An Adventure to Remember

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.