Adventures of the Wishall

FORQUEST FIELDS Golden light from the morning sun poured across the meadow of Forquest Fields like warm liquid. Creatures were starting to stir and scuttle and buzz, breathing in the new day. One particular creature, living up high above the ground, was a most odd creature for he was a wishall. This tiny being slept upon the fluffy yellow pollen buds of the tallest sunflower and was named Plip. On this morning Plip woke to the bright glossy sun sifting in through the opening petals of his sunflower. Stretching out his arms really wide, he yawned and snuggled into the fluffy pollen buds of his sunflower. As they did every morning, the friendly forest bees that Plip warmly called ‘buzzies’, circled around the sunset colored petals of his home. “Wake up!” cried the buzzies, “wake up!” As the large fleshy petals stretched open, Plip waved at his friends and then yawned such a big yawn that he accidentally inhaled some of the pollen. His nose began to twitch and his mouth silently opened wider and wider until he let out a huge sneeze. The bees buzzed and giggled as they watched Plip try to hang on to his wobbling bed. They zipped in closer to tickle him with their gossamer wings. Plip began to laugh so hard he cried out for the buzzies to stop. “Ooohhh, ahhh,” he cried as they whirled up more pollen and made him sneeze again. All the insects of the field stopped to watch in glee. On the ground, worms wriggled with giggles and ants sniggered; shiny black beetles chortled and crickets jumped with fun. Even Plip’s best friend, Dree the Dragonfly, swooped around him, smiling. Dree liked the joke but was careful to check that Plip wasn’t in any trouble. “Good morning field friends!” Plip cried as he slowly regained his balance on the wobbling sunflower. The surrounding creatures returned a chorus of ‘good morning Plip’ and he managed a little wave. He then jumped up, stretched out his arms and cried, “And what a beautiful morning it is!” Sounds rose up around him as everyone agreed on the lovely sunshine. Suddenly the chatter was broken by a high pitched buzz from one of the bees. “Tell uzz a story Plip, tell uzz a story!” Plip blinked widely. Now he was fully awake and he sat on his flower thinking about this. “What story shall I tell?” he asked. Everyone had an idea. “Tell us about Big World,” one of the crickets chirped. “Tell us about how you were born,” was the call from a loud ant. “Tell us about when you first came to the fields,” squeaked a mosquito. “They would be very long stories,” proclaimed Plip, “and I know the bees need their pollen and the Queen ant wants all the soldier ants to keep busy.” “Awww, please Plip!” they all cried. Plip giggled, “O.K. O.K., where shall I start?” A wave of noise rose through the grasses and long dry wheat stalks, as they tried to choose. Finally it they all made up their minds. “Start from the beginning!” They all shouted. “Well you’d better all get comfy,” Plip cried, “and when you are ready I shall start from when I was born.” Black beetles slipped their wings under their glossy backs and bees settled on sunflowers where they could toy with the pollen buds. Ants jumped up on a sandy mound and several crickets hopped around in excitement - they could never keep still anyway. And the honey yellow light of morning shining off Dree the Dragonfly’s wings as he swooped happily in the sky keeping an eye on everything. “This is the story of my life,” he started. A hush fell as Plip began. Plip got ready to use his best story-telling voice so that it would carry out across the field. “Many, many suns before now, in fact, before many of you were born, a young boy called Billy made one last wish. “Billy lived in a very big house. He did not have any brothers or sisters and he was very lonely. Every night, after his mother had tucked him into bed, he would wish and wish for a friend. In his mind he tried to imagine a tiny creature that looked just like me who could fly around his room and could be his friend when he needed someone to talk to. Well, on this night, Billy wanted the stars and moon to know how important this wish was to him. He told the shining moon that this was the last time he would make this wish and he said if he was granted this one dream he would promise to love this friend forever. “Billy looked at the white light of the moon, with its smiling face, and watched the stars twinkle at him as if they agreed. He shut his eyes tightly and imagined the small friend he had always wanted.