The rock-like surface Gwendolyn lands on shakes underneath her feet and she floats up, because it rises and morphs into an enormous creature. The trees melt into rivers and the sun turns into trees. The bird-like creatures that fly around Gwendolyn all come together to form an image as well! Everything is intricately connected and always changes into something greater than its original state! "What is this place? Why am I here?" Standing higher than ten feet, the rocks transform into living, breathing beings! The birds, every color imaginable, do the same!
Gwendolyn marvels and gasps, and hopes she will wake from this outlandish dream! It is beyond what she can imagine and she is afraid! She closes her eyes tightly and begins to think of Sophie even more; she knows if she can see this place through Sophie's eyes, everything will become an adventure, beautiful and freeing! "Ma fille! Ma fille... I want to see what you would see!"
Sophie pounds on the door and her nanny unlocks it and barges in! She grabs Sophie and shakes her! "You lied, insolent girl, as I knew you would!" Sophie begins to cry because she is so confused! "No! No! I promise I didn't lie! Ma mere was there!" "Your mother, Lady Gwendolyn, is nowhere to be found, and you left the lamp on in her study!" Sophie pleads, "I just spoke to her, honestly I did! Ma mere! Ma mere!" "Sophie! Stop it! It is late and you have been disruptive and disrespectful long enough! No more!" Her nanny begins to flog her, but suddenly the rod turns into feathers! Sophie leaps back in shock! "What is this Sophie? Witchcraft, you are full of witchcraft!" Her nanny becomes vehement now; she lifts her hand to slap Sophie and each finger bursts into rays of light! Sophie's nanny screams in horror and dismay! She becomes cold and her body shakes!
Frightened, this nanny drops to her knees and grabs her wrist hoping it will be alright! "Evil child! Obstinate, wicked girl! Sophie, you are full of mischief and nonsense, just like your father, Lord Charles! I knew I should have believed everyone when they told me what he was and what you are!" This nanny's hand slowly begins to go back to its original state before she and Sophie's very eyes! She stands up and dusts off her clothes, but warns Sophie that she is not done with her! "Wickedness! What evil Lord Charles must have taught you?! Is that what you mutter in French?!" Sophie screams, "Please! Stop! Don't say that! No! Ma pere is good and just and kind not evil!" Sophie begins to cry and her nanny doesn't acknowledge it, and storms out of the room with disdain and rage!
Sophie hates when people say horrible things about her father. The children in her schoolyard always mock and make fun of Sophie based on what they hear their parents and the adults around them speak! Sophie jumps into her bed and weeps to the point of exhaustion, and falls to sleep!
As Sophie deeply sleeps, the compartment slowly slides open and the little wooden box floats and lands on the bed next to her! The box winds and ticks like a clock and all the toys fly out of it! One by one, a monkey, horse, zebra, giraffe, cheetah, lion, and the seahorse and unicorn quietly rest on the floor in Sophie's room! It is a good thing Sophie is asleep, because this moment would frighten even the bravest child!
These toys begin to whisper and chatter to each other in different languages! Sophie rolls over and wakes to see all these toys staring back at her! She jumps back against her bedpost and tightly holds her blanket against her chest! "What are all of you doing out of my little wooden box?!" "How did you get out?!"
As each toy speaks to her, Sophie's eyes widen! She is so delirious, she reasons that she must be dreaming! Sophie screams to herself "Dormez-vous? Reveillez-vous s'il vous plait! Wake up! Wake up! Reveillez-vous s'il vous plait!", but little does Sophie know, her words trigger the beginning of a transformation in her toys. For a split second, Sophie is happy to not be alone and is amused by their chatter. Suddenly, before her very eyes, Sophie's room is a zoo! Her toys become life-size creatures; her walls begin to crack, mirrors break, and the ceiling splits! Sophie quickly covers her head with her hands; she now knows this isn't a dream!
TO BE CONTINUED!