by Gavin Green
Chapter 4
Past
Not so long after Jane's initial discovery of her magical doors, she began to feel that her play room was sometimes a lonely place. As she unrolled the large piece of thick paper with a door drawn on it, Jane thought that it would have been nice if some of her friends could come in and see what she created, but only from time to time.
However, as Jane applied the stick tabs and pressed them to her bedroom wall, she then decided that her play room was her own special place, her personal haven, as much for daydreams as for escape, so maybe sharing wasn’t such a good idea.
Jane entered and set down her books, musing over the idea of having guests, when she caught movement in the mirror of something behind her desk. Feeling safe and confident in a room of her own creation, Jane called for whoever or whatever might be hiding.
A strange little fellow timidly emerged, shy but smiling. The skin on his youthful face was tan, which contrasted with his white, curly hair and long tuft from his chin. Long elfin ears tapered out and away from his frizzy skull, and soft, light brown eyes told of his gentle nature. He wore simple, coarse brown trousers and grey workman’s shirt tucked in over a small, round belly. His little leather boots had no laces or buttons, and did nothing to bolster his height of a mere meter. Most curious of all were two gently curving, thick horns that began at his scalp and ended over the top of his head.
Jane thought this is what it would look like if a well-fed sheep turned into a human.
With a melodic voice, the little creature said his name was Gideon, and would be happy to give Jane some companionship from time to time. In return for a ‘morsel or two’, he offered to play his flute while she sang.
Jane thought this was wonderful – a little magic man to go along with her magic room. In her mind, she knew the situation was far beyond normal and that her sanity may have jumped the tracks, but her heart told her to enjoy the gift.
Gideon would listen to Jane sing, and noted that her voice was quite enchanting, even at that young age. He also played the flute for her, and regaled her with outrageous tales while he devoured whatever food she managed to sneak up to him. He told stories of magical sea kingdoms, of dragons and maidens, or wistful romance. Gideon knew all the tales of Ireland’s mythology, and told of the old gods and heroes with dramatic flair.
Jane always enjoyed their time together, although her little friend was absent more often than not. Those times when he would be in her play room, they wouldn’t speak of mundane events; it was always gaiety and high times.
Gideon the fae – a morpher, his type was called – simply happened to be in the McCarthy house one day, taking advantage of an unattended sandwich when he felt glamour from a room upstairs. He soon discovered that little Jane, a pretty and vibrant teen, could make spaces in the void between the Verden and the Lore; truly fascinating.
Gideon could only slip into that space when Jane opened the door to it, and could only exit when she opened it again. He was once trapped in there – too busy eating a box of crackers – and Jane didn’t return for two days. Famished, he slipped out when she finally returned, and grazed with a flock of sheep for over a week.
True, Gideon liked to create tall tales and tell elaborate lies, but never to harm. He only told Jane of fantasies and wild adventures, nothing that she could find to be true or false. She gave off glamour, more than most other children, and so Gideon only fueled that flame when he made time to be in Jane’s presence… and only in her void space. Other times, he’d be in owl or sheep form, feeding and moving about like a plump gypsy.
The fact that Jane was so full of dreams and fantasies gave Gideon an excuse for revealing himself in such a safe place, and only to her. Being cautious and logical, he clouded Jane’s mind repeatedly to remember him and their history only when in her created space. Jane remained oblivious of her magical friend when in the mundane world, although her imagination was temporarily bolstered from their time together.
Years passed, and while Jane grew out of many childish endeavors and games, she always kept a door ready. She still occasionally visited the play room, and its decor mutated to her maturing whims.
Stuffed animals came and went, or were replaced by newer simplistic toys. Pictures and portraits became posters of Jane's favorite singers and stars. The desk grew larger and modern, as did the chair. Sometimes she had a net and footballs to practice her kicks. The little stage remained, and Jane continued to train and rehearse her voice with hymns and old Gaelic tunes, besides popular radio songs sung either a cappella or along with simple guitar chords.
Jane kept her belief of Gideon while in the play room, as she had of the magic of her doors. How could she not? His occasional presence was undeniable. Whenever her burgeoning maturity caused her faith to falter, the diminutive morpher would come knocking. He would explain that those without Jane’s gift of imagination or knowledge of her play room simply had no way to gain access.
Gideon, however, was a creature of magic; an embodiment of the wonders that the play room possessed. As Jane grew out of childhood, she would challenge Gideon’s existence with questions. His normal elusive and vague replies were that he was as real as the room, and then he’d throw a stuffed animal at her as proof.
Gideon continued to visit Jane from time to time, surprised and happy that the growing teen still kept that dream of her haven so very much alive. However, it was harder to keep on the topic of wishes and daydreams with the girl; she became increasingly concerned with matters of teenage gossip, boys, and school.
One of the dreams that Jane did keep in her heart was to make something of her singing. In talks with Gideon, she’d fantasize about success in Galway, and possibly the whole of Ireland. That could lead to being a European star, and maybe even get her into the American market. Jane began to write her own lyrics, gleaning inspiration from Gideon’s grandiose and ridiculous tales.
Jane was quite content with Gideon's company. He was quick with a wild fable and always interested when she spoke of hopes and aspirations. For his part, the diminutive fae enjoyed the girl's presence as well. She was bright and clever, and had a truly melodic voice. Lil' Jane also enjoyed Gideon's yarns as much as he enjoyed weaving them. There was little better than an appreciative audience... except perhaps some cream and biscuits.