text: A thousand lollipop sticks were scattered on the ground at her feet - she was close. Becky had followed the trail through the upside down forest, across the lake of sangria (which had been great) and down into the depths of the woolen valley. Everything here had been knitted by Mother Earth herself; every blade of grass, every petal of every flower, every twig. Even the animals were woolen. Due to its fabricated nature, you could sleep comfortably anywhere in the woolen forest; but at your own peril. Many unwitting wanderers had been knitted into the landscape as they dreamt, disappearing into the woolly background, never to be seen again. Becky was tired and she gazed longingly at a pile of knitted leaves near an old woolly oak tree. Two big round eyes suddenly popped out from the pile, they stared at her for a moment, then the whole pile erupted to reveal a woolen octopus. “Well, hello stranger, I am Monty, may I ask what exactly you are doing being un-woolen in the woolen forest?” Monty sounded a little like a 19th century aristocrat. Becky didn’t really appreciate his tone. But she had business to take care of. “I’m searching for the giant caterpillar” she announced with a smile. “I know he’s close - I saw his lollipop sticks! Have you seen him?” The Octopus raised a knitted brow and replied inquisitively “You know Francis? Oh, we’re very close ourselves actually” Monty said, a rye smile climbing into the corners of this mouth. He went on “The trouble is...” he squinted at the woolen moon and pondered for a moment before continuing. “Francis never has really told me anything about himself other than his name, and... well, his sexual preferences” The octopus took an exaggerated peek around before leaning in slightly and whispering (quite loudly) “*He likes to be dominated*” Monty withdrew, his brows raised and eyes wide with the pleasure of revealing secrets. Becky nodded knowingly and also withdrew, squinting with new thoughts. This may not have been the information she was looking for, but it could be a good sign. Like many people who enjoy domination, perhaps Francis was a little sick of being in control. There was hope yet. Monty had started talking again, something about how odd Becky looked with her shiny cheeks and wet eyes, when something caught Becky’s eye just beyond the Octopuses shoulder. It was an un-woolen door. Aged, purple and peeling, it seemed comfortably nestled into the matted undergrowth, as though it has always been there. It stood out, and yet blended in perfectly, unassuming, an organic portal. It silently called to her. She walked forward, hypnotised, deaf to Monty who had begun to elaborate upon his and Francis’s sexual exploits. The door creaked open slightly as she approached, like a seductive finger, beckoning her. She slid through the gap as though she was nothing but a sheet of paper, and the door closed silently behind her. She stumbled and looked down, in awe. Her toes began to mould into the light, pastel orange sand. It was so warm and welcoming. A breeze kissed her face and before her, she saw a vast, lilac ocean. The water glistened and morphed, as though alive, wobbling in the rich pink evening light. Just on the horizon, amid a few white clouds, Becky could see an island. She felt the pull and knew this was where she needed to be. She approached the lilac ocean and hesitantly dipped her toe in, wincing, afraid of the cold... but there was no cold, her toe was met with a wobbly solid surface. She pressed down harder with her foot and fell forward slightly as the surface broke - it was jelly! Becky scooped up a little and gave it a tentative nibble. It tasted like parma violets - not bad, not bad at all. She looked at her watch. It had a black background, and 3 white circles running around it, like a target. along each white circle there was a ball. a blue ball, a green ball and a red ball. The only marking point was a small rainbow coloured circle set at the top centre of the watch. The 3 balls were slowly inching their way towards each other, at different speeds two from the left and one from the right. They were all just a few millimetres away from the rainbow circle. With no more time to waste, she plunged into the ocean of jelly and began to smash a path through the lilac with her flailing and determined limbs. Jelly flew about her in all directions, but she kept her eyes on the prize. Soon though, she got to a point where the jelly was almost up to her chin, and she knew - she’d have to eat her way through. The pink light poked out from behind the creamy clouds and warmed her cheeks as they filled with jelly. Becky felt like a hamster trapped inside a giant cosmic trifle. After an arduous and mildly terrifying journey, Becky began to see a blurred patch of green through the tower of Jelly in front of her. Spurred on, she munched fiercely until a few seconds later, she bit her way through to fresh air. She flopped to the ground, and the jelly contorted and squelched as she landed, slipping away under her heavy legs. Suddenly, she sat bolt upright, grabbed her stomach, and threw up dramatically. She looked down and saw that her vomit was comprised of hundreds of lilac coloured jelly babies, who then scrambled to their feet and ran, haphazardly, tiny jelly arms in the air, back to the lilac ocean. A second later and the path that she had created was sealed up - the lilac ocean appeared as serene as it had been when she arrived. She raised an eyebrow, her mouth hanging open slightly, before shrugging and getting to her feet. The mission was more important than the workings of this land. “Francis!’ she called. “Francis, I know you’re here - there’s no point in trying to hide, and... there’s nothing to hide from! I just want to talk to you. Your family sent me!” She heard a rustling in the jungle in front of her, and she ran forward, pushing through the giant leaves that separated the beach from the woods. She stopped, staring in wonder at what was ahead of her. The trees were not knitted, nor were they leafy. They were gigantic lollipops, rooted into the ground, swirls of colour, against a backdrop of leafy green plants that held a somewhat solemn air in comparison. This was Francis’s paradise. Jackpot. She looked for a path and saw hundreds of tiny footprints trailing off to the left. She ran, following the trail hungrily. Finally, she reached a clearing. “Francis! Please, don’t be scared” she said softly. “I’m Becky, and I’m here to help you” She crept around quietly, scanning the area for a hiding place. Her eyes rested upon a particularly bulky looking leaf. It was quaking slightly. She approached slowly, and peeled back the leaf. A very tired looking caterpillar looked up at her, each of his eyes had the weight of a thousand lives in them. “Hi.” He said in a low, slightly hoarse voice. Becky smiled sympathetically back. “It’s time Francis.” She said softly. “You ought to face things.” “But... how do I know it’s going to be ok?” He asked, trembling slightly. “You don’t.” Becky shrugged. “This has to be your own choice Francis, you can stay here in this unchanging paradise until the day you die if you like, it’s always been up to you.” Francis came out from behind the leaf and sat on the ground, his legs hanging limply by his side. “I am very tired” he said. “I know.” He laid down on the dusty floor and let each of his eyes flutter to a close. After a few moments, Becky reached into her satchel and pulled out the blanket. It was woven of the finest silk and big enough to cover Francis’s entire body. She draped it over him gently and then sat on a rock on the edge of the clearing, nearby a gigantic orange and purple lollipop. She checked her watch. The balls were almost entirely aligned - she had just made it. Her relief took her by the hand and led her into a deep slumber. She woke to the feeling of a soft breeze upon her face and she glanced sleepily around. But it wasn’t a breeze, it was the flap of a wing. Were Francis once slept, there was now a beautiful, gigantic butterfly stretching out his wings as though he were reaching for the sky. “I feel so alive! I can’t believe I was so afraid - thank you, so much.” Said Francis with a grin. “Hop on my back and I’ll give you a lift home!” He offered. Becky gathered up the blanket, then jumped on. They flew off into the pink sky, mission completed.