The story continues darkly, but even in the depths of her weakening, and even though she knows the doctors cannot cure her, little Karen knows in her heart that she can cure herself.

Scene 15: Karen Wastes Away

As the week passed, Karen became too infirm to walk without the crutch. Her mother left Kitten’s favorite foods on the bedside table—warm rice with butter melting on it, greenish yellow bananas, toasted rye or Challah bread, or Kitten’s favorite—a poppy-seed bagel with an eighth of an inch of lox and a quarter inch of cream cheese—but Karen did not eat.

Karen tried reading and watching TV to pass the time, but her mind refused these distractions. She was completely focused on Pegasus and on her own failing strength. Yet, even though the situation appeared grim and hopeless to her, she knew deep inside that this was only a passing appearance—an illusion. Eventually she would see the truth. A feeling grew in her heart that the problem with her legs was not medical. The doctors could not cure her. She would have to cure herself. She would have to rescue Pegasus, too, but she could not see how she could do either, not yet.

©2021, Karen Lynn-Chlup. All rights reserved.