Homeland and the Waterworlds

Homeland and the Waterworlds.


Introduction.


Why had this sky a hard rim?
And why was it round and were there things floating by?
Little Billy did push his nose against the rim and did wonder.


How happy he would be, to go outside, like sometimes he saw his mermaid friend Purple do.
On the other hand: switching with Purple, he would not do either.
While she had a tail and not two legs and feet, she only could go around town, where the water flowed.
She could not run upstairs in the old buildings and find new treasures, like he, Billy had done yesterday.


“Billy! Where are you?” he heard calling. And again, with more urgency: “Biiiiiillllyyyyy….!”


Still he did not really feel to go, while this hard rim had his full attention.
Besides that he had the treasure to ponder about.


But while so little people lived in this city, and even less of them were children, he still decided to go.


His mom was waiting for him with his meal, as were his sister Lilo, and the small one, they even did not give a name yet, while it only was born yesterday.


His dad was out with the Atlantians, and while he came home today, there would be a naming feast.


But that was tonight, the meal was first and than school.
His mom did teach him, as well as an old Atlantian, named Nemo did.


Today it would be writing again, but he did not like the scratchy sound from the stick on a slate, nor the messy business when they did practiced something the first time: a coral stick and a soft clay pad.


But to read all that was in the ancient library, he really needed to learn reading and writing.
He became to old for only learning by listening.


But to his luck lessons time went fast, so the feast could start when daddy came home. Until than he was allowed to play in his own room.


He took from under his bed the shiny plate, he found on an old attic of a house, where nobody did live.
It reflected his face perfectly.
So this way he looked. A bit like mom, a bit like daddy, even a little bit like his sister Lilo, but his head was rounder as that, of the most Atlantians.


What, if he should draw a picture of himself, may be one of all the people he did know well?
That would make the time go fast until the naming feast would start.


So he did put his shiny plate in front of him to be able to see himself better, took a new plate and coral stick and started to draw.


And suddenly: BOOOOOM, somebody came and stepped right through the shiny plate.


It was a golden locked girl with blue shiny eyes and she asked out of breath: “can you please turn your drawing with the other side up?” before she sat down and could grasp for another mouthful of breath.


Billy was flabbergasted. Who was this?
And why did she came through his treasure, the one he just had found on the attic? And why did it not brake, while it seemed impossible that such a big girl could come through this.


“who… who are you, and…” he could not find the words to go on.


“I am Petra, and if you do like me, we can become friends. But before you say: yes, I would like that, you do have to know some things about me.”


Billy answered: “Of course I want to know, and not some things, I want to know a lot!”


“Than listen first carefully,” Petra went on, “most other people do not see me.
That is, because I do come from Homeland.
That is the land were all things paper live, and were all the stories in the world can come true.
Some boys and girls are so lucky, they do get a Homelander friend.
And if we go on well, you and I can become so forever.”


That was a lot to ponder about. But for now he did not get the time to do so, for daddy came in to fetch him for the feast.
“Did you not hear us come in? Oh, and I do see, you found a mirror.
Be careful with it, there are only a few good ones left in this city, so you better can put it on a place your sisters cannot scratch it. Let’s go.”


Petra sat in a corner, suggesting, he had to go on and softly, so daddy could not hear, said: “I will wait here for you, promise. Now go!”


So to the feast Billy went, full of questions in his head, although most disappeared when he did hear his new sisters name: Violet, almost like the mermaid Purple, he loved so much.
And with all the hustle and bustle, he for now did forget Petra. But only for now….


© Nan van Daalen, All rights reserved.