Chloe (7:14)

The sun shines with radiant golden light over a lush green landscape. The farms, fields and woodlands partition the land into multicolored patches. Above it all, a periwinkle blue sky has not a single cloud. It is high summer and the world is buzzing with life. Birds, bugs, plants and animals enjoy the life giving energy of the hedges, fences and roads carved through the hills and valleys. And yet this place seems to be complete. It is one whole containing many little pieces. It is a place that we know. But what lies beyond these familiar fields? Out of the corner of your eye there is a shimmer. Strange shadows fall under the ease of dark woods. Gateways stand waiting to be crossed in the places we least expect. One of the many boundary lines that crisscross the land on this summer's day is a crumbling stone wall. It lies at the very end of a field. On the other side appears to be a small wooded area. The signs of civilization and modern life are everywhere. But this stone wall is a relic from another time. No one knows who built it or why they so tirelessly stacked stones of all sizes on top of one another to mark what is here and what is there. Fluffy green moss grows between the stones, highlighting the blue grey of the rocks. You run your fingers over the vegetation, admiring the way it feels like the softest velvet under your Fingertips. There is a section of that wall that has entirely fallen down. One small step is all it takes to cross from the field to whatever lies beyond. It is an inviting prospect. The bird song and buzzing of bees seem to fade into the background as a melody travels by the wall on the breeze. The notes are otherworldly and ethereal. The song seems both entirely alien and completely familiar. It leaves as suddenly as it appeared, only the birds and bees remaining. Once again, something shimmers in the air around the crumbled section of wall. It is enticing and alluring. It is time to find out what lies beyond. You take a deep breath and stop. Step through the portal. The first change that you notice is the temperature. Even on this lovely summer's day, there is a cool breeze that playfully runs up your arms and brings up goosebumps. Once you step past the wall, however, the air takes on the perfect temperature. It is like a warm blanket caressing your skin. Yet it does not feel stagnant or humid. The warmth seeps into your bones and your body feels lighter, stronger and more flexible. The next thing you notice is the sky. Every child knows that the sky is blue, that periwinkle blue that brightens the spirit at a glance. Here, the sky is more vibrant and lovely than any sunset you have ever, ever seen. A bright sun hangs low in the sky, painting it shades of pink, orange and purple. The colours reflect off the wispy clouds that streak the sky with even more texture and color. If you studied it for a lifetime, you would never be able to capture in painting the variation in colors and vibrancy that shines down upon you from this strange sky. Finally, you notice the sound. The strange music is back. It seems to wrap itself around you and draw you down the path, away from the stone wall and into the woods. There is birdsong also, but unlike anything you have ever heard before. These birds seem to have perfected the art of singing. They harmonize with one another and complement the strange music that is always present in the air. You give in to the temptation and take your first steps down the path under the eaves of the woods. You look back at the stone wall as if to make sure it and the world you have always known are still there. The stone wall sits there with a view of the field beyond it. Satisfied, you turn your attention to these strange woods. The trees around seem impossibly wide. Their trunks stand like huge pillars around which the path winds like a river. Their lowest branches are thick and leafy. The ground is free from even a single dropped Leaf. You get the impression that autumn does not visit this land. It is always summer and in fullest bloom. You catch glimpses of colorful birds between the leaves and moss colored branches. Some resemble the birds you know. Wrens, robins, sparrows. You see one watching you. It is a large raven, the color of purest snow. The raven blinks at you before taking flight. Beneath your feet are large flat stones, low growing clover and creeping thyme. Spring spread between the stones, filling their edges with pinks and greens. Every once in a while you see the multicolored sky flashing through the foliage. The leaves on the trees range through every shade of green and into blues, pinks and purples. Bushes and wildflowers grow in patches on the ground between an endless sea of long grass. Every once in a while, the grass twitches here and there. You wonder what small, small creatures make their home here. When a rabbit pokes a tentative head through a patch of wildflowers to watch you, its doleful eyes inspect you. But you cannot take your own gaze from the two twisted horns that rest between its soft ears. Its curiosity satisfied, the bunny ducks back into the vegetation. The music grows more pronounced, though not louder, as you walk, the trees thin, but become larger. You notice other stone paths weaving between the trees. Before long, the trees have become as large as skyscrapers, and large clearings open up to the sky between them. You appear to have arrived in a town square of some kind. A stone sits in the middle of the clearing with a steady, cheerful flow of water coming out of its shining face and down into a pool at its feet. This natural fountain seems to be made from glittering moonstone. Upon closer inspection, you notice that the huge trees bare windows lit with glowing lights from inside the trunks and branches. These windows don't appear to have been cut into the trees, but are naturally formed, as if the trees themselves grew them. Larger openings at the bottom of the trees act as doorways, and viney stairwells twist up to higher branches. Thick boughs act as balconies for what you can only assume are living quarters high in the trees. The strangest part of this tree city is that it seems to contain no soul other than yourself. But the strange music is clear and the air seems to buzz with the electricity of anticipation. Like the moments just before a party begins. You walk to the fountain and admire the way the water looks like liquid glass. The urge overtakes you to have a taste, and you do not resist. You cup your hands and catch a handful of the clear water. You bring it to your lips, close your eyes and take a sip. The water is cool and refreshing. It tastes better than any other water you have ever tried. It simultaneously quenches your thirst and piques your desire for more. You enjoy the feeling of the water flowing through your body, revitalizing you. And then you open your eyes to a tree city, no longer free of residents, but filled to the brim with beautiful beings. A few of them watch you with warm pleasure, smiling encouragingly. Others go about their business, clearly in preparation for an event. The beings range from tiny winged fairies the size of your hand to tall, willowy elves standing over 7ft tall. They are all pastel shades of green, blue and purple, with long hair. Every one of them has a pair of pointed ears and sparkling eyes. And they have mouths that look about to burst into a lovely laugh at any moment. Around the square, they are setting up long wooden tables and benches. These pieces of furniture, like the windows and doors in the trees, seem to have been grown into their shapes rather than crafted. Poles are being erected around the square, and bunting is being hung from each one. The colourful flags and fabrics flap gently, though there does not seem to be a breeze. The tables are being set with fine tablecloths and wooden plates and cutlery. The tablecloths are embroidered with designs of flowers and vines. Other elves and fairies carry baskets of food. Here and there, bushels of bright fruit are accompanied by large wooden bowls of vegetables. One corner of the square is taken up by a large clay structure and a few more tables. This is clearly the food preparation area. The clay structure has a fire burning in the bottom half and smoke coming from a little chimney at the top. Above the fire, there are a range of cubbies and compartments where elves place dishes and terrains of food to be baked. A stream of elves, fairies and pixies carry freshly cooked dishes to the tables. You quickly decide to help and join in with the food farriers. As you bring warm plates back and forth from the tables and the ovens, you get a chance to further explore the people and things around you. The tall, graceful elves are warm and kindly. They immediately make you feel at home in their numbers. They speak with the hint of an accent you cannot place and laugh easily. The woods are filled with the tinkling sound of laughter. They are polite, but not distant or removed. They make jokes and find fun in every task. Elven children chase one another through the preparations, playing games of imagination. The winged fairies dart here and there in the air. Their beautiful butterfly wings are unique to each individual. They too are filled with laughter, though they seem to be easily distracted and spend more time chasing one another than doing any actual work. Pixies are small, like fairies, but wingless. They make up for their lack of flight with incredible speed. They seem to appear and disappear at will, always carrying something seemingly far too large for their frame. A group of fey folk musicians arrange themselves near the tables. They bring out a combination of instruments, both familiar and strange. Some things look like flutes, panpipes, mandolins, lutes and drums. Other instruments seem to be twisted branches or made from leaves and flowers of unfamiliar plants. All the residents of Elfland are partial to music, and the musicians are treated with a combination of honor and awe. You are not aware of how much time passes between tasks, but suddenly it seems like the party is ready. The sunset sky has darkened, but not to the complete blackness of the night that you know back home. The bright pinks, oranges and lavenders of the day have deepened to royal purples, ocean blues and watery aquamarines. The golden sun has been replaced with a silver moon, huge and full like the seasons. You feel certain that this moon is full every night. This land operates by different rules, if it has any to begin with. The warm glow from the fae candles on every table brings a warm amber light to the square. You cannot see the stars between the foliage and the lights of the party, but you make a mental note to search them out before the night is over. Everyone takes their seats on the benches. On the tables between the pies, fruits, plates and goblets are smaller tables for the fairies and pixies. You peer around, taking note of the behavior of your neighbours. Before anyone touches the food, they turn their faces towards a tall elf at the center of the gathering. She stands, her long green hair reaching far below her waist. Her skin is the green of new leaves, and she is crowned with living ivy vines. She smiles at the people of the elven city, making eye contact with each one. When her gaze falls on you, you are filled with a sense of unconditional care and belonging. The Elven Queen raises her hands and offers up thanks to everyone gathered before her for their effort in putting this party together. She offers thanks to their forest for providing all the fresh foods on their tables. Finally, she thanks the stars and the moon above them for watching over their lovely Elfland for millennia. With that, the party seems to erupt. Fairies, elves, and pixies enjoy the food with relish and joy. Everyone drinks goblets of the pure spring. The musicians burst into song. Their music is what you have been hearing on the wind all day. It is a cheerful and bright sound that envelops the senses. The food before you tastes far fresher, sweeter and more nourishing than anything else you have ever eaten. The fruits are at their peak ripeness. Pies, both savory and sweet, are joined by cakes and pastries of every kind. There seems to be a never ending supply of food and drink and song. Eventually, individuals begin turning their attention away from the food and towards the music. It starts with just a few people rising from their seats in ones and twos. They gather around the musicians, or some of them take their spots to allow the players to enjoy the food. They dance in groups, pairs, or on their own in a fantastic press of bodies. Everyone just allows the music to move them with no care for specific styles of dancing or choreography. It is pure, unadulterated joy in movement. You feel the music and the atmosphere drawing you from the table and give in easily. Those dancing welcome you with open arms. Everyone is smiling, laughing and free of inhibitions. It could be minutes, hours, days or even years that you are amongst your new friends, laughing and dancing. Finally, you break free of the dance floor and fetch yourself another glass of water. You take your goblet with you as you meander through the tables and beyond the square. The secrets of this strange city are calling to you, and you must explore. The trees that house the elven homes are lit from the inside with warm amber lights. You get glimpses of the ground floor dwellings as you walk by. All their furniture is naturally formed and nothing is crafted. You wonder idly how they coax the trees and vegetation to grow in the shape of a chair or a table. One bedroom shows a large circular room filled wall to wall with a soft mossy bed. A group of elven children lie asleep in the bed, piled up like kittens. The residents of this city seem to live with the forest rather than in it or despite it. The stone path you follow leads around several more huge tree buildings before you find what looks like a paddock. The knickering of what you assume are horses confirms your suspicions. In the paddock and adjoining yard are half a dozen horses. It is only when you see them up close that you realize that they are more than just ordinary animals. They each have horns on their foreheads. These are unicorns, and they come in a wide variety of hues. Their coats range from chestnut to dappled grey to inky black and everything in between. Their horns are as individual and different as their coats. Some are twisted, while others glitter as if made of gemstones. The Chestnut unicorn with the silky black mane trots over to you. Her horn is like a shard of obsidian and glitters in the moonlight. She is as friendly as her elven companions. She nudges her velvety soft nose into your hands, looking for a treat, and allows you to stroke her soft strong neck. She blinks at you with warm brown eyes and long lashes. It is not long before the other unicorns come over to inspect you, each one gently nudging you with their noses, intent on finding the hidden treats in your pockets. You finally manage to extricate yourself from their company and walk towards the edge of the forest city. The trees become smaller and more like the ones you remember from home. A couple of them appear to be single family cottages, but mostly they are normal trees. The forest comes to an end at a ledge that overlooks the surrounding land. You can still hear the music and the party behind you, but your attention is captured completely by the view. The light of the moon is more than enough to illuminate the world around you. In the distance, a large purple mountains. At their feet sits a large lake glittering with silver light. From the lake runs a river. It winds like a ribbon of light over hills and dales, between valleys and woodlands. In the night, this land does not look all that different from your own. They could nearly be mirror images of one another. The biggest difference is in the sky, however. The stars are brighter and more numerous than any night sky you have seen seen before. You are certain that you will not be able to find a single familiar constellation. You lower yourself onto the soft ground, never taking your eyes from the sky throughout a day and an evening of enchanting excitement experiences. This night sky is the most captivating of all. The stars twinkle, each one winking at you from an incalculable distance. The moon is bright and lovely, but features none of the craters and shadows that you recall back home. You can see the man in the moon, or even a rabbit on its surface. Here the moon does contain a face, but it is that of an old woman. If you stare long enough, she seems to come alive, smiling down at you with grandmotherly warmth. The deep purples and blues of the sky contain swirling nebulae of stars, making it look more like a painting than any sky you have ever seen seen. Suddenly, a bright burst of color and light springs up from the valley below. Something between a firework and a fountain of fire erupts in the sky, brilliant against the cool darkness of the night. It is immediately followed by a huge dragon. Even from this distance, you can Tell that the creature is larger than any living thing you have ever seen. Its wings, scales and horns are the colour of beautiful deep red rubies. The scales glitter, reflecting the light of its explosive fire as it releases another jet into the sky. You watch in amazement as the large animal moves through the sky with grace and ease. It takes a few moments for you to realize that the dragon is doing more than just flying. It is dancing. As it coasts through the air like a fish through water, it turns its huge body this way and that. To punctuate its airborne dance, the creature releases jets of flame. Periodically, another huge dragon takes flight and joins the red one in its enchanting dance. This one is as blue as sapphires. Its azure scales and wings blend into the night so well that when it dances, it looks like the sky is dancing too. Finally, a great gold dragon erupts out of nowhere. It is larger than the other two and its flame looks like a fountain of liquid gold. The three dragons twist and turn around one another in a hypnotic dance. You have been watching with such unabashed fascination and wonder that you have only just noticed the fey folk gathered around you on the overlook. They too are staring with unbridled joy at the dragon's display. An elf near you whispers that the dragons dance in honour of the moon. You glance up at the grandmother moon and think you see her smile with great crater like eyes, following the dragons. As the winged creatures end their dance and float gracefully back to the valley below. The elves around you burst into applause. You join them in their appreciation, knowing you will never forget this experience. The fey folk around you slowly turn away from the display and the sky back towards their city. You can see a faint light on the horizon and you feel that tingle in the air. That can only mean dawn approaches. You follow the others, letting the sound of their happy voices wash over you. Some peel away from the crowd and climb up the vine staircases to their dwellings. Groups of fairies flit through the air, making their way lazily back to their nests. Others head back to the dining tables to finish the last of the food and see the dawn come up to together. Without a sound, you melt into the shadow of the trees and find your path back towards home. The sound of laughter and singing accompanies you down the path. Once or twice, an unseen pixie calls to you, wishing you good night and good travels. The forest is no less alive at night than it was when you made the journey through it earlier. Creatures rustle, nightbirds sing and the trees shake their leaves without the barest hint of a breeze. The colorful blooms of wildflowers along the path have closed for the night but they have been replaced with night blooms. These ethereal flowers see seem to glow in the dimness of night picking out your path in tiny neon lights. The trees again thin and become more like the ones you know from home. The gateway is near. Dawn is breaking lazily through the thinning trees you can see a sky caught between a golden morning and an ocean blue night. The stones of the wall shine in the moonlight standing sentry where you left them. You pause before the entrance to your home world and turn for one last look. This place is magical, extraordinary and beguiling. Even as you stand here feeling the ground beneath you and hearing the birds fall song you are not sure that this isn't a dream but what a wonderful dream all the same. And with that you turn towards home and back into the fields you know Sa Sam.