Chapter 11: Real and Unreal ThingsMy house is full of unseen things. Some of them are nice -- but the rest, I don't know. They lurk like shadows and burst in quick flits of color at the edge of my vision, catching and riding onto my breath. They're secret things, dust-mites-that-might-be-alien things. They hide because they're afraid of being seen.
Not like you guys -- you people on the internet in another world. I'm just fiction to you, so when you're watching this, seeing my heart as a series of red-yellow-blue pixels, looking perfectly black until you bring your face close, you're not planning on doing anything to me. Maybe you're even rooting for Momma and me -- you are, aren't you?
Oh, wait. I forgot to say Hi. Well, HI! I bet you've guessed, but I'm Aster Seraphim. Uncle Uriel asked me to do this chapter -- Momma's feeling better, don't worry -- but this chapter's about secret things -- things that can't be seen, so I have to show them to you. That's important to me.
Well, the first thing that can't be seen is my friend Evanthe. She's grown up with me since I was born, and our lives are like tangled threads.
But I can see what she's really like, so I don't know -- is she really an unseen thing?
Well, maybe. Yes. No. Well, Dad can't see her. If I tell him about her, he nods and tries really hard not to say anything.
And he talks to Momma about it in another room, where he thinks I cannot hear. And Momma shuts her book and says, softly,
"I think we shouldn't assume what's real until we understand everything, Billy. There are more things in heaven and earth, after all.""And that means?""...'"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."' But in The Velveteen Rabbit, the rabbit was only real to The Boy, right?"...And that's why I like Momma the best of all the grownups.
And Evanthe's the best of all the little ones, duh!
"So I was wondering if maybe we couldn't go down to the river? I bet the water's just great, the fish're jumping...I bet it's beautiful." She says.
"Do you think fish can swim in other things? Like cherry juice?"
"Cherry Juice?""Yes. Would they be able to swim? Would they have red eyes, so they treated red light like white light?"
"I bet not.... But I bet there are alien worlds where the water's like cherry juice!""That's a really tasty world, then."
...I don't know why I thought cherry juice would be the best juice. I mean, obviously pineapple juice is way tastier! Or punch.
And while we were all asleep (I know this because Uriel, who’s the nicest voice I know, told me later – he made it a story time. But Uriel said that didn’t happen. So I dunno), Aunt Elaine decided to start reading an important book. Since she's a cook, it's bound to have been a book about important food.
What sort of food is important? I bet it's muffins. Evanthe thought it could other things, but I was all "Oatmeal? Are you crazy?" And then I realized what I had just said and was like "Pony references? Are you crazy?"
...And, of course, I am, but...
And Great-Uncle Norman’s ghost came out of his grave. I guess that’s apposed to be scary, but I think he just wanted to see his family. That’s not scary at all. We’re all ghosts underneath our skin, right?
Well, I don't have a ghost costume. But I can be a noble prince.
...Where I got the scepter? Don't be silly! All princes got to have a scepter. It's how they fire sparkle lasers.
It's not my fault the costume doesn't come with one. I shouldn't be deprived by little things like reality!
Either way, playing pretend = awesome.
Having a friend who occaisonally does not realize that you would like to be alone to use the bathroom before your first day of school? Not awesome.
And having the shower break the instant you're done using it on this exact day? Also, really, not cool.
But eventually, and with full determination, I get to go to school.
FYI, even though I was smart enough to think otherwise, school does not have a pool. I wore my bathing suit for nothing.
Apparently all these 'smart teachers' do not think rhymes make things real. But they do. Rhymes and love and art makes things real. I've already learned neat things, like the fact that no one will allow for the ending of all grudges with fudges until I make it happen! You'll all see!
Oh, did I mention Momma's a good gardnerer? She's so good, and has harvested so many perfect fruits, that people are calling her a 'botanical boss!'
Oh, but get this! When I was at school, Reed went into my room and started playing with Evanthe! And at first, I'm really mad at him, since Evanthe is my friend, and she was waiting for me!
But... I guess I better be nicer to Reed, if I don't want him stealing my friend.
That'll be easier, since Reed had his birthday today! He's now a kid like I am.
...Even though even I can tell he's not really related to Aunt Elaine, but there's an unseen thing there between them. A good one.
But a good one and a bad one look exactly the same when you can't see them 'cause they're unseen.
"Uriel! Uriel!"
"Yeah, Princess?""I want an easel, like Dad."
"Already? That's fast, kiddo. But sure. Whatever you want."Ok, Uriel's also an awesome grownup even if he is a voice -- he's a nice voice and a grownup one, too. He's like a second dad.
Hey, wouldn't it be nifty if genes happened like that -- like unseen things could be your family, or dreams your siblings or you could be hope and slip into a painting?
But oh. What I wanted to do was paint the unseen thing between Reed and Aunt Elaine, so it could be a good thing.
I'm not good enough yet, but I will one day.
Reed finished getting dressed and ready: he looks kinda serious and nice like that. I mean, really -- blue boots? Blue boots are for serious peoples.
And Evanthe and I have a lot of fun together: she tells me about stars and other worlds, I tell her about the worlds that bloom like flowers in my brain.
But not literally -- I mean, there aren't roots in my brain that grow into stalks and in the center of the flower, where the pollen aught to be, is a tiny planet like a globe.
Maybe Momma sees that in her plants; maybe she is an intergalactic conquerer of the garden!
Yes, momma, bring those worlds to your heel!
"Maybe she's been hit with too many pillows," Uriel mumbles, chuckling.
...Sometimes I think maybe I'm the one who's not real, and Evanthe's the real one. If that's true, then I'm glad she's brought me along.
"Hey, Reed! Watcha' doin?"
"Exercisin' with Uncle Billy," Reed says.
"Why?"
"Sieze the day! Live in the moment!" Dad bursts out.
"I wanted to see how far he'd go with this mid-life crisis thing," Reed says, taking a moment to watch my dad.
"...I bet you five bucks he'll end up jumping a shark on a motor cycle."
"You're on.""Yes, my dad will soon be riding his space motor-cycle across the sea, leaping over a string of 16 sharks!"
"...That actually sounds really cool, Aster!" Reed bursts out cheerfully.
Later that day, I get a very special call. It is a call FROM SCIENCE! It was about Evanthe.
And normally I'm a little worried about SCIENCE!, but this was important. Momma handed the rainbow gem I needed right away.
"I had a feeling it'd be useful to you one day, dear," She said with a smile.
"I'm sure everything will work out without everything needing to be burned or you getting pox, dear."Momma's literary references are unnerving.
...And from me, that says a lot.
But I get it done, and give her the potion.
Ack! More sparklies, this time with bubblies!
... But the moment I notice them, they're gone. I will take a brush and catch them, one day. One day...
And then, amid some wails of warning from parts of the internet where I guess other dynasties are kept (I'm looking at you, Frohmans...), I prove that I! Am! Not! Crazy!
Ok, I'm not crazy regarding Evanthe. How about that?
Her favorite color's grey -- between the three kids, we've got all sorts of monochrome going on! She also likes Sushi, but I forget her favorite music.
And her traits are Loves the Outdoors (Uriel'll be happy about that, since she can learn to fish), and like me she's a perfectionist... But even I think she's a bit of a loser.
Still, she's my 'Vanthe!
