2001-01-11: Child’s Play
As many of you have probably been reading in the headlines, there has been talk of a young girl named Sarielle and her unusual friend Shabti.
I traveled to the Moonglow Lycaeum in Trammel where the young girl was said to be staying with an old scribe named Anwar. I found the little girl playing checkers with her doll. Anwar was there reading a scroll and I asked him if it would be alright to query the girl on this Shabti and what was going on. He agreed. Below is the slightly edited transcript of my conversation with the young girl. She was quite enchanting, bright, and yet seemed innocent, especially in her comments on everyone being friends.
Lilia: Hello young lady. I’m Lilia Newsman. Would you mind if I asked you a few questions?
Sarielle: Nope, me no mind. Me Sarielle. Me like help. You ask.
Lilia: Thank you. I’ve read that you have a special friend named Shabti. Could you tell me how you met this person?
Sarielle: Me can do that. Me was helping clean old stinky book room when me found box all gross fall ‘part. Me was move it so me clean up and out fall shiny crystal and couple books. Was pretty, so me keep it. Me like book too, know they ‘portant sometime, so me save them. Rest in box all icky had throw ‘way. You like me toes? Kandy man give me petty cure, is all pretty now.
Lilia: Oh, yes, very nice. So what did you do with the crystal and books after you saved them from the garbage?
Sarielle: Me take crystal me room, put table, make pretty light. Me give book Anwar ‘cause me no able read. Words all funny no make sense. Anwar say them need translate, say him do it and say me when him done. Me go sleep that night, just talking crystal, no no have dolly Leshy then, and crystal talk me back! Me no lie, it talk me.
Lilia: I believe you, Sarielle. This voice from the crystal, who was it, what did they say?
Sarielle: Was Shabti talking me. Him someplace all lonely, no hear people talk long time. Say him me happy hear voice ‘gain. Me ‘cited have new friend, me have lots friends. All me meet is friends, nice people. So Shabti me talk each night. Him say me stories and me hear so so sad him voice. Me ask one night him come have dinner us. Him say no, no can get here. That when me figure him stuck! Him wise man, him smart, him teacher. If him no can get here, him must be stuck!
Lilia: I see your point. Have you figured out a way to help Shabti come visit you?
Sarielle: Yeppers! Was all in book Anwar ‘lated. ‘Nother person try help Shabti long long time ‘go. They no do it right. So me say meself, me need lots help, me want friend Shabti free. Is bad evil be slave, be stuck, so me going free him, but me know me need help. Go looking for all me friends and me visit diff’nt places with magic rocks.
Lilia: Magic rocks?
Sarielle: Yeppers. Like this one. (The child pointed to a recall rune at this point)
Lilia: Ah, yes, forgive me. So you went looking for people to help you with getting Shabti free. Did they all just decide to help you or was there some trouble?
Sarielle: Them all want help me. Them all say they me friend. Me go diff’nt places, even go other side, though that tricky hard do an’ me get tired fast fast when me go over. Got lots people all want talk Shabti too, so me say them come me house here and talk you Shabti. So they come, talk him and all say they help me.
Lilia: I understand that you have lots of friends, many of whom do not necessarily get along with each other. Is this true?
Sarielle: Oh they all friends too. See, me is friend them, so they is friend each other too, yes? They all show them teeth each other, smile lil funny, squeeze each other hand like grown up do. Ku man and Spart’cus say me should be careful, no so trust all people, but all people nice me, so them good, yes? Callista mean me and evil was she, dead now. So they all nice me make them good. Kandy man say me should always stay me pink room at black temple ‘cause the can ‘tect me good there. One time bad man come try make me go him, they stop bad man. Him was evil.
Lilia: I see. So they all get along at least, for your sake. Have you found a way to free Shabti yet?
Sarielle: Yeppers, mostly. We got ‘lated books with list inside. Haf get all things and take elder grove. Gots have summoner and conduit, that me! And have all list things in big box so open portal we can. Trin going be summoner me think. Me think them say grove is bunch funny trees near Helper home. Him live with Heart Lady Zmala. They in love, you know this?
Lilia: No, I didn’t, thank you for telling me. So the plan then is to free Shabti through some ceremony at the elder grove?
Sarielle: Yeppers, is what we going do. Be lots people there me hope. We all going meet me house Friday, take magic rock get there. Me help Shabti be free, just like TUR friends help me be free Callista. Then me no be evil child no more ‘cause me helpin’ others and being friend all time everyone. You want play checkers me?
I stayed and played a game of checkers with the child and then gave both her and Anwar my thanks for their time. In this reporters opinion, there is something special about this young girl. She seems to radiate magic and yet is either innocent or na’ve. She has certainly attracted a lot of attention from various groups, half of which are known for their distrust or out right hatred of each other. In the short time we spoke, I felt inclined to help the young lady in her desire to free Shabti. I can only imagine she has that effect on everyone around her.
I leave it to wiser minds than my own on whether or not it is wisdom or folly to follow where this girl child is leading. It is my hope that this Shabti is as beneficent as Sarielle believes. In either case, we should know soon whether or not this young lady has succeeded in freeing her friend or not.
