Part Four, The Garden World

They were supposed to be flying home. The star was safe, its light caught, and the long way back was charted. Then the mist opened over a world that glowed.

The long way home is measured in wonders, and this one the two of them found by accident, the way all the best places are found. Their little ship came down through the mist into a garden where the flowers had grown taller than trees and learned to light themselves from inside, violet and gold, opening one by one as the light changed, as if the whole world was waking up and deciding to be beautiful on purpose.

Jasper did what Jasper does. He sat up straight in the dew, ears turning under his helmet glass, and took the measure of the place, every shadow counted, every sound filed. Nothing would surprise them while he was watching. It is a solemn job and he is a solemn cat, mostly.

Cinnamon did what Cinnamon does. A petal came loose from the great flower overhead, big as a sail and lit like a lantern, turning slowly down through the air, and the solemn mission of exploration was forgotten in one heartbeat. She reached for the light. She reached the way she reaches at home, for the sun patch, for the ribbon, for the one thing in the room that is moving, with her whole heart in her paw.

The flowers went on opening. The petals went on falling. Somewhere above the mist the stars were waiting, patient as ever, and the ship would fly again when it was time.

But not yet. First, the garden. First, one more petal.

“First, the garden. First, one more petal.”

Original artwork and story by Merci Web Design Studio. Print, 6500 x 4500 and up, at Fine Art America.