When a magical child is born in a realm with seemingly no magic, she spends a lifetime not only learning about herself, but also discovering that she is not as alone as she thinks. Sarah looks down at her artwork. The shadows of a peaceful forest scene against the blue backdrop were perfect! It had taken her hours to cut away all the little bits of paper to show the trees, blades of grass overlapping each other, and the various forms of wildlife. She had never been so proud of her own work! As she gazed down upon it, examining every cut, every angle, she felt as if she was being drawn into the picture. The blades of grass began swaying in the wind, and she could almost hear the leaves of the trees rustling in the breeze. If she hadn't known better, she would have sworn the deer had turned its head slightly to get a better look at her. "Sarah. Sarah!" Sarah blinked her eyes and looked up at her art teacher who'd been trying to get her attention. "If that's alright," her teacher was saying. Mrs. Kaliope's voice still sounded far away as Sarah looked up at her, trying to focus. "Huh?" Sarah said softly, still unsure of what she had missed. Mrs. Kaliope smiled gently at her as she laid a hand on her shoulder. "Is it ok with you if I enter your piece in the state art exhibit?" Sarah looked down at her picture. Insecurity suddenly overwhelmed her. The perfection she had seen before was suddenly gone. She had cut a little far in that spot, there, and that blade of grass was a little too wide. Maybe she should have done the trees differently. She looked back up at her teacher who was still glowing with pride. "I guess so," Sarah said quietly as she handed her the image. Mrs. Kaliope took it almost gingerly from her hands, as if she were being handed a masterpiece. "Thank you," she said as she turned to put it on her desk on the other side of the room. Sarah looked down at her now empty hands. It wasn't good enough. At least not for an art exhibit. Why had she agreed? The bell rang for the next class. Sarah gathered her belongings and shuffled into the corridor with the other students.