Snow Globe

When Dalby Cronnish opened his gift from his grandmother Lily, he knew that it wasn’t a run-of-the-mill gift since his mother Wanda confessed her mother was off her rocker. It weighed heavy in his hand, the globe was glass, but the base was brass.

“What is it, grandma?” He asked with his eleven year old hazel blue eyes open wide in wonderment.

“It’s a snow globe, silly.” She giggled and winked.

“Mom, have you taken your meds?” Wanda asked.  This question drew a glare from her mother, but in looking at her son who was obviously confused and bewildered. 

“Of course, dear.” She hissed irritated that her daughter would dare ask such a question.

“It’s just a snow globe...Dalby is only eleven years old. ”She could feel a migraine coming on.

“A snow globe is a wonderful gift.” She declared as she picked up her hot tea and blew on it before taking a sip.  

“Mom, it’s not for an eleven year old.” She felt her blood pressure rise.

“Nonsense. This snowglobe is special.” She said after taking a sip. “Do you love it, Dalby?” 

“Yes grandma.” He shook the heavy snow globe and watched the fake snow fall all over the fake town. 

“I got one when I was a little girl and it was one of my fondest memories of that time.” She laughed and waved her bony hands.

“The sign says not to shake the globe too much.” Dalby said holding the gift to his grandmother.

“Well, I’ll be.” She put her finger to her chin.

“What mom.” Wanda did everything she could not to roll her eyes.

“Apparently there are citizens who do not wish to have their world shaken.” Lily shrugged.

“Alright mother, that’s enough!” Her voice hardened a bit, but she was getting angry with her feeble minded mother. She did these things all the time.  Her husband Lyle passed away three years ago and she was moved into the Quinn Retirement Community for patients suffering from Alzheimer's.

Wanda was convinced her mother was in need of continual care, but Dalby loved her and no snow globe was going to come between them.  The odd ornament unnerved her, to be brutally honest.  It would be just like her to cast some kind of weird spell on the innocent item, transitioning it into some satanic plaything for her son. 

Roger had left to move in with his Secretary Mandy who was a few years short of thirty, leaving both Wanda and Dalby to fend for themselves.  Lily held fast to the fact her daughter was too much of a nag, but Wanda knew that Roger liked young women with large breasts like Mandy.  She never told her son any of this, however.

"Shake again, sweetheart." Lily urged her grandson.

"No, Granmma, they said not to.'' He shook his head, Holding his globe close to his chest.

"But it's beautiful When you shake it." She slapped him on his shoulder.

"what if I hurt them?" He asked.

"Honey, you won't hurt them. You may shake up their world, but they will get over it.  Sometimes you need to shake up things. saying goodbye to your grandpa shook me up." She explained to her grandson.

"Mom." Wanda whined, "We don't speak about that in this house." She coughed and caught an uneasy glance at Her son.

"He needs to know." she poured some rum into her eggnog, "You can't keep him wrapped in wool all his life. "

"He's just a boy, mom." Wanda was beside herself. "It's Christmas. Lets just try to be civil to each other. It's Christmas for God's sake." 

"Dear, I wasn't trying to be difficult." Lily acted hurt as she dramatically put her hand over her heart.

Dalby stood there holding the globe, in a small voice, said, "They are not happy."

"Who's not happy, dear?" Wanda put her hand across his shoulders.

"The people. " His answer sent a chill down her spine.

"What did they say, Sweetheart?" Lily asked as she put her hand to her mouth.

"Not happy about the shouting." He squinted into the globe in order to read the sign being posted on the moving display above one of the skyscrapers in the globe.

"It's how me and your mother communicate." Lily explained forcing a smile in the process.

Wanda remained silent, because all she could remember was the shouting.  Her entire life she and her mother had communicated this way using words like weapons and inflicting as much damage as she could on the opponent.  How many times had Lyle broken up one of their squabbles?  In all his gallant efforts, was this the cause of his early demise?  Now this was falling like snow on her son.  He did not understand.  He was not prepared.  She knew this behavior would have adverse effects on him. He was such a sensitive child and it broke her heart to see the bewildered expression on his face as he held the globe in his small hands.

What was really happening was the drama outside the tiny enclosed world where a boy's Christmas was being ruined by the adults he trusted the most in his life.  No wonder he was focused on the safe, predictable world inside the globe-world.  She knew after his father Lyle left him abruptly, as he did, Dalby retreated into his imagination where he could be safe and in control.

She did her best to provide for him, but life kept happening and she could not stop her father from dying of cancer or watching her own mother's mind slowly waste away to the early onset of Alzheimer's.

A snow globe?  This was a sure sign that she was losing touch with reality.  

And yet Dalby was able to see what her mother saw.  There was a tiny world she was not privy to where they were sending messages to Lily and Dalby. she wanted to play along, but she, for whatever reason, was excluded.

Without telling either of them, she went into the kitchen to check on dinner.  She could hear them talking, but they weren't talking to each other.  She was aware of the secret language they shared between each other, but they were speaking as if someone else had joined in With their conversation.  it was unnerving.  The holiday ham looked quite comfortable in the oven, "What's going on you two?"

"They have sent us new messages." Dalby reported.

"What?" She salted the potatoes.

"They are having trouble with pollution." Dalby sounded distressed. 

"Pollution?" She repeated as a question as she sampled the sweet potatoes.

"Yes dear.  It seems they have some of the same problems we have." Her mother answered.

How could that be?  It was a snow globe.  How could there be pollution in this microcosm world that wasn't even real? Both of them were in total agreement that there were people trying to communicate with them.

When she entered the room, Dalby was peering at the snow globe that was set on the table she had gotten ready for dinner.  Her mother was standing behind him preparing for the next transmission.  The whole thing seemed surreal to Wanda, but here was no doubt there would be another transmission.  

"They need help, mom." Dalby spoke with a serious resolve.

"What can we do?" she asked, glancing at her mother who was standing there in rapt attention to the unfolding drama taking place inside the snow globe.

"They want me to fix things for them." Dalby Spoke as if he as in a trance.

"Not as long as I draw breath." Wanda jabbed her finger on the table.

"Dear, if he does not go, those people are doomed." Lily shook her head sadly.

"What people? It's just a snow globe." Her voice was shrill and strained. 

"You can't see them, but they have their message board." Dalby waved his hands frantically around his head.

"Son, I love you with all my heart, but this is just a snow globe. It's an inanimate Object, a toy." She picked the glove and shook it vigorously.  Dalby Screamed and lunged for it. In his effort, he nearly knocked it from her hands. For a brief moment the globe hung in the air before she could get control of it as it began its descent to oblivion.

"Mom!" Dalby cried out as she pulled it to her chest.

"What?  It's just a toy." She held it out in one hand as the snow fluttered all around the bulb.

"Mom, it's more than a toy." He stomped his foot, his pasty while face was now redeeming as he spoke.

His outburst shocked her, but she knew that he had unresolved anger over his father leaving and had expressed blame toward his mother.  Now as she stood there still holding the globe, she saw the familiar blaze in his eyes that reminded her of Lyle when she confronted him about his affair with his secretary.  

Her world was confining and half the time it felt like she was drowning. As far back as she could remember, Wanda had this overwhelming feeling as though she was being suffocated.

Lily took her grandson's hand, spoke some words that Wanda could not make out, but then there was a bright flash And once it was over, Dalby was gone. 

Wanda screamed, "Where is my son?"

"He went to save the world." Lily answered in a calm controlled voice.

"He's in there!" She pointed to the snow globe.

"Of course." Lily's smile confirmed her worst fears. "He will Give them the help they need."

"What can he do? He's just a boy." she lifted thE globe so she could get a better look, but all she could see was the fake snow following the flow of the murky water. There was nothing else in that water that she could see.

"We share their fate, you know." Lily sat at the table near the snow globe and folded her hands in front of her.

"Mother, I am through with this nonsense.  All my life you have used your special powers to manipulate me, to keep me under control. And now you are doing it to my son." She was nearly in tears.

"Dear, I have always used my powers for your benefit." She bit her lip.

"Where is my son?  Where is Dalby?" She let her tears flow.

Lily looked at the globe as Wanda moaned. "I think we both know the answer to that one."

"Bring him back, mom.  Bring him back now!" Wanda begged.

"He is saving this world."She ran her finger across the globe.

"No he's not.  All of it...all of it is in your imagination." Wanda clutched the globe.

"If you shake it, you will put him in danger." She shook her finger in her daughter's face.

"Bring him back!" She slammed her fist on the table. Silverware and dishes clattered, but the globe fell from its stand and rolled perilously close to the edge of the table, teetering in equilibrium before Lily reached out and grabbed it.

"How close you came. "Her voice caught, "To ending it all."

"You put him there!" She sobbed, "How could you do that to him?"

"Because I knew this would bring him joy." She held the object close to her breast. "Did you hear his joy, his wonderment?"

"He had no idea of the danger, the peril you put him in." She wiped her tears on the sleeve of her shirt, "I learned...I learned of your trickery."

"You make it sound like I tortured you, but the truth is, I gave you experiences and opportunities other girls could only dream about." she continued to hold the globe close.

"I never asked for it.  I would have been happy without all of it." She turned away. "Bring my son back or I will request medication that will keep you from ever doing your magic ever again."

"Such cruelty.  It's all you have to answer with, cruelty." She jabbed her finger on the table. "I gave him this snow globe because I wanted him to see there are other worlds that weren't so predictable and mundane as the one we inhabit."

"I want him safe. Mundane or not." Wanda demanded.

"He will despise you for taking him away from this." Lily whispered in her daughter's ear. 

"Just like you did for dad." She reached for the globe, but her mother turned away.

"I did what I could for that man, but he was so much like you.  He wanted to play it safe." Her face wore a demonic expression. 

"I just wanted peace.  Bring him back, mother." 

"There is a sign!  It's from Dalby." She held it close so she could read it. "He needs assistance."

"I will go." Wanda nodded.

"Good." Lily purred.

In a flash of light, Wanda was gone.

Lily was now all alone, but she peered into the glass.  Snow was falling inside the globe.

Wanda called out, "Dalby!"

There was no response.  She called again as she floated freely in a substance that Made her lighter than whatever it was she was floating in.

When her feet touched the sidewalk, She greeted some of the passersby, but their facial expressions did not change as they returned her greeting.

What sort of world had my mother put me, She thought to herself as Her head was on a swivel looking for her son.

She sensed her mother's presence hovering nearby.  What she wanted was to catch sight of her son, but so far all she saw were these mannequin people.

She hated being here.  Nothing had changed since she was a little girl. Her mother had powers that no one else knew about and she could use them to punish her daughter.  Wanda felt as if she was doing that again as she floated around.  

She had come to find her son and would not let her mother get the best of her this time.

What was she being punished for this time, she wondered.

“Dalby!” She called out, but there was no response. 

The people who she bumped into were not real.  Their smiles and wide eyed stares had been painted on by a skilled hand.  Still with all of them placed in various places, it was difficult to find her living son.

“Mother, how could you do this to him?” She called out knowing that she probably would not get her question.  

“I did it mom.” A soft voice answered.  It was Dalby.  She embraced him immediately. “I was the one who took the money out of your purse.” 

“You did that?” She was stunned.  A few weeks ago a hundred dollars she had gotten from tips where she worked as a bartender came up missing.  She assumed it had been one of the regulars who were always trying to pinch her in places that were not allowed.  It made her mad that one of them would do such a thing, but now her son was confessing to the crime. “I’m sorry.” 

“Why did you do that?” She suddenly found it difficult to breathe. 

“I saw a game online that I wanted and it cost a lot of money.” Tears fell from his deep blue eyes. “Are we trapped?” 

“No sweetie, we will find our way out.” She assured him, knowing that her mother could release them at any time.

Most mothers sent their disobedient children to their rooms, but her mother was capable of such cruelty.

There was talk that she had practiced the dark arts when she was young and some of the family whispered of her powers of voodoo, but was changed into a church mouse for his troubles.  

She saw the snow globe when Dalby Opened and stared at it wondering what it was.  She knew what it was. As soon as he began to read signs on the on the display board, she knew her mom was practicing her craft again. But it happened so fast. There was nothing she could.

"Mom, I'm scared." Dalby whined.

"I know. We will be alright." She kissed him on the head.

The lights began to swirl, colors blended together, and shapes lost their form.

It was a quick transition, but Wanda and Dalby found themselves standing in their living room near the table as Lily sat with a Wry smile on her face as She ran her finger around the rim of empty glass that was once filled with eggnog. 

"Well, that was an adventure." She tilted her head.

With his face twisted in an expression of total disgust, Dalby seized the globe, ran to the back door and opened it. Using his best fastball, smashed the globe against the oak tree in the backyard. He watched as the liquid ran down the bark of the tree and the pieces of the shattered glass disappeared In the snow. Tears rolled down his ruddy cheeks.

"It was just a harmless snow globe." She shrugged.

Wanda glared at her mother as she hugged Dalby, "What may seem harmless to you can cause irreparable damage." 

"You both came back none the worse for the wear." She ran her fingers through Dalby's chestnut hair. "It was all in good fun, You know."

"It wasn't fun at all, Gramma." He proclaimed.

She looked in his eyes and knew she had hurt him and there was nothing she could do to repair the damage.

A snow globe is a toy in a child's hands, but put in the hands of someone with evil intent can change the entire scenario of the outcome. 

Still after dinner was over and everyone was putting the dirty dishes in the dishwasher, Dalby kissed Lily on her cheek and thanked her for the globe.

"But you hated it." She was stunned.

"But I love you." He smiled.

She did not even try to hide her tears.