Purple Dust

Every night at midnight, the purple clouds came out to dance with the blushing sky. It was a sight that only a few fortunate souls got to witness. But for 11-year-old Amber, it was a routine occurrence. The first time this happened, she was 7 years old and she had gotten into a disagreement with her mom earlier in the day. She couldn't sleep and decided to sit on the roof of her house wanting to run away with tears streaming down her face. She couldn't wait to be an adult so could do whatever she wanted to do. As these thoughts were racing through her mind, she heard the grandfather clock in the background chiming letting her know it was midnight.

Suddenly, the sky was purple and it started to rain purple dust. She looked up to see where the dust was coming from, and she could see the silhouette of a fairy emerge from behind a purple cloud approaching her. Amber was in a state of shock and amazement. The fairy asked her what was wrong. Rather than respond to the question, Amber said, "Who are you?" The fairy responded, "I'm Luna, I'm a visitor from another realm. At midnight the veil between my world and yours is lifted. I was getting ready to visit some friends when I felt your presence. It has been a while since I met someone special like you." Amber's sadness began to dissipate.

Luna also mentioned that she could feel her sadness and wanted to see if she was ok." Amber replied, "I'm ok, I just got into a disagreement with my mother over when my chores should get done. I told her I'd do them when I got home from the park but she insisted I'd do it before or I'd forget. I mean how does she know I would forget?" Luna told her that when Amber's mother was a child, she would always forget to do her chores when she got home. This happened because she was too tired after a long day of playing outside and assured her that her mom was only speaking from personal experience. "Isn't it better to do your chores first to get them out of the way anyway," Luna asked. Amber thought about it for a minute and agreed.

"My child, would you like to go on a magical journey with me?" Luna asked with a voice as light as a feather. Amber's heart raced with excitement and without any hesitation, she followed Luna into the sky. They flew over mountains, across oceans, and through forests until they reached a hidden realm where magical creatures roamed free. Amber was amazed by the sights and sounds of this place, and she couldn't believe that such a world existed. So every Saturday night for the past 4 years she would meet up with Luna and go on adventures together. If it was up to Amber, she would go every single night but Luna told her there were rules. She told her that children need their sleep, especially during the school year, and she understands the importance of having a good education with an alert mind. She also didn't want her parents to become concerned about her.

So every Saturday, Amber would wait for the clock to strike midnight, climb out of the window of her home and sit on the roof, and watch the spectacle unfold before her eyes. She asked Luna why she was the only one who could see. Luna replied, "Children believe without seeing." Amber understood that logic and promised herself that she would always believe. So they took off on another magical journey and visited some new places that she could only dream about, such as a house made of chocolate, a pool filled with macaroni and cheese, or where it rained up instead of down. As the night wore on, Amber and Luna sat by a tranquil river, watching the stars twinkle above them. "It's time to go back now, Amber," Luna said, her voice tinged with sadness.

Amber never wanted to leave the magical places she had visited, but she knew that she had to. As she descended back to her home, the purple clouds had disappeared, and the blushing sky had turned into a deep blue. She smiled to herself, knowing that the magical realms she visited would always be a part of her life, even if she couldn't see them every day. She also knew that Luna would always be there for her if she needed a friend to talk to about life and the mysteries of the unknown.

By Jacqueline Ortiz