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    Peter Carrot-top

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      Chapter 2

      Meeting the Oracle

      As the rooster sounded his alarm, Peter was the first

      one up and making breakfast for the entire family. He was

      so excited to meet with the Oracle, but his parents

      weren't. They never let Peter see the fear on their faces,

      and went about their morning as usual.

      Sam was out in the plantation talking to the workers,

      letting them know that they might be gone for a long time.

      He told them he would sign his will over to one of his

      trusted workers and his family. He and the worker he picked

      began to debate back and forth about taking over his land.

      The worker told him that he was a poor Negro, and no

      colored man had ever owned anything this successful without

      being hung. Still, Sam insisted.

      He gave his worker, Mr. Jones, a bag of magical seeds

      and told him to spread them along the property line and he

      would be protected. Sam let Mr. Jones know that he chose

      him because he was one of the workers who was always

      truthful, fair and honest with everyone. Though Mr. Jones

      was afraid, he took the bag of seeds and hid them in his

      pocket.

      Sam patted Mr. Jones on the shoulder and let him know

      that everything would be all right, and that he would be

      watching. As Sam finished his business affairs, he went

      into the house where his wife and Peter were waiting on him

      to eat breakfast.

      No one said a word. Reality was finally setting in on

      what they were about to do. Everyone took deep breaths and

      began to eat very slowly. Finally, Peter started a

      conversation and asked his parents what to say to the

      Oracle.

      Sam replied, "Don't say anything until you're asked."

      As breakfast finished, Sam began moving things around

      the house telepathically. Socks were flying through the

      air, and even Jane's underwear got caught on the lamp

      shade! She was so embarrassed; she jumped up and snatched

      them off the shade with a smirky grin at her husband.

      Once Sam got everything packed, they walked around the

      house touching and feeling everything they would miss, but

      Peter didn't. He was so excited that he could hardly wait

      to leave. He began to pull his parents by the hand urging

      them to leave, but they were filled with so much emotion,

      they had to take a seat.

      As they were saying their goodbyes, Peter was already

      in the wagon ready to go. After a long time of waiting, he

      yelled from the wagon, "Come on!"

      Then the door slowly opened and his parents walked

      out. Peter could tell Jane had been crying. Her eyes were

      puffy and swollen; her nose was red and her face was

      disheveled.

      They jumped into the wagon and said goodbye to their

      workers. Sam pulled Mr. Jones aside and told him to never

      let anyone know that he had gone, and if anyone asked, to

      tell them that he had some business in Paris he was taking

      care of. Mr. Jones nodded, and they were on their way.

      They made sure not to look back at the home and

      friends they were leaving behind to go to an uncertain

      place where they might no longer be welcome. The carriage

      ride was long and hot. Everyone was sweating.

      "Are we there yet?" Peter asked.

      "Soon, son," his father replied.

      As the Carrot-Tops left their plantation, they were

      hailed and greeted by all the people of the town. Sam was

      sad to leave his home, but what he was doing was for his

      family, not for himself. Suddenly the carriage turned off a

      dark road.

      It was so pitch black Peter became afraid and yelled

      out for his father, "Father!"

      "It's okay," Sam replied, letting his son know that he

      was right there with him.

      Then there was light again, a big burst of brightness.

      It was so bright they could hardly keep their eyes open.

      Then it went dim, and Sam told Peter and Jane to get out of

      the wagon, and to follow him closely, out of the bright

      light.

      There was a beautiful forest like nothing Peter had

      ever seen before -- the plants were moving and talking.

      Peter was startled for a minute but then regained his

      composure.

      "Good day!" yelled the plants.

      Peter stopped to inquire about the plants, but his

      mother pulled his hands away telling Peter that they had

      important work to do. Even the animals in the forest were

      glad to see visitors.

      Then a rabbit the size of a wagon came up to Sam and

      shouted, "Well, well, well! The traitor is back!" with a

      smirk on his face.

      "You're gonna get it now!" a squirrel replied.

      Sam did not let it bother him. He kept walking to his

      destination, but Peter was amazed at the beauty and wonder

      of the forest.

      "Pay them no mind, Peter. They all were once our

      friends," Jane said, but Peter was not listening. He was

      too in tune with the singing waterfall.

      He watched as the waterfall turned into different

      shapes, from a woman, to a dog, to a big roaring lion. This

      was all exciting to him.

      "Where are we?" Peter asked his father.

      "This is the portal to Baja" Sam replied.

      "We're moving on," said Jane.

      Peter replied, "I am so excited to see home, somewhere

      that I fit in."

      As they walked the long forest pathway, there was a

      cottage made of golden bricks and rubies, and birds flapped

      their wings vigorously when they saw Peter and his family

      coming. The tension in Sam's eyes showed fear as he came to

      the gate of the cottage. He hesitated to knock.

      His hands began to sweat and shake out of control, so

      Peter walked in front of him and knocked on the door.

      Suddenly, the door opened, but there was no one to greet

      them! They walked in quietly and stood in the middle of the

      hallway.

      "Oracle, it is I, Sam. I have brought my son to you

      with a gift so powerful; it must be a sign from the elders."

      Suddenly a burst of fire came from the chimney, and

      swirled across the room knocking down Peter and his father.

      "Why have you come back? You have brought nothing but shame

      on our kind."

      As Sam began to answer, a woman appeared in the form

      of a snake with eight arms. Her fingers were covered with

      gold and diamond rings that glistened in the light. She had

      a crown on her head that was 9 feet tall, and in that crown

      were souls crying to be free. They were in a wax-like

      bubble.

      The crown was made of gold and silver with

      hieroglyphic writings on the top and sides. The oracle was

      a 12-foot snake, dressed in the finest of linens. Her upper

      body was human, and the lower body a snake with a huge tail

      and a long rattler. Her fingernails were long and made of

      ivory like an elephant's tusk, but the most irritating

      thing was that she made this hissing noise that pierced

      their eardrums.

      But, oh, what a beautiful creature! Her skin was like

      white flour
    . Her lips were like rose petals, and she had

      the most adorable face they had ever seen.

      Sam quickly bowed down to the Oracle, asking her to

      hear him out. Jane did not bow down. She refused; telling

      the Oracle that she knew Sam was set up and did nothing to

      stop it, and now wanted to treat them like peasants.

      The Oracle quickly threw a small fireball at Jane. She

      quickly ducked her head and the fireball missed her face by

      an inch! Peter quickly defended his mother and created a

      massive hole in the center of the house where the Oracle

      was standing.

      Suddenly the Oracle fell down the hole, letting out a

      hideous scream as she fell.

      "Peter, what have you done? That was the Oracle!" said

      Peter's father.

      "Served her right!" shouted Jane.

      Suddenly a hand came out of the darkness and the

      Oracle crawled back to the top of the hole.

      "What a powerful boy! I must speak with him," said the

      Oracle.

      "No! Only if you get us back into Baja," Jane replied.

      The Oracle hesitated and said, "Very well, but you are

      on your own once in Baja. You and your husband are hated by

      many. They blame both of you for the fall and destruction

      of Baja."

      Then the Oracle went to Peter and told him to rise up

      and say nothing. Suddenly he levitated off the ground and

      floated toward the Oracle. As she placed Peter in her

      oversized hands, she closed her eyes and saw into the

      future. In her vision, Peter had a crown on his head. His

      father and mother were old and gray, but they also had

      crowns on their heads. The Oracle saw a great battle were

      Peter defeated the evils that plagued Baja.

      Suddenly, she opened her eyes and told the Carrot-Tops

      that they must head straight to Baja right away.

      "What is it?" Sam asked.

      The Oracle told Sam that his child, Peter, was the

      savior of Baja. Sam and Jane were in disbelief and began to

      laugh and cry with joy.

      "Our son has saved us!" They cried, and threw Peter in

      the air and twirled him around in circles.

      "Go now," said the Oracle. "I will make a way for you

      to travel. Tell no one of this secret or his life will be

      in danger." The Oracle repeated it to Sam and Jane over and

      over, until they got it in their heads. "Trust no one until

      they have earned your trust!" shouted the Oracle and off

      they went.

      As they were leaving, the Oracle pointed the Carrot-

      Tops toward the kitchen, where hot food was waiting for

      them to carry on their long journey. The Oracle let them

      know that they must walk on foot and only use the resources

      of the forest. "Hurry along, Baja awaits you," the Oracle

      replied over and over again until her voice slowly

      disappeared.

      Peter was very excited to go on an adventure. His feet

      began to swing back and forth, and his eyes lit up with

      excitement. Peter asked his father why was he so special.

      Sam explained that after the eighth key was lost and

      the elders could no longer stay awake, no child born would

      be blessed with a gift, and in Baja everyone had gifts.

      After the evil curse, no child born in Baja was blessed

      with a gift or talent, and therefore Baja was at the mercy

      of the evil dwellers.

      "But then you came along, Peter." Sam looked loving in

      his son's eyes, "and all our fears and defeat seem to have

      dissolved away."

      Sam went on to say that years had passed without a

      child developing powers in Baja, and therefore there was no

      one to fight the evil spirits that came upon the land. He

      explained that Baja needed a new generation of fighters.

      "So, yes, son; you are special," Peter's father said,

      as the Carrot-Tops walked through the forest.

      It was a magnificent experience. The birds began to

      fly overhead with their 10-foot wingspans and they sang,

      "The prince is coming, the prince is coming."

      Peter was in awe of the birds' beauty. Their wings

      were so long that he could see no end. Their tails curled

      up like the locks in a Southern belle's hair. Their

      feathers were like a rainbow, every section of the birds

      were a different color. They flew in lines of five, giving

      shade to the Carrot-Tops.

      On the ground, the flowers protruded out of the Earth

      at least 20 feet tall. They dropped down big petals

      covering the Carrot-Tops. Peter and his family just laughed

      and indulged in all the attention. Sam looked at his wife

      and told her how good it felt to be adored again, and how

      great it felt to be going back home.

      The flowers danced in a synchronized routine. One by

      one they waltzed and turned. Their petals were so huge,

      they looked like ballroom gowns. The flowers were so tall

      that from way, way up above, they looked like humans

      dancing.

      "What a wonderful sight to see!" Jane said.

      The forest animals now were so much more welcoming of

      the Carrot-Tops than the first encounter, and they took

      great care of the Carrot-Tops. Suddenly a turtle came by

      and asked the Carrot-Tops if they wanted a ride. Peter

      jumped up and said yes, and they climbed in.

      The turtle shell was so big it was the size of a

      wagon. The inside had carved-out windows; the seats were

      made of the finest gold threads, and the floor was padded

      with the softest cushions. It was like heaven. On the wall

      of the shell was a picture of a young prince with bright

      orange hair. Peter and his parents stared at it.

      Rabbits came offering the family honey tea and

      crumpets. Oh! The rabbits were so excited that they could

      barely keep still to take the Carrot-Tops' orders! Each one

      kept asking, "Could this really be the boy king?"

      They zipped back and forth, running with the highest

      speed, bringing the family everything that they could

      possibly cook. First were the tea and crumpets, then sweet

      honey rolls. Next came roasted pig. Then they brought pork

      chops, steak, shrimp, fish and so forth until Sam told them

      lovingly to stop.

      The poor rabbits were so out of breath that they

      collapsed on the floor. The Carrot-Tops laughed

      hysterically, until milk came out of their noses. Then the

      rabbits joined in on the fun.

      "Oh, yes! This is our royal family," one rabbit said

      to another.

      Peter looked out of the window and saw little elves

      waving and getting their first sneak peek at the boy prince.

      "I see the word has spread," Jane said to Sam.

      "Yes, indeed, my dear. The word has spread," Sam said.

      One of the elves came to the window and took out a

      mirror device that glistened in the sun and captured a

      picture of the family, and then he ran off. The device

      mystified Peter. The handle was made of pure gold. It lit

      up with secret codes and had writing Peter had never seen

      before.

      Peter could see himself in the image, but it was of

      something or someone he did not k
    now. The image showed a

      young boy with a crown on his head, clothed in the finest

      attire. Then it was gone.

      "Oh, don't worry, Peter. You will get to see them

      again," his mother said.

      Peter was so mystified by the elves that he kept

      looking for them out of the window, but they were gone. Sam

      told his son that the forest of Baja was so mystical there

      wasn't enough time in death to discover it all.

      "Why are we dead?" Peter asked his parents.

      His parents said that everyone dies, and moves on to

      other worlds, according to their deeds on Earth. They said

      no one knows how many levels there are to death, but to be

      on a good aura, you must do good things before you move on.

      Sam went on to tell Peter that sometimes worlds collide

      causing a clash of auras; sometimes it's good and sometimes

      it's bad.

      "Is that what happened to you, Father?"

      "Yes," replied Sam, "I got caught up in the power of

      self and all the finer things that came with it. Because of

      this, I was sent back to the living, never to see Baja

      again."

      Sam began to get teary-eyed, and Jane held his hand

      tightly and rubbed his shoulders, letting him know it was

      okay and they were on their way back home.

      "Whatever you do, Peter, be a good person," said his

      mother.

      "I will," Peter replied.

      Suddenly the turtle made an announcement that he would

      be stopping for a rest, and Peter and his family could have

      a stretch. When the ride came to a complete stop, Peter

      jumped off, and his parents quickly followed.

      There was a river made of dark chocolate next to them.

      Peter began to drink and drink until he saw a tree that

      produced strawberry cupcakes. He ran and plucked a few off,

      until the tree began to talk and it startled Peter.

      "Wellllllll hello," said the tree in a deep voice.

      Peter was too afraid to talk. He clutched his cupcakes

      and crawled back.

      "Ha, ha, ha!" said the tree.

      "Who are you?" Peter asked.

      The tree told Peter he was just a tree, and it was his

      pleasure to serve him. Suddenly the branches on the tree

      turned into a face, one that was happy and jolly.

      "I am so happy to be the first to serve the prince,"

      the tree said in his husky voice.

      Peter was amazed of all the wonders of the land great

      and small, from the tiny ants that lined the dirt path

      wearing their golden shoes on each leg, to the gigantic

      pelicans in the sky that flew people from destination to

      destination. It was such a wonderful sight to see a land of

      milk and honey that dripped from the leaves of the trees.

      Peter started to appreciate the world he was in. He really

      felt like he belonged, there were no regrets in him going

      there.

      "Mother, Father! Come quick!" he called out.

      Hs parents came running. Peter showed them the talking

      tree and the ants with golden shoes.

      They cracked wide grins. "Yes, son, we know all about

      them. They are your family. Baja is your family," they both

      said together.

      The tree just let out a big laugh, "Ha! Ha! Ha!

      Welcome to Baja, my Prince!"

      Suddenly a horn sounded and the turtle let the Carrot-

      Tops know that he was almost ready to get back on the road

      again. Peter and his parents watched as the turtle got his

      shell washed by two octopuses, and then polished and shined

      by a herd of small spider monkeys.

      "Oh, that feels good!" laughed the turtle, as the

      monkeys polished under his belly.

      Rats and rabbits brought fresh food. One by one, the

      animals catered to the Carrot-Tops. Clean clothing and

      sheets for the long trip were hauled back and forth. There

      were five old lady rabbits taking the measurements of Peter

      and his family. They measured the Carrot-Tops from head to

      toe, back and forth. They went on, not saying a word; they

      were busy in their duties.

     
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