Chapter 1
Meet the Carrot-Tops
A long, long time ago, in the year 1850, there was a
man by the name of Sam Carrot-Top. He was a well educated
man, slender in build and always wore a dusty old cap that
covered his orange hair and broken glasses. He was an
honest and wealthy man, but you would never guess that he
and his family were well off; he never showed his wealth or
bragged about it. He used his money to help the poor and
needy.
His wife, Jane, was oh so beautiful, with lush red
hair, a petite figure, and smooth, creamy pale skin. She
loved all the children in the neighborhood, always fixing a
broken heart or a scraped knee. She was the perfect
housewife, the kind any man could want.
They lived in a small town in Georgia called Valdosta.
Sam and Jane were the talk of the town; they grew the
largest vegetables and fruits the eyes have ever seen.
Their watermelons were the size of houses and carrots as
long as 20 feet!
All the neighbors began to whisper, and became jealous
of the success of the Carrot-Tops; farmers came from near
and far to see the great Carrot-Top plantation. Because of
the popularity of their fruits and vegetables, they became
a household name. Merchants came from all over the world to
buy their fruits and vegetables.
Some of the other farmers became extremely jealous of
the success of the Carrot-Tops. They tried to sabotage
their land, either by overflowing it with garbage or water,
but it never worked. The fruits and vegetables kept on
growing and growing. Some were so tall that their leaves
touched the clouds. Nevertheless, Sam and Jane ignored
their rivals and continued to be good neighbors.
Their pride and joy was their son and only child,
Peter Carrot-Top, a 10-year-old boy who was as skinny as a
Beanpole with bright orange hair and deep freckles on his
face. He wore the same old clothing over and over again,
brown khaki pants and a rainbow-colored shirt with two
different colored shirt sleeves.
Peter was teased by all the kids. Not only was his
hair funny, but his name, Peter Carrot-Top, was as well.
The kids teased him all day. Every day it was the same
thing, kids singing, "Peter Carrot-Top, Peter Carrot-Top,"
in an annoying and devilish tone.
Peter was sick of it. Unfortunately, every time he got
upset, his head would swell up like a big orange balloon
and his orange hair would gently stand up at attention.
This made the kids laugh even harder.
Peter was all alone in the world; he didn't understand
or fit in. There was nothing the principal or the teachers
could do. He was just a special boy. His mother and father
were hurt the most; Peter got the orange hair from his
father, and the freckles from his mother.
His parents went to the school regularly to seek help
for him. Just a poor farmer, Peter's father did not know
what to do. He would pace the school hall as he talked to
the Dean of the school asking for help for his son, but Mr.
Snicker, the Dean, just walked around with his fat gut
stuck out, and only made the Carrot-Tops feel worse by
telling them their child needed to be placed in a special
school.
Peter's father slammed down his hat in frustration as
the Dean sat back in his leather chair, and smoked his
cigar with a smirk on his face.
Mr. Snicker shouted at Peter's father, "Boy, calm down
before I have you thrown out on your ears!"
Peter's father grabbed up his hat; took his wife by
the hand and stormed into Peter's English class. "Peter,
get your things. We're taking you out of this school!"
By the look on his father's face, Peter knew that his
dad was very upset. All Peter's mother could do was cry and
sob as they walked out the doors. The kids began to laugh,
and once again, Peter felt distant and alone.
Peter and his family jumped into their wagon, and off
they went. He could see the concentration on his father's
face, and the sadness in his mother's eyes. Peter began to
tell his parents how very sorry he was, but a gentle touch
on the hands from his mother let him know it was all right.
Peter lay back in the seat of the wagon and didn't say
another word.
Suddenly the wagon began to lift until it started to
fly. Peter jumped out of his seat and gazed in awe; he was
speechless. He looked down and saw that they were above the
world.
He could see the cows and trees, and he even spotted
his house. Peter was tickled to death; he began to laugh
hysterically until his parents started laughing with him.
Peter said, "Father, what is going on?"
Peter's dad didn't say anything, then his mother
jumped in and told Peter that they were from a different
kind of generation.
"What kind is that?" Peter asked, dumbfounded.
Then a stronger, sterner voice jumped in; it was
Peter's father. He went on to tell Peter the story of the
Carrot-Tops.
Peter listened intently, and hung onto his father's
every word. Peter's eyes began to move back and forth as
every word spilled from his father's lips. He waited
patiently to hear the story of the Carrot-Tops.
Peter's father went on to tell him that they are not
alive, at least not on earth, and that they were from a
world the living call “Death”.
Peter stuttered and said, "Do you mean we're dead?"
"Yes, we're dead," Peter's father replied. He went on
to tell Peter that they had been dead for years. He said
they didn’t belong to this world. He told Peter the world
they belonged to was called Baja, a place of mysticism and
power, a place so beautiful, and yet so evil.
"Welllll, why aren't we there?" Peter asked his
father, but his father could not do or say anything. He
just hung his head down low and began to wipe the tears
from his eyes.
Suddenly Peter's father parked the wagon on a hilltop
way above the trees, where no one could see them; then he
began to tell Peter why they were here on Earth.
"Well, son, many years ago I was one of the chosen
ones to protect Baja and make sure that the city was
preserved for all our generation, but I failed at my job."
Peter's father told him of how he was in charge of
leading an army of men to get the eighth key. This key
opens the door to the eighth elder of the world. The elders
were in hibernation. When they awoke, they protected not
only Baja, but also Earth.
He told Peter that he failed when he lost the key.
Because he lost the key, the eighth elder was never
awakened. The other seven went back into hibernation
because they can only function with each other; all eight
have to be awake at the same time.
"Well, why did you lose the key?" Peter asked.
His father told him that the key was so powerful there
was a rule to never touch it with your bare hands. He did
anyway, and the key gave him so much power that he could
not handle it. His hands began to burn and his skin began
to rot and fall to the floor.
When he woke up, the key was gone and Baja was at
risk. The remaining elders were very angry, and before they
fell back into hibernation, they exiled Peter's father and
mother from Baja. Peter's mother jumped in and began to
tell Peter that she loved his dad so much that she was
willing to take banishment with him, and one day their
names would be cleared.
She also let Peter know that his father was being very
modest and taking the entire blame. She said what really
happened was that Peter's dad, Sam, was forced to touch the
key by his brother, Marcus. Instead of Sam turning his
brother in to the elders, he took the blame for something
that was not his fault alone.
Jane told her son that Sam's brother was evil and
mean; but Sam didn't like to admit the fact that his
brother set him up. Suddenly the wagon was quiet. No one
made a sound.
Peter's dad began to look back at Peter in shame, but
Peter jumped up and gave him a big hug.
Sam was relieved. In a trembling voice, he looked into
Peter's eyes and asked, "So you aren't ashamed of us?"
"No!" Peter replied.
Peter then asked his father about the wagon flying.
"Oooohh! Yes, son, I will tell you about the flying
wagon."
They all began to laugh. Sam told Peter that in Baja
everyone has some special ability, from making objects fly
to growing large fruits, vegetables and plants.
Peter suddenly looked at his mother and figured out
that she was the one growing all the fruits and vegetables
on their plantation.
She smiled with her cherry lips and said, "I was
gifted with the green thumb."
Peter laughed and told his parents he was finally
free. His parents looked bewildered and asked him what he
meant. He told them that he knew now why he was different
from the other children at school. Peter also told his
parents he had something to show them.
"Up here?" Jane asked.
"Yes, come out of the wagon," Peter replied.
Peter's mom and dad looked at each other in amazement
and shock as they jumped out of the wagon. Peter held his
hand to the ground and began to shake. Suddenly a big hole
appeared in the ground. The hole was so big that it
swallowed up the trees. Peter looked at his parents with
pride. They looked back at him in amazement.
"Why didn't you tell us, Peter?" his parents asked.
"Well, I did not want you to be ashamed of me. The
kids at school were already calling me 'weird' and
'strange’. I didn't want to disappoint you.”
"Never," said his father.
Jane asked Peter how long had he been keeping this
secret from them, and Peter told them, for many years. He
did it only because he was afraid of his own powers. That
was a great power for a little boy to handle. Peter's
parents knew that there must be something extra special
about their son.
Their brains began to think of what all of this could
mean; the wheels in their heads were turning so fast you
could see smoke coming out of their ears. But nevertheless,
Peter was happy that his conscious was clear, his face
began to get some color and his eyes began to twinkle.
The family decided it was time to go home, and as soon
as the rooster crowed in the morning, it would be time to
see the Oracle. Off the hilltop they went, swaying through
trees and mountains. Everyone had had a rough day, but now
it seemed to be a day of joy and happiness.
Peter hung his head out of the wagon and began to feel
the breeze on his face.
"Be careful,” said Peter's mother.
"I will," he replied.
All that afternoon, they went flying over rivers,
lakes and streams. They even passed a drunk sleeping under
a tree. The man jumped up and began to scream, "The sky is
falling!" He ran through the village telling the people,
but no one believed him since he was the town drunk.
Peter and his family continued to ride the high hills
and mountains until it got dark so they could return home
without being seen. He was so excited that he had finally
figured out why he was so different than the other children.
As for his parents, they were relieved that they were
not hated by their son, but they were also worried about
his tremendous gift. It was a gift that no child should
have, but they did not ruin the moment by being sad. They
remained happy and upbeat all the way home.
As nightfall grew, Peter and his parents arrived home.
Nothing was the same anymore; their house began to look old
and rotten. They could see the tiniest imperfections, and
they knew in their hearts that it was time to leave.
Peter was so excited he could not sleep, but his
parents forced him into bed with the hopes of seeing a land
the living only dreamed about. Peter asked question after
question as he drifted off to sleep. His parents only
smiled as they rubbed his orange hair and tucked him
tightly into bed.
But as midnight approached, his parents found
themselves pacing the floor. They discussed how long they
had been away from Baja and how they would be accepted
after 10 years. It was very stressful for them; their faces
became blank and sad. Finally, they went to bed
anticipating a meeting with the Oracle, the only one who
could get them back into Baja.
Chapter 2
Meeting the Oracle
As the rooster sounded his alarm, Peter was the first
one up and making breakfast for the entire family. He was
so excited to meet with the Oracle, but his parents
weren't. They never let Peter see the fear on their faces,
and went about their morning as usual.
Sam was out in the plantation talking to the workers,
letting them know that they might be gone for a long time.
He told them he would sign his will over to one of his
trusted workers and his family. He and the worker he picked
began to debate back and forth about taking over his land.
The worker told him that he was a poor Negro, and no
colored man had ever owned anything this successful without
being hung. Still, Sam insisted.
He gave his worker, Mr. Jones, a bag of magical seeds
and told him to spread them along the property line and he
would be protected. Sam let Mr. Jones know that he chose
him because he was one of the workers who was always
truthful, fair and honest with everyone. Though Mr. Jones
was afraid, he took the bag of seeds and hid them in his
pocket.
Sam patted Mr. Jones on the shoulder and let him know
that everything would be all right, and that he would be
watching. As Sam finished his business affairs, he went
into the house where his wife and Peter were waiting on him
to eat breakfast.
No one said a word. Reality was finally setting in on
what they were about to do. Everyone took deep breaths and
began to eat very slowly. Finally, Peter started a
conversation and asked his parents what to say to the
Oracle.
Sam replied, "Don't say anything until you're asked."
As breakfast finished, Sam began moving things around
the house telepathically. Socks were flying through the
air, and even Jane's underwear got caught on the lamp
shade! She was so embarrassed; she jumped up and snatched
them off the shade with a smirky grin at her husband.
Once Sam got everything packed, they walked around the
house touching and feeling everything they would miss, but
Peter didn’t. He was so excited that he could hardly wait
to leave. He began to pull his parents by the hand urging
them to leave, but they were filled with so much emotion,
they had to take a seat.
As they were saying their goodbyes, Peter was already
in the wagon ready to go. After a long time of waiting, he
yelled from the wagon, "Come on!"
Then the door slowly opened and his parents walked
out. Peter could tell Jane had been crying. Her eyes were
puffy and swollen; her nose was red and her face was
disheveled.
They jumped into the wagon and said goodbye to their
workers. Sam pulled Mr. Jones aside and told him to never
let anyone know that he had gone, and if anyone asked, to
tell them that he had some business in Paris he was taking
care of. Mr. Jones nodded, and they were on their way.
They made sure not to look back at the home and
friends they were leaving behind to go to an uncertain
place where they might no longer be welcome. The carriage
ride was long and hot. Everyone was sweating.
"Are we there yet?" Peter asked.
"Soon, son," his father replied.
As the Carrot-Tops left their plantation, they were
hailed and greeted by all the people of the town. Sam was
sad to leave his home, but what he was doing was for his
family, not for himself. Suddenly the carriage turned off a
dark road.
It was so pitch black Peter became afraid and yelled
out for his father, "Father!"
"It's okay," Sam replied, letting his son know that he
was right there with him.
Then there was light again, a big burst of brightness.
It was so bright they could hardly keep their eyes open.
Then it went dim, and Sam told Peter and Jane to get out of
the wagon, and to follow him closely, out of the bright
light.
There was a beautiful forest like nothing Peter had
ever seen before -- the plants were moving and talking.
Peter was startled for a minute but then regained his
composure.
"Good day!" yelled the plants.
Peter stopped to inquire about the plants, but his
mother pulled his hands away telling Peter that they had
important work to do. Even the animals in the forest were
glad to see visitors.
Then a rabbit the size of a wagon came up to Sam and
shouted, "Well, well, well! The traitor is back!" with a
smirk on his face.
"You're gonna get it now!" a squirrel replied.
Sam did not let it bother him. He kept walking to his
destination, but Peter was amazed at the beauty and wonder
of the forest.
"Pay them no mind, Peter. They all were once our
friends," Jane said, but Peter was not listening. He was
too in tune with the singing waterfall.
He watched as the waterfall turned into different
shapes, from a woman, to a dog, to a big roaring lion. This
was all exciting to him.
"Where are we?" Peter asked his father.
"This is the portal to Baja" Sam replied.
"We're moving on,” said Jane.
Peter replied, "I am so excited to see home, somewhere
that I fit in."
As they walked the long forest pathway, there was a
cottage made of golden bricks and rubies, and birds flapped
their wings vigorously when they saw Peter and his family
coming. The tension in Sam's eyes showed fear as he came to
the gate of the cottage. He hesitated to knock.
His hands began to sweat and shake out of control, so
Peter walked in front of him and knocked on the door.
Suddenly, the door opened, but there was no one to greet
them! They walked in quietly and stood in the middle of the
hallway.
"Oracle, it is I, Sam. I have brought my son to you
with a gift so powerful; it must be a sign from the elders."
Suddenly a burst of fire came from the chimney, and
swirled across the room knocking down Peter and his father.
"Why have you come back? You have brought nothing but shame
on our kind."
As Sam began to answer, a woman appeared in the form
of a snake with eight arms. Her fingers were covered with
gold and diamond rings that glistened in the light. She had
a crown on her head that was 9 feet tall, and in that crown
were souls crying to be free. They were in a wax-like
bubble.
The crown was made of gold and silver with
hieroglyphic writings on the top and sides. The oracle was
a 12-foot snake, dressed in the finest of linens. Her upper
body was human, and the lower body a snake with a huge tail
and a long rattler. Her fingernails were long and made of
ivory like an elephant's tusk, but the most irritating
thing was that she made this hissing noise that pierced
their eardrums.
But, oh, what a beautiful creature! Her skin was like
white flour. Her lips were like rose petals, and she had
the most adorable face they had ever seen.
Sam quickly bowed down to the Oracle, asking her to
hear him out. Jane did not bow down. She refused; telling
the Oracle that she knew Sam was set up and did nothing to
stop it, and now wanted to treat them like peasants.
The Oracle quickly threw a small fireball at Jane. She
quickly ducked her head and the fireball missed her face by
an inch! Peter quickly defended his mother and created a
massive hole in the center of the house where the Oracle
was standing.
Suddenly the Oracle fell down the hole, letting out a
hideous scream as she fell.
"Peter, what have you done? That was the Oracle!" said
Peter's father.
"Served her right!" shouted Jane.
Suddenly a hand came out of the darkness and the
Oracle crawled back to the top of the hole.
"What a powerful boy! I must speak with him," said the
Oracle.
"No! Only if you get us back into Baja," Jane replied.
The Oracle hesitated and said, "Very well, but you are
on your own once in Baja. You and your husband are hated by
many. They blame both of you for the fall and destruction
of Baja."
Then the Oracle went to Peter and told him to rise up
and say nothing. Suddenly he levitated off the ground and
floated toward the Oracle. As she placed Peter in her
oversized hands, she closed her eyes and saw into the
future. In her vision, Peter had a crown on his head. His
father and mother were old and gray, but they also had
crowns on their heads. The Oracle saw a great battle were
Peter defeated the evils that plagued Baja.
Suddenly, she opened her eyes and told the Carrot-Tops
that they must head straight to Baja right away.
"What is it?" Sam asked.
The Oracle told Sam that his child, Peter, was the
savior of Baja. Sam and Jane were in disbelief and began to
laugh and cry with joy.
"Our son has saved us!" They cried, and threw Peter in
the air and twirled him around in circles.
"Go now," said the Oracle. “I will make a way for you
to travel. Tell no one of this secret or his life will be
in danger.” The Oracle repeated it to Sam and Jane over and
over, until they got it in their heads. "Trust no one until
they have earned your trust!" shouted the Oracle and off
they went.
As they were leaving, the Oracle pointed the Carrot-
Tops toward the kitchen, where hot food was waiting for
them to carry on their long journey. The Oracle let them
know that they must walk on foot and only use the resources
of the forest. "Hurry along, Baja awaits you," the Oracle
replied over and over again until her voice slowly
disappeared.
Peter was very excited to go on an adventure. His feet
began to swing back and forth, and his eyes lit up with
excitement. Peter asked his father why was he so special.
Sam explained that after the eighth key was lost and
the elders could no longer stay awake, no child born would
be blessed with a gift, and in Baja everyone had gifts.
After the evil curse, no child born in Baja was blessed
with a gift or talent, and therefore Baja was at the mercy
of the evil dwellers.
“But then you came along, Peter.” Sam looked loving in
his son's eyes, “and all our fears and defeat seem to have
dissolved away.”
Sam went on to say that years had passed without a
child developing powers in Baja, and therefore there was no
one to fight the evil spirits that came upon the land. He
explained that Baja needed a new generation of fighters.
"So, yes, son; you are special,” Peter's father said,
as the Carrot-Tops walked through the forest.
It was a magnificent experience. The birds began to
fly overhead with their 10-foot wingspans and they sang,
"The prince is coming, the prince is coming."
Peter was in awe of the birds’ beauty. Their wings
were so long that he could see no end. Their tails curled
up like the locks in a Southern belle’s hair. Their
feathers were like a rainbow, every section of the birds
were a different color. They flew in lines of five, giving
shade to the Carrot-Tops.
On the ground, the flowers protruded out of the Earth
at least 20 feet tall. They dropped down big petals
covering the Carrot-Tops. Peter and his family just laughed
and indulged in all the attention. Sam looked at his wife
and told her how good it felt to be adored again, and how
great it felt to be going back home.
The flowers danced in a synchronized routine. One by
one they waltzed and turned. Their petals were so huge,
they looked like ballroom gowns. The flowers were so tall
that from way, way up above, they looked like humans
dancing.
"What a wonderful sight to see!" Jane said.
The forest animals now were so much more welcoming of
the Carrot-Tops than the first encounter, and they took
great care of the Carrot-Tops. Suddenly a turtle came by
and asked the Carrot-Tops if they wanted a ride. Peter
jumped up and said yes, and they climbed in.
The turtle shell was so big it was the size of a
wagon. The inside had carved-out windows; the seats were
made of the finest gold threads, and the floor was padded
with the softest cushions. It was like heaven. On the wall
of the shell was a picture of a young prince with bright
orange hair. Peter and his parents stared at it.
Rabbits came offering the family honey tea and
crumpets. Oh! The rabbits were so excited that they could
barely keep still to take the Carrot-Tops’ orders! Each one
kept asking, "Could this really be the boy king?"
They zipped back and forth, running with the highest
speed, bringing the family everything that they could
possibly cook. First were the tea and crumpets, then sweet
honey rolls. Next came roasted pig. Then they brought pork
chops, steak, shrimp, fish and so forth until Sam told them
lovingly to stop.
The poor rabbits were so out of breath that they
collapsed on the floor. The Carrot-Tops laughed
hysterically, until milk came out of their noses. Then the
rabbits joined in on the fun.
"Oh, yes! This is our royal family," one rabbit said
to another.
Peter looked out of the window and saw little elves
waving and getting their first sneak peek at the boy prince.
"I see the word has spread," Jane said to Sam.
"Yes, indeed, my dear. The word has spread," Sam said.
One of the elves came to the window and took out a
mirror device that glistened in the sun and captured a
picture of the family, and then he ran off. The device
mystified Peter. The handle was made of pure gold. It lit
up with secret codes and had writing Peter had never seen
before.
Peter could see himself in the image, but it was of
something or someone he did not know. The image showed a
young boy with a crown on his head, clothed in the finest
attire. Then it was gone.
"Oh, don't worry, Peter. You will get to see them
again," his mother said.
Peter was so mystified by the elves that he kept
looking for them out of the window, but they were gone. Sam
told his son that the forest of Baja was so mystical there
wasn't enough time in death to discover it all.
"Why are we dead?" Peter asked his parents.
His parents said that everyone dies, and moves on to
other worlds, according to their deeds on Earth. They said
no one knows how many levels there are to death, but to be
on a good aura, you must do good things before you move on.
Sam went on to tell Peter that sometimes worlds collide
causing a clash of auras; sometimes it's good and sometimes
it's bad.
"Is that what happened to you, Father?"
"Yes," replied Sam, "I got caught up in the power of
self and all the finer things that came with it. Because of
this, I was sent back to the living, never to see Baja
again."
Sam began to get teary-eyed, and Jane held his hand
tightly and rubbed his shoulders, letting him know it was
okay and they were on their way back home.
"Whatever you do, Peter, be a good person," said his
mother.
"I will," Peter replied.
Suddenly the turtle made an announcement that he would
be stopping for a rest, and Peter and his family could have
a stretch. When the ride came to a complete stop, Peter
jumped off, and his parents quickly followed.
There was a river made of dark chocolate next to them.
Peter began to drink and drink until he saw a tree that
produced strawberry cupcakes. He ran and plucked a few off,
until the tree began to talk and it startled Peter.
"Wellllllll hello," said the tree in a deep voice.
Peter was too afraid to talk. He clutched his cupcakes
and crawled back.
"Ha, ha, ha!" said the tree.
"Who are you?" Peter asked.
The tree told Peter he was just a tree, and it was his
pleasure to serve him. Suddenly the branches on the tree
turned into a face, one that was happy and jolly.
"I am so happy to be the first to serve the prince,"
the tree said in his husky voice.
Peter was amazed of all the wonders of the land great
and small, from the tiny ants that lined the dirt path
wearing their golden shoes on each leg, to the gigantic
pelicans in the sky that flew people from destination to
destination. It was such a wonderful sight to see a land of
milk and honey that dripped from the leaves of the trees.
Peter started to appreciate the world he was in. He really
felt like he belonged, there were no regrets in him going
there.
"Mother, Father! Come quick!" he called out.
Hs parents came running. Peter showed them the talking
tree and the ants with golden shoes.
They cracked wide grins. "Yes, son, we know all about
them. They are your family. Baja is your family," they both
said together.
The tree just let out a big laugh, "Ha! Ha! Ha!
Welcome to Baja, my Prince!"
Suddenly a horn sounded and the turtle let the Carrot-
Tops know that he was almost ready to get back on the road
again. Peter and his parents watched as the turtle got his
shell washed by two octopuses, and then polished and shined
by a herd of small spider monkeys.
"Oh, that feels good!" laughed the turtle, as the
monkeys polished under his belly.
Rats and rabbits brought fresh food. One by one, the
animals catered to the Carrot-Tops. Clean clothing and
sheets for the long trip were hauled back and forth. There
were five old lady rabbits taking the measurements of Peter
and his family. They measured the Carrot-Tops from head to
toe, back and forth. They went on, not saying a word; they
were busy in their duties.
Chapter 3
The Journey to Baja
Sam was so reluctant to accept his new clothing; he
had become very familiar with his overalls and old cap.
Jane just laughed.
"Oh, honey, you are so set in your ways!" Jane stated.
Peter was glad to have new clothing, even new clothing
made by a handful of rabbits.
As the turtle was on his last step of grooming, Peter
watched as grasshoppers brushed and cleaned the turtle’s
teeth. Soapy bubbles were splashing everywhere. Oh what fun
it was for Peter! A place where he finally belonged; and a
place he could really call home. The look of joy on his
mother's face meant so much to Peter.
Then a loud horn blew. It was time to load up and
leave. Back onboard, the Carrot-Tops were offered a fresh
hot bath. Jane fixed Peter's bath first. As she made it of
warm milk and bubbles, the bubbles began to sing to him as
they floated in the air.
Jane watched as her son had the time of his life
playing with the bubbles. Peter had so much fun that he
didn’t want to get out of the tub. After a long time of
trying to get him out, Jane took her bath, and then Sam
followed shortly after. After the family was all tidied up,
they were laced in the finest garments of gold silk and
Egyptian fabrics.
"Supper is ready," one of the mice called out to the
family.
But where could supper be? The inside of the turtle
did not seem big enough for rooms and dining. But on the
contrary, with the press of some golden symbols, the turtle
turned into a mystical palace. The family was instructed to
walk down a bright, colorful hallway, where the paintings
on the walls began to talk and say “Hi” to them as they
passed by. As Peter looked around in amazement, he laughed
as two pictures of old ladies gossiped about the new
arrivals; they pointed and stared.
As they came into the main dining area, a loud voice
sounded from the line of servants. "I am Victor Caercio. I
will be your main servant." But Victor was nothing more
than a bossy cat who thought he was the best chef in Baja.
With his Italian accent, he proceeded to tell the Carrot-
Tops they were dining on the finest of everything.
Jane laughed and told Victor, “This is too fancy.”
"Nonsense, my queen," said Victor. "You will get the
best of the best."
Jane smiled and let Victor do his job. With the snap
of his paws, he ordered the servants around. But, oh, what
a sight to see! They were twirling like a well-organized
team, one got the forks and spoons, another tied the
napkins, and another poured their drinks. What more could a
family want than to be pampered like kings and queens?
The night's meal was a rack of lamb roasted on red
scalloped potatoes, milk from the finest cow, and warm
dinner rolls with mouthwatering honey butter. As the
Carrot-Tops ate, a big screen suddenly appeared on the
wall. It took up the entire dinning area wall space.
"What is that, Father?" Peter asked inquisitively.
"Oh, they are the scenes of Baja," Sam answered.
The entire family watched the screen as images of Baja
were shown. There were temples of the elders covered in
gold and silver with code writing going up and down the
sides. The temples were so tall that they touched the
heavenly sky. Then there were flying pelicans that took
citizens about their daily work and play.
Peter was especially amazed when he saw a pelican
taking kids to school. The pelican was built like a large
vessel that held about 2,000 citizens. It was a gorgeous
bird with a tail long like a whip. A long strand of hair
protruded from the bird's head with colors of the rainbow,
and like all creation in Baja, it had symbols of code going
around its legs.
The huge bird had golden straps that ran across its
nose, and some type of tag that hung from its tail. The
kids on the pelican seemed to be having fun. Peter began to
daydream of the way he would have fun once he get there,
but no one was happier than Sam.
His orange hair began to stick up as if he had seen a
ghost. He walked in front of the screen and began to slowly
touch the images with his fingers. He stepped back in time
to when he was a boy and had his first school ride. Then
Sam broke down in tears.
Jane and Peter ran to his side telling him that it was
okay, and they were home now. Victor the cat ordered the
wait staff of mice to bring a chair. Quickly, they ran and
picked Sam up off the floor. He had fallen to his knees as
he reminisced about all the things he had lost. He clenched
his fists, and vowed to regain all of his losses and the
respect of the citizens of Baja. The wait staff of mice and
other animals slowly began to clap, one by one, until the
clapping could be heard loudly.
"My Lord, this is what we have been waiting for, for
you to come back and save us," proclaim Victor.
The Carrot-Tops regained their composure, and began to
eat their dinner again, but their eyes were fixed on the
magical screen. Peter continually watched the screen as the
food missed his mouth. The scenes he watched were of the
land and the people of Baja. How friendly and happy they
were. He watched as the kids slid down a long dinosaur's
tail and had lots of fun. The land of Baja was clearly a
fairy tale -- trees talked and walked, and children had
rocks for pets and took them for walks.
"I want a pet rock, Mother!" Peter shouted with
excitement.
"I will think about it," said Jane with a smile on her
face.
Baja was so unforgettable -- waterfalls that changed
colors, rivers and streams made out of milk and chocolate,
rabbits and animals that walked, talked and lived like
people. It was the one and only place Peter wanted to be.
"How much longer before we reach Baja?" Peter asked.
Jane replied, "One more day, son, and we're home."
Sam told Peter that Baja was a big place that was
constantly growing, and the more it grew, the longer it
took to reach home. He turned to Jane and noticed she was
very sad. He asked what was wrong, and she said she hadn't
seen her parents in years. She wondered what they would
think, and if they would accept her and her family.
Sam comforted Jane and said, “We will deal with one
thing at a time. Everything will be all right.”
As dinner was over, Victor the cat called to the wait
staff to bring forth Miguel. He was introduced as the
architect of Baja. With the stroke of his paintbrush and
pencil, he could make anything come to life. The Carrot-
Tops began to clap for Miguel. Gracefully, he accepted and
began to draw on the walls. He drew a small tiny dragon
with big black eyes. He graced the dragon with blue and
white skin, and his long tail had white fluffy fur at the
end. His ears pointed up to the ceiling. Peter was so
excited to see the magic of the pencil. When Miguel was
finishing drawing the dragon, it came to life and jumped
into Peter's hands.
Oh, how excited Peter was! "Can I keep it, Mother?" he
asked.
"Yes, you can. But remember, it is your responsibility
to take care of it," Jane replied.
Peter couldn't thank Miguel enough. Miguel was so
pleased and happy to serve the boy prince.
"I shall name it Dingo," said Peter, and Dingo ran
into Peter's hand. Before long, they were on the floor
playing. Dingo licked Peter with his purple and polka-dot
tongue and began to wag his thick dragon tail. It was like
Christmas morning to Peter.
Then Miguel came and sat by Jane with his pencil and
paper. He drew a large bouquet of singing flowers, and when
the last petal was drawn, the flowers came to life. The
bouquet popped off the artist's canvas and into Jane's
hands.
"What lovely flowers!" she said.
The minute Jane touched the flowers, they began to
grow. That was Jane's gift -- a green thumb for all things
in the garden. After the flowers grew to about four feet,
they began to sing the sweetest melody and put Jane to
sleep. She was at peace in a deep dream world.
Miguel then moved on to Sam. Sam said he didn't want
anything, but Miguel knew when not to listen. Suddenly,
Miguel began to draw, and it seemed to take forever. When
he was finally done, he motioned Sam to come over and see
his new gift.
As Sam came closer, he began to sigh. A beautiful
piano caught his eye. The piano was made out of tortoise
shell with hieroglyphic symbols on it. It also had jade and
gold, and there was no other piano like it in the entire
realm. Sam was excited and began to play. The keys were cut
ivory and the legs looked like lion’s claws. Sam played the
sweetest melody as everyone gathered around. Jane woke up
to the beautiful melody, and walked over to her husband as
he played his heart out.
"You never sounded better," Jane replied.
All the passengers of the ride listened intently as
Sam played for hours. His music was so hypnotizing, and the
sounds rolled off the keys like sap from a tree. When Sam
was done, the entire room began to clap. Even the turtle
that was transporting the family was impressed.
But, when Sam turned around, Miguel was gone. He
didn't have a chance to thank him. Victor the cat told Sam
Miguel's job was done and when his work was finished, he
liked to move on.
Now it was time for bed, and Victor showed Sam and his
family back to their rooms. These were rooms Miguel had
made for them before he left. First stop was Peter's room.
The room was huge with big oval mirrors that covered the
walls.
Peter ran and looked into one of the mirrors. He could
see different images. Some were scary, like a figure on a
dark hill. Peter tried to make out the face of the figure,
but a hat was hiding it. Peter watched in amazement as the
image in the mirror came closer. Sam ran over to the mirror
and threw a piece of cloth over it.
Sam told Peter, “Don't ever stare into the mirror for
long or it will capture your soul. You will become a ghost,
like what the living on Earth call a 'dead soul’.”
Sam warned Peter that some mirrors were dangerous to
look in, and if he got caught staring too long, he would
truly be dead. Sam then ordered Victor to remove the mirror
and cover the rest of them. Victor had the servants remodel
the room in a flash. The only thing Peter could see was the
view outside as the turtle ride took them to their
destination.
Peter's room had toys everywhere, from stuffed animals
to robots, but what he liked most was that he had his
friend Dingo with him. The room was painted in sugar paint
in all different designs and colors. The walls were sweet
to eat, or at least Dingo thought so, and he began chewing
on the edges of the wall.
"Time for bed," Peter's parents said.
He jumped into bed with Dingo. The bed was huge -- it
almost swallowed them up. The sheets were soft, and the
pillows were huge, including some that were body length.
After his night prayers, Peter was fast asleep in no time.
He'd had a long day.
Now it was time for Sam and Jane to go to bed. Like
Peter's room, theirs was huge, but it had no mirrors. It
was made up for royalty. It took 100 little mice to pull
the covers back and fluff their pillows. They put glasses
of warm milk by the Carrot-Tops' bedside and left, one by
one. The mice had looks of joy and determination in serving
their king and queen well.
On the side of Sam's bed lay a golden chest filled
with gold coins and precious gems. The glitter of the
diamonds from the light caught his eye. He went toward the
box and opened it. He ignored all the diamonds and gold and
reached for a book that lay in the bottom of the chest.
As he grabbed hold of it, it opened, and there on the
pages lay three passports to Baja, his, Jane's, and
Peter's. Sam was amazed to see the details in the
passports; everything was perfect, from their orange hair
to their clothing. It was as if someone or something was
expecting them in Baja.
The news had spread of their return, so Sam didn't
want to let his guard down. In the back of his mind, he
feared that someone would try to hurt Peter or worse,
kidnap him. After all, there had not been a miracle child
in 10 years, and only a handful of gifted children made it
without being cursed for life.
As Sam began to think about the image his son had seen
in the mirror, he became very scared. Sam was not taking
any chances. He immediately called for Victor the cat by
shaking the bell that was left on the side of their bed.
When Victor arrived in his nightgown and long stocking cap
hold a floating light, Sam asked him to have guards posted
at Peter's door.
"Very well," Victor said. He then brought Sam a deck
of royal cards. On them were different types of warriors.
"Choose one, two or three," Victor said to Sam, and so he
did. Sam walked with Victor to the hall so that Jane would
not wake up and become worried.
In the hallway, Sam shuffled the cards, and as he
shuffled in a fast motion, he could see the movements of
the warriors. There was a knight that was armored from head
to toe; he held a long silver sword. Then there was a
barbarian who was not only big in size but very powerful.
The last choice was a wizard dressed all in black that
disappeared and then reappeared on the card.
These were the three Sam chose to protect his son. One
by one, Sam said a spell, "Amenta, Labasa, Carmy," and the
individual warriors popped out of the cards. Sam needed not
say anything, they already knew their job. The three
warriors stood by Peter's bedroom door at attention. They
didn't move or blink, as they were steadfast in their
protection of the boy prince.
"You've still got it!" declared Victor.
Sam just let out a big laugh and told Victor good
night. As Victor went away, Sam glanced over his shoulder
to see if the warriors were still at attention at Peter's
door, and they were. They didn't move an inch or blink.
There was no way anyone could get in that room.
Sam went to bed and had many nightmares. It was like
whatever he dreamed came true. Sam dreamed of being kicked
out of Baja for good and being turned down by the elders.
Then his dreams switched and he saw himself and his family
being hanged to death and then burned.
He awoke in a panic and ran to Peter's room.
Everything was still safe; the warriors were still standing
guard. Sam took a deep breath and began to relax, as he
walked back to the room. He sat on the side of the bed,
nervous about arriving in Baja the next day.
"What will people say? How will they treat us?" Sam
talked out loud to himself.
All the commotion woke Jane up, and now both of them
were up and worrying.
Then a loud voice echoed from the walls of the turtle.
"I believe in you, Sam," the voice said.
Sam jumped up from the side of the bed. "Who are you?"
he asked.
“It is I, the turtle; are you enjoying your ride?"
Sam was a little startled, but went on to answer the
turtle anyway. Sam explained that he was very afraid of
returning to Baja and that he and his family were at risk
of disappointing the elders. The turtle comforted Sam and
Jane telling them not to worry, and that everything would
be okay.
“Besides,” he told them, “I will always be on your
side.”
Sam and Jane went over and kissed the turtle walls as
if they were kissing him. Then the two of them went off to
sleep. There were no more nightmares, and everyone was fast
asleep.
A giant alarm clock went off, waking up everyone on
the ride. The clock was so huge, the bang made the entire
ride shake back and forth. It had a big giant face and the
hands were made of diamonds. "Wake up, wake up!" the clock
shouted.
The servants jumped up, rushing to get breakfast ready
for their royal family. Jane and Sam jumped out of bed to
see what was going on. As Jane ran out of the room, and
into Peter's room, she was startled by the three watchers.
She ran back screaming through the hallway, and Sam came
out to meet her.
"It's okay, honey," Sam said to Jane. "They are just
here to protect Peter."
Jane's heart was beating so fast that she could not
say or do anything but nod her head. The three protectors
bowed down to Jane to show honor and respect. Sam explained
to Jane why he requested protection for Peter. Immediately,
Jane became worried. Sam assured her that everything was
going to be all right; even though he didn't believe it
himself.
Chapter 4
Return to Baja
Jane ran into the room where Peter was still fast
asleep through all the noise, and lying beside him was
Dingo. Jane smiled and gently touched her son's face. She
placed a kiss on his cheek, and then Peter opened his
pretty big blue eyes.
"What's wrong, Mother?" Peter asked.
"Oh, nothing," Jane replied. "It's just time to get up
and start our day.”
Peter jumped up with excitement. He told his mother he
couldn't wait to see Baja, and all his family. Jane had a
little bit of worry on her face, but she did not let Peter
see it.
He ran into the bathroom where he began to brush his
teeth. Then in came two mice with fresh towels and new
clothing for him. They never said a word, just went about
their duties.
As Peter was getting ready, Jane met back up with Sam.
She began to talk to him about how happy their son was and
that they needed to do anything and everything to clear
their names. Sam agreed, and off they went to get ready for
the next day.
Even though fresh new clothing was on their beds, the
family liked their old-style ones and kept their original
clothes. Needless to say, this pissed the servants off.
They ran and told Victor that the Carrot-Tops would not
wear their royal garments.
In came Victor, "Master Sam, you must dress like the
royal family."
Sam said, “Victor, my family doesn't need fancy
clothing to be royal.”
"Very well," said Victor as he cracked a snobbish grin.
One of the mice started crying; tears were flowing
everywhere.
"What's wrong?" Jane asked.
The mouse shied away and continued crying. Jane went
over and patted its little head.
The mouse crawled up in Jane's hand and asked, "Why
don't you like my tailored garments? I worked a long time
to make them fit right."
Jane wiped the mouse's tears and reassured him that it
was not his sewing, but that they liked a simple style of
clothing. The mouse calmed down as Jane gave him a big
kiss. As the mouse blushed, he slid right out of Jane's
hand.
"I have to watch out for such a handsome fella like
you. You might take my wife," Sam said playfully to the
mouse.
Everyone began laughing.
Jane called to Peter, and told him it was time to eat.
He and Dingo burst into the room, but the three watchers
caught his attention. "Wow!" he said as he looked at his
protectors.
He admired the wizard's hat and how the secret codes
on the hat glowed from bright to dim. Then he saw the
knight, covered in all silver armor from head to toe. The
same secret codes were visible all over his armor. Last,
Peter loved the barbarian and how big he was. The golden
leather belt that went around his waist also had codes that
glittered and glowed. He had golden coins melted into his
skin from head to toe. Peter had never seen coins like them
in his life.
He went over to the barbarian's foot and rubbed one of
the coins. Peter could feel a shockwave run up his hands as
he touched the coins. It was so powerful; it made his
orange hair stand up.
After a few moments of amazement, Peter went to
breakfast mumbling to his parent about the three
protectors. He could barely keep the food in his mouth.
"I thought you would like them," Sam said to Peter.
The Carrot-Tops continued eating their breakfast, but
Peter was in such a rush to see Baja; he ate very fast.
"Slow down," Jane said to Peter, but Peter was so
filled with excitement that he could hardly contain his
emotions.
As the ride stopped, Peter jumped up and headed to the
window with his face plastered to the glass. He sat there
and watched as people got on and off the ride. "Father,
Mother, come see!" he shouted.
As Jane and Sam came to the window, they saw so many
different people getting off and on the ride. They were
wondering where all the people came from. The ride was not
big enough to handle that many people, but in Baja, the
impossible was possible.
"Quickly," Victor the cat motioned to the Carrot-Tops.
As the Carrot-Top family came toward him, he let them know
that this was their stop and they must pack up quickly, so
that they would not miss their flight.
"So quickly?" Sam asked.
Victor just nodded and gave Sam their passports and
luggage.
Dingo came running into Peter's arms as he almost got
left behind. He gave Peter a big fat lick on the cheek.
Peter laughed as Dingo continually licked him all over his
face. Victor then threw Sam the deck of cards with the
three watchers to protect Peter. He told Sam never to lose
the box of cards because it could be a matter of life or
death.
"Wait right here, and the flight will pick you up,"
Victor said to the Carrot-Tops.
Nervousness spread on the faces of the family. They
waited on the platform patiently and waved good-bye to
Victor and the rest of the crew. They watched until the
turtle train was out of sight. It seemed to just disappear
like the wind.
As the turtle ride disappeared into the hills, a big
black shadow came over the platform where the Carrot-Top
family was standing. Everyone looked up. This creature had
a massive wingspan and had to weigh a ton.
"Look out!" someone said, as the creature came in for
a landing.
Peter and his family were so in awe of the creature
that they did not hear the warning alarm. A gentleman came
to their rescue, and pushed the family out of the way.
"Oh! Thank you so much," Sam said.
The man just smiled and walked away. Sam turned to
another couple on the platform to ask them if this was the
right stop. The couple nodded their heads and said, "Yes,
my lord."
"Oh stop, just call us the Carrot-Tops," Sam said, but
the people just bowed their heads in honor as the Carrot-
Tops passed by.
The massive creature was a bird of some sort with a
long purple beak and gold and white features. It also
displayed the codes and symbols of Baja. They glittered in
the sunlight.
The Carrot-Tops were so amazed that they could not
move. They became motionless with a surprised look on their
faces. Peter began walking up to the creature's side and
then up to his face. The creature's eyes met Peter's eyes.
"What a magnificent creature!" Peter mumbled to himself.
"Well, hi there," the creature said.
Peter was speechless. He ran his fingers on the side
of the creature's belly.
"Oh, that tickles!" it said.
Peter continued to rub and rub its belly; he was so
amazed to see something that size up close and personal.
Jane and Sam ran over, telling Peter to leave the
creature alone. The creature sat down with his legs under
its stomach. It carried a large cargo area on its back, it
looked like a floating city. There were buildings that
looked like castles; the walls were made of pure ivory,
inlaid with gold. There were long, pointed golden cones
that were towers where people stayed for long rides. The
sand outside the tower was pure black.
People inside watched as the sand revealed what it was
hiding -- huge, massive devil ray fish that jumped in and
out of the sand performing tricks for the guests. Then
there were 20-foot earthworms that were blue and red in
color that jumped out of the sand and did cannonballs and
twirled into the air.
Peter heard the people clapping and saw how much fun
they were having. He couldn't wait to see the inside.
People began to get off the ride; they had suitcases and
other knick-knacks. Some people were going off to work, and
it was like a coach stop. The Carrot-Tops just watched the
hustle and bustle of the people of Baja.
Almost everyone that went by bowed to the Carrot-Tops,
tilting their hats and extending their respect. The Carrot-
Tops weren't sure what to make of it, but they began to
accept their fate and played along with the citizens of
Baja. People were carrying all sorts of gifts and food; Sam
stopped a couple and asked what was going on.
One couple replied, "It is you, my Lord. Now we can
celebrate Royal Day."
"Royal Day?" Sam replied.
Yes, it was Royal Day. It had been 10 years of not
celebrating any holidays because of the curse Sam left on
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