Melting Pot of Crayons

You are so important, greasy-haired woman. “Sit still and behave or we will find you a new family,” she said.

“That makes me feel like nobody likes me. Do you not want me anymore?” The little girl’s brightness dims.

“Yes we like you, you just need to sit and behave.” Greasy-haired woman unzips her black faux duffle bag and pulls out her gold-plated phone. “Hello, this is Lisa.” A short pause. “I will be back on Tuesday.” She turns to her husband. “Everyone at work is already calling me.” Her husband continues looking forward, leaning into his fingers pierced against his temple.

You are so important, greasy-haired woman.

The little girl catches a glimpse of my heart-shaped locket before slumping down in her seat. We lock eyes. I give her a warm smile as her brightness returns.

“Click Click Click!” The clinking sound of unfastening seatbelts ripple across the cabin with dings of texts and chattering phone conversations spreading about like ground cover in the spring.

The little girl's attention is on the heart-shaped locket resting against my heart. “What’s your name?” I whisper across my aisle seat to hers.

A large bellied man pulls down his carry-on knocking the little girl in the head while yelling into his phone.

“Hey, watch it!” Another man knocks the phone out of his hand.

Large bellied man shoves him. “What’s your problem!?” he yells.

“Sadie, my name is Sadie,” says the little girl.

“Hi Sadie, I’m Clara. Follow me,” I whisper to her as we begin our exit. Sadie walks ahead of her parents while keeping a close eye in my direction.

A group forms around the others wearing the same heart-shaped locket just outside the gate, all with the same look of curious wonderment, longing for something different. Longing to be seen and understood in a world so easy to get lost in. The aware leading the aware.

“Listen carefully, there isn’t much time,” I say to the group of all ages. The unaware go off to fetch their luggage. “You have been chosen to be here for a reason. As you exit this building, turn left down the sidewalk outlined in brick. Do not go straight across to the pick-up lanes. What you will see there is an illusion. I will explain later but only trust the ones with heart-shaped lockets like the one I am wearing. They are known as the Lockets. Trust me and know you will be safe. Now go on so we don’t raise suspicion.”

Sadie pulls at my shirt. “I’m scared,” she says.

“I understand why you feel scared. Be brave. Go back to your parents and I will follow close behind you. They won’t suspect a thing.” Her parents didn’t realize she had been gone from their side.

“Get up front, we’re going to be late.” Greasy-haired woman continues an important phone call as her husband squeezes between a group waiting for the luggage carousel to begin its descent.

You are so important, greasy-haired woman.

Sadie sneaks off through the exit doors and gasps as she looks out into the pick-up lanes. “Sadie, turn left and follow me.” I brush past her and start down the path along with the other Lockets and the chosen followers.

Looking straight across the pick-up lanes, where the taxis and Ubers wait for their passengers, where hotel shuttles gather groups of people for their overnight stay, and where ones anxiously await to greet their loved ones in parked cars, all you see is a mirage. A mask that envelops and swallows up anything and everyone that enters inside, into a world unknown.

“Clara, why did that man and lady disappear in that taxi?” Sadie gazes across the vehicles where people enter only to disappear like a melting pot of crayons turning to a blob of color.

“Sadie, just keep your eyes on me and stay brave. You are safe.” She closely follows me holding tight to her raggedy stuffed lion, forgetting for a moment that her parents are about to enter the same abyss. The world of melting crayons.

At the end of the brick-lined path is a wall of trees as tall as two-story buildings. For the unaware, it appears to be a tall fence-like structure naturally created from years of growth. Rarely does one come down this path, as they are focused on getting to their next destination through the pick-up lanes filled with various modes of transportation.

I bend down to meet Sadies eyes. “Right behind this big wall of trees is a magical place with beautiful flowers and very nice people. Would you like to see it?”

Sadie’s eyes brighten and her smile warms my heart. “Yes, I would!” she says.

“Okay, we are going through a door that no one else knows is here, except for the Lockets and the followers that enter with them. It’s our own little secret!” I take Sadie’s hand and lead her in between branches that open up and close behind us, into a vast space of rolling hills with flowers sprawled throughout and cobblestone paths leading to cottage homes and little storefronts built inside the trees.

“Wowww!” Sadie gazes all around and giggles at the little elf-like people that come greet her with a welcoming bow. Following behind are the most gentle tigers you have ever seen, with soft white fur and black stripes.

“Welcome to the Land of the Lockets! My name is Sir Kragfoot, your go-to person for all your needs.”

“And my name is Angrim. I will be your guide to show you about, for there is a lot to explore in the Land of the Lockets!” He curtsies and bows and Sadie giggles.

“Can I pet them?” Sadie asks.

“You certainly may! They are your friend, from now to the end!” says Sir Kragfoot. Sadie pets the tigers one by one. They purr and rub against her and she forgets for a moment that she is in an unfamiliar place.

“Let me show you around!” Angrim holds out his elbow to connect with hers and off they go down the cobblestone paths.

“You must meet back at the Circle of Lockets at 5:00 pm sharp for our daily meeting.”

“Yessiree Kragfoot!” Angrim guides Sadie along as she looks back at me for reassurance. I nod and smile and she smiles back, then skips alongside Angrim with the tigers following and her raggedy lion hanging off her arm.

At 5:00 pm sharp, all those in the Land of the Lockets circle around for their daily meeting. I find Sadie. “Did you have fun exploring around the Land of the Lockets?”

“Yes I did.“

“Then why do you look so sad?” Sadie looks down.

“What about my parents, will I ever see them again?”

“Someday, but for now it is not safe to go back. You will be safe here and meet many new friends. Come now, I will explain why we are here so you understand more.” I take her hand and lead her to a large circle outlined with tree stumps for seats. "Take a seat here."

“Hi there, my name is Rafael. What is your name?”

“Sadie.” she says with her head half down.

“What’s your lion’s name?”

“Linny.” She hugs it tight.

“I was scared my first day too. I’ve been here for two months and five days and it gets better and better. We have an important mission that can help save a lot of people. And the food and people are amazing!” Sadie smiles.

I stand in the middle to gain everyone’s attention. “I know those of you that arrived today are confused and scared about why you are here and wonder if you will ever see your loved ones again. The world that you know has been taken over by a force yet unknown. We are here to learn about this force and to overpower and save what we know as our land earth. Stay brave as we journey this together. We have each other.”

Sadie’s eyes widen. Rafael wraps his arm around her shoulders to comfort her.

“For those who have just arrived, we will begin our training in the morning. You will be divided into groups according to age, experience, capabilities, and resources. We are all in this together as a family and will continue to build and overpower this unknown force that has taken over our land.”

“Clara!” Vince, my assistant, comes out of a door etched in the tree side behind the Circle of Lockets, known as the headquarters.

“Hold on, I will be right back.” I remain calm and give Vince a look of doing the same. A large monitor hanging from the wall shows the entire airport being engulfed into a blob of melting colors. We lock eyes in sadness.

I walk back to find the group chatting with curiosity and then back to silence as I walk back to the center. We all take a moment of silence together.

“Lockets… We’ve got this,” I say.

Cheers erupt. A new sense of empowerment ripples through the circle, fueled by motivation, commitment, determination, and hope.

Motivation to gain back the power of our land earth.

Commitment to the people that we love and cherish.

Determination for having the power within ourselves to overcome any obstacles that stand in our way.

Hope to help the unaware become aware with compassion, understanding, and without judgment.

I tuck Sadie in her new bed later that night. “Do you like your room?”

“I love it!”

“Good. I will be in the room right next to you. Let me know if you need anything.” Sadie hugs my neck and I gently kiss her forehead. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight!” Sadie pulls the covers over her head with Linny in her arms. “Goodnight Linny, we have the world to save tomorrow.” She smiles and closes her eyes as she drifts fast to sleep.