late for him to change his own natural tendencies. He could hardly back off from his workload right now, with a significant promotion seemingly so close at hand. If anything, he had been spending more time than usual at the office. It was a development that did not escape Carolyn’s notice. She had reminded him on 67
several occasions about his neglectful ways. There was a knock at Charles’s door.
He called out, “come in.” His boss, William Durrell walked casually into the office and sat down in the black leather chair facing the desk. The composed looking gentleman was trim and fit, with a keenly intuitive intellect. He purposefully put his hands together in a mock praying motion and peered thoughtfully at his protégé.
“How are you doing Charles?…I mean really…” Charles was instantly put on the defensive by the clearly personal question. Historically any conversations between the two men had been strictly of a professional nature. “What do you mean Bill?
I’m okay.” Mr. Durrell slowly shook his head with disbelief. “For God’s sake, Charles, your daughter is missing! If I were in your situation, I certainly wouldn’t be stuck here at work. You should be home, with your wife at a time like this.” The slightly frazzled father was left speechless. The older gentleman continued, “Listen Charles, I’ve already talked to a few people, I think the company might manage to stay in business without you…for a few weeks, or until they find Hillary. By the way, anything new to report?” His words were paternal, but somewhat patronizing also. Charles was still a little deflated, but managed to speak. “No…nothing new. That reminds me though, I need to call the detective. Listen…I really do appreciate your support…right now, I feel so helpless…work helps me stay focused. Mr. Durrell got up abruptly to leave and glanced down at an object on the desk. “It looks like you have another addition to 68
your collection of brick-a-brack. Is this from your Cambodian trip?” His thick hand picked up the small figurine. Charles acknowledged the object’s origin.
“Yeah. It’s supposed to be some sort of tribal good luck charm…a lot of luck it brought me. I should throw that thing in the garbage. Here, give it to me.” Charles reached over and took the ornately carved wooden figure. It was a slightly frightening representation of a fierce jungle warrior. It featured a large painted mask and a long pointed spear at the ready. Mr. Durrell obliged the request and handed it over. “Listen…you do whatever you want, Charles. Just remember, until we get your daughter back, which I know will be soon, I want you to spend some time at home with your wife; she needs you more than I do now.” Charles begrudgingly accepted the ultimatum and reached out his hand. “I want to thank you Bill. I’ll be back before you know it.” Bill smiled warmly and turned to leave.
Charles threw the small souvenir in the trash basket and picked up his jacket to leave. He decided to make a quick call to the police station before leaving for home. Picking up the phone he called the precinct. “Detective Gardner please. It’s Charles Penrose calling.” He waited for a moment and then continued. “Yes, as well as can be expected I suppose. What’s that, the tape? Sure, I could come over there. Yes, all right. See you so