Once there was an explorer and her name was Violet and she was very brave. One morning she was making her breakfast and she got a call from her boss
“I have a mission for you You must go to the top of Mount Everest and go back down”, said her boss.
So she got right on it. The first thing she had to do was go on a plane to go to Mount Everest. Her first steps were easy but it got harder and harder and she was half way up and it took her daaayyyys to get there.
Then she spotted a cave and she wanted to take a break there She went in and laid down and then she fell asleep for hours and she woke up because for some reason a big clump of ice fell on her It hurt so much and she was so alone It was a good thing she had her phone and she called people to help her. Then she fell asleep again and she woke up in the hospital and she found out she was ok
When she got home she thought the next time she tried she wanted to get a pet for hiking It was a human cat thingy and it had powers. It can move stuff with its brain and has a map of where you want to go and where you are. She talked to the store owner and asked if it was ok to adopt the special animal. She named it Kitty.
She did everything she had to do to visit the cave on Mount Everest again She was at the cave again but she did not go in. She kept going and she got to the top but her pet got so tired that he fell asleep
Violet woke Kitty up and she said “Wake up! We have more walking to go We can’t stop here!” Then they went down the mountain and Kitty helped her get down steep slopes and they finally got at the bottom
They went home and she was famous because she was the first person to go on Mount Everest and go back down without getting hurt At home there was a party and she was officially famous..... and Kitty of course!
I, Dunkin McMuffin, am on a mission “I have to find something Anything at this point.” My mind is in utter turmoil. I made a promise to Melody. A promise I intend to keep, but with my flight leaving in 2 hours and most regular stores having closed by 10pm, my chances of keeping that promise are slim to none.
As I race around the last building on the block, I notice a soft blue glow It is coming from a neon butterfly open sign in the window of, what looks like a small cottage “That’s strange ” I say to myself “What is a cottage like this doing in the middle of Glasgow?” “Welp, beggars can’t be choosers.”
I walk in the door to the sounds of a soft clàrsach melody. It smells like peaches, Earl Grey tea, and moss. There are cases full of jewelry, pipes, candles and herbs. Bookshelves are stuffed with old leatherbound tomes “Far from home you seem to be, what is it that troubles thee?” a feminine voice sings out fast and with a slight lisp I turn towards the voice and see an old frail woman dressed from head to toe is different shades of greens She can’t be more than 4 feet tall with eyes that seem to change from a sparkling blue to a blue so dark you could drown in them
“Oh, well..um.. hello there. How do you do?” I stammer. She stares at me with her head slightly tilted. “I am looking for a special gift for my daughter. I promised to bring her home something magical from Scotland. The land of the Fae.” I say in my best story time Dad voice. The shop keepers’ eyes twinkle blue at the word Fae. I chuckle to myself and clarify. “Sorry, you see, Melody has loved fairies since I could remember. We jokingly
call her our little changeling ” Her eyes darken to that drowning blue and her head snaps up at the word changeling. “No worries, I was there for the birth. Cut the umbilical cord myself ” I say proudly “She’s ours ”
“Lest you speak some more, follow me to thine back door.” The shopkeeper replied while turning off the neon open sign I followed her into a tiny circular closet of a room It is entirely wood, like someone hollowed out a great oak tree and carved shelves upon shelves into the trunk of it There were thousands of shiny glittering objects lining the shelves. Buttons, charms, hair clips, broken necklaces, beads, shiny stones and what appeared to be the small bones of an animal of some sort “Something special is the gift you seek, something magical has the interest piqued.” She says as she pulls out a small carved wooden box and sets it on the small table in front of me. I open the box to reveal the most beautiful Blue Morpho Butterfly The wings had to be 8 inches long with wings that would change form a light shimmery blue to a deep dark blue when tilted in the light. “This is would be beyond perfect Is it for sale?” I ask Transfixed, I just blindly reach into my pocket to pull out my money clip. I set the box down to remove the four-leaf clover embellished money clip my grandfather passed down to me. Setting the clip on the table I begin to count the money. “Paper tis such a waste, I’ll take that in its place!” I hear the shopkeeper say. “My money clip?” I ask. “It’s an heirloom.” I say as the alarm blares on my phone “Darn it! I’m going to be late for my flight! What am I going to do? The butterfly is perfect, Melody would love it. “Ok, deal.” I say and stick out my hand to the shopkeeper to seal the deal As I look up though, she is gone The shop is gone and I am sitting in my seat
My front door flies open, nearly hitting me in the process. “DADDY!” A blur of golden strawberry curls shouts as I tumble to the ground, my arms protectively encircling Melody Our dog Donut taking his change to kiss our faces as we laugh on the ground “I missed you, how was your adventure?” My adventure That is what she calls my job as a Silviculturists. I study forests and tell Melody the stories of my “adventures.” “Let’s head inside and I’ll tell you all about it while I unpack.” I say as I piggy back her into the house.
Melody sits at the table, green eyes sparkling as I recount my latest “adventure” through Galloway Forest Park. I stop mid-sentence when my I see a familiar carved wooden box in the bottom of my carry on. “What is it Daddy?” Melody asks. I stare in disbelief a moment longer before responding “It is your magical gift from the land of the fae ” I manage to say Melody explodes in excitement “May I see daddy, may I see?” she chants
listening to the flight attendant announce our arrival at Rutland Southern Vermont Regional airport. I just sit and blink for a few minutes as passengers begin to depart. “What just happened? Was I dreaming?” I think to myself I collect my carry on and disembark the plane Another 20-minute drive and I’ll be home, Scottsville Vermont Butts right up to the Green Mountain National Forest. A little slice of heaven for a guy like me. I hand her the box, still perplexed. “It’s beautiful! I will cherish it forever.” She says as she hurriedly dashes out the door to her treehouse, we made last summer. I don’t see Melody again until I call her in for dinner. “Where did you disappear to all day?” I ask. “Blueberry is a real fairy! She was telling me about her home in the woods and that I could
go there; she said it would be fun and that I belonged there. We were almost there but it was getting dark and I was scared and then I heard you calling me for dinner, so we turned back but Blueberry was mad and turned back into the butterfly, so I left her in her box in the treehouse ” Melody rambles while washing her hands for dinner “That is quite the adventure ” I admit
After dinner is finished, our bedtime routine completed and our tales told. I tuck Melody into bed and lay a kiss upon her forehead. As I am walking out the door she asks, “Daddy, do you think Blueberry is still mad at me?” Trying to ease her concerns I tell her I will bring Blueberry inside so she’s not alone in the dark I retrieve Blueberry and place her on the coffee table as I lay back on the couch to work on some final paperwork.
I am awoken by a bright blue light, must have bumped a button and my laptop screen lit up I must have nodded off while working I rub my eyes and stumble towards the bathroom As I return to collect my things, I notice the front door is wide open and there is a barely audible melody floating on the breeze. I walk to the door and freeze in horror. There is Melody, in her nightgown with Donut pulling at the hem. Almost like trying to pull her back to safety. That is when I notice the blue light leading Melody into the forest It wasn’t the computer; it was Blueberries light that woke me
I charge out of the house. Shouting for Melody as I try and fail to reach her before she enters the forest. As soon as she enters the forest, she disappears. Donut and I are left staring into the darkness. Donut howls at the moon in despair. The police are
called and the forest searched to no avail. Both Melody and Blueberry are gone. On the 10year anniversary of Melodies disappearance, I look at Donut and ask, “What do you think boy? One last adventure?” Donut slowly lifts his head Stiff with arthritis in his elder years. We head off into the woods. After awhile we stop for lunch. As we sit and eat Donut perks up and runs deeper into the forest. I give chase and halt in my pursuit when a strange cottage appears with a blue butterfly painted in the front window This is all to familiar I think as I cautiously enter, Donut on my heals. Upon entering it all floods back. The sounds of a soft clàrsach melody The smell of peaches, Earl Grey tea, and moss
Instead of a little old lady dressed from head to toe in shades of green. There is none other than my sweet Melody “MELODY!” I shout and race to grab her up into my embrace She giggles that same sweet giggle I remember and tears stream down my face
“It’s been a long time Daddy. I’ve missed you!” she says. “Oh Melody. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again!” I speak. She guides me to a chair where there is some tea and cookies prepared Donut is already curled up on a dog bed by a small fireplace I am filled with a peaceful feeling as she sits and begins to tell me about her adventure.
“What is it?” Misuchi jabbed her finger at the small furry creature.
“Stop that.” Saria swatted her hand away. “You’ll scare it.”
“Why would you buy ” Misuchi paused for dramatic effect “that?”
With a roll of her eyes, Saria swooped the gangly beast up and placed it gently back in its cage. “It’s a tchrel ”
The little animal gave a warble of protest and eyed the two women from behind the wooden bars.
“Some misguided Yochins poach them and sell them as exotic delicacies ”
“So it’s our dinner now?” Misuchi’s mouth watered at the prospect of cooked meat
Saria groaned, shaking her head. “We are going to release it.”
“So now, not only am I short coin, but also clangin’ food?” Misuchi glared at the passing onlookers who had stopped to gaze at her language. Yochee’s city streets were often busy enough that her language went unnoticed, not that she cared either way
“Hush now,” Saria chided and was off.
They left the marketplace behind and then out the main gates Outside the safety of the city walls a forest loomed. Nearly dusk, the gates would be closing and Misuchi and Saria would undoubtedly need to camp out for the night Not that it mattered, they certainly didn’t have enough for an inn
“Alright, let the stupid beast go If we move fast enough we may at least find one of the nice alleys to sleep in ”
Saria raised a brow at Misuchi but did as she asked She opened the cage and the long slender creature slunk out It stopped to look at them, letting loose a long chattering noise and rising to sit on its haunches.
“I wonder what it’s saying,” Saria pondered aloud
“Probably cursing our kind for taking it from its home in the first place ” Misuchi snorted “It’s just going to get eaten out here anyway ” She crossed her arms “Could have been us! At least we’d have full bellies.”
“You’d eat it? Really?” Saria didn’t sound convinced
Misuchi shrugged non committedly She narrowed her eyes at the glossy eyed tchrel “I guess it is kind of cute ”
It chirped, then flopped back, exposing its lengthy belly and wriggled in the tall grass, its bushy tail writhing like a fluffy serpent
“What’s it doing?” Misuchi took a step back
“No idea ” Saria narrowed her green eyes
“It’s definitely going to get eaten,” Misuchi said after the tchrel continued its bizarre horizontal dance.
Then with a pop, a burst of dust shot up and clouded around the pair
“Clang it!” Misuchi hollered, coughing as the shimmery spray tickled her throat
Saria waved a hand. “It smells like burnt spinah!”
The tchrel gave a cheerful “purrump” and then sped into the woods
“Clangin’ vermin!” Misuchi grumbled at the creature “I don’t feel so good ” She swayed as the world seemed to shift unnaturally around her
“The… Is… ” Saria’s head lolled “Poison?” She dropped to the crisp pale grass below Her staff thumped beside her
Misuchi tried to give one last curse but found the ground before the words could leave her lips. ***
Misuchi woke, head throbbing, the sun glaring in her eyes With a groan, she found Saria and shook her awake
“What happened?” Saria asked groggily, rubbing her head.
“Your new pet sprayed us with something and took off.”
Saria stared into the woods
“It’s probably finding the rest of its family so it can come back and eat us.”
“What is it with you and food? It’s not always food!” Saria moved on to rubbing her face
“Nature would highly disagree ”
Saria gave a long suffering sigh. With some grunts and the aid of her staff, she stood, dusting dead grass from her dress
“The Harmony Heard… ” Saria groaned. “What a defense mechanism. No wonder they’re rarely caught.”
Misuchi nodded and Saria helped her to her feet
“That’s the last time we buy unknown beasts at the market,” Misuchi said “At least we got a good night’s sleep?” Saria flashed a tired smile.
“Oh yes, about as restful as a night after several glasses of my favorite drink ” Misuchi massaged her stiff neck. “And about as painless. This is worse than a hangover.”
Saria ignored Misuchi’s words, as she often did when drinking came into the conversation “The gates should be opening for the day… ”
“We head off then?” Misuchi’s voice grew with hope “Bye, you vile woodland creature!” She waved to the forest behind her.
“First meal sounds good,” Saria muttered
“Agreed! But how exactly will we be buying breakfast when you used all our funds on rescuing that ungrateful dust sprayer?”
Saria’s gaze dropped to where the creature last lay “Oh, I think we’ll find a way… ” There amongst the grass, were several shining gold coins
“I don’t want to know where those came from,” Misuchi said, her mouth twisting.
Saria bent and retrieved the coins, inciting a whine of revulsion from Misuchi.
Saria gave Misuchi a pointed look “They’re like you, Misuchi. They steal shiny things ” She stared at the coins in her hand. “But usually for their nests… I think these are the same coins I gave the merchant.”
“Are you telling me the beast paid us for our services?” Misuchi scoffed
“Does it matter?” Saria smiled, her fist tightening around the coins.
Misuchi’s full happy belly found that it did, indeed, not matter at all.
