Stories from the Tea Realms - Surreal Ghosts

Once upon a time, or so the Mystics claim, a Tea Traveller named Lyn got lost in a forest. Perhaps it was because Lyn had never seen a forest before, seeing as how she was from a town that overlooked the ocean, but that's another matter. As she walked along a path, she noticed a small blue flower on the side that seemed to shiver. She stopped to admire the flower, then bent down to touch it. When she straightened again, she found herself in a dense forest and the flower had disappeared. As first, she smiled as she looked around, only to frown when she noticed that the trees seemed to move and change their positions around her. They waved their leafy branches at her, as though they welcomed her to their domain. Lyn chose a direction and walked on, but not before the trees moved even faster around her. One of the smaller trees actually took her satchel and "ran" off with it, giving her enough of a reason to follow it.

The other trees moved out of the way as the young tree ran with the Tea Traveller after it. Finally, the tree stopped, then turned to see if Lyn was behind it. Lyn slowed down to catch her breath then said - Well now, may I please have my bag back? I don't think you want what's inside. The tree shook its leaves then laid the satchel on the ground. As Lyn reached out to pick it up, she heard a deep voice ask - Good, you're here now. Lyn stood up to find a man dressed in a tattered black suit with a green apple for a head. The man bowed before her then stated - Come and join us - then turned and walked toward a large table with chairs and many cakes on top. Lyn smiled widely as she approached the table; a perfect setting for my Teas, she replied to the apple man. Just then, others began to slowly appear in their chairs: a woman dressed in a purple dress with a one large blue eye and one small yellow eye on her face, two men who appeared to be twins dressed in white suits with coloured puzzles for faces, an older woman wearing a half moon mask while her long grey hair draped around her shoulders, and many others.

Lyn pulled out her teapot and several Teas, causing everyone to turn in her direction. At last, the man with the apple head said, we finally have a Tea Traveller with us. We've heard of your kind, the man said to Lyn, and so we welcome you. Lyn bowed low then began to prepare her Tea while everyone fell into soft conversations. At one point, the woman with the moon mask asked Lyn if she ever drank a moonbeam, to which Lyn replied that she did but it left a strange aftertaste. The twin men began to juggle their cakes, passing them back and forth between them before eating them. Lyn then served her Tea to everyone; when she reached the apple man, she asked him - Tell me, what is this place? In all of my travels, I've never seen such a sight. The apple man chuckled as he sipped his Tea then replied - we are the Surreal Ghosts. We linger between here and there, this and that, above and below. We are the discarded works of those who create. When they paint, or draw, or sculpt, we are born.

Lyn looked up at the trees that now moved in a bit closer to give shade, then continued serving her Tea. When everyone had a cup, she sat down and ate a small violet coloured cake that tasted like cotton candy. As the sun set, the trees began to emit soft glowing lights from their leaves. At one point, someone began to play a violin, to which everyone including Lyn got up and began to dance. The apple man took Lyn in his arms and did a slow waltz. They danced and danced and danced some more, then everyone fell into their chairs with much laughter. Lyn wiped the tears from her eyes as she laughed, then noticed a small blue flower by her chair. She bent down to touch it, then looked up and noticed that she had returned to the path. She looked around wildly for the forest, the people, the cakes, and the apple man. Nothing but the path. Lyn smiled as she tugged on her satchel then walked on, knowing that the Surreal Ghosts watched her.