Sparkle

It was gone!

The tiny winged fairy dug frantically again through the chest desperate to find the pouch she had hidden the night before, her heart pounding so loud she did not hear the chimes begin to ring in the distance. Still nothing. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

She was in the hollowed tree stump, hours earlier watching herself toss and turn, too restless to lay peacefully in sleep. That pouch, where was the pouch? As she moved toward the chest the small round window slid open, almost silently. She watched as a dark figure climbed through. Without a search, the figure slid the wooden chest from beneath the bed, unclasped the golden clips, lifted the lid and removed the pouch. Putting the chest back as it had been seemed to take half the time. It was all too fast, too smooth, too direct. And who was this thief? As the dark figure left through the window the fairy noticed the slightest tail of a wing peaking from the bottom of the thief’s black disguise.

Serafina’s eyes flew open. Her eyes darted toward the window, her brow furrowed as the chimes’ distant rings faded. Her determination turned to panic as she realized her time was nearly up. It was the last of her Sparkle and the chimes signaled the coming winter. The Exodus was near and she would not survive the trip without the Sparkle. The image of the blue wing flashed through her mind again. Frantic, she darted out the door. There were only three blue winged fairies in the Garden.

Serafina flited up and around the twisted jasmine vines. Up! Up! Up! To the knot in the second branch of the dwarf citrus tree. She looked inside eager to confront her first suspect. For a moment she couldn’t breathe. The knot was empty. The first blue winged fairy had left early for the Exodus. Days earlier it seemed given the dust that had accumulated.

She continued her search. Not knowing what she would do when she found the thief. Her magic would give her no advantage. She had mastered her visions of the past and had been training her clairvoyance, perhaps seeing the future would allow her to set a trap but she was nowhere near ready, especially not with her frantic state. But she knew she had to do something. It was her Sparkle, her key to survival. She had made the Exodus once and knew shelter was not guaranteed. It was that magic powder that would conceal her at nights. She had seen too many unprepared fairies snatched up by owls and foxes, betrayed by the soft glow of their wings. She knew she would not stand a chance without the Sparkle.

Down! Down! Down! Racing along, nearly as fast as her mind, Serafina darted through the Garden until she came to the house at the edge of the pumpkins.

Empty.

Still in a rush she whipped around, then froze. It was the wings. No two are alike, no two have the same shade and this was the blue she had seen, however briefly. This must be the thief. Serafina took a deep breath. Then another.

She fell to her knees. Her heart sank. In the blue winged fairy’s arms were his infant daughters. On his left, his young son walked. On his right was his wife, pulling the family’s meager belongings. In the process of turning from his wife to his son, the man glanced over his shoulder and saw Serafina on her knees. His eyes widened.

It was only a moment, but as the two locked eyes a world of possibilities flashed through both fairies’ minds. They both knew. Serafina took a deep breath and stood.

The blue winged fairy hurriedly handed the infants to his unknowing wife. She was surprised by the sudden change in her husband as he nodded and kissed her forehead. The blue winged fairy took a deep breath and turned to his challenger, the future of his family resting heavy on his heart. But as he readied himself, Serafina bowed her head, and turned away. She would face the Exodus without the Sparkle, alone.