Act I “Peace and happiness awaits you.”
“This is your lunch hour, Lilly,” Ms. May said. “You can complete your essay after recess. Run along now.”
Lilly Brown stayed behind from the rest of her classmates to get a head start on the class assignment. Ms. May wants everyone in her class to write about what life means to them, but she was getting annoyed by Lilly’s enthusiasm. It was the student’s lunch hour, which means it’s the small amount of time that Ms. May has to herself, that she can use grading papers, drinking coffee or resting her mind and nerves. She needed Lilly to leave the classroom, so she can have time to herself. So, Lilly decided to finally leave and head for the cafeteria. She was getting hungry, after all, and she didn't want to eat leftover scraps.
The cafeteria of Autumn Grove Elementary was fully occupied by a third of the school’s students and the squad of lunch ladies that feed them. One of the school’s few custodians stopped by to empty the trash cans, but after that he got out of the cafeteria as quickly as his body would allow. Lilly arrived in the cafeteria just as the janitor was leaving. He waved at Lilly, who is one of the few kids who he actually respects. The other kids had filled almost every seat in the cafeteria, making Lilly regret staying behind in the classroom. Lilly hurried to the lunch line, in hopes that she could get a seat in time, and before more kids leave for the playground.
Lilly usually has her two closest friends (or side-kicks) with her, during lunch and recess. This was not one of those days. Both of her friends were absent that day, for one reason or another. Whether they were with her or not wasn’t really a problem for Lilly, as she is always eager to make (or recruit) more friends. There was one table left in the cafeteria that was available, with only one of the four seats being filled. There was only one problem: the seat being occupied, was being filled by none other than Reynard Erickson, the school bully and troublemaker.
Again, this wasn’t a problem for Lilly. Rey tended to keep away from kids like Lilly. It wasn’t worth it to target the types of kids that other kids look up to and who the adults respect as role models. Lilly was kind and social and was also seen as a leader of the other students, especially to her posse. She is also the type to focus on her school work, which some would say would make her a nerd, but she was more of a preppy kid than anything.
Rey was not like Lilly. He was a clever and creative kid and he did well in class, but that was his only good qualities. Lilly remembers the days when Rey was just a nervous, soft-spoken kid, but that was a couple of years ago. He has developed into a vicious, bitter and ill-tempered child, and not any other of the students really understood why he became that way. All they knew is that it was best to avoid Rey, which is as best as they could, considering he could target any one of them, on any given day.
This was a rare day, in that Lilly had no choice but to sit at Rey’s table. Lilly didn’t let this ruin her day. She intended to befriend Rey that day, and maybe she did. Regardless, Rey was not convinced and was definitely not amused. Rey had claimed that table. It was his table and Lilly, one of the preppy kids, had the tenacity to sit down within his territory. Rey delivered a blaringly, unwelcome look.
“What are you doing at my table,” Rey asked.
“Oh, this is your table,” Lilly remarked. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that. I didn’t see the label.”
Rey glares hatefully at Lilly and drew his knife to scrape his name into the table.
“I’m not moving.”
“Fine.”
Lilly paused to eat her lunch food. It got too quiet for Lilly, and other kids were starting to notice her presence at Rey’s table, which made it too awkward for her. She couldn’t help to not say something else: “So, what are you going to write about in-“
“Don’t talk to me, tool.”
“Hey, I am just trying to fill the air. You know, give you some company.”
“I didn’t ask for your company.”
“Yikes. Excuse me for interrupting your grump time.”
Rey paused to eat his food. However, the longer Lilly was at his table, the less and less Rey could tolerate it. “What are you still doing here?”
“Oh, give me a break.”
Rey stands up from his seat and leans half way over the table, glaring at Lilly. “Get away from my table.”
Lilly stares back at Rey. “Not a chance, tiger. I’m here to stay.”
Rey didn’t know what to do with that. He usually got his way. Other kids would usually avoid his table. That is usually. If a kid does unwittingly sit at his table, he would threaten that kid, and the kid would leave. Not Lilly. Lilly wasn’t afraid of Rey, and Rey couldn’t afford to hurt her. So much of the other kids would come down on him and that’s not to mention how the adults would retaliate. Rey simply sat back down in his seat. He glared Lilly down, as he sloppily munched down on the rest of his food. Lilly gave Rey a look of annoyed disgust. Rey rose from his table and left for the playground.
Three other kids approached Lilly and conversed to her about how she just survived at Rey’s table. A few other kids gathered to stand around the table to join in on the conversation. As some of these kids questioned Lilly’s bold decision, others applauded her survival. Regardless of praise or rumor, Lilly could no longer tolerate to sit there and listen to the reactions from the other kids. She ate her food, kindly said her goodbyes to the other kids and went to the playground.
The playground was already filled with kids, playing their games. There were kids on the basketball court and kids on the soccer field. There were kids playing tether ball and kids playing four square. There were kids on the swings and on the jungle gym. There were kids playing pretend in an empty field, or near the sidewalk that circumferences the school.
Then there was Rey. Rey was on the playground for one reason: to take the fun out of the other children’s playtime. He’s been known to disrupt basketball, soccer, tether and foursquare ball games. He’s been known to knock kids off of the jungle gym or antagonize the kids who are playing pretend. The other children have to always watch their back when Rey is on the playground and the adult chaperones have been known to punish him often. Rey never really learns his lesson. He seems to have accepted that he will be punished for what his bad behavior, proving that Rey will go out of his way to antagonize the other children.
Lilly stepped out onto the playground that day to witness Rey bully a kid near the jungle gym. Lilly confronted Rey, in defense of his victims. Rey decided he had enough of Lilly getting involved with him and decided to snatch Lilly’s hat from her head. Lilly protested to Rey and demanded to him to return her hat. Rey simply refused, who put the hat on his head and ran for it. Lilly pursued Rey into the abandoned, garden maze, nearby the school playground.
The garden maze had stood near the school playground for a long time and could even be older than the school itself. The maze was decrepit and overgrown. None of the students really knew why the maze exists. Perhaps it was the property of a deceased aristocrat, or something. It was one of Rey’s favorite go to spots, because he could go there and play without any of the other kids bothering him. The maze was off-limits, however, and Rey only went there in secret. Lilly never wanted to go into the maze, but she had to get her hat back.
Lilly lost track of Rey, as she pursued him through the maze. She explored the maze. She found marble terraces and fountains within a few circular spaces within the maze, with beautiful, floral vines climbing Greco-Roman pillars. She navigated further through the maze, admiring the neatly cut-hedges located deep within the maze. She wondered exactly where she was in the maze, as she explored deeper and deeper within its green corridors.
Lilly found an exit to the maze. It didn’t lead to a private property. It didn’t lead to a city park. It didn’t lead to a neighborhood. Instead, beyond the hedges of the maze, was a wide expanse of fields, completely covered in a vibrant green and dotted with bright flowers. The sky over the fields was a welcoming light blue, populated with creamy, white clouds and a deeply, yellow-orange sun that one could say smiled back at you with a smile between rosy red cheeks. Just outside of the gate was a small, guard house, built with yellow-bricks and a bright-green, shingled rooftop.
Rey arrived from somewhere in the maze and accompanied Lilly with her awe towards the guard house and expansive fields. An old man opened the red, front door of the house and emerged to reveal himself. He wore a curly wig, as in the kind of wigs that were worn by old-timey, Whig parties, but the wig was a bright purple color. What was even stranger, was his cheeks were painted with lime green circles of blush. He approached Lilly and Rey, with his hands politely tucked behind him and smiled warmly at Lilly and Rey.
“Hello, children,” the old man said. He bowed briefly. “At your service.”
Lilly and Rey just stood there, dumb-founded. “Eh,” Rey uttered. “Wait, what?” Rey’s face shifted to an expression of annoyance. “Who are you?!”
“Why, I am Quiller,” the man said. “The Administrator. I administer newcomers into this realm. The land of Serenity has opened itself to you. You have been given the opportunity to free yourselves from the problems of your world, to the world of Serenity, a place of happiness, peace, love and fun are bountiful.”
“Oh-ho, ho, no,” Rey detested. “I am not stepping one foot into your land of sunshine and rainbows!”
“Oh, lighten up,” Lilly said. “It’s another world!”
“Sure, but…Does it have to be this one?”
“I am simply here to welcome you,” Quiller said. “It is entirely up to you, whether you accept the invitation.”
Lilly chuckled and grinned at the thought that they just discovered what seems to be another dimension, while Rey was less than amused. He did not like the idea of subjecting himself to a place overbearing with cuteness and whimsy. Quiller stood in place, waiting for Lilly and Rey’s decisions. Lilly grabbed the hat from Rey, which he had stolen from her and stepped forward, out of the garden maze, and onto the grasses of Leisure Fields. Rey rolled his eyes and sighed, before following behind Lilly.
“I am glad you have decided to join us, young ones,” Quiller said. “Welcome to the land of Serenity. Please, follow me.”
Quiller stepped into his small, guard house. Lilly and Rey followed him inside. Quiller sat at his desk, preparing two contracts and a pen. He had also set out a paint set. He offered his pen to Lilly and had her sign her contract of citizenship. Rey signed his contract after Lilly. Then, Quiller had Lilly and Rey stand side-to-side. He painted circles of blush on their cheeks, much like his cheeks. Lilly’s cheeks became purple. Rey’s cheeks became green.
Someone knocked at the guard house door. Quiller stood up from his desk chair and opened the door, revealing a jovial, looking boy in a vibrant, blue and red scout uniform. The boy’s blue hat covered his brown hair and his red cheeks contained his wide smile. Rey rolled his eyes at the thought that someone could actually be that disgustingly happy.
“Good day, Administrator,” the boy greeted gleefully.
“Oh, Mingle,” Quiller said. “What a pleasant surprise. I would like to introduce you to our newest Serenites. This is Lilly and Rey.”
Mingle tips his hat two Lilly and Rey. Lilly grinned at Mingle’s friendly greeting, but Rey was a little annoyed, crossing his arms and arching his brows. “How do you do, this fine day?”
“I am doing quite wonderful, thank you,” Lilly replied openly.
“Since you are here, Mingle, I would like for you to bring Lilly and Rey to go see the Ballerina Queen. Can you do that for me?”
“At your service, sir,” Mingle agreed.
“You have a ballerina for a queen,” Lilly asked, as her faces lit up and her eyes brightened.
Rey held the bridge of his nose to his hand and sighed.
“Why, there is no better person to lead this land,” Mingle answered. “She is such a wonderful person, miss. You are going to love her.”
ns 15.158.11.183da2
