Day 245: Early Elena

Early Elena
by
Matt Zurbo

 

Elena always got up earlier than most.
(Girl yawning in bed, still dark outside. Moon still up, but low.)

She liked the silence, the stillness.
(Girl, still in PJs and dressing gown, in dark, still kitchen.)

And there were always things to do.
(Girl chasing small elves.)

First, was always, to put the elves back on the shelves.
(Girl looking at elves, now standard decoration pose, with other stuff on shelves.)

Then tuck the fairies in.
(Girl with torch, tucking fairy into gum leaf bed in tree, while other fairies watch.)
“We don’t want to go to sleep!” they would complain in fairy speak.

But Elena would tell them when they slept they would go to Fairyland.
(Fairies all in gum leaf beds and hammocks, sleeping, each one has dream mist with shapes of wondrous things rising from them.)
And remind them how lucky they were that they could live in two worlds.

Then, she would feed the monsters, and make sure they went back to hiding under the bed.
(Dog food and scraps. One of them holding cat by the tail above open mouth.)

Some took a bit more persuading than others.
(Girl using broom to cram monsters under bed. One is running about, free.)

And Elena would sing soothing lullabies to the owls
(As described.)
and bats.

After that, Elena would negotiate for the giants and witches to return to fable.
(Girl looking up, arguing with defiant witch on broomstick and giant so big we can only see the legs.)

It wasn’t easy. The giants loved to argue!
(Girl in giant’s palm, which is held flat in front of giant’s head, so they can argue.)

Then, Elena would read the Man In the Moon a good morning bedtime story.
(Girl sitting in her garden, reading a book titled ‘Moon’, to drowsy man-in-the-moon.)

And sometimes give him messages to send to her friend on the other side of the world.
(Letter with love heart on it.)

Once a month Elena would clean up after the ghosts and the cemetery. They were okay, but hopelessly wild on full moons!
(As described.)

Next, Elena would have breakfast with the pixies, which was their bedtime snack.
(Eating crumpets, orange juice, etc, at family dinner table, surrounded by munching, playing, watching little pixies. Two or three of them pouring normal sized tea pot.)

They’d play a little, and whisper amazing tunes.

For some reason, they loved sleeping under the cat’s bed. Crazy pixies!

And Elena always made a point of thanking the Sandman for his dreams!
(Girl and Sandman bowing to each other.)

Finally, when Elena swept the last of the night under the rug,
(Sweeping, octopus tentacles coming out from rug.)

she would wave to the garbos.
(As described. Dawn is starting to break.)

And whisper, oh so softly…
(Girl, hand cupped beside mouth, whispering to yawning little bird.)

for the first bird to sing…
(Girl looking up at bird singing/shouting, other birds waking.)

(Trees in a row. Rising sun on left, setting moon down far right. Tree closest the sun is full of noise, and birds flying out of it.)

(Same image, sun a bit higher, moon a bit lower, next five trees have birds coming to life. Birds from first tree have spread out. People are starting to stir. Only three closest moon remain still.)

(Image of looking up at sky, birds everywhere.)

(Inside house. Girl still in dressing gown and PJs sitting at table, looking straight at reader, with slight smile, while family rub puffy eyes and yawn and start to come into room/get up. Window full of chirping birds.)

And her mum would tell her to hurry up and get ready for school.

 

 

The End.