Fairy Footprints

As I walked through the freshly fallen snow, my mind drifted to thoughts of the past week. I recalled New Year's Eve, spent at my cousins' house. Family and friends were surrounding me, much like the snowflakes currently drifting through the air enfolded me. I felt like I was walking through a dream.

As a walked, I watched the white specks float and dance around me. Each one was a masterpiece, with delicate curves and sharp edges. I could hardly even hear my footsteps. When I glanced down, I snapped back to reality. The reason I could not hear my footsteps is because I was not leaving any.

This could not be possible! There had to be a logical explanation. Could I merely be walking so slowly that the flakes covered my tracks before I looked back? No, they weren't possibly falling fast enough. I tried to pick up the snow, but my fingers went through the snow as if I were just an illusion. Maybe I was. No, I couldn't just randomly turn into an illusion. Or could I? As I stood there contemplated and wondering, the sun seemed to be getting brighter. I lifted my hand to shield my eyes from the blinding rays. Was this the end?

Just then, I was aware that I was not alone any longer. I turned to the side to behold a stunning woman. She had soft features and dark curls. She was dressed in a pale blue shift dress. I wondered how she was not cold.

"Hello, Evalynn." The fairy spoke in a voice that sounded like the tinkling of bells.

"How do you know my name?"

"I know all about you. You are the chosen one."

"Chosen for what?" I inquired.

"Do you know what I am?"

"An angel?"

"Not quite. I am a fairy. I have traveled from Fairyland to retrieve you."

"Retrieve me?" I was asking a lot of questions, and for a moment I felt embarrassed.

"My name is Rosalind. I am a fairy, although at the time I am in human form. I grew up hearing a tale of the human who would someday save our world from a war that has been going on for centuries. I assume you have noticed that you have not been able to leave any prints in the snow?" When I nodded, she continued. "This is because you are not inhabiting this world anymore. Your mind is the only part of you here, and your body is actually in my world."

"Fairyland?"

"Yes. The only way for you to rejoin your body is to repeat a spell. When you reach Fairyland, you will be able to stop the war. If you do not wish to get mixed up in all of this, I completely understand. There is another spell that will transport your body back here. I will leave, and you may go on as if this never happened. I know this is a lot to process."

That was an understatement. My mind was spinning in circles. I wanted to do the right thing, but at the same time, I did not want to get involved. My mother's words echoed in my mind, 'Choose the harder right.' I decided that was what I had to do.

"I'll do it," I said confidently.

"You're sure?"

"Very."

Rosalind's joy was evident on her face. "I am so happy!" She told me a short spell that she told me would bring my mind to Fairyland. I repeated the rhyme, and the world began to spin. I fell over, taking deep breaths. When I got back up, I was standing in a meadow of bright flowers and green grass. Butterflies flitted over the tulips and lilacs, landing to sip the nectar. Fruit trees stood to one side, and I could hear the distant sounds of a waterfall.

 As I stood there, something in the back of my mind registered. I was about to stop a war. This was NOT happening. I had another thought. This doesn't look like a war scene. There isn't even anyone here. 

 A moment later, Rosalind appeared. I asked her where everyone was. 

 "Oh, I wanted to bring you to a safer place than the middle of the battle. The war is not happening in fairyland. It is on the neutral ground outside the kingdom. The other side is a group of goblins. They are virtually indestructible, but their one weakness is a special weapon we keep in the castle treasury."

 "Do I have to fight them?" An edge of fear crept into my voice.

 "No, don't worry about that. All you have to do is drop it in their midst. You see, all goblins are fairies, to begin with. They are turned evil when they are defeated. We began the war with 5 fairies to every goblin, but now the odds are against us. There are not many fairies left. We do not know much about the weapon except that it will turn the goblins back to their original forms."

 "How do I get it?"

 "Just walk in and grab it. The reason we have not used it before is since there is a spell that turns any fairy that touches it to stone. Only a human can wield it."

 "Take me to the treasury." 

 We passed more fields and groves and hills until we came into view of a large castle. Towering above everything, it was formed of white brick with silver specks in it, and it had turrets and towers and a drawbridge, which lowered to let us pass. Once inside, we sped by doors after doors and halls after halls and rooms after rooms until we came to a set of stone stairs. Rosalind led me to a golden door and opened it. Treasure lined the walls. Boxes and chests, spilling over with gold and jewels, were stacked everywhere. Mysterious artifacts were all over. In the center of the room was a pedestal with a stone box resting on it. Rosalind led me to it.

 "Is this it?" I asked.

 She nodded. I stepped up to it and opened the lid. Inside I found a golden ball. It was no bigger than a golf ball. I picked it up and placed it in my pocket. We ren back out of the castle, and out a large gate off to the edge of a grove. 

 On the other side of the doors was a large field, but in no way was it beautiful. fairies and goblins fought. Unlike wars in the real world, there were no fallen soldiers on the ground, for if a fairy fell, it turned to a goblin, and the goblins were indestructible. 

 I pushed through to the middle of the battle and dropped the golden sphere. Everything froze. Mist filled the air. When the atmosphere was clear again, the goblins were gone, and in their place were beautiful fairies, shaking themselves off and looking confused. I turned to find Rosalind when suddenly I woke up with a jolt and sat up in bed to find the whole thing had been only a dream.

 I glanced out the window as the snowflakes ceased falling and the world became still once more.