Two fairies

Flash fiction 

I woke up with the sun on my face. An inner calmness filled me like I had never experienced before. Everything felt right and as it should be. 

It was Spring finally after another harsh and bleak English winter. I was better again. Better than better.

In the previous months, a darkness had consumed me. All I had wanted to do was sleep. Days turned into nights. Both dark to me. 

For a very long time I had felt unable to move as if I was cocooned in a tight web that I couldn't break free from.. My body had ached and everything was grey and gloomy. I saw nothing but darkness.

Now out of those very same eyes, I saw brightness. Colours were sharper. I felt light and free as if I had danced my way out of the chains of the darkness.

The natural beauty of my surroundings I could now see and it filled me with warmth and excitement.

The grass seemed greener, literally. The daffodils and blue bells perfumed the air, so refreshing and clean. 

The birds sang in a meditative chant. As if they were encouraging me to dance to their sweet music.

I danced and I danced like a beautiful flower swaying in the Spring breeze.
Enchanting, magical! I felt transformed.

My dancing was interrupted when out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of flickering gold. Then it was gone. Next there was a giggle behind me but when I turned, I could not see anyone.

Had I imagined it? After all I was giddy and overwhelmed now I was well again. 
No! There it was again.. the gold flickers, the giggles… and again!

I closed my eyes thinking perhaps the sun light was the reason for the flickering in my eyes. It wasn't really giggling I had heard, just the chattering of the birds. 

A few moments later, I opened my eyes again and the gold flicker seemed to take shape. It was a butterfly of course! Although at first it almost looked like a fairy, the way it was being illuminated in the golden rays of the sun but there is no such thing as fairies. 

Then came more giggling! Butterflies do not giggle! What was this I was seeing? It had to be a butterfly but butterflies do not giggle!

Get a grip I told myself. The giggling is not giggling and the butterfly is certainly not giggling!!

Bemused and intrigued, I followed the butterfly to the stream. Still giddy, I felt as if I was flying too. 

At the edge of the water with the shade of a willow tree, I could see clearly now the butterfly was no butterfly. My eyes were definitely not deceiving me. This was confirmed when the beautiful creature replied to me when I must have asked out loud

"What are you? Are you a fairy?"

"I am a fairy" she giggled as she beckoned me towards her.

"Your not real, you can't be" I heard myself say as I moved closer.

"I am as real as you are" she giggled as she took my hand. "Just look into the water"

As I looked for my reflection in the stream, I saw her, not me. There were two of her reflecting back at me. 

Two fairies! 

Tammy Donoghue