Magical Window

A secret planet, a magical telescope, and a girl who never stops dreaming.

         My daddy is the coolest.

         He likes to build and fix things around the house. He even made my favourite race car. It’s made out of wood and old tin parts, but I can still fit inside— even though I’m bigger now. I like to drive it around the neighbourhood, and it even has headlights that work like a real car!

         When Daddy comes home, it’s always fun to spend time with him, especially in the garage where he keeps all his awesome tools. I could spend hours just watching him work. He always has the best stories to tell.

         Do you want to know the best thing my Daddy ever made for me?

         A wooden telescope.

         My favourite subject in school is Science, and I really love learning about space and planets. Daddy must have seen me looking at the big, shiny black telescope in Mr. Grover’s store. Or maybe he just knew I’d been reading a lot of books and magazines about them.

         I had no idea Daddy was making me one—until I woke up that morning and found a big cardboard box on my bed. I opened it quickly and there it was, with a little note inside:

A little gift to take you to the stars and beyond, Ellie.
Happy 8th birthday, sweetheart.

         It wasn’t as fancy as the one in the shop, but I could tell Daddy had spent a lot of time on it. It was made out of heavy, shiny wood and came with its own tripod, which I set up by my bedroom window.

         Everything worked perfectly.

         I remember hugging Daddy so tight and telling him I would keep a journal of all the exciting planets I discovered—and that I might even name one after him.

         He only laughed and made me promise never to give up my dream of becoming an astronaut someday.

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         My science teacher, Mr. Harrison, is the best. He has a telescope too, and he’s shared some great tips for using mine.

         The best time is always in the evening or at night, he said. You’d be amazed at the magic you can find through this very simple circular window right here.

         He meant the lens.

         He was right, although I was a little sad. All I saw were the usual, already-discovered planets. I know Daddy tried his best when he made Auriel—that’s the name I gave my telescope—but it is not as powerful as the fancy ones.

         Mommy worries I’ll strain my eyes because I spend so much time squinting through the eyepiece. But I’m not giving up just yet.

         And then it happened.

         It was during Summer Space Camp, where ten of my schoolmates, and I, got to explore the famous Bene Canyon. We were allowed to focus on our favourite space topics—and of course, I chose the stars.

         I found a quiet spot near one of the highest peaks. The sky was so much clearer than it is in the city.

         Not much pollution, Mr. Harrison explained.

         It was perfect.

         I got comfortable and prepared to get lost among the twinkling wonders above. After a few hours, I was getting tired. I might’ve even nodded off, when suddenly something bright flashed in my eye and made me jump.

         At first, I thought it was just another shooting star—but it was different.

         If it was a star, it was spinning in random circles, leaving trails of shimmering colours that made me dizzy. I pulled away from the telescope and picked up my binoculars.

         Nothing.

         I looked with my bare eyes. Just regular stars.

         Weird, I thought.

         I looked through the eyepiece again. My heart started pounding. The spinning lights were still there—only now they were merging into a giant glowing ball, slowly coming closer.

         I pulled away in fear and looked up again. Still nothing.

         I checked the telescope for cracks or bugs on the lens. Everything looked fine.

         I was almost afraid to look again, but I remembered what Mr. Harrison had said. I took a deep breath and leaned in.

         It was amazing.

         I wrote everything down in my notebook and showed it to Mr. Harrison the next day. He was surprised, just like I expected, and offered to observe with me next time.

         That night, I held my breath while he adjusted the finderscope and focuser over and over again. After a while, he gave up.

         Well, maybe it just didn’t show up tonight, he said with a smile. But I could tell he didn’t believe me. Let’s try again tomorrow, okay?

         When he left, I looked again—and there it was. Still glowing, still beautiful. I didn’t understand how he missed it. How could he not see the way the light bounced off its surface yet bubbled like cotton candy lava? Or the rings of baby-cloud smoke floating all around it? Or the jagged sparks of electricity that gave me goosebumps?

         And most of all, how could he not feel that warm, safe feeling in his chest?

         The same feeling I get when I think about my Daddy. The feeling of knowing you’re safe, that you’re loved—no matter what.

         It was a feeling of being home.

         It made me wonder:
         If Daddy were still alive...would he see it too?

         Would he understand?

         I decided it best not to mention my special discovery to anyone anymore. This was my secret; my special window to a world of magic only I could create. Besides, I knew what name I would give it:

         D-1Ad-4EL

         A lasting tribute to the greatest man who dared me to dream.




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Word Count: 940
Prompt: Please write a story or poem that has the title: "Magical Window"
Written For: "The Writer's Cramp"