Fairies and Fireflies (revised)

(Juniper Icedancer)

        She lives in the magical pine forest beyond the sun-soaked grasslands of Meyer. The bone chilling bringer of justice for the vulnerable, Juniper Icedancer, is only seen when the bees swarm and the crickets chirrup. You’ll recognize her by the purple juniper colors of her clothes, and her icy blue transparent butterfly wings.

        As Thomas read these words, on his first visit to this chat room, he became determined to find and photograph this beautiful fairy as proof that she really exists.  He had always thought that fairies were just made up characters for children’s stories.  Yet, here were adults talking about their experiences of seeing the tiny little beings in the forest.  Of course, his curiosity caused him to ask quite a lot of questions from which he found out where this fairy resides and directions to the forest.  It was a far fetched story and he was anxious to prove or dispel the reality of it.
          Thomas quickly reserved his seat on the plane and packed his suitcase.  His camera equipment was always ready to photograph the next most unusual find, which was always accepted by and printed in the Most Unusual Find’s magazine.  He expected that this find would earn him a very prestigious award and he intended to get lots of pictures for submission.

        His long flight ended in a small airport which housed only two airline terminals surrounded by crude landings; there were no other buildings around for miles.  Thomas exited the plane directly onto the ground and waited next to the plane for his bags to be taken from its belly; he then walked to the terminal building and into the door.  There was a small corridor separating the terminal doors from the main entrance.  As he went out the main entrance Thomas found only one cab waiting.  That would be for me, Thomas thought to himself.  With his bag and equipment case in hand, he entered the back seat of the cab and asked the driver to take him to the best hotel in town.  The driver gave him a strange look as he started the car, but said nothing….

        They were driving on a fence lined dirt road.  Beyond the fences were green pastures with dairy cows grazing contentedly.  Thomas, enjoying the view, began to relax.  He was wondering how far they had to go before arriving at civilization and the hotel, when, as if reading his thoughts, the driver stopped the car and opened the door for his passenger.  Thomas stepped out of the cab and looked around as the driver placed his bag and equipment case on the ground, then got in and started the car. “Wait!” screamed Thomas. “There is nothing here; why are you putting me out here?”  He could see the driver’s whimsical wink through the side-view mirror as he said, “Sarahbelle is the closest we got to a hotel around here.”  Then he drove off, leaving Thomas standing in bewilderment.  There’s a possibility I didn’t plan this trip very well, Thomas thought to himself while surveying his surroundings.  On the ground, laying in the middle of what could be considered a walking path was a partial sign that read, S A _ _H B_ L LE M A N_ R.  Looking in that direction, Thomas could see pine trees in the far distance.  He picked up his bag and equipment case and started walking while making a mental note to purchase a luggage case on wheels as soon as he arrived home.  He could see nothing that resembled a house and wondered how far he would have to walk and whether or not there would be someone there when he arrived.  As he reached the trees, he put his heavy bag and equipment case down for a much needed rest.  A drink of water would be good right now, he thought.  The almost non-existent path entered the woods, where the sounds of wild life caused an uneasy feeling to come over him.  He was wondering if he was even going in the right direction when he saw another sign, which read: “Welcome to Sarahbelle Manor”.  The woodland path continued, winding around a massive tree trunk, then down a gradual slope and up a semi-steep hill.  As he reached the top of the hill, he could see an old mansion partially hidden from view, which he guessed to be about another quarter mile walk.  Maybe a nice pair of walking shoes for my next trip to nowhere, he thought as he glanced at his dress shoes then continued his walk.  The path lead to a stone and intricate wrought iron gate which opened into a cool and relaxing shaded yard.  A sandstone walk lead to a fountain circled it and ended at the steps leading to the double entry doors of the house.  A hastily hand written note had been placed on the wall next to the doorbell.  It read: Go in, make yourself comfortable in the first bedroom on the right at the top of the stairs.  If you’re hungry, there is food in the fridge. I had an emergency and will be gone until morning.  The note was signed S.  Did S. know I was coming?  Hmmmmm.

        As Thomas entered the house he heard the steady tick tock of the over sized antique grandfather clock.  A large round marble-topped table with a vase of freshly picked flowers directly in front of him was circled by an over-stuffed, tufted leather bench.  Beyond the table and centered in the great hall was a solid oak grand staircase leading to the second floor.  There, the open landing went either to the right or to the left and circled around.  The veranda made it possible to view the downstairs Living room from any of the bedroom entrances.  Thomas turned right at the top of the grand staircase and opened the double doors to the first bedroom.  There was a luxurious and spacious well-lit sitting room with a fireplace flanked by two chandeliers.  A rich leather tufted sofa and matching arm chairs faced it.  The mahogany brown marbled tile floor extended into the bedroom where a large square, brown and cream-colored Oriental rug with small flowers, was arranged like a diamond underneath the warm rich brown Mahogany four-poster bed positioned against the wall to his right.  Its stately wood frame stood impressively against the light gray painted walls and matched exactly the crown molding which framed the top of the walls and the baseboards along the floor edges.  To the left of the bed were two windows that opened to the balcony overlooking the grounds that he had crossed after he entered the courtyard.  The water cascading from the fountain, provided a soothing and relaxing atmosphere which penetrated the room.  An arm chair, positioned in front of the double windows, invited Thomas to rest his aching feet.  The matching armoire on the end wall was empty so Thomas hung his clothes and with plenty room underneath, he stored his bags.  The door, next to the armoirr opened to the elaborate bathroom.  The room was both warm and inviting.

        With his clothes hung and his bags stored, he remembered how hungry he was.  Time to find the fridge, he thought as he opened the door to the opened landing….

        There in the kitchen stood the largest fridge he had ever seen.  Inside, as promised, was a virtual feast. Fruit, salad, meat, vegetables and desert, don’t forget the wine Thomas told himself.

        With his tummy full, and realizing how tired he was, he returned to his suite where he enjoyed a nice hot shower.  Now, all clean and cozy, and sunken in the feather down mattress he drifted off to sleep and dreamed of Juniper Icedancer.  It was a pleasant dream in which he and Juniper Icedancer were conversing with each other when suddenly, out of the blue, he heard a sudden thud; the dream continued.  A second thud jolted him out of his dream and he lay there with his eyes still closed.  The third thud brought him into an upright position; he was sure he heard something this time.  He quickly dressed and opened the door to peak out into the opened landing.  There was nothing out of the ordinary that he could see.  Then, another thud brought him down the stairs and into the kitchen.

        A very small woman with her back to him was struggling to close a large under cabinet drawer.  Thomas went over to help her.  Startled, she jumped back and screamed.
 
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you, my name is Thomas.”

“It’s ok, Mr. Thomas. I didn’t hear you come in.”

“It’s just Thomas, he said.”

“I’m Sarah, just Sarah,” she replied.

“Good morning, just Sarah, Thomas said.”

They laughed in unison.  “I hope the note you left on the door was for me,” he said. “I enjoyed a wonderful dinner and slept like a baby.”

“It was for you,” Sarah replied,” and I’m glad you slept well.”

“May I ask how you knew I was coming?” Thomas asked.

“My uncle came by and told me,”

“The cab driver?”

“Yes, he came by after he dropped you off on the road.”

“Why didn’t he just bring me here?”

        “Don’t get mad, it’s his little joke to the few city slickers that visit here to see the fairies in our forest. You came in the back door; the road is out front. “I’ll make you some breakfast then we can talk.  I plan to make a picnic basket for later so we can walk into the woods and wait for Juniper Icedancer together.  You will be able to get lots of pictures, if you’re quick with your camera.”

        Breakfast was almost as good as dinner the night before.  I say almost, because Thomas wasn’t as famished this morning as he was the night before.  The remainder of the morning was spent discussing the fairies, their habits and the differences in them. Thomas learned that some fairies live in clover fields, some live in spider webbed wonderlands and insect grottos, some in church yards and places of the dead, some live where fireflies mate and breed, some live at the bottom of tangled gardens and in hedgerows, some live in Oak and lime tree forests, some live in brambles and blackberry bushes, and yet others live in high places where the clouds meet the earth. It was a fascinating conversation to say the least.

        They ate lunch in the formal dining room where the walls were decorated all around with generations of ancestors.  The banquet style dining table holding only two place settings at one end made Thomas feel swallowed up.  He was sure his whole apartment would fit nicely in here with some room to spare. 

        “We’ll leave in a few hours,” Sarah said, sensing his uneasiness at such an enormous room. “Feel free to wander through the house and make yourself at home while I get a few things done.”  As she gathered the dishes off the table, Thomas made an exit into another room.  He spent quite a lot of time making his way through all the rooms downstairs stopping to look and feel of things that amazed him, then as he started up the grand staircase, Sarah stepped out of the kitchen and informed him that she would be ready to leave shortly.  Had it taken him that long to walk through the lower level of the house?  Thomas suspended his plans to poke through the upstairs area and went to his room to get his camera equipment ready for another trek through the forest.

        When he placed his camera case on the floor next to the massive double back doors, he noticed that the picnic basket was already there but Sarah was nowhere in sight.  So, we just wait, he thought.  He noted how extremely comfortable the overstuffed leather bench was, as he waited.  Soon Sarah came down the stairs dressed in jeans and a purple blouse with three quarter length sleeves.  She was stunningly beautiful.

        As they walked deeper into the woods, Sarah pointed out and talked about the wild flowers they came across.  She had a virtual encyclopedia of information stored in that pretty little head.  They walked until they came to a small clearing in the dense woods.  “We will see Juniper Icedancer in this clearing after the fireflies start coming out.”

        Thomas began unpacking his camera equipment and putting it together while Sarah spread a blanket on the ground and placed the crispy fried chicken, baked beans, deviled eggs, chips, dips and a nice full-bodied, fruity Chardonnay on it for their dinner.

        As they finished their picnic dinner, the crickets began to chirrup and Sarah excused herself saying simply that she would be back soon.  Thomas began adjusting his equipment and anticipating his first sight of Juniper Icedancer.  As the darkness fell, the faint light emitted by the fireflies became brighter and the clearing became filled with a beautiful array of the tiny little blinking bodies.  He thought he saw her for just an instant, peering at him from behind a twig.  She disappeared so fast that he wasn’t sure.  Then, she reappeared on the tree stump a few feet over.  Her appearances and disappearances seemed to be in sync with the lighting of the fireflies, which explained why Sarah said he had to be quick with his camera.  Thomas, aiming his camera, taking shot after shot, got into the rhythm of the blinking lights of the fireflies and the appearances of Juniper Icedancer.  Anticipating where she would appear each time was quite challenging.  Suddenly Juniper Icedancer appeared in front of Thomas and hesitated long enough for him to get several quick shots of her.  He had become so preoccupied in taking pictures that when Sarah touched his shoulder, he jumped.

“Did you get pictures of Juniper Icedancer?”

“Yes, I think so.  She moved so quickly that I’ll know for sure when I develop the pictures.  I’ve never seen anything so beautiful in my life.”  Thomas couldn’t believe the sun was already come up.  Then, remembering that Sarah had excused herself before the display began, he asked, “Did you get back in time to see Juniper Icedancer?”

        “Yes, I didn’t want to disturb you while you were taking your pictures.  I told you that you have to be quick with the camera.”

“And you weren’t kidding. I believe I got lots of good shots and can’t wait to get them developed.”  Still wondering how the time could have gone by so fast, Thomas began to pack his camera equipment while Sarah gathered up the remnants of the food and the blanket and placed them into the basket.  The walk back to Sarahbelle Manor was quiet as Thomas thought back on the night and the display he had been privileged to witness.

        Both he and Sarah, tired from the night’s excitement, each went their separate ways as they reached the top of the grand staircase, he to the right and she to the left. Thomas took a hot shower and fell fast asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.  The beautiful Juniper Icedancer, still dressed in her delicate purple juniper colored dress, and adorned with those delicate icy blue transparent butterfly wings, was dancing the fairy dance of delight among the enchanted light of the fireflies when the sound of the bubbling fountain and the steady tick tock of the clock intruded and woke him from his dream.

        Thomas lay there, relishing the comfort and not wanting to move.  His gaze toward the double windows revealed the lateness of the day and reminded him that he had plans to leave this morning.  He knew he would have to extend his stay another day. As he went down the grand staircase to the kitchen, he noticed the strange quietness of the mansion.  Then in the kitchen, he found another handwritten note.  It read: I had to leave, will be back in the morning.  Help yourself to whatever you want in the fridge. Signed: S. Thomas was beginning to wonder if Sarah was gone every evening until morning.  Left to fend for himself again, he opened the fridge. and began gathering another feast.  As he ate, he thought about Sarah’s regular evening disappearances.  Did she work nights?  If so, how did she go with him into the woods the night before?  After eating and doing his dishes, the rest of the evening was spent exploring.  One wall of the library was filled with bookcases, which were stuffed with first editions.  He handled a couple of them gingerly and decided not to risk breaking the binding by reading one. Thinking that this would be a good time to explore upstairs, he went up the grand staircase and passed his room.  The open hallway, circling around and above the lower level, had a magnificent railing.  Each door he opened revealed rooms which had furnishings fit for a king with its own sitting room, bath and anything else one might need.  There were no clothes in any of the closets except in the room that Sarah occupied. Sarah’s bedroom door opened to a large sitting room with white marble floors which were covered with a room-sized oriental rug.  Against one wall was an over-stuffed couch with a glass coffee table in front of it.  On either side of the couch were matching end tables each with matching lamps.  Along the opposite wall was a matching love seat with two matching chairs on either side.  Thomas stood in awe as he took in the splendor of the room from the doorway.  Straight back and two steps up, three large columns separated the sitting area from the sleeping area. From the door, he could see that the outside wall of the sleeping area was curved outward and filled with windows that reached from ceiling to floor, allowing ample light in to brighten the room.  On either end of the row of windows was a white silky drape that cascaded over the floor.  In front of each drape, were large matching plant pots each containing tall, green plants.  In front of the row of windows, and covering most of the room, was a large round marble pedestal with a built-in marble headboard and a round bed which was adorned with a rich white fur comforter and pillows of red, yellow, orange and brown scattered about, which brought ones focus to the bed.  On either side of the bed were matching glass side tables each supporting tall, matching lamps.  A makeup table along another wall held Sarah’s makeup, jewelry, and perfumes.  The triple dresser had almost nothing on it.  It was a beautiful, feminine room that gave no clue as to why Sarah was gone every evening.  The gong of the grandfather clock down stairs, interrupted his tour as he was reminded that he still had to pack his things.

        After packing, he lay in his bed thinking about Sarah’s room, its beauty and how it added to her mystique.  Then he began thinking about Juniper Icedancer and Sarah, as he drifted into a pleasant sleep.

        Thomas was awakened as the sunlight flooded through his double windows and the antique grandfather clock gonged downstairs.  He quickly dressed, gathered his bag and equipment case and placed them next to the front door before going into the kitchen. There Sarah was already preparing breakfast.

“I need to leave this morning,” he said.

Sarah looked up from her work, “I’ll have my uncle come by and pick you up after breakfast.”

        It was another nice breakfast with polite conversation.  Thomas couldn’t help himself, as he ventured to ask Sarah where she worked.

          “I don’t work,” was her answer, “this house has been handed down to the women in the family from generation to generation and since my mom died young, it was willed to me when grandmother passed away.”  With that, Sarah began packing a snack for Thomas to take with him.  They exchanged numbers and promises to keep in touch.  Uncle cab driver was on time, picking Thomas up at the front door and delivering him to the airport in plenty of time to catch the next flight out.

        On the long and exhausting flight home, Thomas had plenty of time to think about his time with Sarah at Sarahbelle Manor and to wonder just what she was up to every evening and night. He had resigned himself to the fact that he may never know.

        He entered his apartment feeling a little cramped for the first time.  Anxious to get those pictures developed, he put his bag and camera case on the floor, took his camera and film into his tiny darkroom and began to develop those pictures….

        In his hands, he now held the proof of his enchanted evening in the dark pine forest of Meyer.  In this print, Juniper Icedancer twirled and danced among the fireflies. Thomas was thrilled with the results, but decided to enlarge the prints to get a better look of the enchanted fairy.  As he worked, his thoughts were consumed with his stardom once the readers opened the magazine and saw his beautiful prints.  Proof fairies exist and were not child fantasies.  As the first enlarged print came into focus, Thomas stared in disbelief.  Sarah?