The Wooden Swing

Martina had just woken up in the middle of the purple lily garden. The air was so cold and humid that her tiny lips started to freeze. She was scared, so her blue eyes followed every movement of the wind. The little girl could only think of one thing: her eldest sister. “Where was she?” Martina’s mind asked. “Why wouldn’t she come down?” And then grandpa’s wooden swing creaked, and with her eyes closed she felt the warm arms of Cecilia.
“What are you doing here?” asked Cecilia to her sister.
“I don’t know”, she replied in a sweet voice, “I just woke up here…I’m cold”.
“C’mon, let’s go inside and warm up some milk”.
Hand in hand the two sisters entered the old kitchen and a strong smell of tomato jam sensitised their nostrils. It was very dark so Cecilia searched for a candle.
While the eldest sister was preparing the milk, Martina was caressing two hairy black cats. One was seated in a very serious way, looking at the little girl.
“What’s wrong Raoul? I’m fine, don’t worry!”, Martina said looking at the big yellow-eyed cat that answered back, licking his paw. The other cat was lying down on the table with his eyes focused on the milk preparation, and his big belly moving as he sensed the smell of the hot drink.
The milk was ready and Cecilia took a seat near her sister. “Here, drink.”, she said to Martina, “and tell me about that dream of yours…”
“How do you know it was a dream?” asked the girl trying to hold the big cup with her little fingers.
“Raoul and Lisa told me” and the two cats gave her a look. Lisa, the lazy cat stood up and stretched her legs then walked straight in Martina’s direction to be fed.
“Cee…I’m always having the same dream!” she said looking down.
“Hey! Look at me…dreams are good! Go on and tell me but speak quietly or else we’ll wake up Grandma Sue.” Cecilia said to her sister.
“Well, I’m always seeing mom and dad inside Raoul and Lisa’s bodies and they’re always sitting on grandpa’s swing gazing at me…it’s weird, I know…”
“I see them too. But I see them riding the swing at the end of the afternoon when our lilies turn gold because of the sunlight”.
Martina was looking to her sister’s eyes and giving an innocent smile she asked shyly but enthusiastically “do you want to spend the night in the tree house?”
“Of course, let me just go and get some blankets. Could you prepare their basket?” she said pointing at the two cats.
“Yup!” and Martina put Raoul and Lisa inside a wicker basket and roared a laugh. The image of the two serious black heads made her laugh all the time.
The sisters closed the door and walked fast towards an old fat tree. They climbed the steps and entered the little wooden trembling house carefully. The sound of the cricking floor was the only noise they could hear and scared cats jumped out of the basket to find a comfortable place near the window.
Cecilia embraced Martina and in a soft voice started to read a letter.
“Good Morning sweet Lilies!
Me and dad went to town to buy some food. Please clean up your room and don’t forget to clean Raoul and Lisa’s sandbox.
When we come back we’ll ride together on grandpa’s swing and listen to some of dad’s music. We’ll be back soon girls! Love Mom.”
Martina and the cats fell asleep. Cecilia read the note paper again and listened to Lisa’s intense purr.
The strong sunlight woke up the two sisters.
“Girls! Girls! Where are you?”, they heard an old week voice and went running back home where grandma was waiting for them.
“Sorry Sue! We fell asleep in the tree house” justified Cecilia.
“in the tree house? But weren’t you cold? Little pests, you’re making me crazy! You could have got yourself a cold or something!” as she went on speaking more than 30 minutes the girls exchanged funny looks. “Now, we have to go to town to meet the new teacher, Mrs, Mrs…I don’t remember the name right now. Go on, go on! Take a shower and get dressed ladies!
Fifteen minutes later the girls came down and hand in hand with Grandma Sue walked through the green forest.