Alexis' Magical Adventure

The smell of cinnamon woke Alexis from a particularly pleasant dream. Her blue & hazel eyes sparkled from the sunlight trickling in from between the satin lavender curtains. She almost didn’t want to get up, her bed was so comfy; like laying on a big, velvet marshmallow. She fluffed her down comforter up around her ears, as that intoxicating aroma permeated every millimeter of her bedroom. She stared up at the canopy bed’s lace sky, trying to remember the dream she’d just left, when she heard her bedroom door creak, and tiny footsteps scurry across the cherry hardwood floors & fuzzy white shag rug at the foot of her bed. The scritching continued up her bedside dresser, as Abel climbed up to her eye level. His whiskers flickered as he sniffed the saccharine air filling the room, rays of sun dancing off their tips. His round ears twitched as he tried to get a peek of her amidst the mountains of blanket she’d cocooned herself in, balancing himself with his long, skinny tail, trying to get to his tippy-most tiptoes.

“Alexis! Alexis!” he squeaked. “Mama’s baked cinnamon rolls for breakfast!” He called Alexis’s mother “mama”, even though mice can’t have human parents.

“I’m up, Abel,” Alexis assured her little friend, “I’m up! And it smells wonderful!”

“C’mon!” he shouted, as loudly as a mouse could shout. As Alexis flung the comforter off her, Abel scampered down the side of the bureau, skating down the intricate swirls carved into the wood. Her dad made it for her; he had made all her furniture, every last bit. Alexis’ frilly pink nightgown fluttered in the breeze as she slid down the spiral staircase’s bannister, through the grand front room, and practically knocking the double doors to the kitchen off their hinges. Alexis’ mother jumped, rolling pin in one hand, flour dusted on her forehead, cheeks, and apron.

“Alexis! I’ve asked you not to do that! You scared me to death! Again!” her mother pleaded with her.

Dimples formed at the corner of her mouth, and her nose crinkled up as Alexis grinned from ear to ear. “Mom, I don’t think anyone could be scared to death more than once.” Mom pointed the rolling pin at her daughter, “Listen, you, no more sass, or someone isn’t getting any cinnamon rolls!” Alexis squeaked so high-pitched, it even took Abel off guard, as she covered her mouth with both hands. Her mom’s cinnamon rolls were the best.

After gorging herself on breakfast sweets, Alexis waddled up the spiral staircase to her bathroom, stuffed. Elsie had already drawn Alexis’ bath, and the powder blue bubbles looked too good to pass up. Her nightgown seemed to hover in mid-air as Alexis leapt out of it, and into the warm water. It smelled like hyacinths & gardenias, and the bubbles tickled her nose when her face got too close to them. Elsie’s round, brown face peeked in from the doorway, to see how she had done. “Enjoying…it…Alexis?” she said in her usual slow drawl.

“Of course, Elsie! You always prepare the very best baths!” Elsie’s large dark nose wriggled, as she beamed from the compliment. She tried to cover her embarrassment with her long, curved claws. “Oh…Alexis…you…always… know…just…what…to…say,” she replied, blushing. The nanny sloth loped away, leaving her young mistress to her morning bath.

After drying off and putting on her favorite yellow sun dress (the one with the yellow sunflowers & orange butterflies all over it), she began to braid her royal blue hair in her ovular, ornate mirror (that dad carved by hand) on top of the bureau. She contemplated cutting it short again, but every time she did, she missed being able to braid & style it, and lamented having to start the growth process all over again. She’d just finished tying it off with a deep fuchsia bow, when Abel ran in, out of breath, and sick with worry.

“Abel! What’s the matter!” she inquired.

Abel tried to catch his breath. “She’s gone! She’s gone! I can’t find her anywhere!”

Alexis tried to calm her diminutive rodent friend. “Who’s gone, Abel?”

“Seraphina! Seraphina’s gone!” he wailed.