The Dreamer
Due to a social commitment I had completely forgotten about, this evening’s Tweetplay nearly had to be cancelled. Thankfully, Twitter pal @LitDreamer agreed to step in at the last minute to provide a rather charming story of a little boy with big dreams…and a talking cat.
Another rainy day. Another day trapped inside with nothing to do.
Lying on his bed, looking up at the ceiling, the boy sighed. Here he was, on a Saturday, with nothing to do.
Well, that wasn’t entirely true. He could do homework. But he didn’t want to. He wanted to go outside and play.
While lost in his reverie, he heard something scratching at his door. Getting up from his bed, he opened it.
There, drenched, and looking completely unamused, sat his cat, Mr. Sprinkles.
The boy opened the door wider. Mr. Sprinkles ran into his room and under the bed. With a laugh, the boy returned to his bed.
But he was still bored.
“Well, Mr. Sprinkles,” the boy said, half to himself, “looks like you and I won’t be going outside to play today.”
The boy closed his eyes and shifted his position on the bed. That’s when the bed started to shake violently.
The boy sat up. Not only was his bed moving, but strange lights were flashing underneath it, and projecting onto the walls.
“Wh-what’s going on?” the boy thought to himself. He soon got his answer, for the bed began to tip upwards, toward the wall.
From underneath the bed emerged a spacecraft. At its helm sat Mr. Sprinkles. “Get in,” the cat said. “We’re going for a ride.”
“You can talk?” the boy said. “I can drive, too,” the cat replied. “Now, get in. You’re using up my fuel.”
This was all too much for the boy to handle. “But where are we going?” he asked. Mr. Sprinkles turned and smiled at him.
“To a place where you can play, despite the rain,” the cat replied. “Now c’mon.” Figuring he might as well, the boy climbed in.
“Now, hang on,” the cat said, as he pushed a button. The boy had no time to react before the g-forces slammed into him.
Brilliant colors flew by the boy’s eyes. The forces slamming against him were so strong that he could only look forward.
Then the spacecraft began to slow down. “We’re almost there,” the cat said. Ahead, the boy saw mountains. They looked familiar.
The spacecraft landing right before that mountain range, in a barren wasteland. “Where are we?” the boy asked.
Hearing no reply, he turned to his left. Mr. Sprinkles was gone. He looked all around the spacecraft, but didn’t see him.
A large grunting sound made him turn around. The boy couldn’t believe his eyes.
Coming toward the spacecraft, from the direction of the mountains, was a hoard of dinosaurs!
And, on top of the leader of the pack, sat Mr. Sprinkles! “Hop on!” he said, as they approached the boy.
The boy did as he was told. Looking at the mountains again, recognition began to dawn on him. “I think I know where we are.”
“You do?” Mr. Sprinkles said. “Yes,” replied the boy. “I recognize those mountains. They’re from my school drawings.”
“We’re inside my mind, aren’t we?” Mr. Sprinkles, for once, looked amused.
“We’re inside your IMAGINATION,” the cat replied. “Best place to play on a rainy day.”
“Sadly, as humans grow up, they lose their ability to dream. They worry about matters that they think are more important.”
“When NOTHING is more important than imagination, save one thing. Do you know what that one thing is?”
The boy shook his head. The cat continued. “The most important thing is to be kind to others, and to yourself.”
They rode in silence for a bit. Then, the boy asked, “How do you know so much, Mr. Sprinkles?”
“Cats spend a lot of time alone, which is perfect for deep thinking. Now then, since we’re in your imagination, what next?”
The boy smiled, and the scene before them changed. What did it change into, you ask? Use your imagination 
And don’t stop dreaming.
~~ THE END