I stepped forward and as the door closed behind me I found myself in complete darkness, it was as if I had entered a black hole star, no light could escape and no light could get in, I felt a breeze so there must have been a gap somewhere.
I decided not to move forward as I had no idea what might be in front of me, there could have been anything just millimetres from my face and I wouldn't have known. I tried to acclimatise my eyes, after being in the bright white room for so long maybe they just needed a few minutes rest so I sat down and decided to wait for a bit.
It had been a strange few hours but somehow I felt I was getting used to the unexpected. Was this my fate? Had I chosen incorrectly or was this all a part of what happens when you come to The Lane of Bells? Oh how I wish I could have talked to George, he could have prepared me, mind you if he hadn't been infected with gobbledygook then we wouldn't have needed to come here and I could be sitting at home laughing at River or enjoying the sun.
I peered around but nothing I still couldn't see anything which was very strange as us cats can see in the dark but oh no, not here. I decided to call out.
Hello, is any one there?
Hello, came a gravelly voice back.
Even though I'd called out I don't think I was really expecting to get a reply and it startled me and I got to my feet.
Hello, I said again, who are you?
We are the Jury, well done for making it this far. Now if you don't mind would you please state the reason why you have come here to us today?
We? How many are here with me? My heart was pounding.
There's three of us.
The voice didn't sound too scary and it comforted me a little.
I'm Lil', hello.
We know who you are, now as I asked before would you please state the reason why you have come here to us today.
Well.... I felt a bit put on the spot.
Well I came here with my friend George who came here before and lost the ability to speak and I came back with him when he came to see if he could re-claim it. Have you seen George?
No we've not seen your friend George here today but the question was why YOU have come here to us today!
I wasn't too sure what to say, after all I had come to be with George as a support, there was no point in saying nothing they were clearly waiting for me to say something so I thought I would do the best I could as explain.
Well just before he lost his voice he told me that there was a danger to Catkind and then I was told that I was going to somehow be involved in it, but not in a bad way, and.... well I just want some answers and... I think George can give them to me, but he lost his voice, I was told, because he was going to say something that he was told that I should know but he was going to say it before the time was right and that's it really.
There was a long pause but I could hear some sort of shuffling around a whispering. Then a female voice spoke in a much softer tone;
Lil' you've still not explained why you have come here to us today.
I didn't plan to, I didn't know what to expect I just came to be with my friend and help him and then we met The Judge and he told me that to get out of The Lane of Bells that I needed to go into the Box of Fate and then I chose a door and it brought me here to you.
She spoke again;
Do you always do as you are told?
Well no I didn't, her questioning me like kinda got my back up.
No but The Judge told me I had to or I would be stuck there forever and end up going mad and be interned into the Catacombs.
There was another pause and some more whispering. The third voice spoke; I couldn't be sure if it was male or female but I guess that didn't matter.
What would you say you have learnt in your life Lil'?
I wasn't expecting that, this was getting more and more strange by the minute but if they've asked the question they want an answer. I sat and thought for a moment trying to work out what sort of an answer I thought they would want me to give in case this was some sort of riddle with a clue buried somewhere within, I sat and thought but the more I thought the more I could only see images of my friends so I decided I would say the things I've learnt from my each of my friends.
Sarah sprang into my mind so I started with her.
I've learnt that somethings happen and you don't know why. I've learnt that friendship is very important but that you need to be able to stand alone when needed.
I hoped I was saying the right thing...
I've learnt not to listen to everyone you meet, I heard a little hidden giggle at that, OK maybe I was on the right path or maybe I had just amused them but it's hard trying to put up a defense when you don't even know what you may be on trial for and I certainly felt on trial.
I thought of George and Mogsie and the Naughty Twins and a little more confidently;
I've learnt that love may not concur all but it can be a fun game to play with all it's ups and downs.
I've learnt from The Wiseman that it's important to listen to your inner self as that will very often put you on the right path and if you are in the right frame of mind will not lead you too far astray and Nadia taught me to take my time, that life isn't a race that it's the journey that matters/
Emma showed me to be independent and River to be tolerant, the Daddies gave me unconditonal love and to think things through.
I was on a role now,
...and Doublay to allow a second chance. Bella taught me to be brave and my Charlie brought out the protective side in me and Troy, well Troy taught me to allow my courage to shine through, to feel the wind in my hair and just go for it. Yes I've learnt a lot from my friends and I've learnt that I do have choices and now, right now I choose to go home.
Oh dear I think I got a bit carried away and had worked myself up a bit but what more was there, but somehow I found some?
All through my life I had been learning and I could go on and on but what was there to say if I knew the words you are waiting to hear I would say them but I do not believe I am done yet with my life, and I know I don't have all the answers and make mistakes and I'm still learning. I went to the other side and I came back and I came back for love and as it turned out I came back for a purpose. I may not know it yet but I want to, some things are more important than the self and that's what's ahead of me!
Lil', the first voice boomed, you have been judged by The Jury, a door will open behind you in a minute, please walk through it.
Is that it? Did I pass?
You have been judged by The Jury and a decision has been made, now please turn and walk through the door behind you.
With that the door that I just came through opened and on the other side I could see George sitting there waiting.
I turned to them does this mean I've passed?
The Judge is waiting for you Lil' he does not like to be kept waiting.
I was just so glad to see George there that I went through and the door closed behind me.
Oh I hope this wasn't some sort of trick, they seemed to have found it funny talking about not following people instructions blindly and here I was doing exactly that!
I decided not to move forward as I had no idea what might be in front of me, there could have been anything just millimetres from my face and I wouldn't have known. I tried to acclimatise my eyes, after being in the bright white room for so long maybe they just needed a few minutes rest so I sat down and decided to wait for a bit.
It had been a strange few hours but somehow I felt I was getting used to the unexpected. Was this my fate? Had I chosen incorrectly or was this all a part of what happens when you come to The Lane of Bells? Oh how I wish I could have talked to George, he could have prepared me, mind you if he hadn't been infected with gobbledygook then we wouldn't have needed to come here and I could be sitting at home laughing at River or enjoying the sun.
I peered around but nothing I still couldn't see anything which was very strange as us cats can see in the dark but oh no, not here. I decided to call out.
Hello, is any one there?
Hello, came a gravelly voice back.
Even though I'd called out I don't think I was really expecting to get a reply and it startled me and I got to my feet.
Hello, I said again, who are you?
We are the Jury, well done for making it this far. Now if you don't mind would you please state the reason why you have come here to us today?
We? How many are here with me? My heart was pounding.
There's three of us.
The voice didn't sound too scary and it comforted me a little.
I'm Lil', hello.
We know who you are, now as I asked before would you please state the reason why you have come here to us today.
Well.... I felt a bit put on the spot.
Well I came here with my friend George who came here before and lost the ability to speak and I came back with him when he came to see if he could re-claim it. Have you seen George?
No we've not seen your friend George here today but the question was why YOU have come here to us today!
I wasn't too sure what to say, after all I had come to be with George as a support, there was no point in saying nothing they were clearly waiting for me to say something so I thought I would do the best I could as explain.
Well just before he lost his voice he told me that there was a danger to Catkind and then I was told that I was going to somehow be involved in it, but not in a bad way, and.... well I just want some answers and... I think George can give them to me, but he lost his voice, I was told, because he was going to say something that he was told that I should know but he was going to say it before the time was right and that's it really.
There was a long pause but I could hear some sort of shuffling around a whispering. Then a female voice spoke in a much softer tone;
Lil' you've still not explained why you have come here to us today.
I didn't plan to, I didn't know what to expect I just came to be with my friend and help him and then we met The Judge and he told me that to get out of The Lane of Bells that I needed to go into the Box of Fate and then I chose a door and it brought me here to you.
She spoke again;
Do you always do as you are told?
Well no I didn't, her questioning me like kinda got my back up.
No but The Judge told me I had to or I would be stuck there forever and end up going mad and be interned into the Catacombs.
There was another pause and some more whispering. The third voice spoke; I couldn't be sure if it was male or female but I guess that didn't matter.
What would you say you have learnt in your life Lil'?
I wasn't expecting that, this was getting more and more strange by the minute but if they've asked the question they want an answer. I sat and thought for a moment trying to work out what sort of an answer I thought they would want me to give in case this was some sort of riddle with a clue buried somewhere within, I sat and thought but the more I thought the more I could only see images of my friends so I decided I would say the things I've learnt from my each of my friends.
Sarah sprang into my mind so I started with her.
I've learnt that somethings happen and you don't know why. I've learnt that friendship is very important but that you need to be able to stand alone when needed.
I hoped I was saying the right thing...
I've learnt not to listen to everyone you meet, I heard a little hidden giggle at that, OK maybe I was on the right path or maybe I had just amused them but it's hard trying to put up a defense when you don't even know what you may be on trial for and I certainly felt on trial.
I thought of George and Mogsie and the Naughty Twins and a little more confidently;
I've learnt that love may not concur all but it can be a fun game to play with all it's ups and downs.
I've learnt from The Wiseman that it's important to listen to your inner self as that will very often put you on the right path and if you are in the right frame of mind will not lead you too far astray and Nadia taught me to take my time, that life isn't a race that it's the journey that matters/
Emma showed me to be independent and River to be tolerant, the Daddies gave me unconditonal love and to think things through.
I was on a role now,
...and Doublay to allow a second chance. Bella taught me to be brave and my Charlie brought out the protective side in me and Troy, well Troy taught me to allow my courage to shine through, to feel the wind in my hair and just go for it. Yes I've learnt a lot from my friends and I've learnt that I do have choices and now, right now I choose to go home.
Oh dear I think I got a bit carried away and had worked myself up a bit but what more was there, but somehow I found some?
All through my life I had been learning and I could go on and on but what was there to say if I knew the words you are waiting to hear I would say them but I do not believe I am done yet with my life, and I know I don't have all the answers and make mistakes and I'm still learning. I went to the other side and I came back and I came back for love and as it turned out I came back for a purpose. I may not know it yet but I want to, some things are more important than the self and that's what's ahead of me!
Lil', the first voice boomed, you have been judged by The Jury, a door will open behind you in a minute, please walk through it.
Is that it? Did I pass?
You have been judged by The Jury and a decision has been made, now please turn and walk through the door behind you.
With that the door that I just came through opened and on the other side I could see George sitting there waiting.
I turned to them does this mean I've passed?
The Judge is waiting for you Lil' he does not like to be kept waiting.
I was just so glad to see George there that I went through and the door closed behind me.
Oh I hope this wasn't some sort of trick, they seemed to have found it funny talking about not following people instructions blindly and here I was doing exactly that!
