Teagan's Amazing Experience (Story - Chapter 3)

Surrounded by the music, Hgiel led her along a smooth and beautiful path through the flowers, the bushes and the giant trees until they came to a gigantic meadow with what appeared to be a road around its perimeter.

"Now, Teagan," Hgiel said, gesturing at the broad expanse of the meadow with his short, brown arm, "I’m rather busy these days, so I’m going to leave you here to look around and see what you can find. This is an amazing place, you know. And so, I’m going to ask you a question and I want you to think about that question as you walk and look." This time he smiled at her broadly. "Here’s the question. If you could do anything you wanted to do, what would it be?"

Teagan just stared at him as her mind began work, slowly at first, then racing, then floundering as the enormity of what he had asked encompassed her. She was young and he was asking her this question. But what for? She eyed him with one eye partly closed.

"Why is that question important for me here, wherever I am?" she asked a little slyly.

"Well," he said, folding his left arm across his chest, putting his right elbow on that arm and his chin in his right hand, looking very wise and professorial, "all questions are important since answers allow us to learn." He smiled slightly, almost as though he were proud of his answer, but Teagan was already able to sense otherwise.

"But, you haven’t answered my question," she countered.

"Indeed," he nodded. "All my talk of the importance of answers and I haven’t given you one." He shook his head. "I’m so inconsiderate sometimes." He sighed deeply.

Teagan watched him carefully, trying to discern what he was up to. "Indeed, indeed," she finally said, "and still no answer."

"Yes, I am so sorry . . . so sorry. You should have an answer. My goodness, yes, you should. But, let me answer it this way then, and once said, I’ll be on my way and leave you to . . . well, you’ll see." He wrinkled his face into a very thoughtful expression, his very green eyes staring off into the distance. Then he looked her straight in the eye in that very penetrating manner that he seemed to have. "Perhaps you’ve come to a place where the answer to that question is the answer to what you’re seeking in life. Perhaps this is not a dream place at all, but a place where dreams come true. Then again, that may be up to you to search out and to find. You do have dreams don’t you?" he said quite suddenly looking even more intently into her eyes.

"Are you seeing me or just sensing me?" she asked quickly.

"Well, now I’ve answered your question and your mind has drifted," he chuckled back at her. "Goodness, this may be harder than I’d imagined." Once more he gestured across the huge open field. "Be off now young lady, and see what surprises are in store for you. And, believe me, there will be surprises." He stuck out his tongue and rolled his eyes at her. "I’ll be off to take care of my other chores." He skipped away merrily on his short, stubby brown legs.

Teagan just stood there for long minutes, not sure what to do or where to go in the huge field. There didn’t seem to be much in the center, but there were trees around the edge so she quickly decided that might be the best way to start. And what did that little guy mean with all his talk about dreams and wishes and whatever she wanted. This whole thing had to be a dream - no way it wasn’t. But, whatever it was, maybe it would be fun to just . . . well, to just let it happen.

She started to walk and noticed a faint path that seemed to wend its way around the edge of the field and slightly away from the road. Of course, she followed it, walking slowly and looking carefully around, not sure what she was looking for and afraid she might miss it if she wasn’t careful. Soon she noticed that the trees sheltered . . . well, all kinds of things. There was an ice cream shop, and the ice cream was free. She saw a bicycle shop with every bicycle that could be imagined. She kept walking and came to a store (well, not really a store she guessed, because everything seemed to be free) with sports equipment, then a beautiful school, a huge swimming pool and next to it an ice skating rink. She could hardly catch her breath as she moved from spot to spot. She heard the distinctive thump of tennis balls being struck, then glimpsed the courts over behind the skating rink. What a wonderful place, she thought. All these things that people so like and want.

Then suddenly she stopped. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. Through the trees she could see another large field, and in it were . . . She very quickly moved through the trees, to the head-high wooden fence that surrounded the field. She climbed to the top of the fence, swung her legs over and then just sat there - awe struck, amazed and breathless. For there before her in the field were horses - hundreds of them. And no two of them seemed to be the same breed. It was beyond belief - far beyond belief. She thought that she could stay here forever, just looking.

But, as she sat and stared from horse to horse, she suddenly realized that many of them were moving toward her. Not running or moving quickly, just "drifting" in her direction until 20 or 30 of them were right in front of her. She held her hand out . . . and one of them moved toward her, a huge splotched and speckled Appaloosa that nuzzled her outstretched hand and she wished she had sugar cubes to share. But, that lack didn’t seem to be bothering the horses. Two more headed for her, walking side by side and stride for stride, one a beautiful golden color and the other a brilliant and pure white.

Oh my gosh, Teagan thought. A Palomino, the choice of ancient kings and emperors, and a Lipizzan, those fantastic show horses and jumpers from Spain by way of Austria. She could hardly breathe as the excitement of the moment swept her away. And, in the back of her mind, Hgiel’s words about dreams coming true echoed loudly. This was a dream – maybe the most wonderful dream that she could imagine. All these horses and just her here with them. She let her eyes sweep the field again. She wanted to burn this picture into her brain so that it would last forever. At the same time, her mind kept questioning just what was happening. Was this real? Was it a dream, a fantasy that she would wake from . . . and possibly not even remember?

"Hi there."

She turned to see a very handsome, but still very small young man looking up at her. "Hi," she replied.

"Lots of horses."

"I can’t believe it," she replied incredulously.

"It’s just the beginning, too."

"What do you mean, just the beginning?"

But, all she got in return was a huge smile.