The Skylark Bell - Chapter 11, The Dinner Date

In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 10 – The Dinner Date, where Magpie and her mom catch up on the day, bringing the mysterious Farfalla into the conversation.

Music: Nightbridge by Cannelle (www.cannellemusic.com)

Find The Skylark Bell online: www.theyskylarkbell.com

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Twitter: @melissaoliveri

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TRANSCRIPT:

Things with Wings Productions, with the support of Whimsical Productions and Collected Sounds presents: Episode 10 of The Skylark Bell.  I am your host Melissa Oliveri.  

In our last episode, Magpie and Lucas explored the secret attic and discovered treasures from the home’s original owners, and discovered that there is much more to Scarlet the cat than meets the eye!

In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 10 – The Dinner Date, where Magpie and her mom catch up on the day, bringing the mysterious Farfalla into the conversation.

 So get comfortable… grab a blanket, and a warm drink… are you read? Let’s get started...

The smell of charcoal wafts through the entire back yard, overpowering the delicate scent of the wild roses.  Magpie loves the sizzling sound as the food hits the hot grill.  One of the great things about living in the country is the variety of fresh produce from the neighbouring farms sold at the Farmer’s Market.  The market is held every Sunday on the sprawling lawn of the library, gathering farmers and artisans from the area surrounding Pocket and beyond.  Magpie and her mother love to wander from booth to booth, exploring various handmade goods like knitted shawls, candles, and jewelry.  But Magpie’s favourite thing is being surrounded by the bright colours and rich smells of the fruits and vegetables. She and her mom love to cook together, hanging out in the kitchen for hours, trying out new recipes or baking treats with the locally ground flour from the small mill in the neighbouring town.

“Magpie, why don’t you go grab the candles.  I think these are just about done,” says Mrs. Phaeton, expertly flipping their dinner so it is perfectly marked by a trellis of black lines.

“Sure thing, Mom.  Do you remember where you put them?” asks Magpie.  

Mrs. Phaeton gets a look on her face that tells Magpie her mom has no idea where the candles ended up.  With a giggle, Magpie scurries into the kitchen and starts checking the cupboards. She’s down to the last one when she hears the sound of the small bell on the cat collar again, this time coming from the living room.  She follows the sound and is overcome with joy when she sees Scarlet sitting on the mantle above the fireplace.  “Scarlet!”  she cries, “I was afraid you were gone forever!  You’re still my cat, and I’m still calling you Scarlet,” she tells the small cat while reaching up to pet her.  Scarlet crosses the mantle and sits on the end of it, looking intently at Magpie and meowing loudly. “Is there something I’m supposed to do?” asks Magpie, feeling only slightly foolish for talking to the cat as if it’s a person. Scarlet reaches down with her paw and strikes one of the bricks below the mantle.  Magpie leans down for a closer look and realizes there is something engraved in it.  She dusts it off with her hand a little and the initials “C.C.” become clearly visible.  “Charlotte Carnifex!” exclaims Magpie.  She stands up to look at Scarlet, but the cat is gone.

“Any luck finding those candles?” calls her mother from the back door.  Magpie looks in the bookcase next to the fireplace and sees the candles thrown haphazardly onto a shelf.

“Just found them!” she yells, and heads back outside for dinner.  

A vase filled with roses sits atop the bright yellow tablecloth.  Magpie inhales deeply, filling her lungs with their sweet perfume, before taking her place at the picnic table.  She tucks the candles into Grandma Lilian’s small crystal candle hol