What's wrong with Kendra? *Part 2*

For those of you that don't remember the first part of Kendra's story you might want to check it out before continuing to read this blog post... (you can find part 1 in the "Tales" section of this blog).

Also, I have actually not long ago been in contact with Kendra's mother and now have enough amazing news to begin part 3 of Kendra's tale, so keep a look out for that and also keep an eye out for the coloured version of my part 2 sketch!

What's wrong with Kendra Part 2

Well, unfortunately for quite a while Kendra's saga carried on much the same as in the last half of this story, with her growing more and more detached by the day and the stress levels of those around her increasing at the same rate.

"It's all a part of growing up", "she's getting ready to fly the nest" one friend lectured Kendra's mother. But seriously, it was a little hard to believe that a normal 12 year old girl would be thinking of flying the nest before she was even a teenager, it just didn't make sense.

We had hoped that with her 13th birthday only days away Kendra would perk up even if just for the presents - but nothing seemed to be able to stir more than the vaguest emotion withn her.

Then it happened.

Ken Duncan in Wonderlandia?

Just a quick blog about our new blog and etsy shop banner - I hope you like them as it took me ages to draw a really wide scene of one of my favourite spots in Wonderlandia (mostly because it's right near the home of one of my dearest friends), but it's also the spot where Brandysnap Forest meets Everspring Wood and it's just such a lovely place to be. Full of woodland creatures and flooded with echoes of distant bird calls... it's just so serene.

When I was finished it kind of reminded me of a Ken Duncan photograph because of it's panoramic quality...

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

Secrets revealed...

On meeting Gwen I have to admit I was taken aback - I mean she's strange even by Wonderlandian standards, my mind was flooded with questions; is she a girl? a bird? where did she come from? Are there others? Why haven't I seen any of her kind on any of my travels through Wonderlandia before?

But if I was intruiged by the mere sight of Gwen, that's nothing compared to how I felt when I heard her story...

When she was just a young girl of nine Gwendolen was playing hide and seek in Brandysnap forest when she realised she had been separated from her friends and become lost. Gwen scrambled through the darkening forest, stumbling over tree roots and fallen branches - callling out to her friends, unknowingly running deeper into the forest instead of out of it.

Not looking where she was going Gwen slipped down a muddy bank and fell into a small puddle of water. However, this puddle was far deeper than it looked and Gwen found herself submerged right up to her neck. The water was bitterly cold and Gwen launched herself out immediately - however there was no relief to be had, for once out of the water she was suddenly overcome by the strangest senstation she'd ever felt...