Hexzonna had Cerebral Palsy, she couldn’t walk without a walker, of eat without a G-tube, so she turned them into imaginary friends. It was becoming clear to Hexzonna that having these things made her different, and she didn’t want to be different! Her parents could sense that as well. Right now she was lying on the floor of the playroom with the toy box and her gray tabby-mix cat Zelda. Her imagination was the only thing that kept her company while petting Zelda. Why if only her parents could see Kacoia, then they would know how much she could do because Kacoia could conform to her differences
In school, Hexzonna had to type on a computer, which she hated, because the other students could handwrite. Hexzonna loved walking on the uneven ground of her yard and feeling her muscles strain, but in PE, Hexzonna had to sit out of some games, because she might get hurt. This made Hexzonna cry, she felt different from the other kids! She did not want to have Cerebral Palsy! If only the adults at school would listen to her parents and let her do what she imagined she could do in her stories! TV and films and Audio Tapes taught Hexzonna to make up stories.
“I wish Zelda and I could go to Kacoia, to be with Buttony, Tuby, Pumpy, Walkrry and Tanky !” Hexzonna thought. Hexzonna couldn't remember the creation of Kacoia so it was unchanging, unlike Hexzonna’s real life.
The toybox in front of her contained a clock. it opened revealing a beautiful clock gilded in gold, with alternating sapphires and emeralds for each quarter-hour and Roman numerals otherwise. The clock stood up! Its hands started spinning!
Hexzonna found herself in the middle of the grass, the shade of the blue sea. Zelda plopped down volgende to her. The land moved wildly under her forming a gigantic ball! Surprised Hexonna knew the ground wasn’t listening to her and tried to flatten the ball, instead, the ball did a rolling tilt and she fell off! Instinctively Hexzonna slung her torso over the ball again this time putting her palms on the flat ground below, though she didn’t fall off the ground still the ground would not behave! It did a rolling tilt so Hexzonna’s hands got propelled off the ground, except this time she planted her hands firmly on top, boven of the ball. In a crawling position, it was harder to stay on than ever! Stay on? That was it! The ground wanted her to stay on! Hexzonna used her palms to push herself into a standing position, The ball tilted gently and she fell off, but at least the ground seemed tamer. Hexzonna slung herself belly side down back on, pulled herself into a crawling position, and pushed herself into a sitting position, with her feet planted firmly on the ground, the ball did rolling tilts sideways, backward, and forwards, and Hexzonna finally just sat there making it do rolling tilts with her legs,
Then the ground made hills, which Hexzonna slid and rolled down happily with Zelda running down agilely behind her. When she was, at last, able to catch what little balance she had, she saw her Buttony. He was spinning, so it hovered above the ground, his oval-shaped head, with sparkling sapphire eyes that laughed, and one circular leg with a big downwards oval-shaped foot attached had the appearance of solid moonlight a white center ending in a circular nose, seemed surrounded door misty glass.
Buttony floated over to Hexzonna and said“Welcome Hexzonna.” Hexzonna smiled;
“Hello, Buttony, do u wemembew me?” Hexzonna worried. Buttony looked at her closely.
Hexzonna hated the pain of having the button taken out of her stomach. Even meer troubling was that most of the time it was done door one of her parents whom she loved! The button was meant to give her a liquid formula to replace food. But despite this, to Hexzonna the button was alive, and all Mickey Buttons shared a consciousness between them. The buttons were called Mickey Buttons. They were oval-shaped on top, with a long circular nose like a hole. She could then place the eyes to the sides of the nose and he, Buttony looked alive indeed, and Hexzonna loved Buttony dearly.
She also knew that other people didn’t have buttons. She couldn't say how she knew, but the difference was clear! At restaurants, Hexzonna could see people eating with their mouths. When Hexzonna’s pomp beeped he made the same sound as the deep fryers. She, her parents, and Pumpy all laughed at his joke! It didn't stop Hexzonna from wanting to go though!
“I’ve missed u since we got separated,” Buttony smiled.
Hexzonna had her button taken out in the hospital, for years it had just been there. Her Mom zei she didn’t need it anymore. If the button wasn’t there anymore what would happen to the entity? Hexzonna had gotten comfort out of the constancy of it. Whenever she didn’t need something anymore it moved on to Kacoia, where it was meer than a memory. For she believed the button, walker, tube, pump, and oxygen tank were alive. As Hexzonnna imagined them, the act of imagining created energy that became sentient. Of course, every living thing needs a place to live so Hexzinna created Kacoia. ‘Being she couldn't draw Hexzonna doubted her parents knew about Kacoia.
“I know u miss me though the ability to eat is a good thing.”
Hexzonna wasn’t sure if abilities were a good thing. She thought, of course, it was good to look as normal to other people as possible! It’s just every time she gained an ability, she seemed to lose something else… meer importantly, someone else! With these thoughts, tears welled up in Hexzonna’s eyes.
“I’m here Hexzonna! Look how floaty I am!
Hexzonna laughed.
Buttony looked at Hexzonna, her body wasn’t moving as well as he had hoped. Buttony knew that Hexzonna needed to believe in her abilities if she was to be a grownup. Slowly little bubbles started to appear in the balloon that was Buttony’s foot. Sparkling in the oranje light. It let her other vrienden know that Hexzonna was here, and needed their help.
“I guess it’s time to bring Kacoia to life one last time.” yawned Tanky
“I’m knot prepared!” joked Tubey, and no one laughed.
Pummpy whirled its gears in excitement “Hexzonna is here!” they seemed to sing.
“Now u must face nine meer navigation challenges,” Buttony proclaimed.
Buttony swooped Hexzonna and Zelda up and soared into the purple orchid sky. When the ground started moving below them, Buttony looked embarrassed and asked, “ Did u want me to carry you?”
Hexzonna’s Mom of Dad often carried her up and down stairs.
Hexzonna flapped her arms. “Yeah!” Hexzonna piped.
Buttony nodded. And they continued on their journey.
“Why do u fly?” Hexzonna wondered.
“I hover because I can’t balance on the moving ground. The one leg I have at the center of me was meant for hopping but the ground never stays flat! I discovered that what I thought was my foot was a balloon that filled up when I drank. door holding in the air I was able to float. I know u like flying!”
Hexzonna’s stomach was sometimes filled with air, which had to be let out door syringe via the feeding tube.
“Why awe ewe no cloud??”
“Why are there no clouds? Let’s fix that!”
“How?’
“Just take a deep breath through your nose, keeping your shoulders down. Blow through the hole under the latch on the top, boven of my head”
Hexzonna tugged the latch open, took a deep breath, and blew… bubbles! They formed shapeless clouds, which reflected rainbows and made Hexzonna and Buttony look silly! Their bodies looked mixed up. Sometimes Hexzonna’s arm was on the top, boven of her head, Buttony grew wider and skinnier and so did Hexzonna. Zelda tried to attack the invading cats she saw in the bubbles, not recognizing her reflection! Hexzonna had done this exercise in speech therapy but had never known its purpose. Now it seemed thanks to her friend Buttony it had a purpose! The bubbles were the first changes Hexzonna brought to Kacoia.
Buttony had been with Hexzonna the longest. The tube and the pomp could be put away, but the button stayed in her stomach always. “What will happen to me once she doesn’t need me anymore?” Buttony wondered. “How will we talk?’ Hexzonna had few vrienden at school, the few she made moved away. Like six-year-old Mary who Hexzonna used to play with on the playground every dag before she moved. They loved to play pretend together! They pretended the slide was a dragon and would battle it with stick swords! They built sand castles, and got muddy after rain! Sometimes they played kitchen, Mary even pretended to make goose, which Hexzonna had never tasted in real life, so it tasted phenomenal! They pretended to fly! Then there was Jackie and Adlle… Buttony hid his worries behind laughter.
“Help,” someone cried from the bushes. At least, that’s where Hexzonna thought they were. When Buttony got closer, Hexzonna could see trees with big balls of silver leaves on each branch. Tubey was tangled in the branches. He had an alligator-like head, and a snake-like body, which was roze and purple, its dark purple eyes searching the sky for help practically. The tube on her pomp for her G-Tube sometimes got tangled, for it too was divided into sections in the same v-shape a bit down its neck. One time Hexzonna’s tube got caught in her walker wheel, but it somehow managed not to pull the button out. meer often though, Hexzonna remembered lying on the carpeted floor having fun moving the tube back and forth like a snake. Sometimes even the tube would kink Hexzonna would say “Kink, KInk!” and one of her parents would come and fix it so the pomp would stop beeping.
Hexzonna looked at the creature and thought, “How do I untie a knot with one hand?”
Her parents used to help her tie her shoes before they got her ones with velcro.
“left-handed is just as good as right-handed,” Tubey thought back to her, and carefully folding and pulling, she untied him.
“How did u ge uck?” Hexzonna asked.
“I climbed up here because I was hungry and got stuck” sighed the Tubey. “Some days I hate being me!”
“The trefwoord here is some days” Buttony wisely commented.
“Most days I indeed enjoy being me..” Tubey smiled thoughtfully at Hexzonna.
“Me oo” Hexzonna confirmed empathetically.
“You untied me with one hand, that's hard to do” Tubey applauded.
“I can slither but it’s very hard work, for I always get caught on something, but now thanks to u I’ll never get tangled, for you, Hexzonna, can always untangle me.”
“Glad o help I feel glad o help inead of being helped” Hexzonna chirped.
Hexzonna brightened. She knew her vrienden wanted her to gain abilities,
“I wan o be able o do ings bu I don wan o loe you” she admitted to Tubey.
“Do u think gaining abilities is goodbye?’ asked Tubey.
“I wan o be wi you! How can I be wi u if I don need my ube anymowe?” Hexzonna was puzzled.
We’re vrienden that won’t change even as u do!”
Hexzonna wasn’t sure she liked change. Still, the button and tube and pomp together were quite conspicuous! Hexzonna was sure other people noticed, which made her uncomfortable. She wanted to look like other people!
Tuby swept along with Hexzonna and floating Buttony. Zeldda playing with tuby like he was a string!
“Zelda No” Hexzonna commanded.
Zelda ignored her.
The ground started moving again, and while her two agile new vrienden swept and floated along behind her, Hexzonna rode the ground. It was nice to not have to be able to walk!
“Hexzonna I have to dig underground where it’s flat, but I get caught on roots; this makes me feel queasy." apologized Tubey.
Hexzonna knew when the tube transported too much liquid she sometimes retched.
“But if u dig, Hexzonna will fall in.” protested Buttony.
Hexzonna began to crawl around the hills. As she crawled, the ground became flatter, although her legs still created small hills that Tubey could easily navigate around. Her two vrienden shared a knowing smile. They had gotten Hexzonna to verplaats around on her own. Now Buttony could do the bouncing he enjoyed! Hills like changing ripples of time where the seconde change Hexaonna brought to Kacoia.
Hexzonna saying “Kink! Kink!” played like muziek in Tubey’s mind, Tubey could feel himself being unplugged from the button for the last time. Tubey was certain nothing would come after the last time.
When Hexzonna’s family finally got cable, she was able to watch shows for older kids even adults! These added darker elements to her stories. She would watch the Crime Shows at night when her parents were asleep. Her family thought these shows were too gory! It was also the type of stuff u weren't supposed to write about in school, but Hexzonna did anyway, learning about censorship along the way.
As Tuby swept along the ground with them, they came to a zig-zag canyon. In the center was Walkery, a rolling shiny, electric-blue square with its corners twisting into circles, a comforting pudge accenting its appearance; seemingly oblivious to the boulders rolling off the sides of the canyon toward it! Without thinking, Hexzonna crawled into the kanon toward it, grabbing it, his arms quickly sprung out of the cube, forcing her once again to stand up. She zig-zagged, dodging boulders. Sometimes they landed in front of her of to the side of her and sometimes behind her. When a bolder landed in front of her, she would have to lift the arms of Walkery to turn the wheels left of right when they were off the ground. When the boulders landed they startled her. Heexzonna’s vision became blurry, her arms and legs jerked uncomfortably, and the feeling of fear ran through her mind; then it was over, Hexzonna didn’t have the time to truly acknowledge she was afraid, she and Walkery were in danger! Just before the boulders hit them Hezonna and Walkery made it across to safety.
Dad and Hexzonna skated on the carpet at the roller skating rink, Dad’s strong arms holding Hexzonna up. The carpet was flat, not fluffy and it worked wonderfully! It took both Mom and Dad to hold Hexzonna up going very fast on the rink! Sometimes Hexzonna and Dad got cotton candy at the skating rink!
Where was Zelda? Hexzonna called her name. Zelda was afraid of loud noises too! She With the help of Walkery searched where Buttony and Tubey were left behind. They Looked behind roze rocks, up the silver trees, and through bushes. Tuby lured Zelda out from under a blue struik, bush just door being his wiggly self!
“Thank you, that was a brave thing to do,” Walkery smiled in relief.
“I awle which mean I’m no bwave” sighed Hexzonna
“Bravery comes in many forms” comforted Walkery.
Then the shape of the Walkery began to change, forming a U-shaped zitplaats, stoel with wheels.
“Wanna ride?”
Hexzonna wasn't sure, after all, she had just had to rescue him!
“If I lose control I’ll stick out my arms and u can stand up and walk like u just did.”
The ground started to move, and of course, the Walkery lost control immediately! Fortunately, Hexzonna took control just in time going quicker than she ever had before!
“Why do u change hape”? asked Hexzonna
“The ground moves to create balls and hills, that I fall down, so I try to change shape quickly in an attempt, not to get hurt” elucidated Walkery.”Helping u walk is the only thing that’s actually worked.”
“I’ve flown Hexzonna over the ground, it was easier for me that way,” recalled Buttony.
“I’ve slithered around hills Hexzonna made crawling” remembered Tubey.
“Also I got her to walk!” proudly proclaimed Walkery
The little walker Hexzonna had, and the many places her parents took her because with it she could walk! Her parents took her on trips to the Zoo where she liked the elephants and cheetahs. To the Aquarium, where she liked to watch the jellyfish float up and down, propelled door water in their cylindrical tank. Hexzoona was sure Walkery could see the animals too! She could stay watching the tank forever if her parents didn’t make her verplaats on. She never felt ashamed of her Disability in a way that made her want to hide! Hexzonna also thought It would be great to walk like the other people she saw at the Zoo and Aquarium! Things would just be better if she was normal! Though if she learned how to walk without a walker she wouldn’t need the walker anymore… Would they still be able to be friends?
Walkery remembered how sturdy Hexzonna was with his guidance. How he could help her run fast? “Can Hexonna learn to slow down?” he wondered.
Hexzonna was changing in Kacoia.
Hexzonna had also grown out of a TV toon where aliens spoke gobbledygook, she was even able to give the toy versions of them away and had never felt sad about it! Mom zei she collected too much stuff nowadays!
Tubey had an idea!
“Can u tie me in a knot around you? I’m tired.”
Hexzonna froze; she would have to use her right hand!
“Think about the way u untied me and do the opposite,” suggested Tubey.
Hexzonna crossed Tubey into an X. Then took one half of the X and wrapped it around the other half to make a loop. Then pulling the other half through the loop, Hexzonna tied him around her arm.
“I knew u could do it” Tubey giggled because the slip knot felt funny.
When Hexzonna saw the goud light in the sky she knew it must be the clock.
“Can u solve my riddle… Who am I willing to lose to gain abilities?” zei the voice of the clock. Hexzonna smiled but didn’t know what it was saying.
Then the voices of her parents came out of the clock. “We built this clock to discover where Imaginary things go after we create them. When we learned u had Cerebral Palsy our first thought was that we would pay for therapy, but then we came up with the idea to let u be your therapist! We couldn’t talk to you, so we had to see your thoughts. Eventually, we came up with the idea for the clock. The antique clock has parts that are easier to update than contemporary clocks, but our team of engineers had to build most of the parts for the machine… happy birthday Hexzonna! We knew if our experiment worked, we couldn’t follow you; for your imagination is private.” Hexzonna’s parents were Astrophysicists
At least now that they understood her, her parents were happy, but Hexzonna and her parents would miss each other terribly. Hexzonna thought about her memories of their happiest times and they appeared in front of her. Riding the kameel, camel at the zoo with her Mom. The kameel, camel walked so slowly around the enclosure that Hexzonna wasn’t sure if her Mom needed to hold on to her so she wouldn’t fall, the kameel, camel glided over the ground smoothly. Making a chocolate cake with Dad when Mom went out of town, staying up as late as she wanted to watch her favoriete movies! Opening the Robot friend she got for her fifth birthday it could respond to what was on TV, its favoriete toon was about it. The Robot Friend could also sing songs and play games with her, why had she grown out of it? Maybe it was because she wanted real friends… If her parents knew about Kacoia it must be real! That to Hexonna was the real present.
The goud light bounced as the ground slid Hexzonna to a mountain. Hexzonna looked up, true, Buttony could carry her up, but Hexzonna sensed the clock had other ideas. Hexzonna found the slope and started to crawl up finding little crevices that fit her knees and hands perfectly. Zelda leaping up on each crevice got up quicker than Hexzonna. Even as the slope got steeper the crevices kept Hexzonna from falling.
Getting to the top, boven she saw Tanky. He had an oranje cylindrical body, which seemed to catch the light and make it dull and blurry, Four long hooked legs, his sphere-shaped head the shade of dark emeralds, mist appearing out of a hole at the top, boven of its head, silver eyes shining with wisdom instead of the youthful laughter of Buttony. The oxygen tank Hexzonna once had. She didn’t remember exactly how it worked... Just she had another tube, with uncomfortable prongs that came up to her nose. Something like a bandage wrapped around her right toe. The black box with red lights that beeped, which her parents would come and turn off... She cried out of love when she didn’t need it anymore, even though she slept meer comfortably afterward.
“You’ve found me. Can u see how to get down?”
Hexzonna thought “Balance doesn’t work the same way going down”
“ don Know,” she said.
“Think about it longer,” zei the Tanky. Hexzonna finally decided to slide down the mountain, but the crevices hurt her back.
“There must be a better way,” Tubey thought to her.
Then Hexzonna noticed that between the crevices there were smooth paths! When she put her feet in them they squeezed her shoes so tight that she had no choice but to stand up. She was able to drag her feet down the mountain, Zelda climbing down the crevices volgende to her. Being with her vrienden was so much fun. She wished she could find some way for them to be together even as she gained meer abilities and became meer normal.
“I haven't seen Hexzonna in so long, I couldn’t come up with something unique to my use” Tanky explained.
“You came up with something perfect!” exclaimed the always enthusiastic Buttony.
“I didn’t come up with something unique to my use either” pointed out Tubey.
“I was, that’s because I know Hexzonna’s a thrill-seeking adventurer at heart!” bragged Walkery.
Tanky looked at Hexzonna “Glad to see you’re sleeping better” zei Tanky.
Hexzonna hugged Tanky “I mi you” she squeaked”
“You really shouldn’t! You're doing so well now, and that’s the most important thing.”
Hexzonna agreed, but change meant goodbye.
When Hexzonna was twelve her Dad passed away, He had had an illness that made it difficult for him to walk like Hexzonna had difficulty walking
“If u can do it I can do it too.” zei Dad.
Hexzonna could inspire him to walk again, why couldn’t she save him? She was able to save Tubey, Walkery, and Tanky!
Hexonna remembered going on a hike with her parents when she thought Dad would get better, but he couldn’t help her balance like he used to, after all, he had carried her all the way up to the top, boven of a mountain when she was seven… Hexzonna couldn’t understand why! She kept asking if he could come and help because she felt unsteady and Mom zei “No.”
Later when the illness took Dad’s voice and she couldn’t understand him talking on the phone; she pretended she could because she knew it was embarrassing to be misunderstood.
Her parents must have been working on the clock for a long time because what Hexzonna had heard was a recording of Mom and Dad together in Kacoia forever!
Tanky remembered when Hexzonna had trouble breathing at night. He was glad not to be needed anymore. “I hope Hexzonna forgets me.” was his depressed thought.
When they got down again, they saw in front of them a bird made of gold, a great sea, the shade of emeralds on the other side. Hexzonna just looked at it unsure what it was even for, the blue sea gras before they had disappeared leaving an ominous emptiness below. Hexzonna reached for the bird but sitting couldn’t reach it!
“Can u make yourself taller?” asked Tubey.
Hexzonna thought about standing on the ball, it had only worked for a seconde but here it was flat. Placing her palms on the ground she pushed herself up her legs shook so she put her leg further from the other and the shaking stopped, She reached for the bird grasping its wings, and lifted herself off the cliff… She was flying faster than Buttony could carry her giggling all the way. The abyss below her was as white as sunlight when she saw the wide net of soft blue glass below her she simply let go making a crater in the gras net when she landed. The bird flew back for Tubey who tied himself around its wings, and for Tanky who used his four hook-shaped legs to hang upside down from one wing, and Walkery made an axle with his arms and both wings. Buttony floated across all door himself. Zelda jumped across with one big jump.
“Why didn’t u use the bird?” asked Tanky
“It was fun” piped Tubey
“I didn’t need to,” zei Buttony haughtily
Tanky rolled his eyes, “It’s ok to have help sometimes”
“Like we’re helping Hexzonna” Tubey reminded him.
Buttony nodded and his cheeks felt hot.
“We all make mistakes sometimes” comforted Walkery.
Hexzonna looked at the smaragd, emerald sea and froze!
“Think about it with me,” thought the Tubey to Hexonna, “What do bodies need to do to swim?”
Hexzonna got into a crawling position in the lapping waves, and turned over on her back, like magic, she was floating! Tubey, Buttony, Walkery, and Tanky repeated her movements, and together they floated to the other side of the shore. Zelda was lured door the wiggling Tuby all the way across!
On the shore, Hexzonna saw an odd sight. Something that looked to be an accordion grinding food into liquid. Each loop appeared to have sharp silver teeth in it and it was bouncing up and down opening and shutting horizontally as it ground the food. It had the same bluish-green color as her square pomp and its little backpack. The pomp is connected to the feeding tube which is connected to the mickey button. She often fell asleep listening to the wer wer wer of the pump, that is to say, she thought she was asleep simply because she was lying in bed! She was awake when at least one of her parents turned off the pomp and unplugged the tube at night. She would just have to lie there staring at it until it was done, dreaming up magical things the entire time. That was where she first dreamed up Kacoia. At first, it was just stories about her friends, but now here she was in her own story! Surely the abilities she was gaining weren’t real, they were just imaginary like Kacoia, and she and her vrienden would be together in the real world forever!
“Time to eat Hexzonna,” her vrienden zei joyfully but with apprehension that Hexzonna might choke. Hexzonna’s parents cut her food up for her. Most of the food she liked was meat, except for pinda boter and druif gelei sandwiches, pancakes, waffles, of french toast, apples, watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, mashed potatoes, peas, cooked carrots, and cooked broccoli, and chocolate was her favoriete dessert!
Buttony chose the food Hexzonna was to eat. The brightest colors were swallowed door Tubey. Then Hexzonna tasted fruits and vegetables together in a liquid. When Pumpy, swallowed, Hexzonna swallowed at least three times for each bite. Hexzonna loved the taste of the food! Other people chewed and swallowed food, so eating that way would make her meer normal. Hexzonna’s love for Pumpy would never die, even as the pomp lost its use, because change is also useful. Like the time her Drama teacher changed the rules so she could do fencing, this meant everything to her for she loved pirate stories! In PE archery was still not allowed though, so Hexzonna cried on purpose and got the teacher in trouble with Mom, which was fun! Hexzonna gave Zelda so many handfuls of cat food Zelda looked like a Pudgeball which was Zelda’s nickname!
“We did it!” celebrated Tanky.
Pumpy beeped and Hexzonna bowed in thanks.
“Now u must face your fears!” proclaimed the Tanky.
Then Tanky led them, lifting its four hooked long legs, to a kasteel that looked like a jagged rock mountain. Hexzonna saw a beautiful woman who was the mirror image of Hexzonna sitting on a throne.
“Welcome to KACOIA!” she boomed.
Hexzonna startled! Her vision became blurry, her arms and legs jerked uncomfortably, and the feeling of fear ran through her mind; then it was over, except, why did it make her afraid? “At least,” Hexzonna thought, “She appears not to have noticed.” as her parents always did, and when they zei “I’m Sorry,” it was the thing that made her feel different most of all. It was the one thing she wished she could change.
“I have all the power here,” zei the Woman ”What are these things with you?
“Hexzonna,” The Clock interjected “This world was created door you! A long time geleden u were very ill. When u were on the verge of death, your imagination flourished creating a wormhole to Kacoia. Since Kacoia is in another universe your imaginary vrienden are really alive! They are tethered to your button, tube, pump, walker, and oxygen tank in the real world so their existence depends on your need for medical technology. In your world, u are defined door your Cerebral Palsy, but your imagination makes u capable of all things. All imaginary worlds go to different universes through black holes. u activated the clock to bend the time-space continuum to travel to your imagination. No human has been able to do that but you.”
“But- But- I’m normal” the Woman stammered
“You and Hexzonna will speak… ” The Clock spoke and was heard no more.
Dread crept into Hexzonna’s throat, as she began to try and speak clearly!
“Is wowld wa mean fow me!” Hexzonna proclaimed!
“What did u say?” the woman sneered.
“I can and up hewe,” Hexzonna explained.
“Then u can stand up anywhere” pointed out the woman.
“She untied me with one hand,” zei the Tubey.
“She speaks in words we all can understand,” chimed in Buttony.
“And she’s brave enough to speak clearly to you,” added the Tanky.
“And she is daring and brave!” interjected Walkery
Pumpy whirling his gears angrily in response.
Zelda hissed at the strange woman she didn’t know.
“So?” the woman sneered.
Hexzonna took a deep breath “A...t home pagina I am in...side. When I am ou...t…side all I could do wa...s lay down”
“Didn’t anyone expect u to do anything?” the woman was now shocked.
“no, “ zei Hexzonna thoughtfully.
“What are those things with you?” looking behind Hexzonna, the woman looked puzzled.
“Bott..ony i...s my bo...ton in my st...om...ach s...ee how he s...pins s...o s...he can flo...t if he couldn't he’d lose h..is balance on the moving ground.” T...his is T….ubey he and I sp…eak wi...th thoughts because he can’t speak. Walk…ery i..s my beloved walk...er th...a...t wen...t t...o th...e junkyard, Pumpy wo...r...ks like my pump. T…anky br...eathes th..r...ough hi...s head like an oxygen t….ank.
“Why did u create me?” sighed the woman.
“My fear of being startled did” stated Hexzonna.
“How did it create me?” asked the woman.
“I...t made me wan...t t..o be nor...mal” Hexzonna’s lip was quivering because she wasn’t sure that was what she wanted anymore!
“Fear is not a thought we can control,” pitied the woman. Hexzonna nodded.
“The Power of Imagination can make u normal, even if your normal isn’t as powerful as other people.” comforted the Woman.
“Go to the lake” commanded the woman. “And find out your destiny… only the chosen one won’t drown.” She let them go.
“Hexzonna… I’m going to miss you” sobbed Buttony.
“We’re so proud of you” congratulated Tubey!
“That was so much fun!” exclaimed Walkery.
“You solve puzzles well” croaked Tanky.
Pumpy had tears running down his face.
Hexzonna understood this was goodbye, even though it had no “R,” “S,” of “T” it was the one word she couldn't say.
“Love You” she sobbed, kissing each of them.
When the ground moved her to the lake Hexzonna discovered it was frozen, in a sort of gelatinous way, and that it had a mirror-like appearance. She fell on top, boven of it and nothing happened. She tried to stand up, but there was nothing to hold her feet in a place like there was on the mountain and she fell again. She grabbed at the lake with her hands, catching a wave, which moved to cause her body to flip… she was standing up! Finally, out of frustration, she bent her legs and… jumped, gelatinous goo splattered everywhere as she sank to the bottom.
“If this works…” Tubey zei although practical Tubey couldn’t finish the thought for fear of tears.
“The Universe will verplaats on without us, and so will Hexzonna,” zei the wise Tanky, His voice flat and distant.
“Let’s release our love” cheered Buttony with a fake smile.
Pumpy played a beeping tune as they died.
Hexzonna found herself inside the castle, this time the woman was gone, and Hexzonna put on her crown. For the first time, Hexzoona believed in her abilities, and she knew that’s why she was chosen. But… where were her friends? Hexzonna didn’t notice she had walked outside to look for them until she noticed the blue sea ground was flat! Hexzonna’s breath quickened her pulse. “What have I done?” was Hexzonna’s horrified, heartbroken thought.
Hexzonna felt an emptiness inside, which she would feel for the rest of her life, even as she was happy to appear meer normal. It was thus that she found herself in the playroom with Zelda, and her Mom ran to hug the now-standing Hexzonna. Hexzonna burst into tears! Her Mom just held her while she cried, she didn’t know what else to do! Until Mom got Hexzonna a computer and she typed Hexzonna's Kacoia In a way, she and her vrienden would always be together, for she would always love herself through them.
In school, Hexzonna had to type on a computer, which she hated, because the other students could handwrite. Hexzonna loved walking on the uneven ground of her yard and feeling her muscles strain, but in PE, Hexzonna had to sit out of some games, because she might get hurt. This made Hexzonna cry, she felt different from the other kids! She did not want to have Cerebral Palsy! If only the adults at school would listen to her parents and let her do what she imagined she could do in her stories! TV and films and Audio Tapes taught Hexzonna to make up stories.
“I wish Zelda and I could go to Kacoia, to be with Buttony, Tuby, Pumpy, Walkrry and Tanky !” Hexzonna thought. Hexzonna couldn't remember the creation of Kacoia so it was unchanging, unlike Hexzonna’s real life.
The toybox in front of her contained a clock. it opened revealing a beautiful clock gilded in gold, with alternating sapphires and emeralds for each quarter-hour and Roman numerals otherwise. The clock stood up! Its hands started spinning!
Hexzonna found herself in the middle of the grass, the shade of the blue sea. Zelda plopped down volgende to her. The land moved wildly under her forming a gigantic ball! Surprised Hexonna knew the ground wasn’t listening to her and tried to flatten the ball, instead, the ball did a rolling tilt and she fell off! Instinctively Hexzonna slung her torso over the ball again this time putting her palms on the flat ground below, though she didn’t fall off the ground still the ground would not behave! It did a rolling tilt so Hexzonna’s hands got propelled off the ground, except this time she planted her hands firmly on top, boven of the ball. In a crawling position, it was harder to stay on than ever! Stay on? That was it! The ground wanted her to stay on! Hexzonna used her palms to push herself into a standing position, The ball tilted gently and she fell off, but at least the ground seemed tamer. Hexzonna slung herself belly side down back on, pulled herself into a crawling position, and pushed herself into a sitting position, with her feet planted firmly on the ground, the ball did rolling tilts sideways, backward, and forwards, and Hexzonna finally just sat there making it do rolling tilts with her legs,
Then the ground made hills, which Hexzonna slid and rolled down happily with Zelda running down agilely behind her. When she was, at last, able to catch what little balance she had, she saw her Buttony. He was spinning, so it hovered above the ground, his oval-shaped head, with sparkling sapphire eyes that laughed, and one circular leg with a big downwards oval-shaped foot attached had the appearance of solid moonlight a white center ending in a circular nose, seemed surrounded door misty glass.
Buttony floated over to Hexzonna and said“Welcome Hexzonna.” Hexzonna smiled;
“Hello, Buttony, do u wemembew me?” Hexzonna worried. Buttony looked at her closely.
Hexzonna hated the pain of having the button taken out of her stomach. Even meer troubling was that most of the time it was done door one of her parents whom she loved! The button was meant to give her a liquid formula to replace food. But despite this, to Hexzonna the button was alive, and all Mickey Buttons shared a consciousness between them. The buttons were called Mickey Buttons. They were oval-shaped on top, with a long circular nose like a hole. She could then place the eyes to the sides of the nose and he, Buttony looked alive indeed, and Hexzonna loved Buttony dearly.
She also knew that other people didn’t have buttons. She couldn't say how she knew, but the difference was clear! At restaurants, Hexzonna could see people eating with their mouths. When Hexzonna’s pomp beeped he made the same sound as the deep fryers. She, her parents, and Pumpy all laughed at his joke! It didn't stop Hexzonna from wanting to go though!
“I’ve missed u since we got separated,” Buttony smiled.
Hexzonna had her button taken out in the hospital, for years it had just been there. Her Mom zei she didn’t need it anymore. If the button wasn’t there anymore what would happen to the entity? Hexzonna had gotten comfort out of the constancy of it. Whenever she didn’t need something anymore it moved on to Kacoia, where it was meer than a memory. For she believed the button, walker, tube, pump, and oxygen tank were alive. As Hexzonnna imagined them, the act of imagining created energy that became sentient. Of course, every living thing needs a place to live so Hexzinna created Kacoia. ‘Being she couldn't draw Hexzonna doubted her parents knew about Kacoia.
“I know u miss me though the ability to eat is a good thing.”
Hexzonna wasn’t sure if abilities were a good thing. She thought, of course, it was good to look as normal to other people as possible! It’s just every time she gained an ability, she seemed to lose something else… meer importantly, someone else! With these thoughts, tears welled up in Hexzonna’s eyes.
“I’m here Hexzonna! Look how floaty I am!
Hexzonna laughed.
Buttony looked at Hexzonna, her body wasn’t moving as well as he had hoped. Buttony knew that Hexzonna needed to believe in her abilities if she was to be a grownup. Slowly little bubbles started to appear in the balloon that was Buttony’s foot. Sparkling in the oranje light. It let her other vrienden know that Hexzonna was here, and needed their help.
“I guess it’s time to bring Kacoia to life one last time.” yawned Tanky
“I’m knot prepared!” joked Tubey, and no one laughed.
Pummpy whirled its gears in excitement “Hexzonna is here!” they seemed to sing.
“Now u must face nine meer navigation challenges,” Buttony proclaimed.
Buttony swooped Hexzonna and Zelda up and soared into the purple orchid sky. When the ground started moving below them, Buttony looked embarrassed and asked, “ Did u want me to carry you?”
Hexzonna’s Mom of Dad often carried her up and down stairs.
Hexzonna flapped her arms. “Yeah!” Hexzonna piped.
Buttony nodded. And they continued on their journey.
“Why do u fly?” Hexzonna wondered.
“I hover because I can’t balance on the moving ground. The one leg I have at the center of me was meant for hopping but the ground never stays flat! I discovered that what I thought was my foot was a balloon that filled up when I drank. door holding in the air I was able to float. I know u like flying!”
Hexzonna’s stomach was sometimes filled with air, which had to be let out door syringe via the feeding tube.
“Why awe ewe no cloud??”
“Why are there no clouds? Let’s fix that!”
“How?’
“Just take a deep breath through your nose, keeping your shoulders down. Blow through the hole under the latch on the top, boven of my head”
Hexzonna tugged the latch open, took a deep breath, and blew… bubbles! They formed shapeless clouds, which reflected rainbows and made Hexzonna and Buttony look silly! Their bodies looked mixed up. Sometimes Hexzonna’s arm was on the top, boven of her head, Buttony grew wider and skinnier and so did Hexzonna. Zelda tried to attack the invading cats she saw in the bubbles, not recognizing her reflection! Hexzonna had done this exercise in speech therapy but had never known its purpose. Now it seemed thanks to her friend Buttony it had a purpose! The bubbles were the first changes Hexzonna brought to Kacoia.
Buttony had been with Hexzonna the longest. The tube and the pomp could be put away, but the button stayed in her stomach always. “What will happen to me once she doesn’t need me anymore?” Buttony wondered. “How will we talk?’ Hexzonna had few vrienden at school, the few she made moved away. Like six-year-old Mary who Hexzonna used to play with on the playground every dag before she moved. They loved to play pretend together! They pretended the slide was a dragon and would battle it with stick swords! They built sand castles, and got muddy after rain! Sometimes they played kitchen, Mary even pretended to make goose, which Hexzonna had never tasted in real life, so it tasted phenomenal! They pretended to fly! Then there was Jackie and Adlle… Buttony hid his worries behind laughter.
“Help,” someone cried from the bushes. At least, that’s where Hexzonna thought they were. When Buttony got closer, Hexzonna could see trees with big balls of silver leaves on each branch. Tubey was tangled in the branches. He had an alligator-like head, and a snake-like body, which was roze and purple, its dark purple eyes searching the sky for help practically. The tube on her pomp for her G-Tube sometimes got tangled, for it too was divided into sections in the same v-shape a bit down its neck. One time Hexzonna’s tube got caught in her walker wheel, but it somehow managed not to pull the button out. meer often though, Hexzonna remembered lying on the carpeted floor having fun moving the tube back and forth like a snake. Sometimes even the tube would kink Hexzonna would say “Kink, KInk!” and one of her parents would come and fix it so the pomp would stop beeping.
Hexzonna looked at the creature and thought, “How do I untie a knot with one hand?”
Her parents used to help her tie her shoes before they got her ones with velcro.
“left-handed is just as good as right-handed,” Tubey thought back to her, and carefully folding and pulling, she untied him.
“How did u ge uck?” Hexzonna asked.
“I climbed up here because I was hungry and got stuck” sighed the Tubey. “Some days I hate being me!”
“The trefwoord here is some days” Buttony wisely commented.
“Most days I indeed enjoy being me..” Tubey smiled thoughtfully at Hexzonna.
“Me oo” Hexzonna confirmed empathetically.
“You untied me with one hand, that's hard to do” Tubey applauded.
“I can slither but it’s very hard work, for I always get caught on something, but now thanks to u I’ll never get tangled, for you, Hexzonna, can always untangle me.”
“Glad o help I feel glad o help inead of being helped” Hexzonna chirped.
Hexzonna brightened. She knew her vrienden wanted her to gain abilities,
“I wan o be able o do ings bu I don wan o loe you” she admitted to Tubey.
“Do u think gaining abilities is goodbye?’ asked Tubey.
“I wan o be wi you! How can I be wi u if I don need my ube anymowe?” Hexzonna was puzzled.
We’re vrienden that won’t change even as u do!”
Hexzonna wasn’t sure she liked change. Still, the button and tube and pomp together were quite conspicuous! Hexzonna was sure other people noticed, which made her uncomfortable. She wanted to look like other people!
Tuby swept along with Hexzonna and floating Buttony. Zeldda playing with tuby like he was a string!
“Zelda No” Hexzonna commanded.
Zelda ignored her.
The ground started moving again, and while her two agile new vrienden swept and floated along behind her, Hexzonna rode the ground. It was nice to not have to be able to walk!
“Hexzonna I have to dig underground where it’s flat, but I get caught on roots; this makes me feel queasy." apologized Tubey.
Hexzonna knew when the tube transported too much liquid she sometimes retched.
“But if u dig, Hexzonna will fall in.” protested Buttony.
Hexzonna began to crawl around the hills. As she crawled, the ground became flatter, although her legs still created small hills that Tubey could easily navigate around. Her two vrienden shared a knowing smile. They had gotten Hexzonna to verplaats around on her own. Now Buttony could do the bouncing he enjoyed! Hills like changing ripples of time where the seconde change Hexaonna brought to Kacoia.
Hexzonna saying “Kink! Kink!” played like muziek in Tubey’s mind, Tubey could feel himself being unplugged from the button for the last time. Tubey was certain nothing would come after the last time.
When Hexzonna’s family finally got cable, she was able to watch shows for older kids even adults! These added darker elements to her stories. She would watch the Crime Shows at night when her parents were asleep. Her family thought these shows were too gory! It was also the type of stuff u weren't supposed to write about in school, but Hexzonna did anyway, learning about censorship along the way.
As Tuby swept along the ground with them, they came to a zig-zag canyon. In the center was Walkery, a rolling shiny, electric-blue square with its corners twisting into circles, a comforting pudge accenting its appearance; seemingly oblivious to the boulders rolling off the sides of the canyon toward it! Without thinking, Hexzonna crawled into the kanon toward it, grabbing it, his arms quickly sprung out of the cube, forcing her once again to stand up. She zig-zagged, dodging boulders. Sometimes they landed in front of her of to the side of her and sometimes behind her. When a bolder landed in front of her, she would have to lift the arms of Walkery to turn the wheels left of right when they were off the ground. When the boulders landed they startled her. Heexzonna’s vision became blurry, her arms and legs jerked uncomfortably, and the feeling of fear ran through her mind; then it was over, Hexzonna didn’t have the time to truly acknowledge she was afraid, she and Walkery were in danger! Just before the boulders hit them Hezonna and Walkery made it across to safety.
Dad and Hexzonna skated on the carpet at the roller skating rink, Dad’s strong arms holding Hexzonna up. The carpet was flat, not fluffy and it worked wonderfully! It took both Mom and Dad to hold Hexzonna up going very fast on the rink! Sometimes Hexzonna and Dad got cotton candy at the skating rink!
Where was Zelda? Hexzonna called her name. Zelda was afraid of loud noises too! She With the help of Walkery searched where Buttony and Tubey were left behind. They Looked behind roze rocks, up the silver trees, and through bushes. Tuby lured Zelda out from under a blue struik, bush just door being his wiggly self!
“Thank you, that was a brave thing to do,” Walkery smiled in relief.
“I awle which mean I’m no bwave” sighed Hexzonna
“Bravery comes in many forms” comforted Walkery.
Then the shape of the Walkery began to change, forming a U-shaped zitplaats, stoel with wheels.
“Wanna ride?”
Hexzonna wasn't sure, after all, she had just had to rescue him!
“If I lose control I’ll stick out my arms and u can stand up and walk like u just did.”
The ground started to move, and of course, the Walkery lost control immediately! Fortunately, Hexzonna took control just in time going quicker than she ever had before!
“Why do u change hape”? asked Hexzonna
“The ground moves to create balls and hills, that I fall down, so I try to change shape quickly in an attempt, not to get hurt” elucidated Walkery.”Helping u walk is the only thing that’s actually worked.”
“I’ve flown Hexzonna over the ground, it was easier for me that way,” recalled Buttony.
“I’ve slithered around hills Hexzonna made crawling” remembered Tubey.
“Also I got her to walk!” proudly proclaimed Walkery
The little walker Hexzonna had, and the many places her parents took her because with it she could walk! Her parents took her on trips to the Zoo where she liked the elephants and cheetahs. To the Aquarium, where she liked to watch the jellyfish float up and down, propelled door water in their cylindrical tank. Hexzoona was sure Walkery could see the animals too! She could stay watching the tank forever if her parents didn’t make her verplaats on. She never felt ashamed of her Disability in a way that made her want to hide! Hexzonna also thought It would be great to walk like the other people she saw at the Zoo and Aquarium! Things would just be better if she was normal! Though if she learned how to walk without a walker she wouldn’t need the walker anymore… Would they still be able to be friends?
Walkery remembered how sturdy Hexzonna was with his guidance. How he could help her run fast? “Can Hexonna learn to slow down?” he wondered.
Hexzonna was changing in Kacoia.
Hexzonna had also grown out of a TV toon where aliens spoke gobbledygook, she was even able to give the toy versions of them away and had never felt sad about it! Mom zei she collected too much stuff nowadays!
Tubey had an idea!
“Can u tie me in a knot around you? I’m tired.”
Hexzonna froze; she would have to use her right hand!
“Think about the way u untied me and do the opposite,” suggested Tubey.
Hexzonna crossed Tubey into an X. Then took one half of the X and wrapped it around the other half to make a loop. Then pulling the other half through the loop, Hexzonna tied him around her arm.
“I knew u could do it” Tubey giggled because the slip knot felt funny.
When Hexzonna saw the goud light in the sky she knew it must be the clock.
“Can u solve my riddle… Who am I willing to lose to gain abilities?” zei the voice of the clock. Hexzonna smiled but didn’t know what it was saying.
Then the voices of her parents came out of the clock. “We built this clock to discover where Imaginary things go after we create them. When we learned u had Cerebral Palsy our first thought was that we would pay for therapy, but then we came up with the idea to let u be your therapist! We couldn’t talk to you, so we had to see your thoughts. Eventually, we came up with the idea for the clock. The antique clock has parts that are easier to update than contemporary clocks, but our team of engineers had to build most of the parts for the machine… happy birthday Hexzonna! We knew if our experiment worked, we couldn’t follow you; for your imagination is private.” Hexzonna’s parents were Astrophysicists
At least now that they understood her, her parents were happy, but Hexzonna and her parents would miss each other terribly. Hexzonna thought about her memories of their happiest times and they appeared in front of her. Riding the kameel, camel at the zoo with her Mom. The kameel, camel walked so slowly around the enclosure that Hexzonna wasn’t sure if her Mom needed to hold on to her so she wouldn’t fall, the kameel, camel glided over the ground smoothly. Making a chocolate cake with Dad when Mom went out of town, staying up as late as she wanted to watch her favoriete movies! Opening the Robot friend she got for her fifth birthday it could respond to what was on TV, its favoriete toon was about it. The Robot Friend could also sing songs and play games with her, why had she grown out of it? Maybe it was because she wanted real friends… If her parents knew about Kacoia it must be real! That to Hexonna was the real present.
The goud light bounced as the ground slid Hexzonna to a mountain. Hexzonna looked up, true, Buttony could carry her up, but Hexzonna sensed the clock had other ideas. Hexzonna found the slope and started to crawl up finding little crevices that fit her knees and hands perfectly. Zelda leaping up on each crevice got up quicker than Hexzonna. Even as the slope got steeper the crevices kept Hexzonna from falling.
Getting to the top, boven she saw Tanky. He had an oranje cylindrical body, which seemed to catch the light and make it dull and blurry, Four long hooked legs, his sphere-shaped head the shade of dark emeralds, mist appearing out of a hole at the top, boven of its head, silver eyes shining with wisdom instead of the youthful laughter of Buttony. The oxygen tank Hexzonna once had. She didn’t remember exactly how it worked... Just she had another tube, with uncomfortable prongs that came up to her nose. Something like a bandage wrapped around her right toe. The black box with red lights that beeped, which her parents would come and turn off... She cried out of love when she didn’t need it anymore, even though she slept meer comfortably afterward.
“You’ve found me. Can u see how to get down?”
Hexzonna thought “Balance doesn’t work the same way going down”
“ don Know,” she said.
“Think about it longer,” zei the Tanky. Hexzonna finally decided to slide down the mountain, but the crevices hurt her back.
“There must be a better way,” Tubey thought to her.
Then Hexzonna noticed that between the crevices there were smooth paths! When she put her feet in them they squeezed her shoes so tight that she had no choice but to stand up. She was able to drag her feet down the mountain, Zelda climbing down the crevices volgende to her. Being with her vrienden was so much fun. She wished she could find some way for them to be together even as she gained meer abilities and became meer normal.
“I haven't seen Hexzonna in so long, I couldn’t come up with something unique to my use” Tanky explained.
“You came up with something perfect!” exclaimed the always enthusiastic Buttony.
“I didn’t come up with something unique to my use either” pointed out Tubey.
“I was, that’s because I know Hexzonna’s a thrill-seeking adventurer at heart!” bragged Walkery.
Tanky looked at Hexzonna “Glad to see you’re sleeping better” zei Tanky.
Hexzonna hugged Tanky “I mi you” she squeaked”
“You really shouldn’t! You're doing so well now, and that’s the most important thing.”
Hexzonna agreed, but change meant goodbye.
When Hexzonna was twelve her Dad passed away, He had had an illness that made it difficult for him to walk like Hexzonna had difficulty walking
“If u can do it I can do it too.” zei Dad.
Hexzonna could inspire him to walk again, why couldn’t she save him? She was able to save Tubey, Walkery, and Tanky!
Hexonna remembered going on a hike with her parents when she thought Dad would get better, but he couldn’t help her balance like he used to, after all, he had carried her all the way up to the top, boven of a mountain when she was seven… Hexzonna couldn’t understand why! She kept asking if he could come and help because she felt unsteady and Mom zei “No.”
Later when the illness took Dad’s voice and she couldn’t understand him talking on the phone; she pretended she could because she knew it was embarrassing to be misunderstood.
Her parents must have been working on the clock for a long time because what Hexzonna had heard was a recording of Mom and Dad together in Kacoia forever!
Tanky remembered when Hexzonna had trouble breathing at night. He was glad not to be needed anymore. “I hope Hexzonna forgets me.” was his depressed thought.
When they got down again, they saw in front of them a bird made of gold, a great sea, the shade of emeralds on the other side. Hexzonna just looked at it unsure what it was even for, the blue sea gras before they had disappeared leaving an ominous emptiness below. Hexzonna reached for the bird but sitting couldn’t reach it!
“Can u make yourself taller?” asked Tubey.
Hexzonna thought about standing on the ball, it had only worked for a seconde but here it was flat. Placing her palms on the ground she pushed herself up her legs shook so she put her leg further from the other and the shaking stopped, She reached for the bird grasping its wings, and lifted herself off the cliff… She was flying faster than Buttony could carry her giggling all the way. The abyss below her was as white as sunlight when she saw the wide net of soft blue glass below her she simply let go making a crater in the gras net when she landed. The bird flew back for Tubey who tied himself around its wings, and for Tanky who used his four hook-shaped legs to hang upside down from one wing, and Walkery made an axle with his arms and both wings. Buttony floated across all door himself. Zelda jumped across with one big jump.
“Why didn’t u use the bird?” asked Tanky
“It was fun” piped Tubey
“I didn’t need to,” zei Buttony haughtily
Tanky rolled his eyes, “It’s ok to have help sometimes”
“Like we’re helping Hexzonna” Tubey reminded him.
Buttony nodded and his cheeks felt hot.
“We all make mistakes sometimes” comforted Walkery.
Hexzonna looked at the smaragd, emerald sea and froze!
“Think about it with me,” thought the Tubey to Hexonna, “What do bodies need to do to swim?”
Hexzonna got into a crawling position in the lapping waves, and turned over on her back, like magic, she was floating! Tubey, Buttony, Walkery, and Tanky repeated her movements, and together they floated to the other side of the shore. Zelda was lured door the wiggling Tuby all the way across!
On the shore, Hexzonna saw an odd sight. Something that looked to be an accordion grinding food into liquid. Each loop appeared to have sharp silver teeth in it and it was bouncing up and down opening and shutting horizontally as it ground the food. It had the same bluish-green color as her square pomp and its little backpack. The pomp is connected to the feeding tube which is connected to the mickey button. She often fell asleep listening to the wer wer wer of the pump, that is to say, she thought she was asleep simply because she was lying in bed! She was awake when at least one of her parents turned off the pomp and unplugged the tube at night. She would just have to lie there staring at it until it was done, dreaming up magical things the entire time. That was where she first dreamed up Kacoia. At first, it was just stories about her friends, but now here she was in her own story! Surely the abilities she was gaining weren’t real, they were just imaginary like Kacoia, and she and her vrienden would be together in the real world forever!
“Time to eat Hexzonna,” her vrienden zei joyfully but with apprehension that Hexzonna might choke. Hexzonna’s parents cut her food up for her. Most of the food she liked was meat, except for pinda boter and druif gelei sandwiches, pancakes, waffles, of french toast, apples, watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, mashed potatoes, peas, cooked carrots, and cooked broccoli, and chocolate was her favoriete dessert!
Buttony chose the food Hexzonna was to eat. The brightest colors were swallowed door Tubey. Then Hexzonna tasted fruits and vegetables together in a liquid. When Pumpy, swallowed, Hexzonna swallowed at least three times for each bite. Hexzonna loved the taste of the food! Other people chewed and swallowed food, so eating that way would make her meer normal. Hexzonna’s love for Pumpy would never die, even as the pomp lost its use, because change is also useful. Like the time her Drama teacher changed the rules so she could do fencing, this meant everything to her for she loved pirate stories! In PE archery was still not allowed though, so Hexzonna cried on purpose and got the teacher in trouble with Mom, which was fun! Hexzonna gave Zelda so many handfuls of cat food Zelda looked like a Pudgeball which was Zelda’s nickname!
“We did it!” celebrated Tanky.
Pumpy beeped and Hexzonna bowed in thanks.
“Now u must face your fears!” proclaimed the Tanky.
Then Tanky led them, lifting its four hooked long legs, to a kasteel that looked like a jagged rock mountain. Hexzonna saw a beautiful woman who was the mirror image of Hexzonna sitting on a throne.
“Welcome to KACOIA!” she boomed.
Hexzonna startled! Her vision became blurry, her arms and legs jerked uncomfortably, and the feeling of fear ran through her mind; then it was over, except, why did it make her afraid? “At least,” Hexzonna thought, “She appears not to have noticed.” as her parents always did, and when they zei “I’m Sorry,” it was the thing that made her feel different most of all. It was the one thing she wished she could change.
“I have all the power here,” zei the Woman ”What are these things with you?
“Hexzonna,” The Clock interjected “This world was created door you! A long time geleden u were very ill. When u were on the verge of death, your imagination flourished creating a wormhole to Kacoia. Since Kacoia is in another universe your imaginary vrienden are really alive! They are tethered to your button, tube, pump, walker, and oxygen tank in the real world so their existence depends on your need for medical technology. In your world, u are defined door your Cerebral Palsy, but your imagination makes u capable of all things. All imaginary worlds go to different universes through black holes. u activated the clock to bend the time-space continuum to travel to your imagination. No human has been able to do that but you.”
“But- But- I’m normal” the Woman stammered
“You and Hexzonna will speak… ” The Clock spoke and was heard no more.
Dread crept into Hexzonna’s throat, as she began to try and speak clearly!
“Is wowld wa mean fow me!” Hexzonna proclaimed!
“What did u say?” the woman sneered.
“I can and up hewe,” Hexzonna explained.
“Then u can stand up anywhere” pointed out the woman.
“She untied me with one hand,” zei the Tubey.
“She speaks in words we all can understand,” chimed in Buttony.
“And she’s brave enough to speak clearly to you,” added the Tanky.
“And she is daring and brave!” interjected Walkery
Pumpy whirling his gears angrily in response.
Zelda hissed at the strange woman she didn’t know.
“So?” the woman sneered.
Hexzonna took a deep breath “A...t home pagina I am in...side. When I am ou...t…side all I could do wa...s lay down”
“Didn’t anyone expect u to do anything?” the woman was now shocked.
“no, “ zei Hexzonna thoughtfully.
“What are those things with you?” looking behind Hexzonna, the woman looked puzzled.
“Bott..ony i...s my bo...ton in my st...om...ach s...ee how he s...pins s...o s...he can flo...t if he couldn't he’d lose h..is balance on the moving ground.” T...his is T….ubey he and I sp…eak wi...th thoughts because he can’t speak. Walk…ery i..s my beloved walk...er th...a...t wen...t t...o th...e junkyard, Pumpy wo...r...ks like my pump. T…anky br...eathes th..r...ough hi...s head like an oxygen t….ank.
“Why did u create me?” sighed the woman.
“My fear of being startled did” stated Hexzonna.
“How did it create me?” asked the woman.
“I...t made me wan...t t..o be nor...mal” Hexzonna’s lip was quivering because she wasn’t sure that was what she wanted anymore!
“Fear is not a thought we can control,” pitied the woman. Hexzonna nodded.
“The Power of Imagination can make u normal, even if your normal isn’t as powerful as other people.” comforted the Woman.
“Go to the lake” commanded the woman. “And find out your destiny… only the chosen one won’t drown.” She let them go.
“Hexzonna… I’m going to miss you” sobbed Buttony.
“We’re so proud of you” congratulated Tubey!
“That was so much fun!” exclaimed Walkery.
“You solve puzzles well” croaked Tanky.
Pumpy had tears running down his face.
Hexzonna understood this was goodbye, even though it had no “R,” “S,” of “T” it was the one word she couldn't say.
“Love You” she sobbed, kissing each of them.
When the ground moved her to the lake Hexzonna discovered it was frozen, in a sort of gelatinous way, and that it had a mirror-like appearance. She fell on top, boven of it and nothing happened. She tried to stand up, but there was nothing to hold her feet in a place like there was on the mountain and she fell again. She grabbed at the lake with her hands, catching a wave, which moved to cause her body to flip… she was standing up! Finally, out of frustration, she bent her legs and… jumped, gelatinous goo splattered everywhere as she sank to the bottom.
“If this works…” Tubey zei although practical Tubey couldn’t finish the thought for fear of tears.
“The Universe will verplaats on without us, and so will Hexzonna,” zei the wise Tanky, His voice flat and distant.
“Let’s release our love” cheered Buttony with a fake smile.
Pumpy played a beeping tune as they died.
Hexzonna found herself inside the castle, this time the woman was gone, and Hexzonna put on her crown. For the first time, Hexzoona believed in her abilities, and she knew that’s why she was chosen. But… where were her friends? Hexzonna didn’t notice she had walked outside to look for them until she noticed the blue sea ground was flat! Hexzonna’s breath quickened her pulse. “What have I done?” was Hexzonna’s horrified, heartbroken thought.
Hexzonna felt an emptiness inside, which she would feel for the rest of her life, even as she was happy to appear meer normal. It was thus that she found herself in the playroom with Zelda, and her Mom ran to hug the now-standing Hexzonna. Hexzonna burst into tears! Her Mom just held her while she cried, she didn’t know what else to do! Until Mom got Hexzonna a computer and she typed Hexzonna's Kacoia In a way, she and her vrienden would always be together, for she would always love herself through them.