Go To Sleep Dear Child

"The world above is dangerous you silly child!" Grandma said with a loving smile fixed on her face. "But grandma what is above." A very small Evee had asked. Her grandma sighed, she did this a lot. "Magic sweetheart." Grandma grunted. "What's wrong with magic?" The curious child asked with big eyes. Her grandma didn't answer

Cheerabell had always been this way, frustrating. When Evee, her grandchild, was born, it was love at first sight.

The only problem was that Evee was a curious little girl. Curiosity is ever so dangerous.

Evee was just a baby when it happened. Her mother, oh her poor mother, she got sick. Her mother died and her father was so overwhelmed by grief that he killed himself.

Cheerabell loved Evee and dreaded the day when she would have to leave her. Goodbyes, as she found them, always came much to soon.

That day when her mother died was fifteen years ago though and Evee was turning sixteen next month.

Evee longed with all her heart to see the sky. The sky that she had been denied her entire life. She longed to feel the breeze.

She had lived underground her entire life and never knew what was above. She was forced to stay underground though due to magic. Magic that her village had feared for years.

"Oliver..." Evee began for the hundredth time "What do you think the surface is like?" Evee stared at the ceiling of Oliver's bakery.

She had turned out to be a very pretty young woman. She had hair so black it looked blue that she always wore up in two long pigtails. She had green eyes that seemed to sparkle in light. She was tall and slim.

"Oh..." Oliver began fixing his glasses "fairies. I think there are fairies up there. Dragons too. Dragons with leathery bat wings and reptile-like bodies. I wish you could see it."

"Have you seen it?" Evee asked hopefully. Oliver laughed in a mesmerized sort of way. "No," he said "but I know people who have."

Evee's eyes lit up like lanterns in the dark. "Who!" The words spilled out of her mouth so quick they made Oliver jump. "There's a fellow in The Armengale that claims he's been there."

Evee jumped up. "I could kiss you right now Oliver!" She said. "I wouldn't mind that." Oliver said smugly. Evee rolled her eyes and headed toward The Armengale.

The Armengale was a bar at the edge of the bunker. It was part of the original bunker but when more and more people came the davenders decided to build. Now there was an entire town.

It was rusty and old. The sign was worn and barley illegible. You would have to know where it is to find it too.

Evee forced the rusty door open. You could hear the springs in the doorknob and the creak in the hinges.

"Can someone tell me about the surface?" Evee asked. Everyone pointed to someone in the back.

The man was grubby looking. He was very short and stoat. His ears were torn and scarred. He had an eye missing. He had a big wiry bushy beard the had a bone stuck in it.

He belched so loud that it echoed off the wall. He was drunk and drowsy. He fixed his one eye on Evee.

"You jus gonna stan der like ern idiot or wha!" He asked only half serious. Evee cautiously walked over to him. She was careful to avoid the holes in the wooden floor.

"Wha do ya want!" The man asked. "Can you tell me about the surface." Evee asked. The man leaned to her ear. "I'm from the surface." He whispered and wiped his mouth with a grubby sleeve.

"You don't look like it." Evee said. "I'm a dwarf!" He half shouted. He pointed to his torn ears "Cut them off if you get my point."

"Oh lets see the surface..." The dwarf bagan "Dangerous don't go there!" He got up and ran head first out the door.

"Grandma!" Evee pleaded "Please tell me whats on the surface." Her grandmother frowned.

The years had not been kind to her. She needed a walker to walk and glasses to see. Her once red hair was grey and worn in a loose bun. The glitter in her eyes were all but gone.

"Can I tell you a story my dear child?" She asked in her scratchy sandpaper-like voice. Evee nodded even though she wasn't a child anymore.

"Once upon a time, there was a curious girl just like you. Her name was Lenny. She was a pretty girl with auburn hair and soft blue eyes. She lived on the surface.

"She was curious, oh so very curious. She would stick her fingers and eyes and ears where they weren't wanted. She was a troublemaker that Lenny.

"Lenny wished with all her heart to explore the forest. Her mother knew better though. She would tell Lenny about the wolves in the forest.

"Lenny disobeyed her dear mother and went into the forest anyways. You know what? She loved it." Her grandma finished with a dreamy sigh.

"She loved it?" Evee asked. "Yes," Her grandma said "she was curious, but it was risky. You see there are so many things I fear. Now I think I may have held a wonderful world from you."

"What are you saying?" Evee asked. "When I was young my friends called me Lenny." Her grandmother explained "I was ever so curious. I loved that forest. I got into trouble with the wolves yes but I still love every moment of it."

"Why didn't you tell me you used to live on the surface." Evee asked slightly offended. "The surface is dangerous my dear child, I will not lie." Her grandma said "Oh but you've grown so brave and smart. I think you can handle it."

The room swirled with colors and thoughts and stories. "Can I go there?" Evee asked "To that forest?"

"Someday..." Cheerabell said with a warm smile "For now, go to sleep my dear child."