Kizzy McFizzy and the New Adventure

Kizzy McFizzy was moving house with her family. A lump was in her throat as she held back her sad tears, for she was leaving her friends behind, as the new house was a fair enough distance she would not see them very often. She understood the reasons why they had to move, but it didn't help her accept it any easier.

The boxes and furniture were unloaded off the van into the new house, which was nestled in a wooded area, off the beaten track, and unseen from the main road. The exterior of the house was a combination of limestone rock and dark oak, with green trimming; an unassuming house laid out all on one floor. There was a huge picture window in front which was the only eye catching feature of the home.

As Kizzy entered the house, she noticed there was an awful lot of brown. Awful because she disliked the colour. She reckoned it could have been any other colour and she would have been okay with it. The entry had dark wood flooring and walls painted a dirty beige. It was boring and plain in her opinion. The kitchen was a little more lively in muted shades of orange and avocado green. She wasn't a fan of the 1970's style décor, but at least it was bright. On to a series of several rooms, which would be bedrooms no doubt, with nothing exciting to offer with their brown carpet and dirty beige walls. The living room was by far the most interesting room in the house, as there were a few things from the previous owners left behind, such as a wooden rocking horse. It was too small to be suitable for Kizzy to play with, as she was getting tall in her ten years of age. Her brother Kai, however, was only four and perhaps he would get some joy from it. The fireplace was surrounded in a rock hearth and heavy dark wood mantle and was very large. There was wood panelling on every wall in the living room which gave it a dark earthy feel. The brown carpet theme was kept, but the giant picture window looking out into the woods was a beautiful sight to behold. Outside there were bluebells in bloom, blanketing the ground under the canopy of trees. She could see a hiking trail disappear into the woods and she looked forward to seeing where it would lead, but for now she was keeping an eye on her little brother who had a tendency to run off on adventures without telling anyone. Which is, in fact, what he had already done.

A panic swept over Kizzy as she searched the house for Kai, who was nowhere to be found. She searched outdoors and ran around the house, checking bushes and calling his name. Off to the side of the house was a trail leading off to the neighbours property, and Kizzy had a hunch to take the path. She walked through the woods, noticing the shadows of the leaves dancing to the breeze, the leaves whispering between themselves of the little boy lost only to Kizzy but certainly not himself. It wasn't long before the trees grew sparse and opened up into green fields, sectioned by tired wooden fences. There he was, chatting happily to a tall thin man in a worn out hop hat. He wore suspenders that held up his brown trousers and a white shirt. He looked as if he was from another time, a time past that is. His long salt and pepper beard only added to the character he clearly was.

Kizzy approached the man and introduced herself with an apology.

"So sorry, sir. My little brother has a bad habit of running off and going on adventures," Kizzy explained.

"Quite all right, Dear, " the neighbour said kindly with a gentle smile. "Nothing wrong with adventures as long as in good company. My name's Ben and I live here with my wife and four children. Are you our new neighbours?"

"Yes, sir," Kizzy replied. "I'm Kizzy and my little brother here is Kai. Our parents are just moving things in and the whole place is full of boxes. We're just trying to stay out of the way right now."

"Yes, moving house can be chaotic. How about I take you two on a ride in my wagon and show you around?"

Kizzy looked and saw a brown horse hitched to a wooden wagon, seeming to be set straight out of prairie days. Kai squealed with delight at the idea and Kizzy considered and agreed they could go on a ride. Ben helped the two up into the wagon, which creaked with every shift of weight. The air was fresh and clean smelling, a nice change from the congestion where they used to live. It was a gorgeous spring day with nary a cloud in the sky to hide the warmth of the sun. The sound of the wagon wheels and the clop of the horses hooves was a new one to experience and the ride was very bumpy. Kai giggled with every bump, and with the bumps being plentiful, the giggles did not stop. They crossed Ben's green field and found a dirt road leading across another. But it was what was over the hill that would be the surprise of their lives.

They came upon a field full of market stalls. The stalls lined the dirt road in a colourful display, each having eye catching signage or colourful banners. There was cheerful music playing: flutes, kalimbas, and stringed instruments. Wind chimes from one of the market stalls gently jingled in the breeze. Something caught Kizzy's eye above and her mouth dropped in shock and wonder. A father and son in a self propelled flying machine. It looked like a wooden ski lift except with a propeller on top like a helicopter and pedals to turn the propeller. There was no explainable way why this was working. It went against every law of physics there was and yet, here they were, slowly flying about 20 feet above their heads. The father and son were happily pedalling and chatting away and waving at them below. Kai giggled and jumped up and down in excitement as Kizzy waved, still with her mouth hanging open at the surprise.

"How?" she asked Ben.

Ben chuckled with a sparkle in his eye, "There's magic everywhere if only one has eyes to see it."

Ben helped the two out of the wagon and they went exploring the market stalls. There were all kinds of things on offer, from clothing to jewellery, baked goods to crafts. Colourful coats lined one of the stalls, which were made from scraps of fabric, beautifully pieced together into creative masterpieces. They were well made, soft, and best of all, unique. Another had all kinds of bead work, from simple bracelets, to a whole breastplate of beaded goodness. Another stall sold flutes that anyone could play. You simply thought the tune and blew into it and the melody came from your own mind. It defied reasoning all together and created bounds of delight. Kizzy happened upon a stall that was full of cuddly soft toys that were hand knitted. They were all animals and all true to size. The giant sea lions were impressive and as Kizzy got closer, she realised they were moving. These knitted sea lions were alive. They were real creatures. But how could that be? In the back there was a huge bear standing on his hind legs and he too was knitted but also alive (and thankfully a gentle giant).

"How are these creatures knitted and also living?" Kizzy asked the stall holder. "Are they robots?"

The stall holder was an older lady with long braided grey hair and kind eyes. "They aren't robots. They truly are alive. Have a listen for yourself."

The lady handed Kizzy a stethoscope and sure enough, Kizzy could hear a heart beat in the sea lion.

"Because they are all knitted with so much love, they can't help but come alive. Love brings things to life."

A knitted koala came and perched itself upon Kizzy's back and shoulder, soft, gentle and loving. The sea lion wanted to play fetch with a knitted ball. The bear wanted a hug. Kizzy began to wonder if it was all a dream. Perhaps she fell asleep at the house instead of looking for her brother. In any case, it was all so wonderful, she decided for the time she would accept this reality because it was too beautiful to end.

The smell of something delicious enticed her out of the cuddly toy stall as she spied the food stalls in the centre. All kinds of baked goods, hot foods, and varieties of drinks were on offer. There were plenty she didn't recognise at all and plenty that were favourites. She wanted to try everything and she had brought no pocket money. She had not been expecting any of this and felt very ill prepared.

She found Ben standing in front of a blank canvas at an art stall. She watched as the canvas began to form a picture of the most unnaturally colourful trees one could imagine with a lavender sky background. There was no brush. There was no paint. Kizzy checked behind the canvas and there were no workings to create the scene. She looked at Ben, quizzically, one eyebrow raised.

"The picture is created using imagination," Ben explained. "Whatever I think and imagine, I can create on this canvas. Isn't that clever?"

Kizzy was astounded and wanted to give it a go as well, but then she heard the familiar voice of her mother calling her name in the distance.

"Ben, my mom is calling me. We have to go now," she said with disappointment.

"Yes, best be getting you back so the folks don't worry. I'll take you both home and introduce myself while there so we are no longer strangers."

The children reluctantly left the magical market, down the dirt road, across the green field, through the woods of their property, and back into their new home. Ben mentioned nothing of the magical market, however, as he made his introduction. Kizzy's mother and father thanked Ben for being kind towards their adventurous children and Ben promised a play date with his children once the family were settled.
At dinner, Kai and Kizzy kept the stories flowing of the magical market. The parents smiled and went along with it, knowing how highly imaginative their children were, and grateful they had a fun day.

As Kizzy lay in bed that night, looking out of her window into the dark, she wondered if what she experienced was real or imagined. Whatever it was, it was a treasure she hoped to return to...with pocket money. There was a sea lion who needed a playmate in her future.