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Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Captured Fire - Part 2

Image courtesy of suphakit73 /FreeDigitalPhotos.net
This is the second installment
of the short story 
Captured Fire

This is the story of a nine-year-old boy,
Robbie, who enters a
magical world where he learns about the meaning of life, friendship, and respect for others


***

The next evening Robbie clutched the rosebud in his hand and ran over to the spot in the garden where he had released the fairy.   He closed his eyes tight and whispered the magic words the fairy told him – believe in the promise - three times as the fairy instructed.  He felt a strong suction; a heavy downward pull as the ground collapsed beneath his feet.  In a split second he was carried down a dark narrow shaft and then stopped abruptly and thrown onto a soft spongy surface.  He stayed still for a moment on the soft ground feeling dazed from the fall.  It was dark and the air had a musty aroma.  He felt something gently tickle his face.  As his eyes adjusted to the darkness he saw something stringy hanging over him.  Looking closer he could see it was a mass of twisted roots fine as strands of hair.  He slowly stood up feeling a little dizzy and started to brush dirt from himself.  “Oh my!” he gasped, “my clothes.”  There he stood, the only thing covering his body was dirt on his arms and legs, he was completely naked.

“Hello there”, a squeaky voice greeted him from beyond the tangle root mass.  He squinted his eyes and focused his gaze toward the sound of the voice.  Fluttering before him, holding what looked like a comb made of twigs, was a fairy.  This one looked different from the one he caught the night before.  She had long yellow hair, making up her dress were long orange flower petals speckled with black, similar to a tiger lily; bright green tights covered her long legs.  From the top of her head antenna protruded like the stamen of a flower and little puffy soft orbs floated down from the ends, like pollen, as she spoke.

“You must be the Land-one who captured Rosella, we heard you might pay us a visit.” the fairy was busy combing the mass of roots smooth as she talked.

Being aware of his nakedness Robbie tried to hide behind some thick tangled twigs suspended from above.  “I’m Robbie, if Rosella is the fairy I thought was a firefly then yes that’s me.”

“Welcome Robbie, I am Tytra the manager of root manicuring.  Someone will be here to make you comfortable and show you around”.

“But I’m naked.” he whispered.

“Oh that is alright, they say every Land-one is when they arrive here.  You shrunk you know.  Once you become tiny your coverings no longer fit.”

Robbie looked at her with a mystified gaze and extended his arms and looked at his hand and down at his feet.   He was tiny! How did this happen. “I am no longer a boy, I must be a fairy,” he exclaimed in horror as he reached to his back searching for wings.

Tytra giggled as she watched, You do look somewhat like a fairy, are you sure you are not one of us?  Upturned noses and small points of the ears are a fairy quality.”  Robbie slowly touched the tip of his nose and let his fingers move to his ears.  “No, they are like Nana’s I’ve been told.”  Tytra nodded with a sly smile then made a loud clicking sound summoning two more Tiger Lily Fairies.  “Take the Land-one to the salon and inform Rosella he is here.”  The fairies obediently took hold of his arms, lifted him up and flew off through the silky root curtains, emerging into a magical underground world.   Robbie felt for sure he was in a dream.

They entered a room with rows dug into the earth walls forming shelves.  Neatly on each shelf were leaves and petals all stacked together by colors, starting on the bottom with the lighter shades and progressing up to the darker shade of that same color.  Several piles of stones covered with moss were in the middle of the room, reminiscent of small tables.  A fairy with short red curly hair and a dress made of lily of the valley bells greeted them with a cheery smile.

“Here’s the Land-one for you to dress,” one of the Tiger Lily Fairies said as they dropped Robbie on top of a shiny silver stone and flew out of the room with a Swoosh!

Without a word the Lily of the Valley Fairy flew over to Robbie and dressed him in a shirt and short pants made from small deep green leaves with serrated edges and placed the cap of an acorn on top his short sandy hair.  The dark colors made the blue of his eyes glow bright.   When finished she flew over and pulled a long snake like vine that hung in the corner of the room.  Lily of the Valley bells rang with a choir of soft tinkles and two more fairies immediately entered the room.  They were dressed as Robbie was only with brown mesh wings and a brown belt around their waists made from dried woven grass, little twigs hung like batons from the belts. 

Again he was escorted through the big room, down a narrow winding tunnel far from the bustling activity in the large room and into a small hidden area.  The tantalizing aroma of roses intoxicated Robbie’s nostrils as he was dropped off in this room. The walls were covered from floor to ceiling with over lapping rose petals of various shades of pinks, and reds.  The ceiling and floor were covered with white and yellow petals.  Small rose blooms were placed in the room for chairs and on either side of the chairs small stones covered in moss to serve as tables.  In the far corner was a bed of slate covered with moss woven together with rose petals.  Rosebuds were placed at the head of the bed for pillows.   

Robbie heard a trickle and saw in the corner a clear stream flowing down over silver stones forming a pond.  Pieces of rose petals gently floated and twirled in the rippling water that formed fluffy foam and floated like clouds on the surface of the pond.  This was the residence of Rosella the Queen of the Flower Garden Fairies.

Robbie stood looking around the little room in awe still thinking he must be in a dream when he heard a little humming sound behind him.   He turned around and there was Rosella behind him accompanied by four Rose Fairies. She settled down on one of the rose bloom chairs and was quickly attended to by one of the fairies. 

“Welcome Robbie the Land-one.  We are so happy that you decided to visit us.”  She motioned for him to sit down and then snapped her fingers twice, nodded and the attendants flew away. Robbie sat down a little uneasy on the flower chair as the cool petals engulfed his small body.  He was not used to the using flowers as furniture.

“We do not often have visitors from the upper land.  Upper land dwellers must prove they are worthy to enter the flower fairyland.  But you have proved yourself by showing your kindness for others and setting me free,” she said with a gracious smile and nodding her head towards Robbie.

Just then one of the attendants came back carrying a large leaf, using it like a tray.   On the tray were little bell shaped flowers with the stems twisted around the sides for handles making the flowers look like teacups.  She offered one to Robbie.  He hesitated then he took one.  With curious examination he sniffed the light pink liquid in the cup cautiously and slowly touched the rosy drink to his lips.  It was actually good. 

“One of my favorite drinks,” Rosella said as she took a sip and leaned back in her chair, “the morning dew off a rose petal mixed with honeysuckle nectar.”

“As I was saying,” Rosella put down the teacup and looking seriously into Robbie’s eyes, “you are one of the privileged.  Very few ever enter the underground flower land.  You shall be the ambassador between our two worlds spreading the word to your people that life exists everywhere.”

Robbie gulped down the rosy drink.  He started to tremble as he set the teacup down on the table.  “Ambassador?  Me, how could I tell anyone something important, I am only nine-years old.”?

Rosella laughed, leaning forward she touched Robbie’s arm and whispered, “All actions are noticed by someone, good, bad, all actions are noticed.”  Then she sat back with a sly grin and picked up her drink.

Robbie gulped.   Rosella mentioned his kindness by the fact that he released her, but he knew he was not always so kind. He thought back to last summer.   

§

© copyright 2013   Eileen A Partak


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