I Found It

“Mommy, I found it!”

Five-year-old Henry was bubbling over with excitement the way most kids his age get when they see something for the first time.

“Found what, honey?”

“It’s the thing scratching beneath the flower bed, come quickly before it goes away.”

Henry grasps his mother by the hand and excitedly pulls her out into the garden where he immediately comes to a dead stop.

“It was right there Mommy, I saw it. Now it’s gone.”

A tear ran down his cheek.

“That’s all right Henry if it lives here I’m sure it will be back.”

What Alice wasn’t telling her son was she hoped it was just passing through. The remote mining village that her family called home had been plagued with subterranean creatures for centuries. Whenever the villagers thought they had rid their fields, gardens, and mine of the tiny beasts, more would show up. It had been several years since the last purge, but she had lived there long enough to know they never left for good.

Alice’s number one priority was to make sure Henry was safe. The creatures weren’t actually dangerous, but they did enjoy pulling a practical joke from time to time. Unfortunately, what seems funny to them is extremely annoying to most humans. The prank that got them expelled the last time was taking the laundry that was hanging out to dry at one house and moving it to a neighbors clothesline two houses away. Harmless, yes. Annoying, extremely; especially for a busy homemaker up to her eyebrows in chores.

Henry was told he could go outside and play as long as he stayed in the back yard. Alice had a busy day ahead of her and felt he would be safe playing on his swing and slide without constant supervision. His only restriction was to stay away from the garden. He was a good kid and always did what his mother said, but those fresh ripening strawberries called to him from the vine. The closer he got to them the more delicious they looked.

“Those strawberries sure look good, don’t they, Henry.”

The boy scanned his backyard looking for the source of the voice but couldn’t see anyone.

“Henry, I’m over here. Can’t you see me? I’m standing by the corn waving my red hat. See me now?”

Now he saw who was speaking. He looked like an older man, but was about Henry’s height and dressed in a colorful shirt and blue pants with suspenders. His boots had long curly toes, he also had a pointy red hat that sat between his long-pointed ears. His mother had told him not to talk to strangers, but the welcoming smile and clown-like clothes drew him in like a duck to water. Besides, the odd man had fresh picked strawberries.

Fortunately for Henry, his mother came out in the yard to check on him just as he took a step toward the little man.

“Henry, you stand right there,” screamed Alice. “I know you and my son is not going to make the same mistake I did when I was his age and follow you down that rabbit hole.”

“Hello, Alice! It’s nice to see you again. All your old friends are still down there. The Hatter, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, both the Red and White Queens, Caterpillar, and of course your favorite kitty, Cheshire. They’ve all missed you and would love to meet your son.”

Henry looked up at his mother, amazed that she could know all these fantastic creatures.

“Can I go mom, can I?”

Henry rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stared up at his mother from his bed.

“It’s about time you woke up sleepyhead. We’ll finish this book at bedtime tonight.”

She placed the book Alice in Wonderland back on the shelf.