The Girl With Kaleidoscope Eyes

We were sitting outside. The sun was nearly set. I had lit a campfire in our outdoor fireplace. We began the story-telling game. I started it off.

"There once was a boy that lived in a garbage can."

"He was hungry, and built himself a fire." my wife continued.

Just as my oldest was about to take part, her younger sister asked very sweetly, "Emma, can I go now?"

Emma agreed to let Ellie go ahead.

"And then he was eaten by a dragon!" Ellie exclaimed with great enthusiasm and expression.

We laughed, then trying hard to keep the story from suddenly ending before she even got a chance to participate, Emma scrambled, "Then the dragon had a belly ache."

I decided to introduce another character, "The boy had a friend, a little girl."

Abbie jumped in, "The little girl was very sad that her friend was gone."

All eyes darted to Ellie, who was sitting on her mother's lap. She was transfixed by the flickering flames, but conscious of the ongoing campfire tale. "And a lion ate her!" she blurted without a single blink.

Another roar of laughter overcame us. Instead of fighting the slaughterous tendencies of her sibling, Emma entertained them, "Then the lion ate the dragon." she said giggling.

After a couple of reflective seconds, I continued, "The lion looked into the heavens and thought about the little boy, the little girl, and the dragon."

Abbie followed my lead, "The lion thought how nice it must be in heaven."

It was Ellie's turn again. Did our orations change her mood? She lifted her tiny chin and softly declared, "And they were like diamonds in the sky." She glance upward to spot the first stars of the evening.

Emma must of heard the closing music crescendo, for she completed the fire-lit tale with a well-appreciated, "THE END!"