SHORT STORIES - Mika’s Forest: A Daughter’s Backyard Sanctuary
Mika’s Forest: A Daughter’s Backyard Sanctuary
By Kimatni D. Rawlins
The Story of Mika
Mika is the nickname for MiKaiya Ma’at Sumi Rawlins, a lovely 8-year old who is full of vitality and youthful wisdom. By morning she is hungry and happy. In the afternoon, she becomes energetic and entertaining. Before bedtime, Mika is most lovable because her captivating mind requires mom and dad to read and correspond to her whimsical ways. Of course, these curious antics barter additional time from parents Misako (Misa) and Kai. With a cultural background comprising of Japanese and African-American heritage, MiKaiya means “Beauty of the Sea.”
Aya’s Way
Mika has a 5-year old baby sister, Aya, who she adores to infinity with her little heart. Mika and Aya go everywhere together. The only time they are separated is when Aya falls asleep two hours before Mika. Even in the morning, Mika makes sure to awaken Aya so they can begin their playful day with one another. The sisters live in a quaint, peaceful neighborhood in the woods of Silver Spring, MD. There blue-hued, 3-bedroom, wooden house is reminiscent of the Gingerbread House and attracts the children's attention on the block. The girls enjoy a yard complete with their very own playground and swings, picnic tables, a trail for the bikes, and a small clubhouse.
Surrounding the enchanting home are ageless oak trees, plants of various assortments, omnipresent deer, and a soon-to-be discovered forest full of imagination. Of course, Mika and Aya love to play outside daily, especially in Mika’s Forest, where your wildest dreams may come true. Together they dance, chant, and run astray, sometimes alone and sometimes with other fascinated faces.
Friendship
Mika and Aya created an incredible group of friends since before they could walk. Ryan and Jake are the sons of Misa’s best friend, Missy, and Eden and Ethan are siblings across the way. Mika and Ryan practically grew up together since birth. As the best friend tandem goes, they have just as many disagreements as they do agreements. It’s what keeps them close. Norma watches over the kiddy crew by day when the parents are at work. Norma is from Buenos Aires, South America, and has been in the United States for ten years. Quite naturally, Norma teaches Mika and Aya Spanish, while Aya updates the two on her limited Japanese lingo. Therefore, the trio is trilingual. However, Aya pretends she knows what everyone is saying and follows along with her dimpled smile.
Mika’s Forest
One day when Ryan and Mika were out back on the bikes after devouring blueberry cupcakes, they encountered a very thick patch of woods behind Mika’s house that had not revealed itself previously. It amazed them both. They have frolicked outside since they were babies, but it was the first time they understood that jungle trees, animals, and water pools make up a forest. From then on, the area became known as Mika’s Forest, a magical place where kids go to escape the daily life of being parented by adults.
The team of six adore Mika’s Forest because there is so much involvement with mother nature. For example, each paired with a friendly creature that stays in the woods where they belong until the kids come back. Aya has a turtle named Amina, Mika cuddled up to a puppy called Kenji, Ryan rolls with Lucky the Bear, Jake kicks it with a feisty squirrel that goes by the name Little K, and both Eden and Ethan share a set of spirited cats dubbed Kaya and Leo. They even picked out an owl name Jasper for Norma.
Mika’s Forest is also treasured by rabbits, frogs, foxes, grasshoppers, spiders, and adorned with waterfalls and ponds. Every visit presents another adventure for the youngsters. One day Eden is discovering how a snake sheds its skin, and another Ryan and Aya are wondering why bears hibernate in the winter. The kids live the best of two dynamic worlds. After returning from Mika’s Forest, they separate and venture off home in different directions. Their parents never miss them because time in the real world stands still when the kids enter the woods and begin ticking again once they return. Thus, Mika, Aya, Eden, Ethan, Ryan, and Jack start their routine life as if nothing ever happened.
Another day, another adventure has come and gone in Mika’s Forest. “Until we return wildlife, sun, and spirits,” Mika looks back and whispers!
Them Song
Ding Dong,
Hello Hello,
Can Mika come out and play? Please can Mika come out and play?
Ra, ra, ra, ra it's such a beautiful day.
The dogs are barking, the birds are chirping, the bushes are speaking,
and the bees are singing to nature's chorus.
Come on, everybody, let's go to Mika’s Forest!
Come on Ethan
Ok, Ryan
Let’s hit it Mika (Mika looks back at Ethan)
Aayyaaa!!!! Eden Shouts.
We're all going to Mika's Forest!
O-kayyyy; Aya grabs Jake, smiles, and strides away.
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