Getting There: How I Learned to Love Dragons And Crazy, Talking Cats

Andi leaned back against the marble pillar, her small computer on her lap. She surveyed the kingdom of Moyo from a new balcony. Elephants worked carrying equipment and pulling sledges of marble and stones. Their clever trunks helped to paint the new rooftops deep blue. People and animals worked in harmony to rebuild Sefu’s destroyed palace. This time, more practical in how it was made; less gold, jewels, and precious stones. They had a pool again, and everyone enjoyed swimming and bathing in the cascade that flowed over rocks into the pool. This time, there was a separate pool for fish, which helped to sustain the meat eaters. Andi continued to be like an Essene, keeping her body as pure and unpolluted by modern junk food and meat.

Tapping into her laptop journal, she wrote … These last nine months have been enlightening. While I was first afraid to fight, in some ways I am ashamed that it came so naturally when I did do battle. I have many teachers. I learn from the great cats, including my girl, Ain-u-tep how to silently hunt and spy on the enemy. They also are keen in fighting in a pride. From the elephants, who have great humor and sweetness about them, they are intelligent when it comes to strategies, able to work together for a common goal. Their sheer size and strength is enough to frighten nearly any enemy. Yet they have a sensitive side and enjoy being loved. The baboons, apes, and monkeys are wise to getting food and have helped me learn what is edible here in the jungles and on the plains. They are a constant source of fun, clowning about brightening our spirits. They also are prideful, their males, cunning and smart, and good for Guerilla attacks—Ha! Ha! They and the lemurs have made good spies. The females bravely help to nurse the wounded and gather food.

It has been so weird to learn so much here from the animals. But then, I have human mentors too. King Sefu, himself, counsels with me. He likes my hopeful attitude and my Moxie. I never thought of myself as particularly brave, but I am more than I thought. After all, who could hand-feed a wild dragon? Or trick a wily Jinni out of her magical charm? And who can figure out how to strategize with the generals, but a now seventeen-year-old girl like me? I guess all those video games paid off, after all.

As to the year passing, it is different here. I am often confused by the passing of time; it seems to go faster than at home. I am in the future of when I lived. With Cat’s assistance, we have popped back home a few times. The family never seems to miss me or wonder where I have been.

It took some time for me to get my head around what happened. I guess I fell off the roof of our house that night Cat and I left for Africa. Mom said I was in a coma for nearly seven months. Then I began talking which confused everyone. Don’t I always confuse everyone? People still don’t truly understand me.

But now, I have rep. I’m not a Dork or Dweeb. Some of my classmates, many I never knew liked me, have come to help me do stuff. I have learned in this last year to enjoy the friends I have while I have them. And I have made many new friends. I still am careful about telling my stories, the kids at school don’t know. I have taken pictures and drawn some and put it all in my journal. Because one day may come when even I might not believe any of this.

I spent three months in a wheelchair, semi-paralyzed. That sucked. Physical therapy was a pain in the ‘you-know-where’. But I am sort of walking. I still can’t do the stairs by myself. Mom moved my room to Dad’s office downstairs so I could get around better. She works at home now, using my old bedroom as her office. Dad and Mattie pay more attention to me, too. Dad built a ramp so I can go out and sit in the yard. That is nice. They bought a new van too, to carry me in the wheelchair.

And Brook? She is still a conceited twit. She attends Santa Monica College, taking Liberal Arts, since she has no idea what to do with her life. She keeps working out and hoping that she will get auditions for a professional sports cheerleading team, or finding some rich guy to marry her.

Good luck, sis.

I have missed Scott terribly. I haven’t figured out what truly happened to his family, and which timeline I wanted to live in. One was nice, when he was my boyfriend. But Mom, who doesn’t believe any of my stories thinks I’m delusional. Dad and Mattie, well, they kind of are coming around. Dad says that he wants to create a game around my so called, ‘adventures’. That sounds awesome to me. I just might write a book too. It is all so fantastic who would believe it anyway?

Oh, and what happened to Scott? It was a mystery as to how his parents died—possibly a home invasion. But that was discovered too late. Scott picked on the biggest, creepiest guy in jail, and he got the shive. The guy got manslaughter when Scott died. I think it was suicide. So, I guess that is why I saw him and his brother in Sefu’s army. Two years ago, they were both lost again in the big battle for King Sefu. I am glad I wasn’t there to see them die. But then again, it would have been amazing to fight along their side.

Cat, Anu-tep, is doing great. She goes back and forth with me from Zimbabwe to California. She is still bossy, but I love the little fish-breath.

It is a strange life, true. While I am here in another time and place, I am strong and healthy. I practice my magic and fighting skills. I work with Sefu and his generals. I am the liaison for the animal armies. While we have defeated much of Jameel’s army, he is in hiding, waiting for his time in the sun again. I hope he croaks. Because right now, even though we all are ready for battle again, it has been peaceful. The world is better than when I left it in 2016. As cat says every so often, ‘I’m getting there’. Yeah, I am, but so is the world.

Gotta run. I have horse practice; one of the knights is teaching me to ride.

Yeah, this girl from Santa Monica, California, ROCKS!