__________June 28th 2024__________
Cameo Carousel
About a young girl finding a special object.
Bella lived in a small village, where only a few days ago a brand new vintage store had opened up its doors. Bella was a curious soul and the minute she heard about the opening, she went on her way to visit the new shop.
When she saw the shop window she immediately knew that this was an extraordinary treasure trove of memorabilia. Bella loved the vintage items displayed there and was eager to enter the building.
Inside she couldn’t believe her eyes. Every corner and space was filled with antique objects. She walked around and discovered there was an open door to the garden, where she saw a lot of sculptures and baskets. But one thing especially caught her eye. A big wooden cameo with a young woman’s face carved in it was laying on the ground near broken pieces and waste. Bella picked up the cameo and she felt a mysterious connection with the woman in the carving, as if their fates were somehow linked. It almost seemed as if the woman followed her every movement.
The shop owner saw her holding the cameo and looking at it so intensely, that he suggested she’d take it with her. He was glad to get rid of it.
So Bella took it home and as she fell asleep that evening, her mind wandered to an open field. In front of her she saw a vintage looking carousel. The sweet melody that filled the air captivated her senses, drawing her closer to it. As she approached, her eyes were immediately captivated by the beautifully carved horses that adorned the carousel. Each horse had a large cameo attached to its chest. The cameo’s bore a striking resemblance to the one she had discovered in the store.
The carousel kept spinning round and round until one horse caught her attention. It had no cameo, but only a large oval hole. Bella knew in an instant that her cameo would be a perfect match for the empty space on its chest. In her imagination, she placed the cameo in the empty space, and suddenly, the woman from the cameo materialized before her. Introducing herself as the “Keeper of the Cameo Carousel,” she invited her to reach out and touch the precious carving.
Bella followed her instructions and suddenly, the carousel picked up speed, lifting the horses into the air, their manes and tails dancing in the wind. The music intensified, and Bella felt herself rising off the ground, carried away by the carousel’s magic.
Bella was taken away on a magical carousel ride. Bella felt as free as a bird and enjoyed her precious time on the back of the horse.
When she came back, she found the lady patiently waiting for her. Tears glistened in her eyes as she handed Bella a unique present, a tiny, beautifully crafted wooden horse from the carousel. “This is yours,” she whispered. “You have saved the Cameo Carousel.”
Upon waking up, Bella discovered she held the wooden horse in her hands. Bella could still hear the woman’s parting words echoing in her mind. “Whenever you are ready, simply clutch this horse tight and it will guide you to this magical place. Then you will be the new Keeper of the Cameo Carousel, where you can spin beautiful dreams for the people who need it.”