The next morning Ryan left early; Joan got up and prepared breakfast. She wanted to be ready to go to the park as soon as possible. The dwarf was still occupying her mind. Dwarves don’t exist, but Alice never was able to draw something that truly. What did the little girl see? Maybe the camera would be able to provide an answer.

Alice woke up and she called her mother: “Mommy, mommy.” Joan walked over to Alice’s room and faced the wide smile, rosy cheeks, and the diaper dropping down Alice’s legs. She sometimes didn’t understand her daughter; she didn’t mind wet or messy diapers at all. Joan wished she knows the true reason. Is it immaturity only? She carried Alice to the bathroom and changed her diaper. The little girl seemed to be excited: “Mommy, can we go to the park today? I’d like to see the dwarf.” Joan smiled back; she didn’t want to spoil Alice’s dreams and explain to her about the non-existent dwarves: “Of course, sweetheart, let’s have the breakfast and we can go then.” Joan finished the diaper change and she dressed Alice into a nice girly light blue dress and dark blue tights.

After breakfast, Joan got the camera and diaper bag and they left for the park. This time, Alice wasn’t interested in the sandbox and she headed directly towards the bushes. Joan didn’t want to disturb her and stayed at a larger distance, holding the camera in her hand ready to take pictures. Alice squatted down and collected the leaves slowly. Her mother was waiting patiently when Alice lifted her head and focused on the same place among the bushes. Joan aimed the camera and took a couple of pictures of Alice and of the mysterious place. She looked at the pictures closely, but she wasn’t able to see anything on the small camera display.

Alice stood up and went back to Joan. As she came closer, Joan could feel the smell: “Alice, should we go home?” Alice shook her head: “Mommy, can I play now?” Joan sighed: “Let me clean you and you can stay and play here then.” She put Alice onto the bench and cleaned her. The little girl couldn’t wait until her mom finished and she jumped off as soon as her tights were in place.

There were several more children in the sandbox and Alice stayed there for about an hour until Joan called her; it was time to go home. While they were walking Joan asked her daughter:

“Alice, did you see the dwarf?”
“Yes, mommy, I did and we talked together.”
“How so, Alice? I didn’t hear you at all.”
“I don’t know, mommy; I told him about you.”
“Alice, I didn’t see him.”
“He told me you have to believe in him and you will see him.”

Joan shook her head; these words didn’t match Alice’s mind again. She had to check the pictures and return to the park later.

At home, Joan cooked the lunch quickly and after eating it she put Alice in the crib for her afternoon nap. Alice tried to protest, but she seemed to be tired enough and dozed off. Joan hurried up to her bedroom, switched on her computer, and downloaded the pictures from the camera. She liked photography and knew a lot about taking and editing pictures.

She looked closely at the pictures of the mysterious place among the bushes. At the first sight, there was nothing visible, but Joan got a strange feeling that there was a blurry shadow there. She tried to use several filters, but the shadow stayed as blurry as before. Joan shrugged, remembers Alice’s words, and tried to find something on the internet. She typed ‘good spirit of autumn’ and a lot of results appeared on the display. Most of them were uninteresting, but a link caught her eye. There was a picture of a small dwarf wearing a clothing of autumn leaves there. He looked like the picture Alice had shown to her yesterday. The site presented a charitable foundation and Joan found a Photoshop plugin below the dwarf picture. She was surprised by its description: ‘Reveal the good spirits in your photos’. It could be a risk, but she downloaded the plugin and used it on her last pictures; all of a sudden she spots a small figure standing between two bushes. Joan used the same filter on Alice’s picture and she could see a strange aura surrounding her daughter. She repeated the procedure with more pictures, but the small figure was still there. The young woman decided she had to go to the park again as soon as Alice would wake up. However, she wasn’t aware of the fact she believed in the dwarf subconsciously.

Alice woke up and she seemed to be quite impatient: “Mommy, mommy, the dwarf,” she repeated. Joan lifted her from the crib and she felt the wetness on her tights: “Alice, we have to put a new pair of tights; you leaked, sweetheart.” Joan took care of her and they headed towards the park for the second time. When they reached the playground, Joan looked around and to her utter surprise, she spotted the dwarf. He looked like the picture Alice had painted before. He was about 3 feet tall and dressed in the colored autumn leaves.

Joan stepped forward, still holding Alice at hand. The dwarf smiled at Joan:

“Are you able to see me now? It means you believe in me.”
“Yes, I, can see you. Who are you?” Joan stuttered in surprise.
“My name is Darerat; I’m the good spirit of autumn and I want nobody to be sad. Autumn is a beautiful season though.”
Joan almost cried: “But, but ”
“Your mind is occupied by sadness and worries, isn’t it?”
Joan nodded and waited for his response.
“Alice asked me if you can become as little as she is. Now I tell you that you can. Would you like to get rid of all your worries for some time? Remember, I’m the good spirit of autumn. My mission is taking care of everyone who would like to accept it.”

Joan was definitely taken aback. Yesterday she wasn’t able to believe in fairy tales and now she was talking with a dwarf. On the other hand, Alice wasn’t surprised by it at all: “Mommy, it is a good idea. We both would be little, we can play together and you won’t be sad anymore.”

Joan almost nodded, but she hesitated. What would it mean if she became as little as Alice was? She would need somebody to take care of herself and Alice. Ryan couldn’t be able to do it. How long is ‘some time’? She talked to the dwarf again: “You mentioned some time. How long is it? What about my father? Who takes care of me if I’m that little?” The dwarf smiled again: “Joan, you needn’t take this decision just now. In the evening you get a visit and she will explain everything to you. Her name is Skyle Rainfall.”

Joan stared at the dwarf and was still confused. One part of her mind had accepted the dwarf, but the other one still refused to do it. The idea of getting rid of all worries was very attractive, but there was still a fear in the second part of her mind.

Alice turned to her mom and she looked like she understood her worries: “Mommy, you believe into the dwarf. Don’t worry and trust him. He doesn’t hurt you.” The dwarf stepped forward and stroked Alice’s head gently: “Alice, you are a good girl and you can help your mom; do it, please.” He disappeared suddenly.

Joan needed a minute to compose herself. Has it happened really? She turned back and returned to the playground: “Sweetheart, you can play now,” she sat down on the bench and watched her little daughter. Alice was cute and innocent and Joan tried to imagine herself in the same condition.

One hour later Alice came back and Joan spotted the heavy diaper between her legs as well as small wet spots on her pants. She pulled down Alice’s pants and changed her quickly. They had to go home anyway; the sun was setting slowly.

While they were walking, Joan was watching the colored trees and to her utter surprise, she realized they were beautiful. It was a slight difference against her feelings yesterday. Was it caused by her belief in the dwarf?