House On The Hill

I just needed to rest, as I lay down across my bed. “I will fix dinner after a short rest,” I thought. As I fell into a peaceful rest, I began to dream. Visions coming in fast as I started to yell “ hey just slow down a bit alright.” I could feel my tired body loosen as a gentler sleep now took over.
I was walking through my beloved mountains and hills, following a path I had often taken. Singing and humming I kept walking. The suns warmth settling over my tired body, smiling I kept onwards Suddenly I was coming to a path that I had never seen.” Where did this come from” I asked myself, puzzled with its sudden presence. The path was laid in a beautiful herringbone pattern of golden brick. Flowers popped out from either side of golden rods, blue bells, and lilacs. Fragrance filled the air, as I saw the huge cedars and oaks far into the distance. “ Oh goodness where am I “ as I said aloud knowing I was here alone. “ This is paradise, am I in heaven?”
Traveling father on the path, I saw a house off into the sunset. Hasting my steps I quickly closed the distance. As I approached this place I was breathless. Standing before me was the most beautiful place I had ever seen. Made of shimmering golden bricks, its windows all glass stained in beautiful colors of the rainbow. A huge double door stood in the mass entrance, made of the finest oak I had ever seen. My knees were trembling from the beauty of this magnificent place. “Who could possibly live here?” I asked myself quietly. “ I wonder if I can peek in, if anyone is at home,” I again said.
I moved closer to the huge doors, slowly they parted, alarmed I jumped back, “oh my they know I am here” as I moved to turn away and go back, fearing they might be angry that I was here. “Trespassing could get one into a lot of trouble,” I said again to myself. I had no need for trouble and moved on back toward the path. “ Wait, don’t leave” I heard a pleasant voice say, you’re welcome here.” My heart was pounding and I turned back to the entrance as I saw standing there an elder man in a wonderful robe of blue, trimmed in a golden edges. He held his hand out to me and softly spoke “come my child, we will not harm you.” Taking my hand into his strong hand he guided me into a courtyard. I stood frozen and in disbelief as I looked at the huge fountains made of marble, water flowing gently into a stream that seemed to flow out into the hills. I imagined they were feeding this life sending water to all the beautiful fields I had seen on my way here.” How very awesome” I thought as he moved me on forward. Suddenly he moved his hand from mine and left me standing alone. “Where had he gone” I wondered.
“Welcome my child” another voice saying to me, this time it was a woman’s. “We have been expecting you,” she softly said. I was not afraid as she moved closer to me. “ I said to her “ you look like someone I should know.’ She had the most beautiful smile cross her face as she spoke again “yes dear, you have seen me. I left before you were born, I must say you do look an awfully lot like me.” Frightened now I moved away. Reaching for my hand she spoke again, ‘ I am your Grandmother Maggie dear, it is ok come with me.” I seemed to stumble and my legs fell limp, an excitement filled my inner being. “Who was that man that opened the doors for me?’ I asked her. “That was your Great Uncle John, he has been here a very long time, come let me introduce you to the others” she said smiling.
We started walking down a very long path, as another man approached, holding his arms out to me, “ he said hello my child, welcome I am your Great Grandfather, James Yost, as he pulled me close. “ I have looked forward to this day. To finally meet you, your Grandmother will show you around I will see you later go with your Grandmother now.” I loosened myself and looked into his warm face, he was exactly like the pictures I had of him, warm and his beard a soft white covered his gentle face. “ I said to him” I have wanted to know you since I first saw you, how are you.” Laughing softly and gentle he said to me “ I know child, I have watched as you traveled.”
‘Come Grandmother said, we have much to see my child.” Taking her hand again, I followed her into another room. It was brilliant silver, with curtains of red, hanging from huge windows that had the beautiful glass in them. Light filtered through in soft rays and warmed the room as I looked around. Familiar faces, looking at me, “oh my” everyone is here. “Yes child these are your Uncles and Aunts from another time.” They all moved toward me with faces smiling as they approached, each hugging me and welcoming me into this place. Telling me whom they were, how each of them had watched me grow. I was just so amazed that they had followed my life and I wondered if all the other children had been so lucky. Grandmother must have been reading my mind,” yes dear the other children are here. We will meet them later, if that is alright with you” she spoke again.” Gosh she must know everything “ I thought to myself, laughing softly she turned to me “yes child I do.” “Come now child we will be late,” she said sternly this time,” Your Grandfather is waiting.
Grandmother lead me to another room, it seemed empty at first and my eyes had to adjust to the light as it streamed in from a glass window, laden of gold and blue hues, small amounts of red trimmed the outer edges and a touch of green as I realized it was a picture of their farm framed in this eloquent way. A man of stature stepped forward, wearing a suit of the finest wools, colored in a warm golden brown. “ Come, come child, no need to be afraid,” he spoke in a stern voice, giving me cause to tremble a bit. Grandmother smiled, as she saw I was a bit frightened and said to me “ it is alright child, it’s just his way.”
“ I am your Grandfather Noah,” he said sternly speaking again. “ You have been a busy girl I see. Yes I have looked over you my child; I was with you when you climbed the hill back up on the old farm and sat there wondering why you never got to see us. I must admit I got a chuckle as you climbed that hill and then tried to climb that big old rock, never could do that myself. I watched as you came to the place I was laid to rest by your Grandmother, I was with you when you walked into the church where I preached, I knew you felt the love as you touched that old pulpit and sat in the pews, imaging me standing there preaching to you. I must admit again that I was proud to be your Grandfather that day. I saw you go into the school where your Dad attended, you were wondering how many switches he got I know, Blaine was a good child, he loved to learn, seems like you might have taken after him some. You were enjoying your Uncle Sam as he took you to all those places you had wanted to see. Yes child I watched as you grew closely.” “Oh Grandfather, “ I said to him. “ I knew it, I felt you there. I have had so many question to ask of you.” “Slow down child, we have plenty of time; you will get all the answers you want. Now come with me, I have someone who wants to see you.”
He did not take my hand as he walked quickly expecting me to keep up with him, “oh goodness he sure walks fast’ I thought, as he came to another huge door, opening it came a burst of golden sunlight, almost blinding me as I put a hand over so I could see where we were going. “Come quit diddly daddling now” he said. I hastened my steps to keep up and into sight came a beautiful garden, flowers and trees lined the edges of a most beautiful grasses I had ever seen. A big old Oak stood off by its self, as we approached I saw a golden swing, one meant for two hanging there and a man sitting in it. Grandfather stepped back and said to me “go on child, he is waiting on you.” I looked back at Grandfather and he was gone. Slowly the light caught just right and I was running and screaming with pure joy as the man stood up from the swing.” Daddy, Daddy, is it really you? As I leaped into his arms they wrapped around me, hugging me and then pushing me back. ‘Let me look at you” he said, a voice so familiar, as tears fell down my cheeks. “ Oh God is this really true, are you really here, oh I have missed you so much.” “Yes Toby this is true and you are here and I have another surprise for you, now sit down and I will be back shortly with the surprise, Just take my old pole here and you can fish while I am gone, fishing here is good, caught a big bass the other day.” As he handed it to me, I noticed it was golden to and the fishing line was a silver thread that glistened with the sunlight. Sitting there in that swing waiting on him, I cast the line and sure enough, the line begin to pull and as I lifted it I saw a beautiful bass, as I brought it to lay on the grasses, I unhooked it throwing it back into the blue waters. “Live on little fish “ I said. Settling back into the swing. I felt like dozing as I waited for Daddy to return.
I awoke with the sound of my name being called, wake up Toby, wake up, jumping up from the swing, with that old familiar voice ringing in my ears I saw Mother coming to me. I ran and clinging to her, I cried a thousands tears right there. ‘Now you stop that” she said and I smiled knowing that it was her. “Oh Momma am I really here with you where did Daddy go off to now?’ I asked her. “You will see him later today, now sit so we can talk.” ‘Yes Mom, how have you been? I sure did miss you.” Yes Toby, I know that you have and you have been moping around a lot, I have been watching over you and the kids you know.” I began to laugh, “yes that lamp of yours blinks a lot, I finally figured out it was you.’ She began to laugh and then got stern with me “you have been wasting a lot time sitting around feeling sad and ignoring things that should be done.” After all this time I thought she would not be fussing at me, ‘yes Mom I know.’ ‘Well get up and come with me now we have a dinner to get to.”
Following her back into another place, we entered a lovely dinning hall. Its tables were set with gold and silver and the food set out was a feast fit for a king. ‘Momma, who lives here and you mean we are eating dinner here?’ she chuckled and said to me “yes dear we are.” Sitting at the head of the table were Granddads and Grand Mother’s at the other end. Friends I hadn’t seen were there and all were waving and smiling at me, relatives that had gone before were there, as Mother sat me down by her and Daddy, “enjoy it now Toby “ she said. I began to feast on all the things I loved, “this was the life ‘ I thought to myself as Daddy looked at me and said ‘yes Toby it is.” ‘Wow he can read my mind also’ I thought. ‘Everyone knowing what the other thought I wasn’t sure about that’ I said aloud and as they all chuckled at me, I laughed back.
Soon it seemed I was stuffed and everyone had gone but Mom and Daddy, they both stood and said it was time for them to leave me. “Oh God not again please, please I need you. Its beautiful here and I want to stay with you please I asked?’
Daddy spoke and Mom took my hand “Uncle John will be here soon to show you back Toby, this was just a short visit for you to know we are all here and happy. We are all doing well and you have lots of work left to do.” Mom let go of my hand and spoke to me “ now you get on back and get dinner ready, they are waiting on you to feed them.”
Uncle John, appeared again and Mom and Daddy were gone,’ where are they, where did they all go, I want to stay here with all of you please don’t make me go please.” Uncle John taking my hand lead me to the big oak doors, opening them he showed me out saying its not your time child go back. You have much to do yet, all will come in good time.’ the doors closed and all the beautiful fields were gone and I was standing on the trail in the woods and looked back, as I slowly came awake, ‘man what a dream,’wait I thought that wasn’t a dream that was a visit letting me know all is right in the house on the hill.

© Tobie Haga Roy