The Search for Magic in Dreams (A Disney Story)

9) Entering New Worlds

Animation can explain whatever the mind of man can conceive. This facility makes it the most versatile and explicit means of communication yet devised for quick mass appreciation.                 -Walt Disney

Brendan throughout the day had been called by Lizzie numerous times, but he always denied the calls. He wasn't sure why, but he just wasn't up to talking with her. He instead went over to Frank's to help with his laundry, to get more groceries, and order more prescribed meds to help with his condition. It was like any ordinary Saturday afternoon for them. However, there was something different about Frank. He was more active, more prone to smile than usual. Even if he wasn't smiling, you could assume that he would in seconds. His body was also more excited, as he twitched his foot rapidly, as if he were stomping on a foot pedal of a drum set to an allegro. It was very strange to Brendan, considering this was the first time he's ever encountered such behavior from his brother in a long time. He asked him if he was feeling alright, or if it hurt him at all. Frank denied any pain from the movement, claiming that "it doesn't even register as pain." Brendan went along with it but thought to keep an eye on it. For all he knew, it could be a sign that a seizure was eminent, and he would have to call an ambulance. God, I hope I don't have to do that.

"Are you okay after last night?" Frank asked, hoping to hear some good news. Brendan hummed for a moment, thinking about how he should answer. "Uhh... yeah. I think so" he answered.

"Okay, cause' I thought you were going to do something crazy."

"Well, I did trash my place a bit" Brendan answered, but nothing too serious."

"You trashed it how?"

"Just threw things around, broke some glass, and dented the walls a bit." Brendan spoke normally, as if it was nothing to fret about. Frank let the excuse go by, but he had been sensing that something else had happened. One that Brendan didn't know about and probably didn't mean to happen. It had been on his mind since that foot thumping rabbit made itself comfortable on his windowsill. In fact, the same rabbit was still hanging about in the yard, nibbling away in a blanket of clovers and blossoms. Occasionally, it would check-in on the two brothers to see what was happening.

"Do you think you're hate for Disney has calmed down?" There was silence for a moment, a silence that was normal with all the little background noises of the neighborhood filling the air. It wasn't a cold silence where one knew they had been caught of something. More like the silence of thought and reflection. "A little" Brendan answered, not showing much interest in the question.

"I only ask cause' I saw the news this morning about what's going on at the park." Brendan sighed and slightly rolled his eyes, aching for a chance where his workplace would not come up in conversation. "Oh yeah, that" he replied.

"You don't seem to give much thought about it." Frank probed, hoping to pick at his mind and learn something from him, if there was anything. "Should I?" he asked back. "Never mind, forget I asked. After all, you are currently in an anti-Disney mood."

"Okay... then why do you bring it up?" Brendan came back with his own question. "Is it so you can try to find someway to help me out of this funk? Cause' I think its going to take a lot more than some inspiring words from you." Brendan was not blind to Frank's intentions. He's always been trying to figure him out in moments where he didn't necessarily want to discuss it. This time, it was pretty easy to pick up on what he was doing, since he they had been talking about it for the past couple visits. "I'm just trying to help, Bren! I can see you battling whatever this is, and I want to help."