Summer Magic

The family cabin had been vacant all year. Catalina shooed the children out so she could attack the cobwebs. While Mateo and Maya dug for worms and tanned their young shoulders under the afternoon sun, she had managed to scrub the place until it sparkled.

“Abuela! Look at the pretty rocks we found near the lake!” Maya held out a dirty palm, revealing her new treasures.

“I caught a fish!” Mateo interjected, bumping his sister aside to show off his catch. Catalina laughed.

“Beautiful treasures, Maya. We will add them to our collection, si? And we will feast on a fish supper, Mateo, that you so kindly provided for us.”

Bright smiles lit their faces. Catalina clapped her hands. “Now it is time to wash up and prepare for an evening of delight. Tonight, the sky is to put on a show for us.”

The sun dipped to the west and the fish was picked over with eager, greasy fingers. Catalina and the children dug bare toes into the cool dirt and lifted their eyes to the sky. The light that danced across their vision held them captured until the crash of glass jerked away their attention. Catalina frowned and cocked her head toward their cabin, noting the faint click of their front door shutting. She caught the glance Mateo tossed to Maya and imagined their twin powers of telecommunication was engaged at full strength.

“Slow down,” she murmured, knowing their plans and stopping them before they could race away into a potentially dangerous situation. She stood and dusted the dirt from her backside. “We will inspect, but cautiously. No running ahead. No foolishness, si?”

Two eager faces solemnly nodded, yet they couldn’t hide the sparkle in their eyes. She could sense their longing to pull ahead, but Catalina purposely slowed her steps, forcing the children to stay with her. It was a short walk to the cabin and soon Maya was pointing at the broken window that led to one of the bedrooms.

“Someone broke the glass, Abuela!”

“Not only that,” Mateo said, his eyes wide with wonder. “But the glass has been broken from the inside!”

Catalina crouched and realized he was correct. Glass littered her flowerbed. Her forehead scrunched as she plucked up a piece of glass and attempted to process the vandalism.

“That means someone wasn’t trying to break in,” Maya gasped. “They were trying to break out”

“Then why did they leave from the front door,” Catalina wondered aloud. As the twins fixed brown eyes on hers, she sighed. “I heard the door open, after the glass. I may be una anciana but my hearing is still sharp.” She winked and dropped the shard.

Another exchange of glances between the twins and Catalina caught them each by one shoulder.

“We will go inside together.” Catalina arched a brow and waited for their reluctant nods.

The door clicked as they opened it. Mateo flicked on a light while Maya grabbed Catalina’s hand. Catalina could feel the nervousness radiating from the girls sweaty grasp.

“My kitchen!” Catalina gasped. Her eyes flickered over a mess of ketchup, mustard, pickles, and frosting all smeared over the floor she had furiously mopped mere hours before. Maya dropped her hand and tiptoed forward.

“Abuela, there are tiny footprints in the strawberry jam and mayo section of the floor!”

Catalina laughed and then laughed harder at the concerned looks on Maya and Mateo’s faces. “Oh, children, I should have known. The lights should have been a reminder. But it has been so many years, I had forgotten.” She pressed a hand to her joyful heart before sinking onto a lumpy couch. “Come, sit with me. There is nothing to fear.”

Maya tentatively lowered herself onto the next cushion. Mateo plopped on the thick, carpeted floor at his abuela’s feet. Both remained silent, holding their breath in anticipation of a story that was sure to be miraculous. Catalina knew the two would have no trouble believing, the footprints were just the beginning!

“When I was a child, my parents brought me to this cabin every summer. One summer, when I was your age, we had beautiful lights traveling across the sky. My sisters and I danced under their glow. When we returned to the house and my sisters and I had been tucked into bed, I awoke to a strange noise and found —” she hesitated, biting her lip.

“You found what?” Maya whispered.

“She found me, silly!”

Catalina couldn’t help but smile at the pixie somersaulting across the floor. She was just as remembered. Ageless and full of tricks.

“This sprite got me into so much trouble that summer,” Catalina chuckled. “But we had many adventures, as well.”

Mateo frowned. “Is that why you made a mess in Abuela’s kitchen? To play a trick on her?” He shook a finger at her but the pixie merely giggled and jumped onto his hand, perching on the digit like a bird.

“So much fun squishing the mess between my toes!” Pixie grinned.

“But why break the glass?” Maya asked.

“To get your attention, of course!” Pixie rolled her eyes.

“But...but…” Maya sputtered. Catalina placed a hand on Maya’s knee to quiet her.

“It’s no use trying to reason with her, Maya. She has her own rules and logic. The glass can be fixed. The mess cleaned. Until then, we must all prepare for bed.”

Pixie crossed her arms across her chest and pouted. “And miss the perfect night for hide and seek?”

Catalina hesitated. Mateo and Maya looked excited and nervous. A bundle of hopeful anticipation between the two children and the mysterious new friend was almost palpable.

“Go,” she waved a playful hand. “But be back by midnight. Pixie will take care of you. She may be silly but she won’t let any harm come to you.”

“Not on my watch!” Pixie smirked. “Now let’s go have an adventure!”

Catalina’s eyes flickered to the last flickers of light from the aurora borealis and smiled.



Notey Stuff ▼

1000 words
Written for: The Writer's Cramp
Prompt: glass breaks, door clicks. Mystery genre.