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A Country Life

ByKanzah Mak

Printed atCo-op Press, Kannur, KeralaPh : 2707208, 2704648presskannur@gmail.com

Copy rights Reserved

Price : `

KATIE AND HER HOME 4WHERE AM I ? 8CONFUSION 11

OVER THE BRIDGE 14IT HAS BEGUN 18WE HAVE GOT COMPANY… 22IS IT THE END ??? 24A WONDERFUL MOMENT 28THE TRUTH 31

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Katie was a young girl with long dark

blonde hair, and pale skin. She has

sapphire blue eyes like a summer afternoon sky.

Lips and cheeks as pink as a bloomed rose. She

lived in a small brown cottage in the lovely

countryside where she lived with her family

with nearly everything she wanted. As she could

not go to school she spent most of her days

drawing, picking flowers and sowing. She also

helped her Nan or her Granddad with cooking,

cutting, or making things, but most of all loved

drawing the sunset. Her grandparents normally

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looked after her, furthermore her parents could

do their job in the farm. She was a quiet,

obedient girl, hardly ever talking. Katie

sometimes took a walk in the meadows, with

her Nan. There are other people in the village

too, but the only girl there, Skye, is mean and

bullies her, so she does no have any friends.

Her family could only afford bread, buns, jam,

farm food, fruits and vegetables. Her Nan

would ask her wish every day but she never

replied, even though, Katie did have a wish in

her mind. Also her Nan would always tell her

stories at night, that fascinated the little girl. It

was adventure ones where there were harsh

seas, thick fires and brave, mighty ones, so

much more scary and vicious than the girl

could think of.

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Her drawing pad had a violet front cover and

lots of card pages. She had a puppy called Bella

who had long furry ears and endearing eyes.

The day was long to be ended so after Katie

drew the sunset, she and Bella had a skip along

the meadow. She had a purple frock with pink

bows that was stitched on the bottom of her

frock. She never realized she had been walking

too far away from the oak tree. Nan was going

to collect Katie when the sun was going to fade

away. The lake was crystal clear and the trees

loomed. The breeze whistled chilly warmth and

the soft grass was lush. Singing sweetly, she

skipped off. When they were weary they

stopped to go back. A baffled feeling came her

way. She did not know what to do. Clutching

Bella tightly in her hands, they went in a

direction she had never been before…

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Searching where her pencil case and pad was,

she could not even find the oak tree. ‘Oh

Bella we are lost. In this large meadow’. Wept

Katie, taking one of her hands to fish in her pocket

to take a lacy handkerchief. The reek of the flowers

was hovering in thin air. A shadow crept behind.

Katie shivered as she felt an arm touch her

shoulders and so she turned to look and gasped. It

was a pale girl with brown hair just like Katie’s

fathers. Blue eyes and pink cheeks just like Katie’s.

Her lips wore a pleasant smile. ‘Hello, My name is

Sasha. I am kind of new around here and I really

don’t know the way to Huckleberry Village. I got

too carried away by the sight. It is so lovely’. The

girl explained in her posh voice.

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‘I live there too. My name is Katie. I walk herenearly every day. It is my only favorite hobby!’cheered Kate. ‘Are you lost? I am too. Although Ihave been here since I was a child’. A little puppycame round Sasha’s bony legs and the girlsintroduced their sweet puppies. ‘This is Ballerina’said Sasha and Katie introduced Bella. The twogirls put their arms around each other and walkedto another direction. The two girls got tired and satdown on the grass tired of walking. Sasha had aflask of water and Katie had a piece of bread whichthey shared joyfully, and left a few pieces incasethey were starving again. ‘Oh, it must be heresomewhere’. Katie told herself ‘Come on letsgather some sticks and twigs’. The wind pinchedtheir thin skin. Moments later, they started makinga basket, by weaving the thin twigs and thendecorated with pink and white ribbons and silkybows. They let the puppies leap into the basketwhen it was complete. As they started walking, atrail of flowers began to form and soon they had aproblem.|6|

Katie and Sasha were led to a fork of

flowers. The sun beamed in the pink

sunset sky. ‘How would we ever get back in

time while we have a fork in front of us?’

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feared Sasha, starting to whimper, clutching her

fascinated basket.

‘Look at the tulips. They are golden and I think I

have seen them before’ announced Katie. So

they started following the trail.

‘They look like Golden eggs we have every

Easter’. Sasha explained, smacking her lips.

The golden tulips formed a narrow path. The

path sparkled in the sunlight as they walked. It

was a winding path as a result it took longer. If

they had to live in Berry Meadow forever the

parts of bread would never last.

They trekked for a long time till they reached

two bridges. One was filled with joy, where

flowers were delicately spread out. Rosebushes

were in corners and violets and blue bells

sporadically decorated the green ground. Roses

were so red and violets were blue. The other

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one was dangerous, where bats circled and

creepy crawlies crawled on them, parts of the

bridge broken. The trees were bare and the

wind howled turbulently. ‘We know what to

take’. Protested Katie, though Sasha bit her lip.

Gently, Katie put an arm on Sasha while the

puppies kept quiet. Tiptoeing slowly, they

walked through the bridge, gripping the basket

where the puppies sat.

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Over the enormous bridge was bunches of goldentulips that dazzled in the sunlight. The lush

grass were emeralds as the two girls hovered past.

‘It is so lovely!’ gasped Sasha putting an arm onKatie. Katie’s eyes were wide open in amazement asshe was standing in front of the unusual scenery, andjust at that moment they felt the earth tremblebeneath their feet.

Suddenly a giant black dragon with beady eyes andrazor sharp knife like spikes, was howling in sight.Groups of angels with snow-white feathery wingsand lovely dresses became visible and invisible andsome rushed out of nowhere. Some had sparklygolden halos floating above their heads, but some ofthem never had them at all. The two girls searchedfor where to go but then they got lifted up and sothey held on tight. They went straight in to ablueberry bush. Sasha shut her eyes hard. ‘Ouch!!!That hurt’. Said Sasha, rubbing her sore grazes. Katierubbed hers too. ‘Where are we?’ Asked Katie.

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They stood up wondering where they were. Thensuddenly an angel appeared in front of them. ‘Whoa!’Katie yelled. ‘Shh, my name is Lucia’. Whispered theangel. Lucia held something in her pale palm. Shethen thought for a while, and after a few momentshanded it out. It was two ornate necklaces that whenthey are put together, they form one full glowingcircle that says best luck. They inhaled when thepitch-black dragon breathed so they would not coughfrom the smoke. As the girls peered through thebushes they saw a lady with an ugly look on her face.Her red gown trailed the floor. She had a glum faceand dark hair. ‘Ha, you know all the golden tulips willbe mine and especially the red ruby!’ Cackled thelady. It happened so quickly that Sasha sneezed, herhands cupped over her mouth. ‘My name is Lidia andI will crush the people in to dust who are in my way’.Lidia cackled like a witch as she jumped on thedragon and flew off, with her golden eagle driftingswiftly in the bright sky. They stood there rooted tothe spot, apprehensively, thinking what to do. ‘Myname is Katie and her name is Sasha’ Katieintroduced and that broke the silence. ‘Thank you forthe necklaces’ thanked Sasha holding the necklacesout so the angels could see them. Lucia’s long blondehair fell to her shoulders as she bent down to pick hergolden necklace of the ground. ‘What are these|9|

necklaces for? I really want to know’. Asked Katiepleadingly.

‘You will find out and the thing I want you to know is,as you have discovered our secret, please do not tellanyone, not even a family member. Please would youhelp us?’ Lucia asked very kindly. Katie and Sashanodded as if they knew what they were doing, andthen Lucia explained everything. The Queen of theangels stood there and told Lucia to be safe and notget in Lidia’s way. The other angels told them thatthey would pray for luck. Lucia’s hazel like eyesbeamed at the girls and so they were up to a greatadventure like fairytales. She did not have a halo butshe always wanted one and only a skilled angel canget one. The Queen of angels does not need one as shewears a beautiful elaborate crown. Her goldenslippers were as bright as the sun. They set off for theadventure.

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Don’t we need stuff to take with us?’ asked

Sasha perplexed. ‘Ah we don’t need anything.

But here you girls need a boost up’. Announced

Lucia. She handed 2 chocolate biscuits to them.

It was scrumptiously tasty and they both gobbled

them up. It gushed down their throat, when

Lucia magically made 2 hot chocolates for them

both. It felt very hot and soothing as it filled

their mouth, and they had never ever tasted

anything like it before. ‘Thank you very much’.

They both said together. Lucia did not vanish in

to thin air as she usually does but walked by

invisible in the air. They walked for a long time

through woods on a dusty path and ended up in

an Emerald Forest, which Lucia has explained

before. The day was fine and the looming trees

‘

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were like emeralds. There were lanterns that lit

and were hung up on trees. Some parts of the

forest, there were the sun’s gleaming daylight

rays that slit through the gaps of the wavy thin

vines. They walked and walked until they were

at a dead end. There was a large canyon right

in front of them and rocks were crumbling

away every minute. The puppies huddled in

the basket very terrified. ‘Why are you taking

us to a dead end?’ shivered Sasha, stroking

Ballerina. Katie stroked Bella too and despite

the fact that they were apprehensive, they did

not move at all. ‘This is not a dead end’.

Cheered Lucia. She then walked through the

dead end and disappeared. The girls tried this,

their hands gripped on their basket, their

forehead sweaty, and their eyes shut tight.

They fell right down into the deep hole and

then came to a place where, there were golden

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tulips and other bright flowers. After a bit of a

walk, they came to a damp, dark cave, and they

saw the wonderful, sleek red ruby. In the cave,

puddles lay there and it did not even ripple. Not

even a tiny bit. ‘Come on let’s take the ruby and

give it to the Queen’. Exclaimed Lucia

excitedly. At that moment, the girls, puppies and

the angel had company. The place filled with

smoke and after the smoke cleared up, they saw

what they were really looking at…

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A red transparentball appeared right in

front of them. Asquick as lightning,

Lucia made a smallglass bottle full of

rainbow water appear,and she took a pinch

and threw it on thegirls and herself.

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They rose in the air and sparkled. Their baskets fell tothe floor with a thud and the puppies jumped out andhid behind a bush. It was Lidia. Her harsh voice echoedin their ears. ‘You know what, you are no match for mypowers’. She cackled.

‘But we are three in one’. Cheered Sasha lookingaround. They all got ready to duel. ‘Katie, where areyou’. They called. Suddenly, Lucia spotted Katiedangling off a rocky cliff almost as if she would falloff any minute. Sasha’s anger grew, as her face wentbright scarlet. Marching off towards Lidia she felt likeshe was going to burst into pieces. Lucia was trying topull Katie up but she could not. ‘No!!’ Cried Lucia.‘Oh please no!’ Sasha still ignored her and keptmarching without a care in the world. Her heartpounded in the depths of her chest and her eyeswidened. She tried to stop but her legs urged forward.Her face was as pale as paper and her lips grew red.Suddenly Lidia, the crooked witch, aimed at Sasha,and a sapphire blue light struck straight right throughher ribcage where her thudding heart was sealed …

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The two puppies could not resist seeing thisterrible sight and so they hid behind the

nearest bush hoping that this could neverhappen; their little paws on their furry ears.

The evil strike hit the ruby but nothing everhappened. Lidia ran out of the powerfulconcoction that had taken years to make. Shecould not do anything now. Something veryunusual happened and out from the ruby a strikehit Lidia making puffs of smoke. Only her redgown was left on the damp, empty cave floor.Sasha then rapidly ran towards Katie and helpedher up. The necklaces jingled. “Thank you, theruby is saved at last and these necklaces givegood luck you see”. Explained Lucia. The girlsgave a warm smile and then a big yawn. ‘Well Iguess you guys have to go and please tell meyour wish. You can come any time, any daywhenever you want. Oh, our Queen will bedelighted by this wondrous news’. She said

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with a delight. Hungrily the puppies curled in thesmall basket. ‘I don’t really know’ Sasha said andKatie nodded. ‘We would like to go home’. Katietold Lucia. ‘Alright but when you have thought ofsomething please visit and tell us’. Lucia replied.WHOOOOOOSH!!!! They were back under theshade of the large, oak tree. A figure slowlyplodded, coming towards the courageous girls. Itwas their gracious Nanny. Grandpa was with hertoo. ‘Oh, so you have made friends. Your familyhas gone to London unfortunately, because you aremy grandchild Sasha. Look at both of you, sweetsisters. Sasha your name is Katherine. Oh weshould have a feast tonight’. Cheered Grandpa.

‘You are so cheerful at this age. Blimey old man!!!’chuckled Nanny. All of them walked home. Theircottage looked very bright. Lanterns were lit andthe half moon glowed in the sky. The girls went toKate’s room, unpacking the possessions Katherinebought. Suddenly Nanny came hovering at thedoor. ‘Girls, time for your feast. Mum and Dad|14|

have come’ she explained. So the girls finished offthe work and went downstairs for their supper. Thesmall table was filled with salad, boiled egg,sandwiches, pasta, bread, thickly creamy milk, softbutter, hot coffee, chocolate cake, apple pie, thatmade the girls mouth water. Plates were crammedso everyone took their food and went in the livingroom. They all munched excessively and chatted.At the end of the feast, the plates lookedwhitewashed and all the scrumptious food wasgone. They went to bed early that night, tellingeach other secrets and their lives. Nan came,pleased to see the girls settled down. Nan satbeside, on a wooden chair while the girls huddledcozily on one single bed. The little puppiessnuggled in the girls’ basket, where Nan put a thinblanket in each of them. That moonlit night, thegirls had a story, of angels and adventures in theHollow of tulips. Nan even said she went there,hoping the girls will believe, but the girls neverwanted to share their precious secret.

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The very next day they were going to have a

party. The girl set the table with a

whitewashed, thin tablecloth and put another one in

Nan’s big basket. They picked apples, strawberries,

raspberries, grapes, cherries, carrots and other

ranges of fruits and vegetables.

The puppies fetched sticks after the girls have done

their chores. With a lot of care, they added another

layer onto the basket. They put the fruits and

vegetables in Nan’s basket. They also put in

sandwiches, homemade lemonade, and more food.

In the bright sunny afternoon, they got their basket,

while Nan carried the big basket, and they all went

off for the picnic. Granddad was busy making a

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large table last night and so he made the table on

their front garden. While the girls were busy

setting the table, Nan and Grand dad had a chat.

They all had their picnic and in the end the girls

went to play. Skirts waving in the soft breeze, the

girls played hide and seek. Ballerina and Bella

licked the bones left over from the chicken and

fish. Grand dad and Nan talked while the girls

drifted away where they wanted to. ‘Oh what fun it

is to know I have a true sister’. Kate told Katherine.

As they played hide and seek, they ended seeing

the trail of golden tulips. They knew where they

were going and so they were up to another

adventure. Clutching their little baskets tightly, they

followed the tulips. And at that moment a wisp of

smoke twirled round the atmosphere and then Lidia

was standing there instead of Katherine, her eyes

with a mischievous look, her hand clutching a thin

wand… what could happen?…….

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Ablue spark shot Katie in

the middle of her rib

cage where her pounding heart

was sealed. A dominant force

pushed her back, far back, and

the world around her spun

into a whirling blur. She got

hit by the same favorite oak

tree, the oak tree she used to

sit under. She fell forward,

face first. Crimson blood shot

from her body making a

bloody pool around her. Her

hair was scarlet. The only last

thing from Katie was a deep

sigh.

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Katie stepped out of her burgundy body,

revealing herself as a gorgeous Angel. In

her lovely white frock with sparkles, grey

leggings, her white sandals, and diamond

fur coat, she felt comfortable enough, and

when she did a lady with long hair

zoomed towards her. ‘LUCIA!!!’ cried

Katie, tears running down her soft cheeks.

‘WHAT happened to me?’

‘You are dead but now you’re an angel.

Come lets meet the Queen of angels to tell

her what happened.’

‘How could you say it like it is a simple

thing? What about me? What about my

family. How can I go back to human?’

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