One morning, Jackson was playing with his toy dragons in his room in Dallas. He was pretending they were soaring through the sky, their shiny scales shimmering in the sun. "Whoosh! Grrrr!" Jackson roared, making his dragon swoop down low.
"Jackson, honey, time for breakfast!" Mom called from the kitchen.
As Jackson sat down to eat his pancakes, Mom said, "Sweetheart, remember we're going to see Dr. Green today for your checkup."
Jackson loved his mom, but he wasn't too excited about visiting the doctor. He'd rather play with his dragons all day!
After breakfast, as they drove, something magical happened. The car started bouncing, and the world outside the windows swirled with colors. When it finally stopped, Jackson and his mom were in a forest unlike any he'd seen before!
Giant trees with leaves like stained glass windows towered above them. Sparkly fairies peeked from behind colorful mushrooms. A little bluebird with a tiny crown perched on a branch, chirping a cheerful song.
"Wow!" Jackson gasped. "Where are we, Mom?"
Mom smiled. "I think this is the Enchanted Forest. Grandma used to tell me stories about it."
Suddenly, a wise old tree with a face like a wrinkled apple spoke. "Welcome to the Enchanted Forest! I see you're here because someone needs to visit the doctor." The tree chuckled, its branches rustling like laughter.
Mom looked a bit surprised that the tree talked but then said, "Yes, that's right. My son, Jackson, has a check-up."
"Well, then you need to see Hazel the Helpful Witch! She lives by the Whispering Waterfall," the tree said, pointing one of its long, knobby branches towards a path lined with glowing flowers.
Following the path, Jackson and Mom came to a beautiful waterfall that sparkled like diamonds in the sun. Beside it stood a cozy little cottage with smoke curling from its chimney.
Mom knocked on the door, and it creaked open. Inside, they saw a kind-looking witch stirring a big pot. She had a pointy hat with twinkling stars and a friendly smile.
"Welcome, welcome! I'm Hazel. Come in, come in!" she said, her voice like warm honey.
Jackson felt a little nervous, but Hazel's smile made him feel better. Mom explained that Jackson had a check-up and they were a bit lost.
Hazel chuckled. "Lost you are, but in the best way possible! You see, sometimes a little magic is needed to remind us that taking care of ourselves is important. Just like visiting a doctor! It keeps us strong and healthy."
She handed Jackson a cup of something that smelled like sunshine and berries. "Drink this. It's my special giggle juice. It chases away worries and makes you brave."
Jackson drank it. It tasted even better than it smelled! Suddenly, he wasn't worried about the doctor anymore. He felt strong and brave, ready for anything!
"Thank you, Hazel!" Jackson and his mom said. With a wave of her hand, Hazel made the room swirl again. In a blink, they were back in the car.
"Did that really happen?" Jackson asked, his eyes wide.
Mom smiled and winked. "Maybe it did, maybe it didn't. What matters is you're feeling brave about seeing Dr. Green now, right?"
Jackson nodded. He felt like he could fly all the way to the doctor's office!
When they arrived, Jackson surprised himself by actually being excited. He knew that going to the doctor was a good thing, just like Hazel said, and it made his mom happy. He even told Dr. Green about the Enchanted Forest and Hazel the Helpful Witch, making the doctor chuckle.
That night, back in his room, Jackson played with his toy dragons. But this time, he pretended they were flying him to visit Hazel in the Enchanted Forest, a magical place he knew was always there, reminding him to be brave and take care of himself.
