Rays of Imagination

The Dream Wall (Part 1)

 The eleven year-old girl stood up, wiping off crumbs from her crimson school dress. Picking up her bowl, she quickly shuffled around the kitchen and placed it in the sink. Her mother turned to her and swiped her fingers through the girl's hair, giving her last minute touches.

"Mama, I'm going to be late!" the girl whined and squirmed out of her mother's grip, rushing to grab her schoolbag and get out of their house, but her mother stopped her, a proud, loving look in her eyes.

"Come right home, okay, Jane?" she told her daughter and kissed her forehead. "Yes, Mama." Jane smiled and ran out the door, waving goodbye. She hopped down the porch steps and bounced along the way to her school, smiling at everyone she met. She was in a good mood today. She was in a good mood all the time. This day was special, though. It was her first day of school. It was possibly the most exciting thing that happened all year.

The girl went on, picking up her pace a little to reach the school's brick building in time. But something stopped her. She stepped into a dark alley. On the wall, next to a smelly dumpster, there was a drawing. It seemed to be drawn by a small child. A family was sitting around a dining table which was piled with delicious looking food. Roast chickens, rice, pitchers of juice... All of it taking place in the middle of a beautiful garden. And below that? A little girl was sleeping. The girl wasn't a drawing. No, not the girl. The rest of it was, but the girl was real. A real as Jane herself. But the girl looked nothing like Jane. She was scraggly thin and dirty, her ratty hair long and wild. She was curled up into a ball, wearing a shabby, ripped t-shirt that went down to her knees. Ever sensitive Jane welled up with tears.

Remembering she had to leave, she hurriedly wiped the tears away and rummaged in her bag for her lunch. She had a ripe, bright yellow banana, baby carrots, and lastly, an egg salad sandwich, her favorite. But she wanted to help the little girl, and this was the least she could do. She placed the food in the little girl's hand. As she got closer, she noticed the girl was shivering in her sleep. So Jane, sweet, selfless Jane, took off her wool scarf and placed it around the girl's neck. She had to leave now. With one last look at the sleeping child, she ran off to school.

Jane decided to visit the girl again. She was hungry, but she would eat when she got home. Mama had told her to go straight home, though...

Deciding not to take any more than three minutes, Jane headed to the alley where she'd first seen the girl.

Jane skipped down the street, humming old nursery rhymes Mama read to baby Joe, because she was feeling giddy with excitement. When she came upon her destination, she stopped abruptly, stunned at the sight. Slowly, her face melted into a loving smile. The girl from before was sitting exactly where she'd been before, munching on the sandwich Jane head left her that morning. She was a lovely looking girl, except for the dirt and the lack of healthiness in her.

Jane cautiously went up to her, and knelt down. The creepy alley scared her, but the drawing and the joyful looking girl made the place so much brighter, in her opinion.

The homeless girl didn't notice Jane; she was too engrossed in her food. Who knows how long she's gone without food, Jane thought. She raised a finger and tapped the girl on her shoulder. Her snapped up and she scrambled back, the sandwich dropping out of her hands. Jane hastily picked it up, hoping it wouldn't get dirty. She heard the girl whimper. Jane looked up. The girl had curled herself into a ball and was staaring at the sandwich longingly. Jane extended her armand held out the sandwich. The poor girl's eyes darted back and forth between Jane and the sandwich for a good minute. She finally gave up and snatched the sandwich and gobbled it up. Jane gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Hi," she spoke eventually.

The girl slowly nodded her head, showing Jane that she understood, but she didn't reply.

"I'm Jane. What's your name?"

The girl looked down shyly. After moment, she spoke up.

"Emily," she croaked. It seemed as if she hadn't spoken in a long time.

"Nice to meet you, Emily. Do you live here alone?"

Naive little Jane thought she was just making small talk, but Emoly on the other hand felt she was being interrogated. She frowned and didn't make any action to respond.

"What's wrong? I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?" Jane asked, worry etched on her face.

Emily nodded and buried her head in her arms.

"Oh! I must go now. Or else my mother will have a fit," Jane joked and stood up, brushing off her dress.

She waved to Emily and started to head back home, but turned around at the last second.

"May I visit you tomorrow?" she asked, her eyes glinting with hope.

Emily looked up from her lap and her face broke out into a smile. She nodded vigorously.

"Great! See you tomorrow, then." With one last wave, Jane was off on her way.