Annabelle in the Woods #13/The End: Annabelle Shares a Dream with the Hibernating Bears

After a long day in the woods, Annabelle's drowsiness was coating her every thought. The gray clouds above clumped together, rumbled and seeped with droplets. Annabelle just needed somewhere dry to take a nap. 

Just as she was bemoaning the lack of dry spots, she saw the opening to a cozy dwelling. It was the entrance to the cave. Annabelle tentatively walked into the cave. She heard the dripping of water, the flutter of bat wings and heavy breathing.

“Hello?” Annabelle said. She heard a muffled groan and yawn in response.

Annabelle walked toward where the voice came from and saw two bears, one with eyes shut the other with eyes slightly open. The open eyes were framed with long eyelashes that had sleep dust sprinkled on the tips of each lash.

“All who enter the cave of slumber must rest their weary heads” The bear said.

“Oh, why thank you. That is just what I needed.” Annabelle said. She walked toward the bears and curled up, using their soft fur covered bodies as her pillows.

Soon, Annabelle fell asleep. She found herself transported to a magical land. She was inside the bears dreams. The things that bears dream about are wondrous! They dream about the underworld, parallel universes, elves and fairies, make believe cities inhabited by bears and traveling the cosmos. 

Annabelle followed along with the bears to all their magical places. The bears and Annabelle flew through the sky with lovely wings. But then the bears said, “Goodbye Annabelle!”

Annabelle said “goodbye bears” and started to fly in the opposite direction. 

She flew and flew until she was drawn to a grassy meadow. She landed and realized she was at the meadow near her house. As she walked, she could feel herself wake up. She walked on woke and walked and woke until she was fully awake. 

“I’m home.” She thought.

As Annabelle grew older, eventually even becoming an old, old woman, she sometimes wondered if part of her was still in those woods sleeping in that cave with those bears having wondrous and beautiful dreams in a magical woods.

The End