i want a pony [01]
It’s well past the time when Chantal should be home, tucked safely in her four-poster bed, even by her own standards, so she’s not entirely surprised when she falls asleep on the walk home. Right after the clock chimes, she collapses softly in a doorway, her handbag in her lap, and doesn’t move as the world churns around her. Buildings shift, lights go out and come back on, the sidewalk turns subtly in a different direction, and…
Her eyes flutter open, and immediately she feels foolish. She looks around to make sure no one saw her lapse as she gets up, brushing grit off of her skirt. Then she checks her jewelry and purse to make sure she hasn’t been robbed. “Nitwit,” she scolds herself.
And then she hears the music. Is it an organ? No, a calliope! Enchanted, she follows the sound through a narrow alley and pushes through a chain link fence, ignoring the little rip it leaves on the hem of her pretty dress. She emerges into a glade of colored lights. Before her a carousel turns slowly, unmanned. Off in the distance, she can see a ferris wheel, as well, and other tunes drift toward her from nearby, clashing with the one being played by the carousel.
“Hello?” She calls. “Anyone here?”
After a moment of receiving no answer, she moves toward the brightly painted horses. They’re all decorated with flowers and ribbons, and cut colored glass like huge jewels. Charmed, she makes a little run alongside the turning base, then jumps up and catches the pole of a white one, adorned with roses and faux rubies.
It isn’t until after she’s mounted she notices the mirrors. They’re set all over the roof of the carousel, just above the horses’ heads. Chantal’s own face peers back at her uncertainly as she rides. She blinks at her reflection and feels oddly like she’s forgotten to do something awfully important, if only she could remember what it was.
Oh, well. It’ll keep until morning. What a lovely place she’s found!
Her eyes flutter open, and immediately she feels foolish. She looks around to make sure no one saw her lapse as she gets up, brushing grit off of her skirt. Then she checks her jewelry and purse to make sure she hasn’t been robbed. “Nitwit,” she scolds herself.
And then she hears the music. Is it an organ? No, a calliope! Enchanted, she follows the sound through a narrow alley and pushes through a chain link fence, ignoring the little rip it leaves on the hem of her pretty dress. She emerges into a glade of colored lights. Before her a carousel turns slowly, unmanned. Off in the distance, she can see a ferris wheel, as well, and other tunes drift toward her from nearby, clashing with the one being played by the carousel.
“Hello?” She calls. “Anyone here?”
After a moment of receiving no answer, she moves toward the brightly painted horses. They’re all decorated with flowers and ribbons, and cut colored glass like huge jewels. Charmed, she makes a little run alongside the turning base, then jumps up and catches the pole of a white one, adorned with roses and faux rubies.
It isn’t until after she’s mounted she notices the mirrors. They’re set all over the roof of the carousel, just above the horses’ heads. Chantal’s own face peers back at her uncertainly as she rides. She blinks at her reflection and feels oddly like she’s forgotten to do something awfully important, if only she could remember what it was.
Oh, well. It’ll keep until morning. What a lovely place she’s found!