Whats wrong with Kendra?

On my travels through Wonderlandia I find it so brimming with fantastical creatures, places and stories that i often forget about all the amazing "ordinary" people I meet there. Infact, should you ever read through my travel journals - you could be forgiven for thinking that there were no ordinary people residing in Wonderlandia at all!

However, on my last visit one such ordinary Wonderlandian surprised me by becoming one of the most fascinating creatures I have ever met...

This was, of course, the uber-sweet Kendra, the 12 year old daughter of a friend of mine with whom I often visit when my travels take me through the picturesque villiage of Lapis, on Wonderlandia's Velvet coast.

On my last visit, I arrived to find my friend rather worried, for Kendra seemed to have changed suddenly and in place of the happy little daughter she once had, was now what could only be described as an empty shell of a girl. Almost as if Kendra's spirit now resided somewhere else entirely.

She would often wander now, and would be found in the strangest of places, sometimes at the end of the little wharf down the street silently staring out to sea, or sitting out in the rain, completely saturated, watching the puddles gather water.

This behaviour had been going on for months, gradually getting worse as Kendra became more and more withdrawn. After carting her from doctor to specialist to councillor and back again, still there was no difinitive diagnosis and no solution at all. Only a constant question asked by everyone she came across "What's wrong with Kendra?". When I think back to this worrying time it's so hard to believe something truly incredible was about to happen...

I hope you enjoy my portrait of Kendra above, I will have a second portait of Kendra coming shortly, in the meantime I won't say anymore though, because I don't want to give her secret away - think you can guess what is wrong with Kendra?

Manda xxx