A Faery Tale: Under a Candy Sky

Father had been silent all day, and mother’s voice got higher and higher as she talked to the detective. Shiny-shoed officers paced every inch around little Somchai’s crib but were oblivious to the trail of translucent candy wrappers leading to the bathroom.

Weaving through a forest of navy legs, Boon-Nam followed the wrappers to the wicker laundry hamper. A faint, green glow emanated from below the tangle of dirty towels and trousers. Without thinking he clambered in headfirst. He struggled downward the length of three cars and suddenly spilled out into a dim, cool passage.

He emerged from the maw of a great, blue kraken under a spiny ceiling lit in aquamarine hues. Somehow he had climbed miles away to the Monday Museum of Miracles.  “Up!” a mosquito voice buzzed in his ear. He hoisted himself into a metal-rib tube coiling up a coral column and began his climb through a wondrous maze of steel and concrete.

Arriving at last on the roof, the six-year-old gaped at a candy corn sky as he hopscotched across the kidney-shaped pond’s stepping stones. Cresting a silver dome, he stared up at the majestic mantis towering above him and swaying with her insect entourage to the tune of “Look On The Bright Side Of Life” echoing quietly in ethereal voices from the heavens.

“Is my little brother here?” Boon-Nam asked anxiously.

The mantis queen stretched out a raptorial arm and gently tapped a nearby railing where a large chameleon suddenly faded into view.  Perched on its hind feet, the lizard cradled the peacefully sleeping Somchai. After snatching up a caramel with its tongue and spitting out the wrapper, the reptile melted back into the sky.

Boon-Nam had prayed hard for many months, and finally the mantis queen had appeared to him in a dream with an offer. He stepped forward with a grin.

In the morning, the detective forgot to call, and Somchai’s room was bare save for two root beer barrel wrappers. Boon-Nam’s parents were bewildered that they didn’t remember the neglected, empty spare room. His parents were also bewildered that they couldn’t recall their only son’s milky, left eye that sometimes seemed to move and scheme on its own.

Boon-Nam couldn’t know that Somchai would have lived an angry, impotent life lazing in their parents’ house until they passed away, still hopeful and silently disappointed. Boon-Nam couldn’t know that instead, Somchai would court royalty, run with the Velvet Plain howlers, and become the celebrated Confectioner of New Ha Ha Tonka.

Eventually, the memory of his sibling would fade leaving just a vague, occasional pang of guilt, but for now the young boy enjoyed the simple comfort of being an only child.

AN END

WORD COUNT: 450

INSPIRATION: A coworker told me that when his pregnant wife asked their young daughter if she wanted a baby brother or sister, the girl said “Neither. I don’t want it to take all my things.” Today, I get along with my sibling, but my parents swear that I tried repeatedly to get rid of her for the first few years. I was just pondering what lengths others might have gone through to remain an only child.

Word Count: 623
Hours Spent: 12
Software Used: DAZ Studio 4 With IRAY, Affinity Photo 2