52 WFIBC - 01 - Psychedelic Tea Party

52 WFIBC - week 01

Title: Psychedelic Tea Party
Word count: 510


Emma Milton, youngest of triplets and aged eight, doesn't do normal tea parties. While her sisters emerge in their own world where the teddy bear is always thirsty and the bunny never drinks her tea without three lumps of sugar, Emma retreats to the backyard with her own cup. She has no need for make belief and different voices for different stuffed toys, because outside she has her own little companion, a caterpillar of roughly six days old and while it doesn't drink with her, it is an excellent observer to her brewing and mixing.

Emma rummages in her collection of natural picked herbs, throwing a pinch of this and that into the little white cup. She stirs them in boiled water that she made in the kitchen earlier and leans forward to inhale the fragrance. It is heavy enough to make her cough at the first whiff that she takes. A bit too much, she thinks while wrinkling her nose. The itchiness that settles disappears quickly. When Emma closes her eyes and takes in the scent more carefully, and more slowly, she feels the aroma fill her lungs. It isn't until she opens her eyes and stares into the cup that the psychodelic effects truly appear.

Her sisters' laughter from the open window upstairs hardly registers as Emma disappears into a world of her own. The caterpillar beside her grows a mouth and smiles, causing her to giggle. Her head is filled with cotton, her eyelids heavy and the colours she perceives are turning vibrant. "Pretty," she squeals, reaching out to the green glowing caterpillar and craddling it in her hands. It thanks her, kisses her hand and curls up saying it is sleepy. Emma nods in understanding and closes her hands, protecting the little creature. However, as curious as ever the little girl peeks in between her fingers and sees the caterpillar has changed into a cocoon. Anxiously Emma awaits what might be revealed from the little package while her feet tap impatiently on the dirt beneath her. What a pretty butterfly it will be!
It takes forever, though. She whines and pouts up at the window where her sister's head appears, frowning down upon her. She beckons her up. "Come on, we're having a tea party!" Sarah calls with large twinkling eyes, but Emma shakes her head and lets it fall down, eyes on the cocoon that has disappeared from her open hands. Perplexed the girl jumps to her feet and scans the ground.

There's no sight of the cocoon. No butterfly either. "Emma! Daddy bought cookies to go with the tea!" Her second sister, Diana, is now also hanging from the windowsill. At first it seems as if her words never reached Emma's ears, but the mentioning of cookies - the ones with chocolate chips, let them have chocolate chips! - snaps her head up in attention. Her sisters share a knowing look and giggle. "Coming!" Emma finally responds, because while her tea might be better, and while her company might be better, nothing beats Darla's chocolate chip cookies!