Epilogue
4 Years Later
Danny was dreading the thought of starting first grade again. He was not comfortable with his second childhood, but had done his best not to raise suspicions. Telephones and computers had been declared off-limits. Steven and Devra hadn’t really been bad parents, but Danny couldn’t get over what they had done. Sara didn’t seem to be having any problems adjusting though. She was about to start pre-school and seemed excited over the prospect. She always appeared to enjoy her time with Devra and the feelings looked mutual.
Danny had tried to talk with Sara about their experience, but she wouldn’t listen. Sometimes she grew bored. Other times she would run away giggling and pretending it was a game. Still, Danny sensed at times she remembered more than she let on. Danny made up his mind that he was not going to let Steven and Devra’s plan turn out as they had hoped. He wasn’t going to be turned into some babbling child. He might look like a child but he wasn’t going to allow himself to be lost
in the bliss of childhood. He not only planned to return himself and Sara to normal, but also plotted revenge on Steven and Devra. They might pretend to be parents, but as far as he was concerned they were captors. All he needed to do was play their game. And play their game he did.
He earned their trust and pretended to be a child. After a while, he finally was granted permission to use the computer. That is where he began his search for Ms. Madhat. It had taken him much time, but he had finally chased down a way to contact her. He had managed to store away some money from his adult life that Devra hadn’t known about. It wasn’t much, but Ms. Madhat had agreed to Danny’s plan for revenge. That was Danny’s first step. He would seek revenge and then he would get the curse lifted.
Devra and Steven had departed on a trip leaving Sara and Danny with a babysitter. The timing was perfect. There would be no pre-school or first grade and Danny had wanted to avoid that more than anything! He watched the clock intently knowing that the first phase of his revenge should be beginning anytime.
------
On an Airplane Approaching Its Destination.....
“Excuse me, m’am... ” a flight attendant said to Devra “I believe this note is for you two...”
Devra took the note and looked at it curiously “Where’d you get this?” she asked the flight attendant but didn’t get an answer.
“What is it?” Steven asked.
“It’s from Ms. Madhat.... I don’t get it. It doesn’t make any sense....”
DING *Please Fasten Your Seatbelt*
The plane was getting ready to begin its descent.
-
On the wings of a bird,
Sweet bird of youth,
Time takes you closer to heaven.
The bird carries you farther down
And with it you will go,
Until you meet the ground,
With a new face and a child’s glow.
“What’s it mean?” Steven asked nervously.
“Is the plane ‘the bird’?” Devra replied.
“The bird of youth!” they chorused as the plane began to lower. “NOOOOOO! Danny!”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Danny.... Danny....Danny..... DANNY! WAKE UP!” Devra shouted as she shook the boy’s shoulder “You’ve fallen asleep at the breakfast table!”
Danny slowly looked up and rubbed his eyes. Devra was still an adult!
“You’re still big!?” he said.
“Uhh... What? Have you been having another nightmare about starting school? First grade is going to be fun. You’ll see. You’re going to like it and, in a couple of years, Sara will be going to your school too! You two are getting soooooooo big!” Devra cooed.
Danny didn’t know what to say. Everything seemed so real. How could it all have been a simple dream? Just a stupid, stupid dream!
“You’re going to be late,” Devra said as handed him his lunch money and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Better hurry!”
Danny slumped off to school. He wished that he really had been big and that his dream had been real. He sat down at a desk and watched the other children all enter the room. Some looked excited while others looked very nervous. He wondered if he could make friends with any of them.
A dark haired young woman entered the room. She looked familiar to Danny, but he couldn’t quite place her. He thought she was very pretty though. The young woman picked up a piece of chalk and began writing on the chalkboard....
M - S. M - A - D - H - A -
“All right children... Don’t be nervous,” she said as she finished printing her name on the chalkboard. “This is going to be fun.”
The End?