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Description

When the bottom of Thomas's world fell out he had no idea how his life would unfold after that day.

Most thirteen years old boys normally wouldn't like getting up at four thirty every morning for farm chores, but Thomas was different.  He enjoyed the peace and quiet while the birds sang and the sun rose.  First place Thomas stopped was the chicken coop.  He would give them food and water.  Next, he normally headed to the barn to give the cows hay and feed the twin calves.  Thomas named the twins Ester and Martha.  Everyday Thomas would have to feed both calves by bottle.  His last stop every morning was to tend the pigs.  Thomas's mother always kept the scraps in a pail.  Routinely he would take the scraps to the pigs.  Today seemed no different to Thomas.

Thomas walked into the pig pen and went to grab the wooden pail.  As Thomas moved the pail he saw out the corner of his eye some light gray smoke coming from a pile of hay in the corner of the pig pen.  Thomas's heart started to race, thinking that there was fire in the pen.  He swiftly ran to the hay to put out the fire.  Thomas raised his foot to stomp on the fire.  As he pressed down on the hay, the ground beneath him seemed to crumble and devour him.

Thomas had no idea that he was falling into a land very different to his own. He fell for what seemed like an eternity.  Finally he saw the bottom of this hole.  Thomas started to notice that the closer he came to the end of the hole the faster he fell.  He closed his eyes and braced himself for the impact of the ground. But it never came.

When Thomas opened his eyes he was in a forest.  He jumped to his feet absolutely stunned and bewildered at what just happened to him.  He quickly scanned his surroundings.  The trees looked different than the trees Thomas normally saw.  Their bark looked like rhinoceros skin and the leaves were thicker and more vibrant.  When the breeze hit them they cast a light that flickered throughout the forest like a candle.

Gazing at the trees Thomas almost didn't notice the creature lurking behind a tree.  He could only see it from behind but Thomas knew that it must be a rabbit, with its fluffy fur the color of snow. What he thought was a rabbit from his world, in this world, it was not.  It had the head of a rabbit, a neck of a giraffe, body of a kangaroo, with a lengthy, fluffy tail.

The rabbit lookalike turned around and spotted Thomas.  Thomas froze and hoped that the rabbit didn't see him. The rabbit bounced towards Thomas with curiosity and caution. The rabbit made sure not to get to close to Thomas to catch him. Thomas spoke in a soft and scared voice, "Do-Don't worry f-fella, I won't hurt you."

"Who are you calling fella?" The rabbit replied in a squeaky voice.

Thomas was speechless.  The only thing that he could think of was holy moly that rabbit just spoke to me!  With his mouth hanging open, words would just not come.

The rabbit spoke to Thomas, "My name is Professor Stanley, what's yours?"

"W-Well my name is Thomas, sir," Thomas babbled back, still stuttering.

"Where did you come from lad? You weren't here when I passed just a few minutes ago," Professor Stanley said.

"I just fell through the ground in the pig pen at my house and then appeared here," Thomas said slowly but getting more comfortable. "Do you know how I got here?" He asked.

"Well I don't have the slightest clue of how you got here but I think I know some ladies that can help you." Professor Stanley said. "I could even take you there, it's not far."

"Really? That would be wonderful! I will do anything to find out what is happening." Thomas said with a little relief in his voice.

Professor Stanley gave Thomas little warning, looked over his shoulder at Thomas and said, "Let's go."

Thomas followed closely behind Stanley, not wanting to get lost.  As Stanley was walking down through a path of grass, he stopped abruptly at a patch of what looked like purple daisies and said, "Miss Daisy, do you know what direction Chastity and Valentine's potion hut is located?"

Miss Daisy replied, "Just follow the steam down to the fork in the river, stay to the right; it is there where the stream meets the river."

Professor Stanley bowed his head and said, "Thank you so much for your help."
Stanley followed Miss Daisy's directions and followed the steam to the fork.  They could see their hut, dimly lit, and smoke coming from the stack.

"There you are my boy," Professor Stanley whispered.  "I'll introduce you to Chastity and Valentine, I'm sure they can help."

"Thank you Professor Stanley, I hope you are right." Thomas said with a tinge of exhaustion in his voice.  He didn't realize how tired he was until that moment.

As they approached the door, Thomas began to get nervous.  He had no idea how or why he was there and hoped that these women could help him.

Professor Stanley softly knocked on the door.  It didn't take long for a response from inside.  The door opened and it was Valentine.  She was stunning, with her long, silky, blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes.  She wore a simple brown cotton dress.  Around her neck laid a striking amber pendant that was like warm gold against her ivory skin.

"I have a young lad that is lost here and I was wondering if you could help him?"  Professor Stanley said to Miss Valentine.

"We had a feeling that we would be getting a visitor this evening," she said to Thomas and Stanley, with a gentle smile on her face.

"Thomas I will see you in the morning ok?" Professor Stanley told Thomas.

"OK" Thomas responded.

"Come in Thomas, you must be tired and hungry." Miss Valentine said, with a comforting voice. "Come sit down at the table and we will have dinner."

Thomas walked into the hut and could smell something very good.  His tummy started growling loudly.   Thomas sat down at the table while Valentine got two plates ready.  She sat down at the table with Thomas and they both started to eat.  Thomas thought that the food was delicious and warm.

When they were done eating, Thomas could barely keep his eyes open.  He was full and ready for bed.

"Where would you like me to sleep, Miss Valentine?" Thomas asked.

Miss Valentine replied, "We have a bed ready for you and we can talk in the morning about how you came to be here.  I have a place over there in the corner all set up for you."

Thomas immediately headed to the corner and climbed in.  This was the most comfortable bed he had ever slept in.  It seem like it curved to his body and adjusted to his weight.

He slowly drifted off to sleep.

Description

When the bottom of Thomas's world fell out he had no idea how his life would unfold after that day.

Most thirteen years old boys normally wouldn't like getting up at four thirty every morning for farm chores, but Thomas was different.  He enjoyed the peace and quiet while the birds sang and the sun rose.  First place Thomas stopped was the chicken coop.  He would give them food and water.  Next, he normally headed to the barn to give the cows hay and feed the twin calves.  Thomas named the twins Ester and Martha.  Everyday Thomas would have to feed both calves by bottle.  His last stop every morning was to tend the pigs.  Thomas's mother always kept the scraps in a pail.  Routinely he would take the scraps to the pigs.  Today seemed no different to Thomas.

Thomas walked into the pig pen and went to grab the wooden pail.  As Thomas moved the pail he saw out the corner of his eye some light gray smoke coming from a pile of hay in the corner of the pig pen.  Thomas's heart started to race, thinking that there was fire in the pen.  He swiftly ran to the hay to put out the fire.  Thomas raised his foot to stomp on the fire.  As he pressed down on the hay, the ground beneath him seemed to crumble and devour him.

Thomas had no idea that he was falling into a land very different to his own. He fell for what seemed like an eternity.  Finally he saw the bottom of this hole.  Thomas started to notice that the closer he came to the end of the hole the faster he fell.  He closed his eyes and braced himself for the impact of the ground. But it never came.

When Thomas opened his eyes he was in a forest.  He jumped to his feet absolutely stunned and bewildered at what just happened to him.  He quickly scanned his surroundings.  The trees looked different than the trees Thomas normally saw.  Their bark looked like rhinoceros skin and the leaves were thicker and more vibrant.  When the breeze hit them they cast a light that flickered throughout the forest like a candle.

Gazing at the trees Thomas almost didn't notice the creature lurking behind a tree.  He could only see it from behind but Thomas knew that it must be a rabbit, with its fluffy fur the color of snow. What he thought was a rabbit from his world, in this world, it was not.  It had the head of a rabbit, a neck of a giraffe, body of a kangaroo, with a lengthy, fluffy tail.

The rabbit lookalike turned around and spotted Thomas.  Thomas froze and hoped that the rabbit didn't see him. The rabbit bounced towards Thomas with curiosity and caution. The rabbit made sure not to get to close to Thomas to catch him. Thomas spoke in a soft and scared voice, "Do-Don't worry f-fella, I won't hurt you."

"Who are you calling fella?" The rabbit replied in a squeaky voice.

Thomas was speechless.  The only thing that he could think of was holy moly that rabbit just spoke to me!  With his mouth hanging open, words would just not come.

The rabbit spoke to Thomas, "My name is Professor Stanley, what's yours?"

"W-Well my name is Thomas, sir," Thomas babbled back, still stuttering.

"Where did you come from lad? You weren't here when I passed just a few minutes ago," Professor Stanley said.

"I just fell through the ground in the pig pen at my house and then appeared here," Thomas said slowly but getting more comfortable. "Do you know how I got here?" He asked.

"Well I don't have the slightest clue of how you got here but I think I know some ladies that can help you." Professor Stanley said. "I could even take you there, it's not far."

"Really? That would be wonderful! I will do anything to find out what is happening." Thomas said with a little relief in his voice.

Professor Stanley gave Thomas little warning, looked over his shoulder at Thomas and said, "Let's go."

Thomas followed closely behind Stanley, not wanting to get lost.  As Stanley was walking down through a path of grass, he stopped abruptly at a patch of what looked like purple daisies and said, "Miss Daisy, do you know what direction Chastity and Valentine's potion hut is located?"

Miss Daisy replied, "Just follow the steam down to the fork in the river, stay to the right; it is there where the stream meets the river."

Professor Stanley bowed his head and said, "Thank you so much for your help."
Stanley followed Miss Daisy's directions and followed the steam to the fork.  They could see their hut, dimly lit, and smoke coming from the stack.

"There you are my boy," Professor Stanley whispered.  "I'll introduce you to Chastity and Valentine, I'm sure they can help."

"Thank you Professor Stanley, I hope you are right." Thomas said with a tinge of exhaustion in his voice.  He didn't realize how tired he was until that moment.

As they approached the door, Thomas began to get nervous.  He had no idea how or why he was there and hoped that these women could help him.

Professor Stanley softly knocked on the door.  It didn't take long for a response from inside.  The door opened and it was Valentine.  She was stunning, with her long, silky, blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes.  She wore a simple brown cotton dress.  Around her neck laid a striking amber pendant that was like warm gold against her ivory skin.

"I have a young lad that is lost here and I was wondering if you could help him?"  Professor Stanley said to Miss Valentine.

"We had a feeling that we would be getting a visitor this evening," she said to Thomas and Stanley, with a gentle smile on her face.

"Thomas I will see you in the morning ok?" Professor Stanley told Thomas.

"OK" Thomas responded.

"Come in Thomas, you must be tired and hungry." Miss Valentine said, with a comforting voice. "Come sit down at the table and we will have dinner."

Thomas walked into the hut and could smell something very good.  His tummy started growling loudly.   Thomas sat down at the table while Valentine got two plates ready.  She sat down at the table with Thomas and they both started to eat.  Thomas thought that the food was delicious and warm.

When they were done eating, Thomas could barely keep his eyes open.  He was full and ready for bed.

"Where would you like me to sleep, Miss Valentine?" Thomas asked.

Miss Valentine replied, "We have a bed ready for you and we can talk in the morning about how you came to be here.  I have a place over there in the corner all set up for you."

Thomas immediately headed to the corner and climbed in.  This was the most comfortable bed he had ever slept in.  It seem like it curved to his body and adjusted to his weight.

He slowly drifted off to sleep.