March 12

  Today the sky was blue again. I went walking along the river today, and the sun was very warm. There was just a bit of wind, and there were birds singing in the trees. I don’t know what they were singing about, but it was pretty.

  March 13

  The sky was blue again today, only it was a little colder. Also, the grass was green. I don’t remember if I mentioned that before. My memory gets fuzzy sometimes, so I have to write things down. That’s why I love my journal.

  Anyway, I met a new tree by the river. I told him he looked very fine and that he took excellent care of his branches. The birds like him a lot. They are singing right now.

  March 16

  I went walking around the river again. The new tree is still there, and I think he looks content. I will call him Frederick, since he hasn’t told me his name yet. I think he’s a little shy.

  By the way, the sky was blue today. I don’t remember what color it was the other day, since the mice stole my journal. The mice are mean.

  March 17

  Today the sky was white. The clouds were being very cheeky, I think, and they were covering everything. They like to watch me. They don’t want me to know this, because they get aloof every time they catch me looking, but I let them know that I am onto them. They are strange fellows.

  P.S. I learned a new word, ‘aloof’ today. The birds taught it to me. They are so smart! I was excited to use it in my journal today, and I hope I used it correctly.

  March 18

  I think I upset the clouds the other day by letting them know that I saw them watching me. They are crying, and have turned the sky gray. All the birds are hiding and the trees won’t talk to me. I keep apologizing to the clouds but they are still upset with me. I didn’t mean to bother them so much. Next time, I will have to be more careful. I guess tonight I’ll have to sleep on the table, as they are punishing me by making all the blankets wet and freezing.

  March 21

  The birds sang to me and I sang back to them a lot. Gavriel was especially happy, because her egg had just hatched. She and her mate wouldn’t let me see the baby, but they might let me when it is older. I am very excited for them.

  Also, the sky was blue again! The clouds are no longer unhappy with me!

  March 25

  Blue sky again. Today I got an idea. I am going to see what is at the end of the river! Frederick seemed upset, although he is still too shy to say anything. When I told Gavriel, she and her mate told me there is nothing at the end of it so I shouldn’t go. I told them that they didn’t know that there was nothing at the end of the river because they’ve never been to the end of it, and they got angry. They said I should not go because I am forgetful and I will get lost. But I will not get lost, because I have my journal, so I will remember the way back.

  It has been a boring walk so far. The river keeps going and there are no more trees. I am still excited to see the end, though. I just hope that when I get home, everything is where it should be. When I left this morning, the table was missing. I suspect the mice.

  March 26

  Blue sky. I’ve been walking down the river. Nothing much has happened, but I did see a fish. It was a silver-ish fish with a tail going swish. I wonder what other types of fish live in this part of the river. The clouds are following me.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  March 27

  Grey sky. It started off blue, but now the clouds are upset. They would not tell me why so I guess they are being ‘passive aggressive’. They do that sometimes. If they do not give me a straight answer, I will just have to ignore them.

  March 28

  The clouds are still upset and the sky is still gray. I asked them why and they told me I should not keep going down the river. They still would not say why, so I told them they I would not listen. Now they are mad. They are raining on me. It is cold and I do not like it, but I don’t want to listen to them. I want to keep going.

  March 29

  I think the clouds are getting impatient. They keep trying to grab me and turn me around. The sky has been red since this morning.

  I really want to see what’s at the end of the river, though, even if it’s nothing. I know I’m not supposed to be curious, but I can’t help it. The further I go, the more I get the feeling that I’m missing something important. My mind is clearing, and I know that I’m closer than ever to figuring this out. I can almost remember…

  The Ones Above are searching for me. I can’t remain hidden for much longer. I have to get

  March

  Hello again. I’m not sure where I am or why I am here. I woke up next to a tree outside my house and my journal was missing, with the grass around me all chopped up and muddy. I found the journal buried in the mud and all the pages were blank, so I guess I haven’t written in it yet. I think I will go back inside, because it seems like the right thing to do. There’s a blue sky, by the way. I think that’s normal.

  March 31

  The sky was sky blue. I think it’s rather funny. I told this to Frederick and he agreed. He is glad to have me back. So are Gavriel and her mate. I just wish I knew why I had left in the first place, but it must not have been for anything important.

  I am spending the whole day with Frederick. I hope he lets go of me soon, though, because my ankles are getting sore.

  March 33

  I don’t know what color the sky was today because I couldn’t see it. The nasty mice kidnapped me while I was sleeping and took me to a small, dark room. I’m here now, writing on the wall because they took away my journal. I hate the mice.

  March 34

  The mice poked me a lot today. I cried and cried, but they just kept squeaking at me and holding me down. Their place is really large and I think there may be infinite mice here. I wonder if this is where they take all the stuff they steal. I think they have taken things from me before, but I can’t remember what.

  The mice also didn’t give me any food. The clouds almost always gave me something to eat, except on the few times that they forgot to feed me or when I’d done something really bad. The mice wouldn’t listen to me so I grabbed one of them to eat, but she tasted dirty. The rest of the mice stabbed me with something that made me go sleepy, and I have only just woken up. My belly is still grumbling and I feel miserable. I want to go home.

  March 35

  Green sky, makes me sigh! Sky red, hurts my head! The sky is actually blue today, but that is the song I sang to the birds. We all hung upside down and they had a good time playing with me. I am glad they let me go home, though, because I am a little tired and also my voice hurts.

  Oh, that makes me remember! I never told you how I escaped the mice the other day. The room they put me in would sing whenever the door opened, and that was just about the only nice thing I could say about that place. Anyway, the room liked to sing when the mice tapped their colorful grid, so I tried playing it as well and the room sang back to me! We sang together for a little while and then I played the opening song and it let me out! The mice are mean, but their room is actually very nice.

  Anyway, now I am writing on my wall until I can find a new journal, because the mice stole my old one. This is actually a great idea, because nobody can steal my wall.

  March 36

  The sky is pretty today. It is especially pretty when the clouds are happy, which they are. They are glowing orange and puce today.

  Speaking of that, the clouds also took me apart today, but it is okay because they put me back together afterwards. I asked Gavriel why they get to take me apart but I can’t do the same to them, and she told me that I am not allowed to because I am forgetful and wouldn’t be able to do it correctly. Besides, she told me that my job is important too, and no one can do it as well as me. She is smart, so she must be right. I still wish I knew why, but I am happy to contribute in what ways I can.

  March 39

  There was a sky again today. When I went home, somebody had written ‘Help’ all over the walls. I am not sure how they got into my house, but Gavriel helped me clean the walls and told me not to worry about it. I’m glad she is here to protect me. I hope the person got the help they needed, whoever they are.

  I am sorry, I am in a bit of a sad mood, if you could not tell. Mostly it is because Frederick had to go today. I felt sad to see him leave, but I understand that he has other places to be. I hope he visits, though. I will miss him a lot. I hope he visits, but I don’t think he will, because most people who leave don’t come back. And if they do, they never explain what it’s like out there, down past the end of the river. Maybe Frederick will, though, because he is my friend.

  March 40

  I finally saw Gavriel’s hatchling today. It is a beautiful little miracle of life, all fluffy and white. I do not understand it and it does not understand me, but we care about each other, just as we care about Gavriel and her mate and Frederick and the clouds, and are cared about by them in return. It is a beautiful circle of care and love that keeps giving and giving until we all burst. The hatchling smiles at me, and I smile back as Gavriel chops up a screaming worm and puts it piece by piece into each of its seventeen mouths.