Anita and Marvin | Story by Anand, Bangalore

Chapter 1- The Beach

It’s a bright sunny day at the Blue Lagoon Beach where Anita paddles in the waves, through laughter of children building their sandcastles. It was her first time at a beach so she was so delighted to see that there were people everywhere, some who sat under the umbrellas and others who were swimming. The water was very smooth and she could feel it as the waves splashed her feet. She liked the feel of the waves since they relaxed her from all the tension she had to deal with during her working hours at the office. As she closed her eyes, she laid back in the sand when she heard tiny footsteps splashing towards her.

She opens her eyes and turns left to see who it could possibly be when she noticed this tiny figure with a grey beard and a blue cap standing in front of her. It was a dwarf, he had socks with brown shoes and red shirt covered in mud, and he stares up at the sky, frightened and confused.  It was a new world which the dwarf had encountered where the birds are bigger than his size. He followed them until a pigeon suddenly swooping down flapping at him, which made him jump back in fright not knowing what harm this strange creature might do to him.

He was however very relieved to find out that all the pigeon was doing was eating an old chip. Hearing giant footsteps, he runs to hide behind a rock. He peeps over to find big creatures enjoying themselves, chatting and smiling. Seeing how big and dangerous they could be made him feel safe only behind his rock. A voice from behind called out to him, “Hello, cute looking dwarf, what might your name be?”

The dwarf turns around and jumps back to see Anita smiling at him. He runs away behind the bushes  hiding like a coward. Anita sensed that he might be nervous; she thought the right thing to do was to go and cheer him up. Marvin was checking all around to see if the coast was clear from these unknown giants having the fear that they might harm him in some way.

He was glad to see that he finally managed to lose them from his sight, he also began to recognise the woods and knew where he was, giving a big sigh of relief. He turned around and Anita whispered softly touching him by the cheeks, “It’s ok, little one, don’t be scared. I won’t harm you.”

Marvin was suspicious that this could turn out to be some sort of a trick. He continued walking as though she never existed to get far away from her. Anita knew she had to make a bit more effort if she was going
to become friends with this dwarf.  She continued following him without Marvin noticing, until she reached his home. His house was a tiny hut which surprised Anita because she had never stepped this way to the woods before. “Wow!” She thought to herself, “What a lovely place this dwarf lives in. I can understand why he might be frightened of our kind,” admiring the wonderful garden surrounded by the trees. He opened the door glad to be safely back home. Anita spoke up from behind, “I must say you live in a lovely home. I‟ve never seen such a unique place.”

All Marvin could hear was a deep giant boom as the female spoke. He turned around and shut the door behind him quickly trying to catch his breath, sweating. Anita said, “It’s ok dwarf, you don’t have to be frightened of me anymore. You can come out and talk to me because I want to be your best friend.” Marvin peered out the window to see her friendly smile as she waved at him kindly to come outside. Marvin was feeling happy that she wasn’t going to eat him and came outside cautiously.

“You never told me you live in a hut. Is it made of wood?” Said Anita as she stroked the door frame.
Marvin didn’t want to get too friendly since he was only starting to know he was safe. “Why are you so interested in my world?” Marvin piped up in his tiny voice. Anita was amazed to hear him speak for the first time.
“I didn‟t know you could talk English. How cute you sound.”

Marvin turned grumpy, “You haven’t answered my question, why did a stranger like you follow me?
Please leave me alone and let me live in peace in my own world.”

Anita was curious, “If this is your world then how do I get back to mine?” Marvin ignored her question, continuing to walk.
“You’re the one who made the mistake of following me around here; figure a way to get out of this mess yourself, if you please madam.”
Anita agreed nodding her head, “You’re right, I was the one who made that mistake and now I shall fix it myself. It was nice to have met you,” and by saying this, she walks back the way she came. Seeing the poor woman lost, the dwarf began to feel sympathy and cried out, “Wait! There is no need to go back yet. Maybe there is a lucky chance that you can come and have tea and biscuits with me first? After all, you have walked a long way. Does that sound like a good plan to you?”

Anita jumped up with excitement as she could spend some time with this dwarf. Marvin stared at her strangely with a very puzzled look seeing this sudden reaction, “I have no idea what you did just now but if you are happy then come inside.”
Anita smiled, “This is what people call happiness or excitement. It’s what humans do when they are filled with so much joy. Don’t you ever have any emotions other than grumpy?”

“I used to be happy in my past life but all that is over now. I don’t feel comfortable sharing it with you. I hope you can understand?”
Anita touched his shoulder gently, “If that is the case then why don’t you talk to me about it? I could help you find a solution. If you don’t mind me asking, may I please know your name?”

Marvin was touched, “Marvin and it’s really sweet of you to say something like that but since I am an old dwarf, I never want to talk to anyone about the bad experience that I have been through. What might your name be?”

Anita smiled, told her name, and went behind the hut. She walked through to this big, wonderful garden filled with roses and flowers. She noticed sweets nicely decorated around a wooden table in the middle of the grass. “Wow, what a beautiful garden you have. I think this would be a great spot to have a party.”  Marvin disagreed by shaking his head, “No, I don’t think that is a good idea. I also used to have parties with my old friends a long time ago, but I guess that one should forget the past. It is nice however to see how much you appreciate my garden. I built it myself just like I built my own hut.”

Anita noticed a delicious ginger sweet which she walked towards the table to give it a try, “May I please try this ginger sweet? It is tempting” The dwarf replied, “Why do you necessarily have to try a ginger sweet when there are plenty of other sweets all around you? For your own good, I would suggest you put that one down.”

Anita said, “I don’t care. I am going to eat it anyway,” and gobbled it up in one go that she immediately shrunk to the floor which made her suspicious and Marvin just stood there shaking his head angrily looking down at her in disbelief. Noticing how tiny her size had become, Anita just stared into space and looked everywhere and herself just to make sure everything was fine when she heard a deep voice from top ask, “What have you done to yourself?” And when she looked up, she noticed that the dwarf was now bigger in size which made her realise that she shrunk. She first got frightened, “Please help me get back to my normal size again.”
Marvin said, “It’s impossible to get you back to your normal size now that you’ve turned tiny. Still, I will find a way out of this solution.”

Anita noticed that she could stay in the hut seeing how lovely it looked from the outside, “If you don’t mind my asking, can I please stay with you in the hut for shelter?”

Marvin replied, “If you really wish to stay then I suggest you sleep in my bird box inside the hut and I shall bring you a sock in which you can sleep in.”

Anita said, “Thank you Marvin, I don’t know whether you believe it or not but you are a kind dwarf and I like you very much.” Marvin got the bird box and the sock for her to come inside. Marvin stepped inside his hut carrying her in the bird box. He opened the roof of the bird box and put his hand down for Anita to step into. Anita was wide eyed with amazement at the sight of the hut noticing how big it was inside.

She noticed an unusual looking bookshelf with a ladder and books from top to bottom. Seeing this made her feel delighted and wanting to see more of Marvin’s hut; “I must say Marvin, that you live in a wonderful home. Could I have a tour please?”

Marvin agreed and carried her to a small box in front of a mirror in the living room. Anita found it strange as to why Marvin would be standing near an empty box.
“Marvin, what is this box meant for?” Anita asked with a smile.
Marvin whispered, “Sssh! Stick with me and you shall find out soon enough,” with a kind gesture. He stood straight, looking at the mirror taking a wand out of his pocket and waved it in the air three times. Sparks came flying out from his wand with a roaring bang. Anita shook with fear not knowing what to expect next. She slowly opened her eyes to see if the coast was clear, “Marvin, is it over now?”

The box begins to unfold into a tall staircase that leads through the mirror all the way up to a library.

Marvin grinned at Anita who grinned back with complete surprise, “What do you think, Anita?”
Anita smiled with curiosity, “I have seen all sorts of magic shows performed with the most famous magicians but this is the most incredible one of all.”
“I bet people cannot perform tricks such as these back on Earth?”
Anita agreed, “After seeing this miracle, I don’t wish to go back. I don’t care how long it takes as long as I can stay in this world with you, I will remain small.”

Marvin sparkled at her strange reply, “And why may I ask might that be? A minute ago, you said that you would like to return back to your normal size so why this sudden change of heart?”
Anita replied back by saying, “Yes, you are right but now I want to see what your world is like, compared to mine. Can you please share with me your secret as to how you turned a tiny looking box into stairs?”

“That shall only be revealed to you when I feel you truly deserve it. Consider it a reward.”
Hearing this made Anita feel excited; “I cannot wait, the suspense. Just thinking about it now makes my feet shiver.”
The dwarf sternly warned her; “If you want to see my library, you have to stay calm and don’t touch anything, or I shall have to put you into that bird box forever. I’m the boss of this house, do you understand?”

Anita nodded her head and they carried on upstairs until they reached the library. Anita saw the ladder from downstairs, stretching up into this room and stopping at the top of a huge shelf full of old books. “Would you mind opening the roof to let me explore more?” She asked. Marvin let her out and she ran towards the ladder, she started to climb up and stopped at the top, right by a heavy red book with the words ‘Potions with friends’ scrawled on the spine. She was intrigued to read this title so she looked over to Marvin, “Marvin, if you don’t mind, can I please read this book?” Marvin looked up and saw what it was.

Marvin gasped and tried to distract her, “No, you may not! How about having some lovely dessert with me instead? Besides, it’s been a long day and I need something sweet to wake me up.” She obeyed him and jumped down onto his hands. Anita felt curious as they ate chocolate ice cream outside on a sunny day, “Why wouldn’t you let me touch that book? Is it because it has got a secret hidden somewhere?”

Marvin again changed the topic; “It’s got nothing to do with you knowing my reasons so enjoy your ice cream in peace.”
Anita replied, “I am sorry, I am just being curious. I prefer to be small; I would like to be a part of your
world forever.” Marvin looked very sad.

“Anita, I don’t think that is such a good idea. If you ask my advice, I will tell you that you should return back to your normal size and go back to your life, leaving me in mine.”

Anita agreed, “You are right in that I cannot remain small all my life but to be honest with you, there is nothing interesting for me to see back there. Very few people get lucky opportunities like this. Back home I had friends, but right now if anyone asked me who my best friend was? I would say it is you. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Marvin replied, “You are saying that to be polite, but I would think your friends are very lucky. As beautiful as my world looks from the outside, there are many sad things that have happened to me in particular. I have lived in this hut for many years and am so used to living on my own now.”
Anita said, “If you can just explain to me what has happened to you? Maybe I can help?”

Marvin frowned, “There is no need for you to be so concerned. I am happy with my life the way it is.”

Anita said, “You don’t look it,”
Marvin changed the topic, “So Anita, tell me what you thought about this ice cream? It is home made you know?” Anita rubbed her tummy.  “Mmm, delicious. It is the first time that I had dessert and now thanks to you, I can learn from you how to make it.”
Marvin said, “I have nothing to teach you so what is it that you can possibly learn?” Seeing how depressed he was, Anita asked; “Are there many more places which you would like to show me? Is it ok if I do not get into the bird box this time?”

Marvin smiled, “Of course it is, as it is, you are my only friend who gives me good company so I feel you deserve it. Let’s go have a look at my swans in the garden.”

Anita replied, “I feel the same. Thank you so much.”
The swans all approached Marvin and Anita, forming a circle around them. “Marvin, why are the swans gathered over? Are they usually like this?”
Marvin replied, “Yes, whenever I come over, I feed them. They are clever, they know what time of the day I come over.”
Anita asked, “I suppose they are your friends?”
Marvin gathered up a bit of confidence, “Yes, at least I have some company.” Anita was surprised at his answer, “Marvin, where are your friends? Don’t you have family?”

A tear fell from the corner of Marvin’s eye, he took a deep breath and looked at the swans. Throwing a piece of bread he spoke softly; “I am sorry, I don’t have family. I don’t have friends. I have lived on my own for 20 years, until you showed up. Please don’t ask any more questions.”

*** End of Chapter 1***

To be continued….