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They sat upon the shelf along side many others of their kind: Mystery, Horror, Science-Fiction, Children's little fantasy tales, and those horrible times of History. All of them musty, but unique in their own way. Each had something special to tell me and each of them pleaded with me to take them from their spot. I wasn't sure which one I'd choose and even if I'd take one of them at all. But, my eyes kept gazing along the shelf, then below the top shelf to the bottom and many places in between.
Speaking softly to me with their menacing whispers: "Pick me, Brutal, I'll take you 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." And another gurgled much the same, "No, Captain Ahab has a whale of tale to tell you, Brutal Lady." I covered my ears hoping to drown out the pleas. Then I saw the golden letters swirl and make little messages to me in long slender rows. I tried not to look, but please understand and be patient with me. For they beckoned me in degrees I couldn't help myself, I indulged my fantasies to the highest degrees of bliss.
I ran my fingertips along the rims, down the spine in excitement. I licked my lips, the old bound leathers rippled across my fingers causing a deep shudder inside myself. My fantasies were awakened and heightened to such pleasure, I couldn't stop it. I pleaded with the little demons upon the shelf to stop torturing me so, to let me finish with my work. They gleamed all the brighter, and whispered all the louder. I heard another say, "Let me take you to the Land of Oz, Brutal." I couldn't resist the temptation any more. I snatched the little demon that summoned me and he said his name was Baum, Frank Baum.
I extended my hand and listened as I opened the first page. His voice rasped, deep, "In the Country of the Gillikins, which is North of the Land of Oz, lived a youth called Tip..."
My heart raced with glee; feeling it beating deep inside my chest, almost exploding through its cavity. I wanted so desperately to be invited to this land and know its inhabitants, but my work was not finished. Still, I had heard there was a good Witch there that kept it safe from an evil witch-like woman, Mombi. The Gillikins feared her knowledge of Black Magic and knew her powers could be strong. Oh, can't my work wait just a while? I wondered to myself, holding the magical words in my hands.
I turned another page as the soft voice whispered in my ear, he introduced many inhabits of the Land of Oz: Mombi who had broke the law and was more than a Sorceress, and even a Wizardess, --she was developing the magic arts which was forbidden by the Good Witch. Many other characters had jolly expressions, and Tip, a young lad, orphaned if you will, had to entertain himself.
Mister Baum continued to murmur about this grandeur land. He incited me to turn some more pages, so I obliged in tune to his voice, while softly saying, "Only for a moment, sir." I found myself meeting spirited funny creatures such as: Jack Pumpkinhead, Scarecrow, and a Soldier with the Green Whiskers. By the time I closed the final page... I had Dorothy, the Tin Woodman, the Cowardly Lion, and Scarecrow: engraved in my mind and traced around my heart in ribbons of gold. I ached to hear more of their escapades in that magical land. Oh, but my work was lingering and I knew I would need to get finished and have this completed. I told myself, once more: "Only, a minute longer."
That cunning old man, Mister Baum, he knew it would take just a little temptation to coerce me into his fantasies. He wasn't finished with just the one tale. No, that crafty storyteller continued to tell even more stories, introducing me to more characters, and when he was finished I set him back in the shelf alongside many of his companions. Time had passed me by, my work was screaming at me by now.
Before I walked away from the shelf, I heard, "Pssst. Brutal Lady, pssst." I shuddered; goosebumps prickled my skin. "Come here." I thought to myself, Oh, no, not again. "Ever hear of a Land named Narnia?"
I knew then, I was spellbound by the demons upon my shelf. I reached my trembling hand in once more, unable to control the temptation, I took the beautiful pages from the shelf and listened quietly as the soft voices of C. S. Lewis expelled from the pages. "Lead me not into temptation..." I pleaded. It was too late, I was inside the wardrobe and heading to another land. This one in a magical Land called Narnia. Yet, I know after this adventure I will be tempted with many more. I have no will power but to take the hand of the storyteller and let him take me into his fantasies once more, and again, and again, and.......................
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