Night, 1977
Constantine gazed out at world on the other side of the glass and all at once, everything he'd ever seen and felt of it came rushing back to him. He remembered all the wonderful things, like the untamed, fast running rivers and miles of tall trees that coated the valleys in green. He could smell the freshly blossomed roses again and feel the sun on his arms as he had years ago, when he and Primrose ran barefoot through the gardens, trying to get away from the housemaids that chased them. All the buildings that towered over him, painted in blues, pinks, and reds, came to mind. The mosque they'd rescued the beautiful Princess Laila from, the white palace where they'd meet the bird keeper, Maya, and her thousands of all colored birds, and of course the dark, underground houses and caverns, where the Gnome king and his sons lived. The thought of the tastes of all the new fruits they'd found in the patch behind the Old Oak Tree and the feel of the furs of the soft animals that guarded made him sigh, happy he'd had the opportunity to share them with Primrose.

Nearly every girl in the tower let out her own breath of wonder as they tried to picture the scene Sara laid before them. Lily and the other little ones wriggled back and forth on the floor, giggling and clasping their hands together, waiting for the rest. The older girls were more scattered, a few sat on the worn, red velvet chairs, a few huddled close together on the ground, and others stood in the corners or leaned on the pillars. They too held hands and looked quickly at each and back to Sara again, pulling their blankets and shawls close around their shoulders to keep out the summer night chill. Sara herself clung fast to her old bed cover and shivered. She sat in the middle of them all, an honor she was given as the storyteller, and glanced around at their dimly lit, but eager faces, before she began again.

Of course, he remembered the bad things as well as the good. The chill of all the cold nights they'd spent trapped inside the soldier's prison, and the intense heat of the desert they'd crossed. Month long journeys across the country to the new land, where there sometimes wouldn't be enough food to go around. The memory of many heroes falling in combat on their home shores, and the stained ground were as fresh that minute as they had been when he lived them. But, more then anything, he remembered when Primrose had been injured in battle, and they told him she would never wake again. He remembered how his heart stopped and he lived, lost of all feelings until finally she did awaken and heal again.

He knew that they had faced so many dangers together, but they celebrated so much together too. And in looking through the glass that final day, thinking of everything, Constantine finally saw that the witches curse that had been placed upon them as children wasn't a curse at all. It was an adventure, because it let them see all there was to see of the world and then some. It was a lesson, because it taught them to love, to live, to laugh, to cry, to celebrate, to scream, to think, and to trust. Everyday was a gift, and a new life all it's own. And as he turned his face away from the window and looked at Primrose, he could see, from the way her eyes danced in their slow, bright way, that she knew it to be the same. It was their gift, and they'd lived it out together, and no matter what they'd seen, heard, or felt in all their years, nothing could replace the bond they built and the friendship they shared.

And with that, the unconquerable flame inside each of them shed it's skin and went out. The witches spell was broken, and their sentence to live forever was lifted. He touched her fingers before he drew his final breath and shut his eyes for the last time. She did the same, and the warmth left both their bodies behind and journeyed up and up, past the ceiling, the clouds, the sky, and the galaxy and every single star, to someplace much greater, and much more mysterious. They'd walked the earth for five hundred years, searching a way to break a spell that takes much time to understand. For life takes each one of us time to fully understand, but when we do, that makes everyday worth a little more. And all who ever knew Constantine and his sister Primrose spoke of their incredible adventure, and the story carried on for many, many years until it finally reached me, and now I've shared it with you. So hopefully, you'll tell everyone that will listen, because if you do, we still keep them alive today. And their adventure will spark our own and lead to something wonderful, just as it did for them.

The tower room was filled with whispered sighs, smiles, tears, and the meaningful silence that held each of the girls as another one of Sara's wonderful stories had come to an end. Sara clutched the blankets closer to her and shut her eyes, trying to imagine the faces of the people she'd created and the reliving the scene she just described to the girls.

"Tell another Sara!" Lily squealed, bouncing up and down and clutching the edges of Sara's nightdress. The girls around her began to whisper and push themselves closer too, begging Sara to start another story that night. Others still looked at her with hopeful and excited eyes and a few shuffled in their spots and smiled in anticipation.

But Sara smiled and shook her head slowly, plucking Lily's hands off her dress.

"I haven't got any other stories tonight. I'll have to think of another one." She stood up and stepped over the girls, making her way to the candle holder she'd brought up to tower room.

"Oh don't worry, I'm sure that Princess Sara will think of something new to entertain us with soon, won't you princess?" Emily sneered. Sara didn't turn back and didn't bother to answer her either. Though Emily was her age, and clearly looking to make trouble, she knew it wouldn't be wise to answer back. Emily was nearly 19, but she wouldn't hesitate to run down from the secret hideaway in the tower, and wake Miss Caroll, and tell her how the girls met on many nights in the old, forgotten room to listen to Sara tell her stories. Then they would all be in trouble, and Miss Caroll would certainly see to it that the stories would end.

But, as Sara well knew, that was just what Emily wanted.

"Sara, when will you have something knew to tell us?" Emma asked, standing to take her own candle.
"I can't say. I just, know when I've thought of something new, I guess," she said.

"How do you think of what to say?" Samantha asked. She was an older girl, though not quite as old as Sara, who preferred to stand then sit with the youngest ones.

Sara stood still for a moment, trying to think of an answer.

"I-Well I guess, I see it a certain way, and I just try to tell it the way I see it. Of course, not everyone will see it the way I do, but I guess if they did, it wouldn't be very much fun would it?"

"I can't imagine it would," Julia mumbled, rolling her eyes and smiling wickedly at Emily. Sara shot them a short, stern glare, then turned back to pick up the candle.

"We ought to go back downstairs now. It's so late, and it only seems to be getting colder the longer we stay."

Every girl nodded in agreement, gathered her things and, each with a candle holder in her hand, made the way toward the shadowed, wooden doorway that lead out of the fantasy and back to the real world; with Miss Caroll, classes, and little fun or laughter.

Sara stood aside and let the others pass first. She couldn't help but smile as she caught bits and pieces of what they said as they whispered to each other.

"I've never heard a story like that in my whole life!"

"It was better then the one before, and I bet she knows lots more."

"I bet she tells another tomorrow. I just hope Miss Caroll doesn't find out."

"Oh who cares about Miss Caroll! She likes Sara's stories too, but she'd never say so"

Each girl smiled and said goodnight, or nodded to Sara and she nodded and smiled in return. However, when Emily and Julia came to the door, Sara smile fell and she place her hand on the door to stop them.

"Should Miss Caroll find out that we've been coming up here at night, we'll all be punished, regardless of how she discovers the truth. See to it that you remember that," she said, and roughly pushed the door open to let them through.

Emily opened her mouth to retort, but closed it again when she saw the rigid expression on Sara's face. They both hurried out the door and Sara moved forward to gaze down after them. Only when they'd reached the bottom of the dark stairway did the roughness leave her eyes.

"Sara?" She turned and chuckled when she little Lily still standing in the dark room, waiting for her. At four, she was the youngest of the girls, but she shared a special bond with Sara. It was Lily that started calling Sara a princess, though she never said it with distaste as Emily and Julia did. Lily had only ever meant it as a sign of the highest admiration and affection for Sara. To Lily, Sara was as close to a princess as she could imagine.

"Come on Lily, don't stall," Sara said, taking her hand. Lily smiled and let herself be led down the stairs, until at last they came to a second wooden door at the foot of the stairs. Sara let go of Lily's hand to turn the knob and they both, reluctantly, stepped into the warmth of the familiar boarding hall.

Trimmed with green and faded gold, the hallway stretched out before them. The wall were lined with large wooden doors and dim, golden lights. At the end there lay a wall of railing and a choice to either go left or right, to the other hall on either side. There was nothing extraordinary about it, and Sara looked back just once at the dark stairway, in an instant longed to go back to the magic that their secret room held. Even though it was cold and dark, it held a sort of excitement and was much more to look at then the prim and proper halls. Still, Sara just sighed and closed the door quietly. She couldn't risk staying the night up there. Suppose Miss Caroll would find her? Then no one would ever be allowed up there again, and that was a risk she didn't want to take.

Sara and Lily slipped silently to the third door on the left side, and Sara ushered her inside. The rooms were very much like the halls there, plain, unattractive, and rather boring. The inside of the rooms were the same shade of green, with the exact same trimming. The bed stood against the wall in the corner, just under the window. A small, white nightstand sat next to the bed, and in the opposite corner there stood a small, white desk. In the middle of the room was a green rug that matched the walls and bed perfectly and a small, white circular table. The only other door led to the closet that held nothing but the school uniform and one or two nightdresses. And that was all there was to the bedroom. There were no toys to look at, as Miss Caroll forbid the young ones from having them, saying they were nothing but distractions. There were no knickknacks, no pictures, or posters either, as Miss Caroll also thought these things to be silly and impractical. There were no traces that anyone lived in this room at all, certainly not a four year old girl. But Lily did live there, as did many other young girls, whose rooms all looked the same as hers. And often, it was hard for many of them to truly feel at home in the school, because the plain walls and floors were always a reminder that they were not.

"Come on Lily, into bed," Sara pulled back the sheets and lifted Lily into it. She snuggled up under the sheets and, after getting warmed up, lifted her small, red little face to look at Sara.

"Sara, when will you think of another story to tell?" Lily asked, taking Sara's hand.

"I'm not sure, Lily. I'm sure I'll think of something, but I don't know when," she answered.

"Okay. Sara, when I'm bigger, will I live for five hundred years?"

Sara smiled and squeezed Lily's hand, "I bet you can. If you really want too Lily, I bet you will. And you've got all kinds of adventures to have you know. You've got to go out and see the world. And that could take an awful lot of time."

"What parts of the world will I see Sara?" she whispered.

"Every piece and stitch of land, and the seas beside. You've got to go out and sail all seven of them. And see the pyramids in Egypt, the Great Wall in China, the palaces in Europe, and all the wonders we've got here too. But you'll also see small things, like rivers, forests, gardens, and great big fields. And they'll be just as pretty too Lily. And then you'll live all over, and meet all kinds of people, new friends, other girls and maybe a few boys too."

"And will I like them?"

"Not everyone, but most people," Sara said, smiling. "It'll be a big adventure, and someday, I'll tell stories about you, instead of just the ones I've thought up."

"Really?" Lily rubbed her eyes and yawned. Then suddenly she grew serious and squeezed Sara's hand.

"Sara...will you be leaving soon?" Sara looked down and bit her bottom lip.

"Yes, soon I'll be done with school here Lily, and then I've got to go," she whispered.

"Go out and start your adventure?"

"Yes, I've got to get started right away. I've got a lot to see," she said.

Lily fell silent, as though thinking the idea over. Finally she nodded and yawned.

"That sounds like fun. I bet it'll be fun." Sara leaned over and hugged Lily close, then tucked her small hand under the sheets and rose to leave. When she reached the door, she heard a small rustle and then Lily's tiny voice.

"You will come back and tell me all about your adventures, right?"

Sara turned and nodded.

"I'll tell you every one, from start to finish. And I won't skip anything."

She heard Lily giggle and the sheets rustle again, telling her Lily was satisfied and had laid down again. Sara left the room and tiptoed up the hall towards the tower. She stopped at the door right next to the tower, and when she went in and sat on her low bed, a wave of exhaustion overcame her and she immediately fell onto the pillow and slipped under the sheets. The warmth of the room was comforting, though not entirely satisfying. So Sara gazed, sleepily, out of the window and at the nearby shadows of the city, hoping the sight would make her think of something nice to dream of. It was all so big, so new, and so mysterious. She'd only ever been a few times at Miss Caroll's request, but she enjoyed being around so many new and exciting people. People who didn't seem to see her, but she saw them. She studied many of their faces, clothes, and what they talked about when waiting around. It would all be so new and exciting, when at last Sara graduated and was allowed to go out when she pleased. Allowed to be her own person, to make her own way, to either stand in the light or watch from the shadows.

And with those thoughts running through her head, Sara fell asleep and dreamed a most wonderful dream, about a people living in the shadows.

The Next Morning

"Michael...Michael!"

He jumped and grinned at his sister. She pinched his side and repeated her
question.

"Did you hear a word of what I just said?" He looked away again and shrugged his shoulders, earning another pinch. He just laughed and pushed her hand away.

"I did hear you Latoya!" he said, avoiding another pinch. Latoya crossed her arms locked eyes with him.

"Alright, tell me the first thing I said." Michael stared for a minute and, then laughed again and turned back to face the window.

"Well, I heard ninety percent of what you said." She rolled her eyes, but laughed with him and shook her head, before reaching over to pinch him again.

The car made a sharp turn onto a much busier street then before. Nearly one hundred cars glistened in the summer morning sunlight in front of them, and the sidewalks were packed with so many people, far too many to try to count.

"Latoya, how many people do you think there are?" Michael asked, mentally counting, losing track, and then starting again.

"I don't know, a ton I guess," she smiled.

"Look at how fast everyone's moving! Like they've all got someplace so important to go," he said, taken a back when he saw a large group running across the crosswalk in front of them.

Their security guard turned around from in front of them and chuckled.

"It's New York Michael, it's never stops moving."

"You should know that." Latoya said, touching his shoulder, "You've been here plenty of times before."

"Yeah, but never like this." Michael quickly lost interest in the crowds and gazed up at all the buildings around him. Grand, new buildings that touched the skies stood all around the streets. Some were forty floors high, others were as much as eighty. Michael smiled as he imagined some that stretched beyond the clouds and nearly high enough to touch planes.

"Come on, we're here." The guard stepped out of the side first, followed by Michael and Latoya. Both were stunned at the sight of their new apartment building.

It was one of the larger buildings on the street, one that touched the sky. It was all brown, but each place had a small balcony and Michael was certain that if he stood on it, he'd be able to the see the bridge and buildings and parks scattered below.

"Come on let's go!" Michael took Latoya's hand and almost pulled her inside. They both caught up with the guard at the desk in the front. They immediately felt the stares of the few around them in hall. Some whispered among themselves and others snickered. Others still just stood quietly, staring in awe at the two that had just walked in the front door.

"Come on, let's go up," the guard said, ushering both of them to the closest elevator. In no time at all, they'd reached their floor, and they stepped into a narrow, but neatly decorated hall. The walls were lined with doors with plates of numbers on them, and the subtle peach wallpaper, wooden side tables, and lights gave it a homier feel.

"Alright, you've got apartment A-14." Their guard handed each of them a set of keys and Michael raced forward to get in first. He turned his key and rushed inside, followed by Latoya and their guard. The wallpaper was bright and inviting and the carpet was soft to the touch. The small kitchen stood to the right and across the room, a hallway lead to the back bedrooms. It was small, but felt like a home to Latoya already. She walked over to the kitchen, but stopped when she saw Michael on the balcony outside through the glass doors. He was almost leaning off the side to look around at the view of New York City.

She pushed open the glass doors and stepped onto the balcony, nervously.

"Michael you're going to fall!" But that didn't seem to worry him. He continued to look and smile, point and stare at everything around him. After a few minutes of watching, he turned to his sister and flashed her a huge smile.

"Latoya, come over here and see this! You can see everything!" She stepped forward and smiled at her brothers excitement. After a moment's look around, she pulled at his arm.

"Don't you want to have a look around the apartment before our things get here?" she asked. He shook his head and gently pulled away from her.

"Look at all this," he breathed, taken aback by the incredible view.

"You're right it's all very pretty," she said, "but it'll be here a little later. Come have a look inside."

"I will in a minute," he said, and continued to stare out at the city and smile.

Latoya touched his arm again. "You're so excited, but you've been here so many times before. What's got you so wound up this time?"

Michael looked back at her and then at the city again and sighed.

"It's different this time, I told you. We'll be here for a few months while I'm doing "The Wiz", really get to live someplace other then home. We can do all that we want, whenever we want, it'll be fun and so new! And I don't know...There's just something about this city. Ever since we got here, I feel like there's something amazing waiting for me here. Something really great, but I can't say just what it is...." he trailed off and, lost in his own thoughts, stared at the bridge and water once more.

Latoya shrugged her shoulders and pulled at his arm again, "Come on. At least come in for just a minute to pick which room you want."

He smiled and gave one last, long look at the city before shaking his head and turning around.

"Race you inside!" He took off with Latoya running fast behind them. They both laughed as they stumbled over each other going down the hall, and for the first time in a while, he felt as though everything was going just the right way.