Ola finds a little blue door hidden in her garden, and when it opens, a winged cat is waiting on the other side.
Ola was seven, and her garden was the best place in the world for adventures. Roses scented the air, daisies nodded in the grass, and the old walnut tree made a cool green roof over the path.
That afternoon, the sun shone so brightly it made the leaves sparkle. Ola slipped past the raspberry bushes, looking for something new to discover. Then she stopped so suddenly her sandals nearly skidded in the soil.
Hidden behind the tangled branches was a tiny wooden door. It was painted bright blue, with a golden handle and a little string of bells hanging from the frame. The bells gave a soft buzz every time the breeze moved. Ola stared. She had walked through this garden a hundred times, and the door had never been there before.
From the other side came the strangest sounds. A giggle. A rustle. Then a thin, happy humming, like someone trying to sing a secret song. Ola's heart gave a quick thump.
She stepped closer and whispered, "Who's there?"
The bells trembled. Ola reached out and knocked once, very gently. At once, the door creaked open just a little. A pair of bright yellow eyes peered out, and then a cat appeared, but not like any cat Ola had ever seen. It had wings like a butterfly, a striped tail, and a round, wise face.
"Hello, Ola," said the cat.
Ola blinked. Behind the cat, she saw a meadow full of tall flowers swaying like dancers, and bubbles shining in the air like tiny moons. The cat moved aside, as if making room for her.
Ola took one breath, then another. Her foot lifted off the ground and hovered above the blue doorway just as the cat whispered, "I was waiting for you."