I remember one time I wished that I was a Fraggle. The moment the thought crossed my mind, I quickly pushed it out of my head. I knew that it wouldn't work and no matter how hard I tried to push it away from me there was no way it would leave. Instead, I settled for simply wishing that maybe someday I could be a part of something bigger than myself. Maybe that way I could make a difference in someone else's life, even if just as an observer. I knew deep down though that such a thing would never happen. Still, it didn't stop me from daydreaming about it. I remember sitting outside on the patio, staring up at the midnight sky. On the first star I saw, I made a wish to become a Fraggle; desiring their playful and carefree lifestyle. I imagined what kind of a Fraggle I would be. I pictured myself with long flowing purple hair. However, everything else was obscure. For some unknown reason, I felt happy whenever I would think about such things. My hopes for the future were still a little naïve and unrealistic but I still clung onto them. I went to bed, feeling hopeful and hopeless at the same time. A human becoming a Fraggle, that's impossible... or so I thought. That night, all I did was sleep. I don't know how long I was asleep but when I woke up, everything seemed different. I felt rather small on my full-sized bed. The skin on my torso itched. My hair felt like feathers. I sleepily reached behind myself to scratch my lower back, only to feel that I have sprouted a furry tail with a tuft of purple hair at the end of it. That was when reality hit me, the wish I made the night before came true. I was a Fraggle. I sat up and scooted to the edge of my bed. I pushed myself off of the bed and landed on both feet onto the floor. Everything around me seemed bigger. A six-foot human, turned into a two-foot three inches Fraggle. I had fur all over my torso. It was strange and unfamiliar, yet oddly familiar at the same time. It took a while for me to process this. I stood there and stared down at the floor, wondering what I was supposed to do next.
In the corner of my wall, there was a hole just big enough for me to pass through. I cautiously walked through it. It was cold and damp inside but I wasn't bothered by the temperature. I slipped into the darkness without any hesitation. At first, the darkness felt like nothing. As seconds passed and light began to filter through, I began to notice the faint sound of water running. As the light grew brighter and more distinct, At the end of the tunnel, I saw Fraggles of every shape, size, and color, playing in the Fraggle Pond. I began to recognize where I was. My eyes widened as I realized I was in Fraggle Rock. I'm not sure how long I stood in the middle of the tunnel until I heard footsteps approaching from behind me. Turning toward the noise, I saw a group consisting of five Fraggles. I knew their names were Gobo, Mokey, Wembley, Boober, and Red. Their eyes lit up when they spotted me. "Look! A new Fraggle!" Wembley squealed. The Fraggles crowded around me as I shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably. They looked me up and down. Gobo said, "You must be new. We've never seen a Fraggle like you before." I hesitated before replying. "Yes. I am." Mokey looked puzzled. "How come you've never shown yourself before?" She said. "Oh," I fumbled for the right words, trying to think of something plausible. Mokey then gave me a kind smile. "It's not every day we welcome a newcomer!" She explained. "That's right!" Wembley agreed. "We're always glad to see new faces in Fraggle Rock. It's our job to help new Fraggles adapt to this place." Mokey gestured around her to make her point. I nodded. "Thank you. That is very kind of you." I replied. Mokey continued, "By the way, we don't know your name." "My name is Kayeleigh." I replied with a shy smile. The Fraggles looked at each other with slight confusion in their eyes. "Kayeleigh? I've never heard that name before." Red said. The others shook their heads. "It's strange. It's definitely not a Fraggle name." Boober mused. "What does it mean?" asked Wembley. "Well, it means..." I started, unsure of where exactly I wanted to go with this. "It means "keeper of the keys", or pure. Or something along those lines." I replied. A silence fell over us as we all processed what I'd said. Then, finally, Wembley spoke. "That's really cool." "It fits you well, truly it does." Mokey said. She smiled again. "I'm Mokey. This is Wembley, Red, Gobo, and Boober." "It's a pleasure to meet all of you." I responded. Of course, I had to pretend that I didn't know them because I didn't want them to know my secret.
Mokey then suggested something. "Since you're new, why don't we show you around a bit? You seem like a nice Fraggle. You'll fit right in here." "Yeah!" exclaimed Red enthusiastically. I nodded and followed Mokey, who led me out of the tunnel and into the Great Hall. I couldn't help looking around and taking in all the sights around me. The Great Hall was much larger than I had expected. From what I could tell, it was the size of three football fields. Right in the middle of the Great Hall was the Fraggle Pond. Its surface gleamed as the sun bounced off of its clear waters. Several dozen Fraggles were scattered across the surface of the pool, jumping around playfully and splashing each other. I chuckled to myself at the sight. All of this activity was normal enough to me but I was awestruck by the amount of energy I saw everywhere I looked. I noticed a couple of Fraggles looking at me. I then shifted my focus onto the limestone floor. I was brought back to reality by a hand being placed upon my shoulder. When I looked up, I saw the four Fraggles I had met in the tunnel smiling reassuringly. I suppose they could tell I was feeling a bit anxious. "Don't worry, Kayeleigh. They'll warm up to you soon enough." Red said. I smiled back. "Thanks." I paused for a second before speaking up again. "Are all Fraggles this friendly?" I inquired. "Most of them are friendly to everyone. If not, we can put up a barrier between ourselves and anyone who tries to hurt you." Gobo explained. "It doesn't usually get too bad, but sometimes a few of our members fight amongst themselves. Usually only when one of them is upset and wants to blame someone else for what happened." "So, you protect each other," I murmured. Red answered. "Yep. Our clan may be small but there's a lot to keep track of." I thought about this for a moment, thinking. It all made sense now. They're all just protecting each other as a means of keeping them from getting into trouble. No matter how close they may seem to each other, they're still all separate individuals. I found myself impressed by their dedication and determination. They were strong. I was grateful that I got to meet these Fraggles. Especially Mokey. When I was a human, she was my comfort character, a character that I found solace in. Her presence was always able to calm my nerves. Now that I'm a Fraggle, I find her even more comforting. The reason I love her is that she reminds me of myself; shy, sensitive, and artistic. I wonder if she will ever understand what a huge impact she has had on me. Maybe someday, I will explain to her my story, the truth of how I became a Fraggle. But not today. I will save that conversation for later when I'm alone with her.
The Fraggles kept me company throughout the rest of the day. I sat with them as they told me all sorts of stories and jokes. I enjoyed listening to the Fraggles chatter away. After what I considered an adequate amount of time spent chatting with them, it was nearly sunset. The Fraggles stopped talking and instead turned to face me. Mokey smiled and said, "You don't talk very much. Is something bothering you?" I smiled back and shook my head. "No. I'm just tired because we walked all over the rock." All the others nodded in agreement. It was true. Walking through the tunnels and chatting with the Fraggles all day had been exhausting. I wondered what time it was. I don't think Fraggles know how to tell time. As the sky got darker outside, the Fraggles all got ready for bed. Mokey and Red offered me to sleep in their cave and I happily agreed. Mokey prepared for me a place to sleep. I didn't feel comfortable sleeping in a hammock with Red because with my luck, I would fall off while tossing and turning. I laid down on the ground where Mokey placed the pillows and the blanket. I was not comfortable at all. It was not what I was used to. I miss my mattress and my velvety blanket. I was up for most of the night because of Red's snoring and her tossing and turning. Her hammock squeaked with every move she made. After what seemed like ages, I finally managed to fall asleep.
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** Author's Note: This is me as a Fraggle. This is how I imagined what I would look like.**
