Continuation

Stepping through the trees, my eyes had to adjust to the sunlight suddenly encompassing me. I heard a happy bark, and as my vision focused, I saw Duffy running toward me. "There you are!" I exclaimed, relieved, not just in knowing she had found me, but in the sense of familiarity in a situation that was feeling very unfamiliar. I looked around, and saw that we were in a giant field that seemed to be such an unreal shade of green, like beautiful emeralds and the brightest shamrocks combined. Scattered about the grass were wildflowers I had never seen, in colors I could only have imagined-tiny daisies with petals alternating blue and red, large flowers that resembled tulips in a purple so rich, it brought to mind royal robes, and three petaled blossoms in the deepest crimson, with petals that looked liquid, they appeared so fluid. Behind me, I could still still sense the forest I emerged from, but to my left was a sheer mountain cliff, reaching so high into the heavens that I could barely see the top. The phrase "purple mountain majesty" was taking on a whole new meaning for me-the mountain was a beautiful combination of blues and purples, and up near the top, seemingly coming from nowhere and leading to nothing, was a waterfall. It appeared so tiny, but the height of the mountain told me it was probably quite large up close. The sun was glowing in the sky, a clear, blue sky, and the temperature was warm, without being too warm. What is this place? Even though I knew that logically I was only a mile from my house, I had the feeling I was in a whole new world, one that only existed in the imaginations of the best writers, and in the dreams of young children. Not knowing where I was, the thought occurred to me to turn right around and go home, head back into my forests, but an undeniable sense of belonging came over me, as though my subconscious had always known that this was where I needed to be, and my entire life had led me to this moment and place.
I looked around the field again, and noticed I was no longer alone. Where just a moment before, nothing had been but grass and flowers, a woman was standing, maybe twenty feet in front of me, watching me with a small, knowing smile on her exquisite face. She stood, tall and slim, in a flowing blue dress I had always associated with Lady Guinevere and the like. Her skin was a pure, unblemished white, and her vibrant red hair hung down her back in a cascade of riotous curls, the calm breeze lifting them slightly every so often.
"Morgaine...." Her voice was gentle, soothing, like a mother to a child.
"No," I began. "My name is Morgan."
"Your mother, she named you after Morgaine, dweller of the waters, Lady of the Lake," she continued. I began walking closer.
"Yes, she loved that story, but my name is actually....wait. How do you know that? How do you know me?"
My heart fluttered in my chest, but yet I felt no fear, just anticipation.
"I've been waiting for you. I knew your mother as well, and her mother before her, and so on, for more generations than you can count."
I was so confused, and overwhelmed, the brightness and beauty of everything, the...unREALness of it all. And now this woman? But somehow, somewhere in my being that I couldn't explain, it all made sense.
"My name is Fiona," she went on to explain. "Your family has a deep connection in this world, but we have always been waiting for you." She reached out a hand, and her slender fingers touched my cheek. "You are the chosen, and have what I am sure to be quite an adventure ahead of you."
"What do you mean?" I asked her.
"I'm not a prophet, or a seer. I don't have the answers you are seeking with your mind, nor do I know what's ahead of you. What I know is that you are here for a purpose, and that purpose is yours alone to fulfill."
"But this isn't real," I told her, even though I had felt her hand on my face, could still feel the lingering warmth from her fingers. " I must have dozed off when I sat down, while Duff and I were walking."
"Look in your heart, Morgan. You know that it is very real, and that you have been waiting for this your entire life. Let your heart lead you. Duffy brought you here, and she will continue to guide you when you need her, but right now, her job is done." Fiona looked down at where Duffy was sitting regally at her feet. Regally? This is the same dog that I caught rolling around in the tipped over garbage just last week!
"You will not be alone," she continued. "You will make friends and allies along the way, but watch carefully, for there are enemies as well."
My logical mind still struggled, this all had to be a dream, or a hallucination of some sort. But the logical couldn't argue much longer with the way I felt, and somehow I knew, with no doubt, that Fiona was right.
"Then what are you?" I asked her.
"Consider me a guardian of sorts. I'm always around, yet not always in sight, though in times of need, I will be by your side."
"Like a fairy godmother?" That made a little sense.
"Yes, you could look at it that way. But I must leave you now, as you have a bit of a walk before you reach the woods ahead, which is where your journey truly begins."
"Wait!" I cried, knowing that when she left, I would be alone. Yet in the spot where she once stood, there was nothing, just an indentation in the grass. She had gone, and taken Duffy with her.
I sat down hard in the grass to mull all of this over. None of it made sense, yet it all made sense. How can that be? If I thought about it, I had always felt like there was something different...like there was another world close by, that its magic was just out of my grasp. I could never explain it, it just always WAS. My mother was the type of person that others gravitated toward, she had this aura of tranquility around her that was almost other worldly. This, too, made sense to me now. But I still had so many questions. Why am I here? What does my family have to do with this? Unfortunately, my mother and grandmother were both long past, my mother just a few years ago, and my grandmother when I was still very young. A journey, an adventure. Huh. Well, I guess, dream or not, I have only one way to find answers, at least according to my beautiful fairy godmother-like Fiona. I'd hate her for the beauty part later, but right now, I think there is only one thing I want to do.
I stood. Fiona said there were woods ahead, and that's where I needed to start. But all I saw was field, and the mountain beside me. Right? Taking a closer look around the field, I noticed in the distance what appeared to be a treeline. I know it wasn't there before, but then again, what of any of this has made any sense? Figuring the distance to be at least a couple of miles, I took a deep breath, and began to walk.

Untitled work of fiction

The house is quiet. My children were gone for the week with their grandparents, and my husband was off fishing for the long weekend. As I finished up the few dishes in the sink, I listened to the quiet. In a house with 3 children, two adults, and a golden retriever named Duffy, quiet was a rare occurrence, and seemed to be screaming at me. Drying my hands, I looked out the windows at the day ahead of me. It was a typical April day in our little town of Crescent Bay, Washington, cool, and a little foggy, but I could see the sun struggling to emerge through the gray skies. Living on the edge of the Olympic forest, less than half a mile from the Pacific Ocean, days like this were what I was used to, what I loved. I gazed across the yard, to the forest beyond, imagining the rustle of flora,  the trees reaching the the skies, creating a safe haven for the various forms of wildlife that called it their home.
I suddenly realized how I wanted to spend my morning. I stood, calling Duffy, and grabbing a light jacket, we went out the back door and started across the yard. The weather was warmer, but still wet, especially in the forest where the sun couldn't quite manage to permeate. I started following the small hiking trail, stepping around fallen trees, watching Duffy run ahead, chasing the birds that rose in a flurry at her approach. Her doggy grin showed that she was enjoying the outing as much as I was, getting out into the fresh air. I could smell the ocean, its salty fragrance mixing with the scent of the trees that surrounded me, relaxing me. As we made our way up the slight incline, I turned and looked back the way we came. I could no longer see the edge of the trees, yet knew exactly where I was, having ventured countless times into these woods. The enormity of being completely immersed in this nature captured me, bringing me peace, yet leaving me breathless as it always does. Hikes into this forest has always been awe inspiring to me, giving me the realization that I was such a small part of a much bigger world, and that the trees and birds and deer were merely willing to share their space with me, instead of the other way around. There is something mysterious and magical about knowing that there is an entire world surrounding you, tolerating you, of which you are unaware even of its existence. Its humbling.
Turning my attention forward again, I called for Duffy. She was no longer in sight. Knowing she would find her way back to me in a minute or two, I pressed on, figuring she must be right up ahead. Beams of sunlight were starting to appear through the branches of the trees, casting an angelic glow on the ground in front of me. Calling for Duffy again, I lowered myself onto the bark of a fallen tree, wondering how far I had walked. It seemed as though I had walked miles, though I figured it had probably only been twenty minutes or so since I left the house. I wished that dog would get back, so we could start making our way back down.
I decided to leave the trail, searching for my companion, yet knowing not to wander far.
"Duffy!" As I called, I could feel the air around me change, and assumed that we were most likely in for another storm. The air turned cooler, and I could feel an almost electric charge to it suddenly. I needed to get home, quick. "Duffy!" I yelled again with more urgency. I couldn't even hear her approaching-it was unusually quiet. I looked around me, desperately, knowing that if she didn't appear soon, I would have to head back without her. I caught a glimpse of something small, dashing through the underbrush, out of the corner of my eye. Probably a rabbit, I figured. Wait-what was that? I crept carefully toward the spot the animal had disappeared, glimpsing something I had never seen before. There appeared to be an overgrown trail here, but it looked as though it was long forgotten. Even though I knew it was probably an old logging trail of some sort, my curiosity got the better of me, and I started slowly picking my way through the foliage to follow it. It led on for about fifty yards, and I could suddenly feel the warmth of the sun again, though I was deep in the forest. Taking off my jacket, and tying it around my waist, I continued following the lost trail, watching the ground, trying to pick it out of the forest floor. When I could no longer see it, I looked up, not knowing how far from my original trail I had ventured. I could see the edge of the trees now, sunlight pouring through the openings in the branches. Figuring I could find my way back easily, I started approaching the light. The closer I got to the end of the trees haven, the more I felt the charge in the air, and somehow I knew that something was about to change.