Poor Mary, she was all alone and did not have anything to do ! She was bored, really bored and she was longing for someone to come along and play with her, to talk to her, and just be friends with her ! But she was all alone .

It was all her parents fault, why did they have to choose this terrible lonely desolate place to live ! There were hardly any children, and the few who lived here were exactly like the grown ups ! None of them ever came out, all day long they would be sitting at home, doing all types of silly antics and waste their time, but none of them would ever consider coming out and playing.

Mary thought that all of them were silly, they were sitting at home all the time, they did not know what they were missing, the wonderful sunshine, the beautiful spring air, the wonderful delicate blooms that were blossoming all over the neighborhood ! She loved nature and all its wonderful off springs and longed to go out an be with the flowers, the birds … but no one ever allowed her, all the silly grown ups felt that it was not nice for a young girl to go out all alone !

So all that Mary could do was to mope all day and stare out of the window looking longingly at the pure blue sky ! This was just another day, she got up, dressed and started thinking of many different ways to pass the day, when suddenly she noticed something strange, rather she smelt something strange. There was a most delightful smell that had spread all across the room, it was like the ideal summer day, it reminded her of the farm where she had spent her summer vacations last here, that had been a wonderful experience, she remembered all the fun that she had had and was ready to let her mind wander along the images of the farm that had remained in her mind when she was startled by a loud popping sound. Startled she looked around wondering what made that sound, when she heard a tiny voice speak into her ear,

"Hey, no use looking there, I’ am right here, over your year," The idea that a strange tiny creature who talks might be sitting on her ear made her jump and she immediately slapped her ear, rather hard, for she too squealed in pain, then she heard the voice again,

"Hey Moya, you didn’t have to do that, have you already forgotten me ?"

Moya ? of course there were only few who called her by that name, and they were ….. OH ! they were Mary’s old friends, Wisp, Flame, Orb and Droplet. Why she hadn’t met these little fellows since she had left the farm ! Mary was overjoyed and she longed to see all her friends again, so she yelled out their names, Wind, Flame, Droplet, where are you ?

And all at once, there were two more popping sound and they appeared, they hadn’t changed a bit !

Wisp was still the same, ruffled hair, and the same unkempt appearance. Flame, the little energetic fellow, dancing around all over the room. Orb, looking more tanned than ever, with a wonderful calm look on his face, the most peaceful of all, and Droplet, the same old shimmer about him !

They were the children of the elements, Earth, Wind, Fire and Water. They had been vacationing together when they met Mary, it was quite a lucky coincidence that all of them had decided to pick their farm as the holiday spot ! Since then they had become the best of friends, and frequently exchanged letters and messages.

So Mary’s friends had arrived, she was ever so happy, and hoped that they would stay for some time, at least she would not be alone amongst the stuffy people living in the equally stuffy old place ! She gave each of them a warm hug and sat down to catch up on all the latest happenings, she was overjoyed when she saw that her friend had bought her a copy of The Mother Nature Tabloid, wow ! it did feel great to have up to date information on the weather well before any one new it !

So, they all had a wonderful time, they played, they laughed and chattered and created quite a racket, once Mary’s mother actually knocked on the door to inquire what was happening, she was hoping that her friends would stay longer but was disappointed to find that they had come only for a short visit, they had come to visit Mary and help her out ! they knew all about her predicament and had come with the intention of helping her.

They had planned to give every single child in the neighborhood the second sight ! The second sight is something very special, and it can be given only to children, a few like Mary develop their second sight on their own, while sadly most of the others live without it !

No, most of you will be wondering what exactly is the Second Sight. Well it something that allows you to see the real world, not the artificial plastic and concrete jungle, but the real world, which had been created by Mother Nature herself. She had spent a lot of time developing and tending this world, but sadly as time passed, people lost all value for it until it all together completely disappeared, disappeared only for the humans, all other forms of life still live in it !

After a great deal of preparation the little elements were prepared to give this wonderful gift to the children. They needed special powers to do this, these were granted only when Mother Nature herself pleased, and since she saw no harm in providing a few 100 children with a second sight, she immediately signed the legal papers that stated that she being of sound mind and body was willingly granting these powers to the little elements !

Well, all was ready, the little elements joined their hands and chanted a few special mantras, and all at once, there was a fierce wind that blew across the whole neighborhood and all at once they vanished, with bated breath, Mary waited for something to happen, but nothing did ! Disappointed she went off the sleep !

All night Mary dreamt that she was being chased by plastic bags and big sacks of cement, she was woken up by a loud knocking, still drowsy, rubbing her eyes she opened the door and there she saw James, Peter, Nisha, Radha, Raoul, Simon, July, Vikas, Maia and just about the rest of they neighborhood, they all yelled at once,

" Hey Mary, lets go on play !"