Lesson to Learn

♧

Lena held her little sister tightly whenever they had to go through a steep pathway that was somewhat hard to remain their feet on the ground. The echo of hummingbirds was clear as any sound. However, it did not last long once the wind howled eerily for a while. Below them, a mirrored pond glistened the murky surface as it glowed around, revealing its pureness of the water.

Lovely it may sound; it was still a tiresome journey for them, yet it was worth the try.

Closer than it looked, there was a tunnel they had to go through.

"Lena, I hate the dark so much," Serena hid behind her sister. "Can we go back now?"

"We're almost there, little sister. Just hold on by my side if you're scared." and with that being said, her flashlight flickered the place.

Halfway through there, Lena cast a few glances over her shoulder behind to check if Serena was doing fine.

"Are you cold?"

"No," answered the small voice that echoed. "I just want to get out of here."

She stolidly said and dreaded the idea of coming here in the first place, albeit her expression did not last very long once she went out of the tunnel.

"Look, we're here!" Lena exclaimed delightedly when they found a ball of sun, waiting above the blue mountains yonder.

"Isn't it wonderful, little sister?" she beamed ever so slightly and gazing before the beautiful picture of mother nature. It was almost like a dream, it felt like it-but it was real. Yes, it was real without a shadow of a doubt. There was no need to utter anything, for Lena drew herself nearer and looked at the enchanting view that caught her breath. The horizon was warm and tinged with pink clouds. It would have turned out lovelier if a rainbow was up there in the distance.

"I love it so much-It's so windy here." Lena closed her eyes and felt the wind against her. She slowly raised her arms in the air, and while she was doing this, her little sister was trying to imitate her as well. The cool breeze whistled serenely, where it gave them a feeling of freedom. Especially a feeling that barely touched their soul. This feeling was new for the child and she did this out of curiosity. An entirely fresh experience that shaped her to a new level.

Lena opened her eyes wide again and turned to meet her little sister.

"Come close to me," she beckoned, and Serena did as she was told. "I've realized for quite some time that you have good imaginations, right? Now, I want you to close your eyes and tell me what you are imagining."

Close her eyes she did, Serena began to imagine sorts of things in her little mind. She kept her shoulders straight like a lady and her mind was wandering elsewhere at this point.

"What do you see?" asked Lena while her little sister was shutting her eyes.

"I see-" she paused. "Oh, oh! I see a white swan landing on the pond we just went by an hour ago. I know it's not true, but I can imagine it flying over-it's dancing? I see it's dancing proudly while her beak is high,"

"Reminds me of the ballet theatre I usually watched when I was a girl," Lena muttered wistfully, then she shrugged her mind off.

"What else do you see, little sister?"

"There's a frog. The frog is trying to say something,"

"The frog is a warning, I am afraid?" Lena interrupted in midst of it all.

"I don't know. I see there's a long lizard and its eyes are bulging out-like trying to hunt its prey-"

"An alligator?!" gasped Lena horrified at the thought. "Does it have sharp teeth?"

"Yes, yes," nodded Serena solemnly. "I think you are right; the frog is warning something."

"To whom?"

"To the swan," she said. "It is warning the swan to fly again from its predator," she proceeded, then it was axiomatic that her face revealed an aghast look. "It's coming to get her!"

Silence plunged in and flowed the atmosphere.

"What happened after that?" Lena had grown absorbed by the worldly fantasy her little sister made up.

"The frog is croaking and croaking, trying to warn her from danger but she's not listening,"

"And she dances in a twirl above the pond like nothing is happening-" she trailed off then carried to move on.

"Oh, no!" Serena's hands flew to her mouth.

"What is it, little sister?"

"The crocodile is getting nearer!" Serena cried, catching her breath. Soon, her hands were away from her mouth again.

"I wonder if she's going to fly anytime soon-" Lena wondered, pensively. Not long after that, Serena swallowed miserably while she finally began to open her eyes.

"Done?" Lena inquired.

Serena only nodded her head.

From where she stood, she managed to utter, "The alligator ate her." in a doleful tone.

"Good evening, my girls! How was your short adventure?" greeted Mr. Foster in a jolly mood, after his girls came in breathlessly. "Was it fun?"

"It was fine at first, dad. Then it wasn't." blurted Serena, gloomy as ever.

"By God, did something go wrong?" asked her father, rather concerned to see the little creature's upsetting face.

"Oh, no, dad. She was just upset about a dream," Lena replied, placing their shoes in its orderly place. "It didn't end well for her."

"What makes you so upset about a dream, my dear?" he puzzled.

Serena huffed slightly. "I dreamt that an alligator ate a swan-"

"Ah-ha! This is the problem I find when you watch too much national geographic videos and clips on television."

"N-oo, that's gross. I don't watch those things, dad!" Serena complained.

"I hate it!"

"My little sister, you hate almost everything," remarked Lena frankly.

"I think you're too tired, you better go take a nap now."

"I think your sister is right, my dear," concurred Mr. Foster casually.

"Come downstairs again if you two are hungry. I am about to cook dinner for all of us."

Lena's eyes widened and blinked a few times in disbelief. "Are you serious, dad?"

"Yes. You can't just simply say I never cook anything for you," He declared with a comical tone. "Of course, I am willing to cook supper for my daughters."

"For the first time in your life." added Lena slyly.

"Come on now! Don't mock in front of me, Lena. It's a pain," He told, and evidently, he was pretending that he was struck by the words his daughter said. It was true, nonetheless.

"I am in the middle of cooking lasagna." He announced, lifting his head to see his daughters in the banister.

It wasn't until minutes passed by, it hadn't even reached an hour, Mr. Foster knocked Lena's room. She answered the knock and she predicted this might happen. "I seem to have a little trouble here. Mind if you can help me, Lena?" asked her father, filled with worry.

Lena chuckled, amused by his desperation. "I don't mind, dad."

Mr. Foster grinned in triumph and followed her the minute she went into the kitchen. She found the kitchen to be a complete mess. Atrocious to be exact. She hadn't any pluck to speak up about it, for fear of being offensive or rude. She didn't want to hurt her father's feelings intentionally. But what else can she say?

"What is this, dad?" asked Lena, transfixed from where she stood.

No wonder he's having a problem. This place is chaotic..

"I know what you're thinking, dear. It is a mess," he said plainly. Not at all surprised when he read her face.

"But think about it. When you see it in the perspective of a beginner, personally in my case this looks impressive."

"You think, dad?" countered Lena.

"Where's the lasagna?"

"It's in the oven."

"So, uh, what is the purpose of me coming here then?" Lena pressed on. Mr. Foster gave a smirk before he grabbed the broom and dustpan as if lending it to her hands.

"This is why I asked you to come," He smiled.

"Enjoy." He slipped off and left his daughter, leaving his responsibility.

He is a good actor. I wonder why I trust him at first?

She thought to herself over the silly trap she had put herself in. With a sigh, she swept and brushed, washed and sprayed until dust was nowhere in her sight. She cleaned almost everything in the kitchen room where the whole food in the pantry was meticulously arranged neatly in its very right place. She hummed while cleaning, and not for long, the oven made a loud ting. Lena dashed to open where the heat of smoke came out, as a result, it caused Lena to escape a little cough. The aroma lingered everywhere around the atmosphere. The smell was strong enough for Mr. Foster to return to the kitchen again.

"Dinner is served!" He called out, with a face so hard not to laugh.

Dinner ended well for the Fosters. Serena was in her room where she lay upon her bed beside Lena as she sang one of her favorite songs she cherished so much. The voice was gifted with a touch of sweetness in anyone's heart. The midget ears listened when the child snuggled back on her pillow in dreamy silence. It would have moved anyone if they were in their presence.

Just then, the little girl with plump cheeks yawned heavily in weary, and Lena tucked her little sister underneath the blankets for her to sleep. During that night, she was singing in her ears one last time.

"Lena," called Serena with a start. "I always control my imaginations wherever I go, how come I can't control them today?"

Lena knelt beside her sister and respond, "It must have been because you were too caught up with your imagination. Maybe that's why you can't control them anymore."

"Oh," was all that she said.

"Yes, and you know what I thought about the dream, little sister?" she began, leaning over in almost a whisper. "It has a moral lesson for all of us to learn."

The child was rather intrigued.

"What's the moral lesson?"

"You told me the swan was dancing while her beak was high, almost as if to say she was a proud one," Lena went on. "Then you mentioned the frog. He was warning her imminent danger, yet she was still stubborn enough not to listen."

"What about the alligator?"

"The alligator is a symbol of her future. She gets to choose her fate whether she wants to continue her enjoyment or choose to survive. Of course, most would have picked the latter. Instead of taking that choice, the swan chose to enjoy herself. That's why little sister, she gets to enjoy herself because she thinks too little of consequences."

Serena tilted her head slightly in a puzzled face. "I don't get it."

"Okay. Let's picture it as if the swan you told about just ruined her own future because of the choice she did make. If she was a wise creature, she would have known how to survive as simple as that." she said as a matter of factly, without dropping the subject.

"Well," she carried on. "The moral of the lesson is- we shouldn't be too proud of ourselves. We have to be smart when we make decisions in our life." she finally concluded with simple words that could be meaningful in Serena's life someday.

Indeed, that was a lesson for little Serena to learn.