A short story written by yours truly. This little ditty placed at the Brigham City Peach Days literary contest. Woot woot.
Once there was a girl. She liked to write things. Stories, poems, and thoughts, among other things. She had medium, dark brown hair, and eyes to match. She was neither tall, nor short, and wore jeans, with tee shirts, and converse tennis shoes. So, in other words, generic.
The day this generic girl found herself staring blankly at her computer screen, was a special day. She was unaware, but it was, indeed, special. She was suffering through a nasty bought of writer's block. Not having suffered from it often, the girl stood up, and started pacing the room. Back and forth she went, but to no avail. She sighed, and started making her bed. Then, she picked things up off the floor. Clearly procrastinating, the girl went on with other meaningless chores. After walking the dog, feeding the cats, vacuuming, and organizing her fashion magazines, the girl realized she had yet to find inspiration. She took a deep breath, and decided on a nap. Laying on her freshly made bed, she stared at her boring, colorless ceiling. Drop... Drop... Went the few raindrops outside her window. Drop... Drop... They grew quieter. Drop..... Drop...... Drop....... THUNK.
"Thunk?" she thought to herself. Sitting up she gazed over to her window. Something was slowly, sliding down the screen. She jumped off the bed and ran to the window. It was a tiny person. A tiny person, about half the height of a Barbie doll, was definitely sliding down her window screen. What did she do...? Run outside to catch it? No. That's quite a fall for such a small thing. And, what if she missed? Open the window? Yes. Open the window, and pop out the screen.
"Hold on... I'm going to open the window" she told the creature, hoping it could understand her. Then, she carefully slid the window up. The little person watched, warily, as the girl ran for her car keys. With the keys, punctured the screen and proceeded to make a hole. Once it was big enough, the girl reached her hand through the opening, and stretched it out flat, near her tiny guest. "Come on, now. I've got you" she told it.
Inspecting her hand for only a moment, the person, cautiously, stepped one foot, then the other, onto the girl's outstretched palm. Then, letting go of the window screen, it curled itself into a ball and the girl pulled it to safety.
The girl walked over to her night stand, opened the drawer, and pulled out a white hankie. She placed it over the shivering body of her new "friend", and, for the first time, noticed it had wings. Sitting back on the bed she asked "Who are you...?" still hoping it understood her language.
"I..." he started, standing up on her hand "am Dandelion Peachmeade" he finished, brushing off his green breeches and orange vest. Then, wrapping himself up in the hankie, added "you may call me Dandy, although I'm not one." And, with a nod of his head he sat down cross legged on her palm.
"Alright. Why... Are you here?" the girl questioned, slowly.
"Why not?" Dandy answered, not taking his eyes away from hers.
"It's just not common... Faeries out in the open like this" she told him.
"So?" he said, flatly.
Remembering faeries are not the easiest to deal with, the girl tried again. "What, exactly, are you doing here?"
"The storm soaked my wings. Lost a bit of control. The wind blew me onto your window."
"Oh-"
"Yep. Then I saw you had cats. AND, your shoes were facing the bed. So I decided this was a good a place as any to try for shelter" he cut in.
"I see... Well, is there anything I can get you? Food, or something?" she offered. She figured this was a prime opportunity for writing inspiration.
"Got any honey?" Dandy asked.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I don't. I used to leave it out, in case a faery wanted or needed it. But, I haven't done that in quite sometime... Would you like some tea, maybe...?"
"Hmm... Shouldn't have stopped that. Nobody leaves honey for us anymore" then, he stood up flapped his wings, and started wondering around the girl's room. While flying from shelf to shelf, smelling candles, inspecting sea shells, and poking stuffed animals he added "close your window, hm?"
"Right, sorry" she trotted across the room, and slid the window shut.
"Silly book. Silly book. This one's closer, but still ridiculous. Oh! That guy hasn't a clue!" Dandy said as he rifled through her collection of books.
The girl smiled. She found having a faery as a guest most delightful.
"Yes" Dandy said to her.
"Yes? Yes what?" she asked
"Tea, girl! You asked if I wanted tea!"
"Oh! I'm so sorry! I'll go make some..." and she turned to leave the room.
"Nope! Never mind. Don't want to wait" his voice echoed from her jar of loose change.
"I'm sorry..." she said.
"Stop saying that. That's all you say. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry" Dandy chastised her from atop her bookshelf.
The girl opened her mouth to apologize, again, but closed it quickly. Realizing that she was about to say "sorry" once again. She turned around and sat back down on her bed. Looking over to Dandy she asked "Where do you come from?"
"Not a place you know of" he answered, still sitting at the top of her bookshelf. His small eyes burrowing into hers.
"I see..." she replied, keeping his gaze.
He lingered for a moment, then flitted off to the picture frames on her wall. "Who's that?" he asked of the lowest picture.
"My mom" she answered.
Flying up to the next photo he said "and that?"
"That's my sister and I"
"What about that one?" he asked when he reached the top frame.
"That's my grandma"
"Lot's of family. Who's picture is that on the shelf?" he continued, flying over to it.
"Well, the one on the bookshelf is my best friend. And the one on that higher self" she said pointing across the room "is my Godson... What about your family...?" she asked.
"What about them?"
"Where are they?" she wondered.
"Home" he said.
"Is that far?"
"Far from where?" he asked as he played with his reflection in her mirror.
"Far from here" she giggled.
"For you" Dandy answered. Then, he flew over to the bed, and sat down next to her.
The girl smiled at him.
"I like you" he told her.
"You do...?" she asked, confused.
"Yes... I do."
"May I ask why?" she inquired.
"You just did" he replied blankly, staring at her once again.
"Why do you like me, Dandy?" she asked again.
"Because you read faery books, and you have cats who watch us. And your shoes face your bed, so I'm not unwelcome. And..." he looked away "you used to leave honey out for me..."
"For you...?
"You didn't live here then, though. You lived in a different place. It took me a long time to find you. And, now I have, but there's no honey. Did you not want me to find you?" he asked, sadly.
"Of coarse not! I did not know you liked the honey. I didn't think anyone even knew I left it out. I'm so sorry!" she told him. Then she scooped him up and drew him close to her face, and added "I'm so glad you found me."
"Me too" Dandy said. "Will you put the honey back out?"
"I'll go and get some first thing tomorrow" she replied.
"And, will you keep writing stories?" he asked.
She paused. "Of coarse. and you know what, Dandy? I've got an excellent idea for a new story."
"Not yet. I like the nap idea better" he stated. Flying over to one of the pillows on the bed he said "Where's that hankie?"
The girl picked up the white hankie, covered her friend with it, then snuggled down next to him. She watched Dandy fall asleep. He was so little, breathing so steadily. Then, within a few moments, she herself, had dozed off.
Opening her eyes, the girl smiled. It took her a moment to realize the white hankie was gone. And... So was Dandy. She looked around the bed, and his hankie was no where to be found. She turned to her night stand, opened the drawer, and there it was. Neatly folded just as it always was, with the other hankies. She got up, and walked to the window. There was no hole in the screen. In fact, there was no sign of Dandelion Peachmeade anywhere.
Very disheartened, the girl walked across the room. On her way out the door, she passed her blank screened computer. She stopped. Turning back, she looked again, at the screen:
“don't forget the honey
love dandy”
