Thanksgiving in a Turkey
by Anahita Riyaz Ahmed
Whoosh! It was Thanksgiving, and 10-year-old Pecan Pie looked out the window of her family — the Pies’ three-story house. She could see her twin, 10-year-old Apple Pie. Pecan was born at 11:59, one minute before Thanksgiving, and Apple was born at 12:00 on Thanksgiving, so Pecan was technically the older twin. Apple was helping Momma Pie rake leaves for their special Thanksgiving leaf jump. Popkin Pie was out, buying the ingredients for a very special Thanksgiving Dinner.
Pecan was preheating the oven and cleaning the house for Thanksgiving.
“Are you done yet?” asked Momma.
“Almost done!” said Pecan.
Soon, Apple walked into the house with leaves stuck in her flawless apple-red bangs and waist-length braid. Her braid was threaded with gems, all autumn shades. She had brought some apples from the family apple tree.
“Do you need any help?” asked Apple.
“Nope. I’m done,” said Pecan, taking the apples and placing them in the fruit basket.
“Okay, well those apples are for a pie later today,” said Apple.
“Momma told me to tell you that we should start on the trimming for the dinner.”
“Okay, so what are we having this year?” asked Pecan.
“Roast turkey, ham, turkey meatballs (vegetarian), stuffing/dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, corn, dinner rolls, roasted Brussels sprouts, macaroni and cheese, cornbread, pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie, sweet potato pie, cranberry pie and tart, chocolate pie, chocolate orange chess pie, and persimmon pie,” said Apple.
“Okay, so we’ll get the stuff we already have, then we’ll text Popkin to buy the rest,” said Pecan.
She went to the fridge and checked the ingredients, said them all out loud, and they texted Popkin what they needed.
Then they both walked outside and helped Popkin unload the turkey and all the other ingredients. After taking the potatoes and cilantro from the trunk, Popkin went inside to cook the stuffing, leaving Pecan to unload the rest and then go decorate the backyard with lanterns with Momma and Apple.
As Pecan took the turkey from the boot, she noticed a scroll hanging on one of the turkey’s legs. She looked into the backyard to see the lanterns she, Apple, Momma, and Popkin painted last week, hanging on the fence. I should read this with someone else, thought Pecan.
Since Popkin was inside cooking the stuffing, she called Apple and Momma to read the scroll with her. No reply. She tried again. A faint reply. She tried again. A louder reply.
When they finally came over, Apple was covered in leaves, and Momma was tying her auburn hair into a bun. They read the scroll out loud.
“From the shadows I arise,
I shall curse you, for I despise
Your spirit of Thanksgiving will deny
Your surmise.”
“Whaaat!” said Apple.
“I just do not understand,” said Pecan, twirling a lock of her unblemished chestnut-brown curtain bangs. Her hair was in a tidy shoulder braid, with jewels threaded into it, all autumn shades.
Just then, they began to shrink, and an invisible force was pulling them into the turkey.
“AAAAhhhhhhhh!” screamed Momma, Apple, and Pecan as they fell down the juicy flesh of the turkey.
“Everyone okay?” asked Momma.
“Yup!” said Apple.
“Where are we?” Pecan asked, walking around and studying every single thing she saw.
“I think that we are inside the turkey,” said Apple.
They walked and walked and walked down the corridors of the turkey flesh.
“I am never ever eating another turkey again,” said Apple, disgusted.
“Neither am I,” said Pecan.
Suddenly, they felt the ground shake.
“WHAT IS HAPPENING!” asked Apple, scared.
“Turki-uake?” said Pecan, shrugging.
“Well, we HAVE to get out of here!” said Momma.
“I think Popkin is…” started Pecan, hesitating to say the rest.
“Is WHAT!” exclaimed Apple.
“Possibly picking up the turkey t-t-to c-c-cook it!” Pecan said, petrified.
Apple looked petrified. They felt rumbling again. Before Apple could ask what was making the sound, a wave of turkey-blood-infused water came flooding through.
“AHHHHHH!” they screamed.
“Popkin! Stop!” yelled Apple.
“Stop Popkin!” said Pecan.
“Stop Popkin!”
This went on until Momma got fed up and yelled, “STEVE, GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME! WE ARE HERE, STUCK, AND MY CHILDREN HAVE BEEN ENDEAVORING FOR YOUR ATTENTION. I HAVE HAD ENOUGH!”
“Aurelia? Apple? Pecan? What are you doing in the turkey?” asked Popkin, perplexed.
“A scroll sent us here,” said Momma calmly.
The wave crashed into Momma, Apple, and Pecan, drowning them. Luckily, Popkin saved them. He immediately dumped the water out and caught a glimpse of the scroll through the corner of his eye. He picked it up and began to read it. He instantly shrunk and fell into the turkey.
“Well, we could make the most of this obscure experience,” said Popkin.
So they got to work. Popkin and Momma worked together to slice turkey meat and turn it into chairs and a table. Apple made a trampoline and figured out a way to go back to their original size. All they had to say was “Tiny time done till next time,” and if they wanted to be tiny again, they would say “Ready for a tiny-tastic adventure.” With these spells, Apple and Pecan got some food for Thanksgiving dinner.
When they had finished, they sat down at the table and said prayers.
“Amen,” said Popkin.
After the last word of the prayer was said, they dug in. They didn’t have all the food they had planned to make, but they had creamy potatoes, lettuce, rice, avocado, pasta, salad, and a turkey house you could eat. They used all of this to make pokē bowls and had silvery carvers to scrape some of the turkey fresh off the walls. With the wood from the fireplace in their home, they made a bonfire that they used to cook the turkey.
They had such a fun time, and for dessert, they made ice cream sundaes with all kinds of ice cream, toppings, and whipped cream. Apple even carved shapes in the apple she got and said an enchantment, which kept the design everlasting and the apple from rotting. Pecan sprayed whipped cream at everyone, and they all got a can. Soon it was a creamy fight — literally!
There was laughing and giggling and a lot of plotting, making it the most flabbergasting thing anyone would have done.
In that moment, they learned that Thanksgiving wasn’t about the food — it was about the frivolity and fun they had together, not isolated in different parts of their kitchen. Thanksgiving was meant to be spent together, frolicking and having jollifications. Thanksgiving wasn’t just a holiday; it was a family get-together. They now understood that everything everyone had said was true: Thanksgiving really is the celebration that makes fall magical and stupendous.
The most ebullient thing they did was when Apple and Momma shrank the autumn leaves into microscopic pieces, leaving them looking like atoms! Then they brought them into the turkey and had their annual Thanksgiving Leaf Jump and Fight in there! It was quite messy, but that’s what made it a unique thing to do!
As they lay down on the floor of the turkey, chillaxing in the leaves like a blanket of nature, Apple asked something unique.
“Do you think anyone has spent Thanksgiving — oh, who am I kidding — ANY time at all in a turkey?” she asked diligently.
“Uh-uh, but we could have a world record for that,” said Pecan contentedly.
Apple giggled at the thought of them getting a world record for “Only people who have spent any time at all in a turkey” and becoming famous.
Soon, it was bedtime. They brought sleeping bags into the turkey and settled there.
“To be honest, I do not think anyone nor scientists have studied turkeys as thoroughly and closely as us,” said Pecan.
“You’re right,” said Apple, yawning. And then they drifted off to sleep, more content and elationally than ever before.
And from that Thanksgiving on, the Pies made sure that every day had at least fifteen minutes of family time and that no one was ever alone or without company. They always helped out and soon learned that they were a family of wizards. That’s how Apple made the spells to get in and out of the turkey and to keep the design of the apples she made. And with their supernatural powers, they bespelled the turkey with a never-rotting spell and turned it into their private hangout spot with a pool. If you started a sentence with “I wish…” that wish would come true in a blink of an eye!
That Thanksgiving was truly a memorable one. Not because of them uncovering their magical abilities, but because of the wonderful time they had together. Nevertheless, they don’t know about most of the things they are capable of. But that’s probably for the best. They’ll likely figure those things out in the future — some may be tangible capabilities. And they lived happily ever after, in their whimsical and effervescent lives, delighted that a sprinkle of magic would always follow them wherever they were.
THE END
