Chapter One

Mara squinted through the morning light as Misha, her yellow lab, greeted her with a slobbering kiss and danced in circles around the bedroom floor. Mara swung back the covers and balls of light floated in front of her eyes making her feel lightheaded.

      "Okay Misha," Mara said in an effort to settle her down. "I'll have your food for you in a minute."

Misha swayed over to Mara and licked her hand. As Mara reached down to pet her, the lights zoomed around her peripheral vision. Mara was so entranced with the white lights she had forgotten about Misha. As the lights faded, her focus returned to her dog.

Misha slurped her breakfast and for a minute Mara was stunned by the sight of her dish. How'd she get her food? Mara stood in the middle of the kitchen and stared in disbelief.

"I don't remember coming into the kitchen or getting your food." Mara said aloud.

Her cockatiel, Darby repeatedly squawked "Hello" and brought Mara back to her senses.

      "Yes Darby. Hello, hello!" she called back.

      As Mara looked at the birdcage and thought of the food and fresh water she needed to get for Darby, again the sparkles of lights danced before her eyes. She remembered she hadn't eaten dinner the night before. Yes, that was it. She needed food and felt light-headed from lack of nutrition. Mara blinked her eyes in an attempt to make the lights disappear.

Instantly she was seated at the small oak table with a bowl of bran cereal and coffee. Stunned at what had happened Mara jumped up from the table. Was she losing track of time?

The chair toppled backwards and Mara instantly imagined the chair not falling and as if by magic the chair slowly returned to its upright position. Darby ran back and forth on her perch and stopped occasionally to eat her food. Misha noisily gobbled up her food. Everything appeared normal, yet somehow things were different. She sat back down and reflected on the different events of the morning.

      Mara ate as she tried to rationalize the strange things that had occurred. She walked to the bathroom to prepare for the day. The sparkles of lights danced before her again and she made a conscious effort to focus on getting dressed. Just as she conjured the thought she felt her body become lighter. She stood at the front door dressed in a green and white pinstriped summer's dress. Her curly red hair was twisted up in a bun.

Something strange had happened to her. Mara decided she would make a doctor's appointment later that day. The only explanation she could think of was lack of sleep and food. With only three or four hours of sleep the last few nights this would definitely explain the hallucinations. Mara had also skipped meals and this would cause the dizziness. She wondered if she should phone in sick. She knew she wouldn t get through a day at work and deal with this too.

      Mara walked through the kitchen to the living room. It had all seemed so magical. Her body tingled as she reached the couch. The heaviness of her physical body began to lift. Her feet slowly changed form and turned into a cloud of swirling mist. It rose up her legs and encompassed her entire body. Her whole being was swallowed up with a lightness and freedom she'd never known before.

      Simultaneously Mara felt light and massive. It was something she could not express in words and it was a feeling she knew she'd felt before, but where she wasn't sure. It was like she had come home and this home had welcomed her back. Time didn t exist, as she had known it. She realized she could go anywhere or be anyone or anything she wished. Whenever she thought of something it happened.

      Mara briefly wondered if she should go to work. It was enough to make the change. Instantly she stood at her front door again with her hand on the doorknob. Mara walked back to the couch and sat down. She felt confused and bewildered. If she thought this out logically she knew she could figure out how to control these things. It seemed she not only had to think about something, but the desire had to be there too. This explained why Misha and Darby got their food so easily. It was something she practiced every day so it was bound to happen.

Why did she always see those lights before something odd would happen? More to the point, how had any of this happened at all? With all the questions rushing through Mara's mind the familiar feelings of frustration crept in as well. She was overwhelmed yet delighted in the power she possessed.

     She glanced into the kitchen and saw Misha and Darby were resting quietly. Mara leaned back onto the couch and let her mind wander.

      She'd always wanted to go through walls. This wish had started from a dream. It had always stayed with her and she would have fun with it whenever the opportunity allowed. She could now obtain such a feat. As the thought entered her mind, Mara felt herself rise up from the couch. Lightness engulfed her again with such freedom she only wanted to get lost within it. The more into the lightness she became, the faster she felt herself swirl upwards and zoom towards the door of her home.

      Her body flowed through the door. She looked down and realized she was half in and half outside the door. Back and forth she floated. She saw people on the street but nobody seemed to notice the peculiar sight.

      As soon as she felt comfortable with this new experience, she allowed her mind to take her in and out of the door to feel the changes more directly with her body. As her lower body remained inside the door her head and chest felt an adrenaline rush as it passed outside into the day air. Her whole body lit up and was electrified.

      The sensations took hold and she rose higher into a light. The jarring effect of the sudden rising made popping noises. She felt herself falling. A loud pop exploded and she was bounced back out into the light again rising ever faster and further. Mara focused on the popping sounds and fell once again. Over and over she fell into the sound and was repeatedly thrust back out only to fall back again.

      Mara hadn't heard the repetitious barking and door knocks. She synchronized to the sounds and felt herself fall into the tones. With a sudden jolt she was back in her physical body and her eyes popped wide open. Misha barked at the loud banging coming from the other side. Mara leapt off the couch and was at the door in seconds.

      "Misha, it's okay." Mara opened the door. "Hi, Christine. Come on in."

      Mara stepped aside and Christine reached down and petted Misha.

      "Did you sleep in? " Christine asked. "I thought I'd stop by on my way to work."

      "No, why?" Mara glanced over at the clock on the kitchen wall. It read 8:25.

      Before Christine responded Mara added, "Oh, because I hadn't picked you up. Well I wasn't feeling myself this morning. I meant to call you but I guess with being out of sorts, I didn't realize how late it was getting." Mara explained. She knew she lied but liked to think of it as the truth stretched.

      "Oh that's awful, Mara. Why are you dressed for work then? You should be in bed." Christine noted the new pastel green striped dress Mara was wearing. How she envied women like Mara who seemed to be born with a petite body and it didn't matter how much she ate or how little exercise she got. She was always petite and perfect. Well, in Christine's mind it appeared that way.

      "Well I was going to try and get into the office," Mara said apologetically, "but as you can see I'm obviously not feeling up to par yet. I'll call Karen and let her know I'm not coming in."

      "Oh that's okay," Christine said. "I'll tell Karen for you. Don't you bother, just get back into bed again. And I'll get out of here before this virus decides to pick on me next. Heaven knows I can't afford to miss work and if I hurry now I can catch the bus at the corner."

      Mara opened the door and Christine left. "Bye Christine, and thanks for coming by. Sorry I didn't get a chance to phone. I'll call you later, okay?"

      "Yeah that would be great. Bye!" Christine grinned and started up the sidewalk. Mara saw the bus coming down the road and waved back at Christine. She blinked her eyes and the bus slowed down and stopped. Christine was at the bus door and nobody noticed her sudden appearance. Mara smiled to herself and closed the door. She leaned down and gave Misha a huge hug.

      "Misha, we are going to have a fantastic day. Yes! A fantastic day indeed!" Misha spun around in circles and felt the excitement.

      She didn't know how long these magical powers would last but Mara knew she would make the best of them while she could. And she knew exactly where she would begin.

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©2002 Dallas Franklin

TO BE CONTINUED...