Enchanted Jewels 2

***Dear Invisible Friends,

As you read this, I'm barreling down the Interstate to visit my husband's family in Shreveport, La. In celebration of the massive amounts of delicious food I'm going to consume, I'd like for you, my dear Invisible Friends, to send me your questions! (I was inspired by Prudy's questions earlier!)

Since I won't be able to visit your glorious blogs until Wednesday night or Thursday morning, just leave your questions in the comments. Want to know why I write goofy stories? Want to know why I make my dog wear a crown? Want to know what my favorite pie is (I love pie)! Heck, you can even ask me my real name and why I call myself the Blond Duck!

And just so you don't think you're missing out on anything, there are several great posts up ahead! Not only is there Peanut butter pie and the world's best mac and cheese, but there will be another edition of the beloved Miss Pickles and the GLUG will return.

Until then, enjoy the second part of Enchanted Jewels!!

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Isla crept towards her grandmother's room. The doorway seemed farther away with every step she took. Clutching the key in her hand, she turned back and glanced at her grandmother.

"Go on," her grandma said, nodding encouragingly. "Trust me. You must find out on your own."

Gulping, Isla nodded and tiptoed into her grandmother's room. The door creaked as she slid past it, startling her. She could hear her grandmother's muffled laughter as she straighted her shoulders and walked toward the dresser. The jewelery chest lay glimmering, light sparkling off the delicate golden wires and twinkling in the tiny jewels covering the surface.

She took a deep breath and reached for the box, then hesitated. Her chest was tight and her throat was dry. Tears threatened to leak from her eyes as panic fluttered around her stomach in a million butterflies. Her mind was racing with the possibilities in the jewelry box. It whispered of the heartache and disappointment she would feel if she found paper clips and Q-tips.

"It is only a silly box," the thoughts said snidely.

"There was never any magic," the thoughts whispered.

"You were childish to think that anything worth wanting would be in there," the deepest part of her mind snarled as her stomach twisted into chains of knots.

"This is ridiculous!" Isla told herself, shaking her head. Her hair flew around her face as she tried to shake the thoughts clear out of her brain. "Listen, you," she told herself sternly. "You're going to open the dresser and it's going to be wonderful. It's going to be everything you dreamed."

Before the voices inside her could argue back, she took a deep breath and jammed the golden key into the tiny lock on the front doors of the chest. She twisted her hand and shoved against the light wooden doors.

They wouldn't open.

Tears sprang to her eyes and the voices in her mind cackled with glee.

"It's the wrong key!"

"Ooh, so exciting!"

"You've been watching too many movies."

Biting her lip and gritting her teeth, Isla snarled and jammed her palm into the key. The key slammed into the lock and the doors popped open with a loud crack. As dust exploded into the air, the doors swang open silently. Isla coughed and fanned the air, creeping closer to the jewelery chest.

Gasping, she saw a tiny light glowing within the velvet-covered interior. A ballerina stood in front of a mirror hanging on the back panel. Underneath her toes lay four drawers. A ruby necklace hung from one door, a emerald one from the other. The jewels sparkled in the soft light of the nightstand. With her fingers trembling, she reached toward the ruby necklace and stroked the center stone. It was cold and hard against her fingertip.

"It's real, you know."

Isla whirled around. There was no one there. She peeked out the door and saw her grandmother was in the kitchen, washing dishes. Glancing back around, she crept towards the jewelery box again. Leaning down, she began to open the first drawer.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Isla looked up and gasped. The tiny ballerina was staring at her, with one leg extended in a never-ending arabesque.

"Are you talking to me?" Isla stuttered.

"You're the only one here, aren't you?" the ballerina said, flicking an imaginary hair out of her eyes with her outstretched arm. "While you're here, would you mind pressing that button?" She pointed to a black circle on the base of the dresser. Isla pushed it and a creaky music box began to play the strained strands of Tchaikovsky.

"Ahh, that's much better," the ballerina sighed as she slowly turned around and around. "I haven't been able to dance in years." She lowered her leg and pirouetted across the music box.

Blinking, Isla stared at her. "You're real?"

"Of course," the ballerina replied, leaping from one side of the box to the other. "You were wishing the box would be enchanted, were you not?"

Isla blushed and stammered, "Well, yes, but I didn't really expect..."

"Then don't wish for something you don't want!" the ballerina said in a practical tone as she practiced her steps.

Letting her thick frizzy hair cover her pink cheeks, Isla reached again for the top drawer. The ballerina stopped her dance and shook her head.

"I wouldn't do that," she warned.

"Why not?" Isla kept her hand on the drawer.

"Ok, fine," the ballerina said with a heavy sigh. "Just don't say I didn't warn you."

Crinkling her eyes together, Isla pulled the drawer open. A tiny jeweled humming bird pin with ruby eyes, a golden chest and Sapphire wings flew out. Isla flew back with a shriek as it buzzed around her head.

"Stupid bird!" several voices cried. A platinum charm bracelet with jeweled critters crawled out of the box as well. Isla watched in fascination as a jade crocodile tried to go towards the topaz giraffes, while a ruby horse tried to run from an onyx panther. A pearl dolphin cackled and clapped his flippers as a rose quartz flamingo pouted.

"I was eating," he whined.

"Holy carp and salmon!" Isla shouted as a Victorian beauty on a cameo began to sing opera and two pictures, each in one half of the same locket, began to argue with each other. "What is all this? What is going on?"

The ballerina looked up at her and smiled. "Happy birthday, Isla. Welcome to the world of the Enchanted Jewels. We've been expecting you."