Photo by QT Luong

The Wishing Map is a full-length fantasy that is being posted episodically at this site. To read the previous episode, click here. To read the entire novel, begin here.

Zack and his sister Gina had returned to the world of Ismara, and fallen asleep in a seaside inn. The next morning, Zack had awakened in a wagon full of naims (gnomes). Where were they taking him?

As his head cleared, he began to take in his surroundings. His mouth fell open. Cloud-piercing rainbowwood trees towered higher than skyscrapers all around him. The forest was so dense, he thought it was still night until he spotted a patch of blue far above. Surrounding each tree were rings of angel’s hair, bluebells and quince-colored ferns. This is where Zachary Zinn would live! Zack decided. His head now fully clear, he asked,

“So, are you guys kidnapping me?”

“Nay goats asleep here,” replied Sniggle.

“Uh, I mean, are you stealing me?”

“Nay, Master Zaggyzim! Yer were much agreed last night when we asked yer ter be our new Storysmith.”

“Hmmm. Were my eyes open?”

“Partly.”

The lead deer glanced back and, Zack could have sworn, smiled.

And now, they proudly informed him, they had arrived at their capitol city. Zack looked around. Other than a broken cart leaning against a tree and a bark-lined water trough, he saw nothing. And yet Noddie, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, boasted, “Behold Naimian, the greaty-est city in all Sur Kellan!”

What should Zack say first: A. “Where’s the city?” B. “Where’s my sister?” or C. “Take me back to the inn!”

Sniggle lifted little Bud off Zack’s lap. “Wan’ stay with Uncle Zaggyzim!”

“Nay, lee rabbit, Uncle Zaggyzim has much work ter do.”

Work?

Within seconds, other naims began emerging with a flurry of head-butting and hair-fluffing. Where were they coming from? Zack heard “storysmith!” and “Zaggyzim!” jumping from naim to naim like an electrical current, and was soon surrounded by dozens of toddler-sized personages.

“Master Zaggyzim! What’s the story in this’n?” cried a husky male, shoving a rough-hewn rainbowwood plank into Zack’s knees.

“Oww!”

“An’ this’n?” asked another fellow, dropping a heavy limb onto his toes.

“Owwww!”

“Master Zaggyzim will tell all the stories hidden in the wood soon enough,” said Bulgy, “but first he wants me ter show him his new home!”

“He has starheart!” Sniggle crowed.

“Oooooooo!” a gaggle of young females responded, “Zaggyzim the giant has starheart!” Zack had been called “Short-stuff” and even “Pipsqueak,” but never a giant.

Bulgy led him to the largest tree, followed closely by Tuber, Sniggle, Noddie et al. “Are we gonna climb it?” asked Zack.

The crowd dissolved into laughter and foot stomping, apparently the naimish version of applause. “Uncle Zaggyzim is soooo funny!” Bud shouted.

The oldest naim, Tuber, blew into a knothole. A deep yawning sound came from within, like the sound of an entire tree moving with the wind, and from the place where the roots divided…

…the tree began to open.

φ

Thoughts: How would you respond if you discovered everything you’d dreamed about was true?

To read the next episode, click here.