I look at the table, at my plate, at the utensils, at the unusual flowers on the table, at the roasted chicken. These are the things I can concentrate on. Don’t look up. Don’t look into those eyes. I fill my plate with food because I am hungry and I don’t believe this boy has poisoned the food. He’s dressed weird and his eyes make me woozy but he isn’t evil. I can feel it. And besides, this food is really good. I wish my Mom could learn to cook like this.
Robin laughs. “It’s good to see you are a good eater. Many of my visitors barely eat anything and then they are not prepared for their journey. You will need the strength. Eat away, Emma Stone.”
I continue eating. What else is there to do? I am hungry. Robin moves around the room collecting items. I glance up now and then to see what he is doing. He picks up a rope and wooden bucket and puts them by the door where he has already collected an assortment of things, some I know what they are and some I don’t.
Robin looks at me right then. I look down quickly but not quickly enough to completely avoid his eyes. A strange electricity runs through my body in that instant. “Emma Stone, I need you to think of the three places in the universe that you would like to visit. I will need to know them before we leave.”
“I don’t understand,” I say, looking up but I making sure my eyes don’t go any higher than his chest.
“You don’t need to understand everything,” says Robin. “You just need to realize we are going on a journey and you decide where we will go. You, and only you, know where we must go. When we get to each of our three destinations, we will explore and discover wonderful sights and there might even be an adventure to be had but there will always be an item we must collect and bring home. You will know it when you see it.”
I look up then and look him square in the eyes, “What the heck?!?” I exclaim. “I’m not going anywhere with you. Thank-you for the food but I gotta be goin’. My sister will be waitin’ for me.” I try to stand up but Robin puts his hand on my shoulder and I stay in my seat. I stutter as I try to continue and my voice is beginning to get higher and higher in pitch. His eyes are getting to me. “She, she likes to shop but she, she knows we have to get home on time or my parents will freak out. She’ll freak out if I’m not there on time and it’s got to be time by now.”
Robin bends down and keeps my eyes locked on him, “Emma Stone, time began to stand still when you entered the cabin. You, literally, have all the time in the world to complete your journey. However, the sooner we leave, the sooner you come back and can return to your family. I see you haven’t finished your food yet, please do so and remember, think about where we need to go. These three places can be somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit, places you’ve been or even places you’ve only dreamed of. In other words, there are no boundaries. Eat quickly, I’m almost done packing.”
He turns away from me then and continues picking up things from the cabin, mumbling to himself as he goes about his business and I know he has spoken the truth. I know I must be crazy to believe him but I know he is right. His eyes didn’t even made me woozy that time. Instead, his eyes told me the truth of his statements.
There are three places we need to go and I know where they are as sure as I know my name is Emma Stone. We are going to Disneyland. They always ask everyone after they win an important game of any sort, where are you going and it’s always Disneyland. Well, if I get to choose where we are going, it is definitely going to include Disneyland. Besides, I know there’s something we need there. After Disneyland, we’re going to Green Gables on Prince Edward Island. I read the Anne of Green Gables series in middle school and LOVED it. I know there is something we need that we can only get at Green Gables. I am kind of excited about that. I love Green Gables! And then we’re going to Kenya. I’ve never been there. I’ve never studied the country and I just barely know where it is in the world but that’s where we need to be. I’m excited now.
I’m not really hungry anymore but I know I’m going to need my strength for the places we’re headed. I quickly finish my food.
“I’m ready,” I say.
“That was fast Emma Stone. You must know where we are to go,” says Robin.
“I do. First, we’re going to Disneyland.”
Robin groans. “You have the entire universe to explore and you pick Disneyland?”
I’m a little offended. “Yes,” I reply stiffly. “There’s something we need there and besides it’s the happiest place on earth. What’s your problem?”
“No problems. I was just hoping you might have a little more imagination is all. Disneyland is all magical and wonderful and all but it’s just smoke and mirrors. There’s no real magic at all!” says Robin.
“WELL... the other two places we’re going to are Green Gables, a fiction location so you can employ all your magic to get us there and the other place is Kenya, where you can use your magic to keep us alive. I don’t know much about Kenya but I don’t think it’s that safe of a location,” I proclaim. I’m a little miffed he doesn’t like Disneyland. What’s not to like about Disneyland?
“Okay, okay Emma Stone, let’s go,” says Robin.
He puts the things he’s collected into two backpacks and hands me one. He ties the wooden bucket onto his backpack. He takes my hand and we walk out the door and into Disneyland.
I’m looking right at the hill of flowers that look like Mickey Mouse. I love this place. Everything is perfect. There seems to be magic in the air and even more so since we skipped all the lines to get in. That’s when I realize that no one seems to be moving around me. The people are all frozen. I look at Robin.
“What’s going on?” I ask. “Why is no one moving? They all seem to be frozen.”
“They are, in a way. I told you time was standing still. It means that nothing is happening in the world until we get done collecting the things you will need.”
“What? I can’t go on any rides?” I was more worried about the fun I wanted to have than the things we needed to collect.
“Emma Stone, I can make the rides go. I do have magic, remember. You may ride on whatever you like but we do need to collect your item. Do you know what it is or where it is located?”
“Nope, but I know I want to start by going on Star Tours, then head all the way around the park going on every ride,” I say.
“Every ride?” asks Robin with a look of surprise mingled with a pinch of disgust.
“Just about. I don’t get to come here every day. It costs a small fortune for my family to come and we rarely have a small fortune available. Let’s go.”
We ride Star Tours, Astro Blasters, Buzz Lightyear, Space Mountain (3 times!), Autotopia, both tracks. Finding Nemo is a little creepy since I am the only one on the submarine. Robin says he doesn’t like to be under water. We did the Matterhorn Bobsleds (3 times too), It’s a Small World, all of Toontown and Fantasyland, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (4 times because it’s so cool!) and then we take a nice, quiet ride on the Mark Twain boat riverboat. We run to get on the Pirates of the Caribbean next. I love this ride. We are coming up to the prison where the pirates are trying to get the keys from the dog when I know we have to stop the ride.
“Stop the ride!” I yell.
“Okay,” says Robin as the boat slows to a stop.
“I have to get off the boat I need the keys from that dog,” I say.
“Really? Those pirates have been trying to get those keys from that dog for fifty years and now you are going to come and take them. That’s hilarious!” says Robin.
I stand up, prepared to jump to shore but the boat is rocking so much I know my jump may land short. “I need your help. I need to stabilize the boat so I can get a good jump. It’s not far but I don’t want to land anywhere near the water.”
Robin reaches across the relatively short divide from the boat to the set and steadies the boat. I take a leap and land safely on two feet. I feel kind of guilty for doing this but I go up to the dog, pry open his mouth and take the keys. Triumph and a sense of rightness that this is what I will need fall upon me. I do a little dance before I look up and see Robin looking at me. I hurry back to the boat and the ride continues. We add the keys to the backpack.
“Any idea why the keys, Emma Stone?” asks Robin.
“I was going to ask you the same question,” I reply. “I have no idea. I just know these are what we need. I felt something.”
“Good, well now we can go,” says Robin.
“No way,” I reply. “We still have to ride the Jungle Cruise, go to the Haunted Mansion and ride Splash Mountain and then we can go.”
“Okay, let’s get going then,” replies Robin with a little humph at the end.
As we are zooming down the last plunge on Splash Mountain, the water is coming closer and closer when all of a sudden I am no longer coming closer and closer to water but I am surrounded by snow and zooming down a hill on a sled. I feel Robins arms around my waist and I realize we are dressed from head to toe in warm clothes, just not quite warm enough and I shudder. We hit a small mound of snow at the bottom of the hill and I go flying off to the right. I land and scurry up to get out of the snow. My legs are cold and I look down and adjust my long skirt to try and cover more of my cold legs. I look up around me and that’s when I see it. Green Gables. We are at Green Gables!
Check back tomorrow to see how the adventure goes at Green Gable and what they take with them to their next stop!
Robin laughs. “It’s good to see you are a good eater. Many of my visitors barely eat anything and then they are not prepared for their journey. You will need the strength. Eat away, Emma Stone.”
I continue eating. What else is there to do? I am hungry. Robin moves around the room collecting items. I glance up now and then to see what he is doing. He picks up a rope and wooden bucket and puts them by the door where he has already collected an assortment of things, some I know what they are and some I don’t.
Robin looks at me right then. I look down quickly but not quickly enough to completely avoid his eyes. A strange electricity runs through my body in that instant. “Emma Stone, I need you to think of the three places in the universe that you would like to visit. I will need to know them before we leave.”
“I don’t understand,” I say, looking up but I making sure my eyes don’t go any higher than his chest.
“You don’t need to understand everything,” says Robin. “You just need to realize we are going on a journey and you decide where we will go. You, and only you, know where we must go. When we get to each of our three destinations, we will explore and discover wonderful sights and there might even be an adventure to be had but there will always be an item we must collect and bring home. You will know it when you see it.”
I look up then and look him square in the eyes, “What the heck?!?” I exclaim. “I’m not going anywhere with you. Thank-you for the food but I gotta be goin’. My sister will be waitin’ for me.” I try to stand up but Robin puts his hand on my shoulder and I stay in my seat. I stutter as I try to continue and my voice is beginning to get higher and higher in pitch. His eyes are getting to me. “She, she likes to shop but she, she knows we have to get home on time or my parents will freak out. She’ll freak out if I’m not there on time and it’s got to be time by now.”
Robin bends down and keeps my eyes locked on him, “Emma Stone, time began to stand still when you entered the cabin. You, literally, have all the time in the world to complete your journey. However, the sooner we leave, the sooner you come back and can return to your family. I see you haven’t finished your food yet, please do so and remember, think about where we need to go. These three places can be somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit, places you’ve been or even places you’ve only dreamed of. In other words, there are no boundaries. Eat quickly, I’m almost done packing.”
He turns away from me then and continues picking up things from the cabin, mumbling to himself as he goes about his business and I know he has spoken the truth. I know I must be crazy to believe him but I know he is right. His eyes didn’t even made me woozy that time. Instead, his eyes told me the truth of his statements.
There are three places we need to go and I know where they are as sure as I know my name is Emma Stone. We are going to Disneyland. They always ask everyone after they win an important game of any sort, where are you going and it’s always Disneyland. Well, if I get to choose where we are going, it is definitely going to include Disneyland. Besides, I know there’s something we need there. After Disneyland, we’re going to Green Gables on Prince Edward Island. I read the Anne of Green Gables series in middle school and LOVED it. I know there is something we need that we can only get at Green Gables. I am kind of excited about that. I love Green Gables! And then we’re going to Kenya. I’ve never been there. I’ve never studied the country and I just barely know where it is in the world but that’s where we need to be. I’m excited now.
I’m not really hungry anymore but I know I’m going to need my strength for the places we’re headed. I quickly finish my food.
“I’m ready,” I say.
“That was fast Emma Stone. You must know where we are to go,” says Robin.
“I do. First, we’re going to Disneyland.”
Robin groans. “You have the entire universe to explore and you pick Disneyland?”
I’m a little offended. “Yes,” I reply stiffly. “There’s something we need there and besides it’s the happiest place on earth. What’s your problem?”
“No problems. I was just hoping you might have a little more imagination is all. Disneyland is all magical and wonderful and all but it’s just smoke and mirrors. There’s no real magic at all!” says Robin.
“WELL... the other two places we’re going to are Green Gables, a fiction location so you can employ all your magic to get us there and the other place is Kenya, where you can use your magic to keep us alive. I don’t know much about Kenya but I don’t think it’s that safe of a location,” I proclaim. I’m a little miffed he doesn’t like Disneyland. What’s not to like about Disneyland?
“Okay, okay Emma Stone, let’s go,” says Robin.
He puts the things he’s collected into two backpacks and hands me one. He ties the wooden bucket onto his backpack. He takes my hand and we walk out the door and into Disneyland.
I’m looking right at the hill of flowers that look like Mickey Mouse. I love this place. Everything is perfect. There seems to be magic in the air and even more so since we skipped all the lines to get in. That’s when I realize that no one seems to be moving around me. The people are all frozen. I look at Robin.
“What’s going on?” I ask. “Why is no one moving? They all seem to be frozen.”
“They are, in a way. I told you time was standing still. It means that nothing is happening in the world until we get done collecting the things you will need.”
“What? I can’t go on any rides?” I was more worried about the fun I wanted to have than the things we needed to collect.
“Emma Stone, I can make the rides go. I do have magic, remember. You may ride on whatever you like but we do need to collect your item. Do you know what it is or where it is located?”
“Nope, but I know I want to start by going on Star Tours, then head all the way around the park going on every ride,” I say.
“Every ride?” asks Robin with a look of surprise mingled with a pinch of disgust.
“Just about. I don’t get to come here every day. It costs a small fortune for my family to come and we rarely have a small fortune available. Let’s go.”
We ride Star Tours, Astro Blasters, Buzz Lightyear, Space Mountain (3 times!), Autotopia, both tracks. Finding Nemo is a little creepy since I am the only one on the submarine. Robin says he doesn’t like to be under water. We did the Matterhorn Bobsleds (3 times too), It’s a Small World, all of Toontown and Fantasyland, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (4 times because it’s so cool!) and then we take a nice, quiet ride on the Mark Twain boat riverboat. We run to get on the Pirates of the Caribbean next. I love this ride. We are coming up to the prison where the pirates are trying to get the keys from the dog when I know we have to stop the ride.
“Stop the ride!” I yell.
“Okay,” says Robin as the boat slows to a stop.
“I have to get off the boat I need the keys from that dog,” I say.
“Really? Those pirates have been trying to get those keys from that dog for fifty years and now you are going to come and take them. That’s hilarious!” says Robin.
I stand up, prepared to jump to shore but the boat is rocking so much I know my jump may land short. “I need your help. I need to stabilize the boat so I can get a good jump. It’s not far but I don’t want to land anywhere near the water.”
Robin reaches across the relatively short divide from the boat to the set and steadies the boat. I take a leap and land safely on two feet. I feel kind of guilty for doing this but I go up to the dog, pry open his mouth and take the keys. Triumph and a sense of rightness that this is what I will need fall upon me. I do a little dance before I look up and see Robin looking at me. I hurry back to the boat and the ride continues. We add the keys to the backpack.
“Any idea why the keys, Emma Stone?” asks Robin.
“I was going to ask you the same question,” I reply. “I have no idea. I just know these are what we need. I felt something.”
“Good, well now we can go,” says Robin.
“No way,” I reply. “We still have to ride the Jungle Cruise, go to the Haunted Mansion and ride Splash Mountain and then we can go.”
“Okay, let’s get going then,” replies Robin with a little humph at the end.
As we are zooming down the last plunge on Splash Mountain, the water is coming closer and closer when all of a sudden I am no longer coming closer and closer to water but I am surrounded by snow and zooming down a hill on a sled. I feel Robins arms around my waist and I realize we are dressed from head to toe in warm clothes, just not quite warm enough and I shudder. We hit a small mound of snow at the bottom of the hill and I go flying off to the right. I land and scurry up to get out of the snow. My legs are cold and I look down and adjust my long skirt to try and cover more of my cold legs. I look up around me and that’s when I see it. Green Gables. We are at Green Gables!
Check back tomorrow to see how the adventure goes at Green Gable and what they take with them to their next stop!
