😍This was an awesome idea and I wish the Dream Heart Machine could be ordered online. Who needs instructions when there's so many fun knobs and buttons to press? 😆

Holy Hill looks beautiful and I'd love to hear those stories someday! I'm betting that after we 'left' others kept on paying it forward and buying food for others.

Thank you for writing our adventure together!! 🤗❤️💜

Poof! The two friends were suddenly in a brightly lit room. Towering in front of them was an enormous carousel with vibrant beasts racing endlessly beneath a gold-trimmed canopy. Merry organ music filled the air, a perfect complement to the scent of warmed spun sugar and popcorn.

The racing animals slowed to a gentle halt, inviting the enraptured women to ride. Eyeing the proud hippocampus with an enchanting mermaid and zebra fish on its tail, Snook leaned her head toward Brisby. “This your idea?”

Grinning, her squirrely friend grabbed Snook’s hand and started forward. “Yup! Saw this in a brochure for Albany, Oregon a few years back and wanted to share it with you.”

Laughing, the two climbed aboard. Snook mounting the shimmering hippocampus as Bris pat an emerald green dragon with sapphire blue wings.

Settling into the seat, Bris stroked the head of the dragon. “Thanks for the ride, Igkniter.”

Tilting her head, Snook asked, “Where’d you come up with that name?”

Brisby opened her mouth to answer but her response was drowned out by a swell in the music as the carousel lurched to a start.

Snook wondered what her friend had said and was readying herself to call out a loud, “What?!” when a deep firm voice answered the question first.

“The land dragon told her. We were named by our creators.”

Swiveling in her mount, which was quite comfy for carved wood, Snook peered around for who had responded. She didn’t see anyone.

The carousel rounded to the beginning, gaining a bit more speed. Still, Snook couldn’t spot a soul. It wasn’t the voice from the Dream Heart Machine (plus it hadn’t been in her head). Where in the world had that voice come from? Gripping the pole, she called out, “Hello?!”

Racing on her dragon just ahead, Brisby turned on her mount, riding backward to face her friend. She said something that Snook couldn’t hear while pointing from her ear to the dragon. Snook’s friend laughed, pantomimed talking, then pointed back to the carved beast, eyes dancing with excitement.

Dawning realization struck Snook. She stroked the mane of her hippocampus, “Thank you. What’s your name?”

“Guardian.” The voice stated. Full of pride. “You’ve both surprised us. We don’t often have riders who can hear what we say.”

Smiling broadly, Snook replied, “Well…I haven’t ever heard a carousel creature talk before. You’re the first.” She paused, then added, “In a DAY full of firsts!”

Round and round the two went, talking about the people who had visited and how the beasts in the carousel even had a friend, a little skunk they’d named Fisher who loved to ride the farm chariot pulled by the lambs and pigs.

Snook exclaimed, “A skunk!” She sniffed the air, which was still tinged with a sweet and salty scent.

“He wandered in one day to snack on the spilled popcorn and made himself at home.” The hippocampus paused, “He’s napping right now. Best not to wake him up. The last time someone surprised him, they screamed and our carousel was shut down for two days.”

Wide-eyed with the thought of a blast from the back end of a skunk, Snook assured him she would not.

The pace of the ride slowed as the music began to ebb. Guardian’s voice came again, “Do you know how to change organ music?”

Snook thought, ‘that’s an odd question’ before admitting she did not. “Maybe you can ask your makers?”

Chuffing, Guardian replied, “Oh…we’ve tried. BELIEVE me. For years. They can’t hear us. Pity as we’re all a QUITE tired of only organ and Christmas music.”

Nodding, Snook agreed THAT would get tiresome. The carousel came to a stop. Sliding down she looked Guardian in the eye and thanked him for the ride and for talking with her. The crafted beast did not respond. His painted eyes stared ahead, awaiting the next round.

Brisby scampered over and hugged her friend, “Can you believe it?!”

Still processing what had just happened, Snook hugged her tightly back. “I know! It’s amazing!”

Bris tugged Snook’s hand, pulling her ahead. “Let’s go again!” She mounted a brilliant red and pink salmon as Snook climbed atop a lovely lady frog wearing a prim lavender dress. The organ music rose and the race started.

Once again, Snook and Brisby began talking with their carriers. Harriette the frog excitedly leaped forward, her purple dress never ruffling from gaining speed while she happily shared her questions and memories with Snook.

Beside her, Bris was cracking up. Chinook was chatting her up and must have been one funny fish because her guffaws nearly drowned out the organ music.

Again the pace slowed to a stop and again, their new animal friends fell silent.

Dismounting, the two women agreed to go yet again, and, considering they’d both received one same question from each beastie, they pulled out their phones and cranked up the volume.

For nearly an hour, they flittered from animal to animal, thanking them for the ride before giving them each a taste of the wish they all shared courtesy of their mobiles. Different music.

Angel the jeweled peacock couldn’t get enough of the songs from ‘Hair’ Snook played for him. The African Serval Cat, Zuru, heard ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’ and told Brisby that she’d happily listen to just that for the next year. Tall and regal, the dappled gray Arabian horse Adonnis found he had a taste for AC/DC while his racing mate, Fredrick the dancing hare insisted ‘Footloose’ was the best song ever made.

Through the windows, the sun was kissing the treetops when both friends decided they’d better make one last trip around the magical carousel before calling it a day. Wanting to take the last ride together, they sat in the midnight blue and gold chariot. Along the sides perched a crew of tabby, tuxedo, Siamese, and calico cats. Some snoozed comfortably while others were posed in the classic ‘ready to pounce’ position.

The music thrummed and the cart slid forward but, before the women could state their greetings to the adorable kitties, the tuxedo near Brisby said, “Uh-oh!”

Confused, Bris looked to Snook, who looked as bewildered as she did. “Uh-oh?”

The gray tabby snuggled high at the lead of the chariot responded, “You woke Fisher.”

Snook’s eyes doubled in size as she looked down to the chariot’s floor. Staring up at them, eyes glittering in the late afternoon light, was a tiny mound of fluffy black fur with a pert pink nose.

“AWWWWW!” The two exclaimed.

Stomping its feet, the cute fuzz-bucket mewled an itty bitty growl and began to turn. The name ‘Fisher’ jangled Snook’s memory bells and she reached across, frantically poking Brisby in the arm.

Up went a tail. Full, floofy, and displaying the thick white stripe smack dab in the center.

“AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!” the two screamed. Scrambling over the sides, they shouted, “Sorry!!!!” and hightailed their butts out of the carousel house.

Slamming the door behind them, they leaned against the glass to let their slamming hearts and lungs remember to stay inside their chests. Simultaneously, they each took a tentative sniff of the air. Their chorused, “Phew!” set them off. Still braced against the door, they howled with laughter at their relief in whiffing cotton candy and popcorn.

Finally easing down, they returned to the Dream Machine. Both knew that this wonderous day would be one they’d never forget. And with the amazing machine, it was only the beginning of more amazing days ahead. Snook and Brisby gave each other a hearty hug, grabbed the two knobs they had before, and pushed.

Inside the carousel house, the organ music began.