Read Door to Kandalaura for Free Online

boys wore shirts like we might see in Hawaii. The women and girls wore
brightly colored skirts with layers of ruffles. One little girl wore a top covered
with butterflies. I thought they were real because they flapped their wings.
    “That’s my cousin, Juliana,” said Andron. She designed it herself and engineered
the butterflies so they would move. She’s only five years old, but we never know
what she’s going to come up with next. On your planet you’d probably say she’s a
very ingenious little girl. Did I get that right? You have so many sayings on your
planet.”
    “I’m shocked at her talent.” Something was happening to me inside. I need to work
harder to use my God-given talents. I’ve gotten too comfortable. I’m never going
to be the same after this visit.
    “Don’t be too hard on yourself,” said Andron. “Do the things you have a passion to
do, and do them well, but don’t forget to enjoy yourself while you’re doing them.
Maybe that’s something you can learn from my little cousin. She’s like a ray of sunshine
wherever she goes because she’s so happy doing whatever she does.”
    “Wow! You’re really giving me food for thought. I don’t remember thinking about deep
stuff like this back home. My brain might be frizzled out by the time I get back.”
    Andron laughed and introduced me to some more friends and relatives. He especially
wanted me to meet the musicians before they started playing.
    He led me to the end of the field where they had built a stage. Musicians were seated
to one side of the stage.
    “They’ll want you to see our musical instruments.”
    “I’d like that. I’m learning to play the trumpet in our band.”
    So we headed for the stage. More people had gathered now. There was a lot of chattering
and hugging going on. I had no idea what this celebration would be like. But the
people were laughing and having a good time already, so I decided it could be a good
thing, not something to dread like I do when we have “get togethers” back home.
    Andron headed toward the musicians, and I followed. They were warming up.
    They sounded pretty excited.
    “This is my friend, Mikey, from Planet Earth,” he said. He seemed rather proud of
me.
    The musicians greeted me warmly, the same way the chefs had done They gathered ‘round
us and seemed super interested in anything I said. I didn’t know whether to feel
special or like a unique animal in a zoo, but I didn’t take offense. I knew they
were genuine.
    “I‘d love to hear how these instruments sound if there’s time,” I said. Some of them
were completely new to me.
    My interest pleased them, so one by one or in small groups they played short little
pieces for me. I liked talking to them and learning about their music. Some of them
even let me give their instruments a try. We all laughed when I could barely get
a squeak out.
    I think the stringed instruments were most like the ones we have on earth. Some violins
had eight strings and could be played in three part harmony all at the same time.
I think the bows were made of horses’ hairs like ours. They looked similar, and I
know they have horses on Kandalaura.
    Most of their horns were much longer, and some of them could also play three part
harmony. The sound was regal, as if they were announcing an important event like
the Olympic Games. One instrument looked like our saxophone, but had more twists
and keys. I didn’t try to play that one.
    The percussion instruments took my breath away. There was a semicircle of huge drums
behind the other players. These sounded like Asian drums and our tympani. There were
Irish sounding drums too, but I didn’t see any snares. They invited me to play the
biggest drum. Wow! What a thrill just to beat on it a few times!
    There were also instruments like our xylophones and marimbas. They were hung vertically
and ranged in sound all the way from the marimba to bells and chimes. When they played
these with some of the stringed