Ambrosia's Story Read Free Page A

her a hut Ambrosia sat not
far away watching. Majik, the Black Unicorn, rested on her
lap. After working for several hours, Rom put down his tools and
came to rest beside Ambrosia. “You really love that book, don't
you?”
    “Yes. I read it almost every night. It took
me away from where I was and to a wonderful place full of amazing
creatures. This book brought me here to the Mystical Forest where
no one can hurt me,” Ambrosia said with a bit of embarrassment.
    “You should not feel shame for others
cruelty, Ambrosia. Do you wish to talk about it? I am a very good
listener,” Rom said placing his big troll hand over the top of her
small human one. Ambrosia squeezed his hand tightly. She could not
help, but wonder how such a gentle soul could be encased in such a
loathsome shell.
    “My mommy died last year in a car accident.
My daddy drinks a lot and after mommy died, he began drinking a
whole lot more. The more he drank the angrier he got. At first, he
would just yell at me, but then he started hitting me ... hard. He
just doesn't love me.”
    “Love is a funny thing, Ambrosia. I am new to
it myself. Some people are not capable of love.”
    “You mean like Nog?”
    “Just like Nog.”
    “Maybe I just wasn't worth loving.” Ambrosia
began to cry.
    Rom scooted over close to Ambrosia. He
reached up and put his arms around her dainty shoulders. “You are
so worth loving, Ambrosia.” She placed her head on his shoulder and
Rom comforted her until her tears dried up.
    Mirabella, who sat high above on a tree limb,
wiped at the tears streaking down her face. She fluttered off and
left Ambrosia in the safety of Rom's arms.
    When Ambrosia composed herself, Rom asked a
favor of her. “Ambrosia will you read your book to me?”
    “If you want me to, yes.”
    “I do.”
    Ambrosia opened the book and began to read
the Preface. “Perhaps it is a place that exists only in a child's
imagination. Possibly, it is more. One may never know, but the
magical folks that call the Mystical Forest home are beckoning
...”
    Rom listened in a state of disbelief. How is
it possible that someone from the outside world knew the story of
his or her lives? He closed his eyes and remembered that dark
day.
    An hour later when Ambrosia closed the book
Rom had a chilling thought.
     

 
    ~ Chapter Three
~
     
    “Mirabella, will you walk with me?” Rom
asked, finding her sitting on a rock watching the flow of the
rainbow waterfall. She always came here for solace.
    “Of course.” She flew up and landed softly on
his shoulder. “What has your heart so heavy my friend?”
    “I asked Ambrosia to read her book to
me.”
    “I want to read its pages, but I have not yet
summoned up the courage to do so. Is it truly our tale Rom?”
    “Every word is exactly as things took place.
As she read the words I pondered how could this writer know all of
this, how could she have gotten every word, every event right?”
    “I do not know my friend, I wish that I did,
but I am at a loss. I sense that you have an idea that has brought
great sadness and confusion to your soul. What is it my
friend?”
    “Mirabella, what if we do not exist, but
within the pages that book?”
    The thought took the breath from her. She
felt as though a mighty weight sat upon chest. Could it be that
they were not flesh and blood, but merely words upon a page?
    It could not be. She lived, she rejoiced, she
felt pain and fear. She was more than mere words; she had to be ...
they had to be.
    * * * *
    Daniel McDonald woke with a throbbing
headache. He pushed an empty bottle of booze from his chest. Slowly
he sat up, rested his elbows on his knees and rubbed at his
forehead. He stumbled into the bathroom and went through the
medicine chest for a bottle of aspirin.
    After swallowing down three, he walked down
the hallway to the kitchen where he turned on the coffee maker. He
headed back down the hallway and threw open Ambrosia’s door. “Get
up and make me some