Deleted Scenes: Tale of Illusion

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Backstory: Tale of Illusion

It had been raining for a week straight. At least, that’s how it felt to the boys. They had exhausted all their indoor activities and were eager to get out of the house. It was just after lunch when the clouds parted, and the sun started to shine through. As soon as the persistent pitter-patter of raindrops stopped, they grabbed their shoes and headed outside.

Kane trailed behind Kenzo and Kai out the door into the yard. A drop of water from the roof hit Kane on top of the head as soon as he stepped out. Kane's hide-and-seek request was dismissed as they tried to decide what to play. Kenzo and Kai want to spar, but Kane is too little to join them. They told him to sit and watch them. He watched for a few minutes, but they did not hold his attention long.

Kane got a ball to kick around, but it kept rolling into the muddy puddle. After retrieving the ball a few times, his shoes were soaked through. He gave up and went to sit back down when the faint sheen of an earthworm caught his attention as it wiggled along the sidewalk. Kane gently picked it up and watched it coil and stretch in his palm.

"Where were you going?" he asked. "If you stay out here, you'll dry up." Kane checked his surroundings before placing the worm into the flowerpot by the door. "You'll be safe here."

I bet if I just disappeared, no one would even notice. Kane thought as he walked back into the house. He looked around momentarily, but all his enthusiasm to go outside and play was gone. He slipped out of his soaked shoes and freed his damp feet as he thought, I thought it would be cool to have a little brother. Kai and Kenzo are always together, so he has a built-in partner. Then Kanai was cute, but he didn't do anything but take up Mama's time. Anytime I try to play with him, I get in trouble for being too rough. He sighed and left his shoes and socks by the door.

Usually, when he felt like an afterthought, he read or took something apart and reassembled it. He had reread his books multiple times in the past few days. Khy and Kenzo's books were too advanced for him, and he couldn't risk Mama's anger by breaking another gadget.

Tired of pondering hypotheticals, Kane picks up one of his brother's books to give it a go. There was a spot in the living room corner behind the sofa where Kane liked to hide. He grabbed a throw blanket and ducked behind the sofa in the small triangle cove that was just big enough for his five-year-old body. He flipped through the pages, reading all the sight words he recognized from school, but the story did not make any sense and lacked pictures, so he closed the book.

No one has even noticed that I'm not around, he whispered. He laid his head back against the corner of the wall, then sighed. His breath hitched as he heard footsteps. Someone remembered me. Someone is looking for me. His heart leaped.

Pressing his cheek to the floor, he looked through the space under the couch to catch a glimpse of who was searching. All of a sudden, he saw four furry legs walking past. Kane suddenly became motionless, and then he heard heavy breathing.

He thought back to the door and wondered if he had left it open and let an animal inside. His heart was racing as he slowly stood. The top of his head barely reached the top of the sofa. He stood on his tip toes and tried to see a little better.

All the air left his lungs as a black blur leaped toward him. Kane crouched down as small as he could. When he finally filled his lungs again and was about to scream, he stopped. It was a dog. A pitch-black German Shepherd stared down at him. Staring back, Kane was captivated by its sparkling violet eyes, and Kane's pulse began to return to normal. He rose slowly, and the dog sat back on the couch's cushion.

Kane pressed his palms to the back of the sofa and pushed his body up and over the back of the chair. The dog jumped onto the floor and stood still, watching Kane intently as he climbed over the couch.

Kane looked at the back door and saw he had not left that open.

Slowly stretching his hand toward the dog's head, Kane said, "May I pet you?" The dog did not move, and Kane sunk his hand into its soft, dark fur and giggled. "Where did you come from?" He asked.

Kane continued petting the dog, which settled in on the living room floor. Kane knelt beside it and continued to talk to it softly.

After a few minutes, Mom emerged from her room and walked toward the backdoor before she spotted Kane.

"Kane, what are you doing?" Mom asked. Kane shot to his feet, followed by the dog. She stepped back, "What is that dog doing in here?"

"I don't know. It was just here. I don't know where it came from." Kane said.

She opened the door, "Out! Get out!" Mom shouted.

The dog did not budge. It stared up at Kane. Kai and Kenzo heard the commotion and came running. "What's going on?" Kenzo asked.

"There is a dog in here. Get it out." Mom explained.

"How?" Kai asked.

"I don't know. Just get it out of here." Mom repeated.

They tried everything to get the dog to move, but it remained still. Kenzo finally said. "I got it."

Kenzo cautiously approached, picked up the dog without any resistance, and carried it outside. Kane followed close behind. Kenzo put the dog down, and it stood there panting but still did not move. Kane turned to go back inside the house as his mother demanded. When he walked, the dog started walking.

"You have to go back home," Kane said. The dog sat down. Kane headed back to the door again, and the dog followed.

"Hold on. How come it does not pay attention to anyone but Kane?" Kai asked.

"I don't know, but can we keep him?" Kane asked, with his best pleading face on. "He doesn't have a tag," he added.

"Absolutely not. It will find its way home." Mom replied. "Get inside and close the door."

Kane stood at the door, watching the dog through the glass. It continued to follow his movements. Even the tilt of his head would be mimicked. "You are so cool. I wish I could keep you, but you have to go now."

The dog settled in and lay outside the door for hours. Kane pulled an old container from the trash, filled it with water, and placed it outside the door. As he put the water dish on the ground, the dog rubbed his head against Kane's leg, but he did not drink.

Everyone went to bed, and early the following day, Kane checked to see if the dog had left, but it was still in the same spot. Before anyone else was awake, he snuck out and played with the dog. It follows him everywhere. Kane heard movement inside the house. He was all smiles as he patted the dog on the head and said. "Time to go."

Then the dog disappeared.

Kane ran inside and woke his mother. "He's gone."

"Good." She stretched and rolled over. "I told you he would make his way back home."

"No. You don't understand." Kane paced the floor and continued, "I was playing with him; then I told him it was time to go, and he disappeared."

She propped herself up on her elbows."Really?"

"Yes. He disappeared." Kane's eyes were as big as saucers and filled with wonder.

"Are you sure you were not dreaming?" She asked.

"No, mama. It was not a dream."

"Okay. Give me a moment to wake up." She slung her legs from under the sheets and slipped on her houseshoes. "So the dog was in the house, but no one let him in. He did not eat or drink and would only follow you. Now, he would not leave until you dismissed him. But he did not just leave; he vanished. Hm."

"Right. You saw him. I was not dreaming."Kane appeared deflated as he sat on the edge of the bed, looking into the palms of his hands.

"If it was not a dream, maybe it's your gift." Kane's eyes shot up to meet hers. "A spiritual manifestation. What were you doing when you first saw it?"

"I was mad at Kai and Kenzo because they would not let me play. You were busy with Kanai. I didn't have anything to do. I tried reading but didn't have any new books, so I tried to read one of Kenzo's, but I got mad and closed it. Then he just appeared."

"Wow. I think he came because you were lonely." She said as she steepled her hands in front of her mouth.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I have never seen it before, but I have heard of people being able to conjure things. If I am right, you should be able to bring him back. Do you think you can do that?"

"I can try."

Kane tried but was unable to bring back the dog. A few days later, when Kane sat on the balcony of the treehouse, brooding after Kai and Kenzo would not let him join as they played a game, the dog appeared again. He stood at the bottom of the ladder, staring up at Kane.

They tested their theory and confirmed the dog was Kane's spirit animal. They played well into the night that evening before his mother made him come inside to get cleaned up and ready for bed. He left the dog at the back door because his mother would not let it come inside. When Kane emerged from the bedroom in his pajamas, he went to the back door but did not see the dog.

"Hmm, he must have left. I did not have to dismiss him this time." Suddenly, the violet twinkle of its eyes cut through the darkness. "Oh, he is still here."

"I don't want him sitting outside all night. The neighbors might get scared or concerned." Mom said as she looked out the glass, then asked, "What will you call him anyway?"

"We had a magician come to the class. His name was Mr. Illusion. Do you think that is a good name? Illusion?"

"That is perfect. Try to make Illusion go away."

"Alright." Kane opened the door, and Illusion came closer. He ran his fingers through a sea of black hair, then said, "It has been fun, but it's time to go." Then, the violet eyes faded into the darkness. Mama turned on the outside light just to be sure.

"Great. Illusion will need to stay outside, but we will figure out what he does and how to ensure you don't accidentally call him."

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