The Field of Crystal Dreams

(CW: Violence)

The aroma of cedarwood and cheap beer filled the air like smoke from a forest fire. Tapping cowboy boots and high-heeled stilettoes matched the raunchy country music blasting from the hi-def speakers in Old Charlie’s Bar. It was a Saturday night, and the place was packed with stressed-out patrons who wanted to let loose and have some fun after a long work week.

A sea of flannel shirts, blue jeans, and twirling summer dresses filled the dance floor like one would expect, and every seat at the bar was taken. Framed pictures of local celebrities hung on the yellow pine walls between the mounted antlers and boar heads and the wooden ceiling fans had to work overtime.

Bella squeezed Jake’s palmy hands and pulled him closer so her jasmine breath could kiss his ears. “It’s getting late. Do you think we should head home?”

Jake lifted Bella’s arm and spun her around. Her curly blonde hair spiraled past his neck, and he couldn’t stop his lips from curling upward. “We can if you want to, but we did pay the babysitter a hefty fee. Are you worried about Maisie? I’m sure she’s fast asleep.”

“She probably is, but I’m tuckered out from all this dancing,” Bella said, spinning to a stop. “Plus, I have to wake up early to pick strawberries with her, and you know how she looks forward to that.”

“I know, I know…” Jake answered. “I guess I just like having you all to myself.”

“You can have me all you want when we get home,” Bella said with a sly grin.

Jake took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead. His black hair was soaked. “Okay, sweetheart. You drive a hard bargain, but even I can’t pass up that compromise.”

“You’re the best,” Bella said, kissing his lips softly.

“Why, Miss Heally, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were trying to butter me up for something.”

“You’ll have to wait till’ we get home to find out.”

“Oh, you’re such a tease!” Jake gushed. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. “I’m so lucky to have you. If you want, you can start the car. I need to use the restroom before we leave.”

Bella grabbed his keys and raised her right eyebrow. “Okay, but…I’m the lucky one.”

The parking lot was jam-packed with various vehicles, and before Bella could unlock Jake’s red pickup truck, a thick stream of nicotine smoke engulfed her porcelain face.

“Hack, hack!”

When Bella turned, she saw a tall man leaning against a blue Ford Bronco wearing black jeans and a white T-shirt. The amber glow from his cigarette lit up his rugged face and emphasized his devious eyes.

“How ya you doing, darlin’?”

“I-I’m fine,” Bella stuttered. Her heart fell like a bowling ball. “I’m just waiting for my husband, and then we’ll be heading home.”  

The man took a deep drag and blew another cancerous cloud in Bella’s face.

“Hack! Excuse me,” Bella snapped. “Could you please stop that?”

“Oh…I’m sorry, darlin’,” the man said, flicking his cigarette away. “I was going to offer you one, but I guess you don’t smoke.”

“No,” Bella said firmly. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get going.” Her trembling hands dropped the keys. 

“Now, now,” the man said coldly. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say I’m making you a little nervous.”

“I just need to get home,” Bella said, bending over to grab the keys.

When her eyes returned to the man, she saw a handgun pointed at her head.

“Don’t do anything foolish,” he said. “Just give me your money, and I’ll let you go.”

Bella’s bottom lip quivered as she threw her purse at the man. “I-I don’t have any cash, just my cards.”

He tossed the handbag back and sneered, “No. That won’t do, girly. You’ll have to do better than that.”  

Bella’s eyes darted toward the bar. Why is Jake taking so long?!

“Hurry up! I don’t have all night, darlin’.”

“Um…” she said, trying to buy time, “maybe I have a few bucks in here. Let me check.”

“Fine, but be quick about it, and no foolishness, ya here?”

Bella unbuckled her black purse and fumbled through the contents. Her hands were so shaky she wasn’t sure she could grab the cash, but she steeled her nerves and carried on.

“I said hurry, girl!” yelled the man.

“Wait…” Bella replied. “I’ve got it!”

The man wrinkled his face and demanded, “Good, now give it to me!”

Bella pulled out a small cylindrical tube and sprayed the man’s face with mace. As he screamed, she ran towards the bar and felt a sharp sting in her back. She fell to the pavement and didn’t hear the second the gunshot.

Everyone stormed out of Old Charlie’s and saw Bella trembling on the black hard top. The man was gone, and so was Bella’s purse.

Jake pushed through the crowd and saw his beloved wife lying unconscious on the ground. A surge of helplessness raced through his veins, and a thousand ice cubes slid down his spine. He ran to her side and screamed.

Three months later…

Jake and his daughter, Maisie, sat on their back porch and watched the sun fade behind a lonely mountain. The smell of strawberries from the field tickled their nostrils. A tear rolled down Maisie’s cheek, and she wiped it away with the back of her hand.  

“Do you see the small droplets of water on the strawberries?” Jake asked.  

Maisie brushed her black hair back out of her blue eyes and said, “Yes.”

“It’s from the evening dew,” Jake said warmly. “Do you know what’s special about that?”

“No.”

Jake placed his arm around Maisie’s back and squeezed her shoulder. “Well…since you’re so eager to know, I’ll tell you.”

“Dad,” Maisie said with a long drawl. “I’m not in the mood for stories right now.”

“I know. Just hear me out, kiddo.”

Maisie lowered her eyes and bit her bottom lip.

“You see…when the moonlight shines on that field, those tiny water droplets shine like crystals. Your mother used to come out here every night. Oh, how she loved it. The field of crystal dreams is what she called it.”

“The field of crystal dreams?”

“Yeah.”

“Why did she call it that?” Maisie asked. “She never told me.”

“It was something she wanted to share with you before…” Jake hung his head low and continued, “Well…she called it the field of crystal dreams because she believed that if you walked out when the moon was shining bright and plucked one of the strawberries, you could make a wish.”

“Sure,” Maisie shrugged.

“No, it’s true,” Jake said. “All you have to do is pluck a strawberry, kiss the liquid crystal, and make a wish. If you’re lucky, your wish might come true, but there’s a catch—”

“I knew it!” Maisie cut in. “There’s always a catch.”

Jake smiled. “Did anyone ever tell you you’re pretty smart for a twelve-year-old?”

“No,” Maisie said, wagging her head. “I’ve never heard anyone say that to me before.”

“I love your sass,” Jake admitted. “Anyway, the only catch is that you can only make one wish per season.”

“Just one?! What a crock!” 

“I don’t make the rules,” Jake said. “If you don’t believe me, you can always come out here later to prove me wrong, but I guarantee those crystals will be shining, and you’ll be able to gaze upon them just like your mother did.”

Maisie brushed Jake’s arm away and stood. “Fairytales won’t make me feel better, Dad! Besides…it’s your fault she’s dead. If you weren’t so selfish and stayed by her side that night, she would still be alive!”

Jake kinked his forehead and said, “Maisie—”

“No, Dad. You’ve done enough!”

The backdoor slammed before Jake could utter another word. Maisie stomped up the stairs and locked her bedroom door. There would be no more conversations after that. Jake put his face in his hands and cried.

“It is my fault…”

Later that night, the sound of wind chimes woke Maisie. She sat up in her bed and wiped the crusty tears from her eyes. The sound came again, which was odd because they didn’t have wind chimes on the farm.

“Oh, man…” Maisie whispered. “Of all nights, I can’t believe Dad would do this!”

She threw the covers off and ran to the window that overlooked the backyard. “Where did he hang it?”

Her eyes scanned the entire area but didn’t see any wind chimes. “That’s strange,” she said, “maybe I was just dreaming.”

Maisie turned from the window and yawned. A second later, her eyes doubled. “No way. It can’t be!”

She looked out the window again and saw the strawberry field twinkling beneath the moonlight. The pasture looked like a master thief had dropped his treasure. The chimes rang again as a gusty wind blew through the succulent fruit.

Maisie’s mouth fell open. “I-I can’t believe it. This can’t be real.”

Without blinking, Maisie put on her pink slippers and raced down the stairs. She heard Jake snoring in his bedroom, so she tiptoed to the backdoor. As long as he was asleep, she didn’t have to worry about getting nagged for wearing her magenta pajamas outside her bedroom.

The cool summer breeze kissed Maisie’s skin and parted her hair. The grass beneath her slippers was damp, but she didn’t mind because it was nothing the hot sun couldn’t dry later. Her eyes were locked on the strawberry field. Who knew something so implausible was possible?  

As Maisie stepped into the field of crystal dreams the chimes grew louder like they were singing a soft lullaby. She didn’t know how, but the tune sounded familiar.

“If the field is real, I wonder…oh, what did Dad say?”

All you have to do is pluck a strawberry, kiss the liquid crystal, and make a wish.

“That’s it!” Maisie beamed.

She reached down and plucked a strawberry. All the droplets rolled off but one, and as she held the fruit in the moonlight, it sparkled like a diamond. Maisie placed her lips on the crystal and kissed the water bead.

Maisie closed her eyes and said, “I wish…I wish I could see my mother again…”

All at once, the field lit up like the sun and bathed Maisie in a bright, golden light. When she lifted her eyelids, her mother was standing before her. Bella was wearing a long white gown with diamond trim, and her curly locks were more exquisite than ever.   

“Mom?!”

Bella smiled warmly. “It’s okay, Maisie. It’s really me.”

Maisie ran into her mother’s open arms and wept. “I miss you…”

“I miss you too,” Bella cried. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to feel your embrace.”

“How can this be?” Maisie sobbed, stepping away for a better look.

“This is what you wished for, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t think the story was real.”

“It is,” Bella said, “but my time here is short.”

“But you just got here,” Maisie protested.

Bella leaned down and kissed Maisie’s forehead. “I know. It’s just the way of things.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about this field?”

“I was going to tell you the night I died, but things don’t always go the way you plan.” Bella paused and took a deep breath. “This field…it’s not something I could explain to you. You needed to see it to believe it.”

Maisie nodded and wiped her runny nose on her pajama sleeve. “So, I can wish for something next year, too? Why didn’t you and Dad wish for a billion dollars?”

Bella laughed. “That’s not how this field works. You can’t wish for material things. Only wishes based on practical nobility will work and only then, it’s a matter of chance.”

“I don’t understand, Mom.”

“This farm has been in our family for generations.” Bella brushed her hand down Maisie’s cheek and continued, “I learned about this field from my mother. She told me that if you sow the ground with love and devotion, the harvest will grant you one wish per season, but if greed and evil intentions drive your heart, the fruit will spoil and die, leaving you with nothing. Sometimes, it’s better not to wish for anything.”

Maisie grabbed her mother’s hand and felt her warmth. “What did you wish for?”

“You.”

“Me?!”

“Yes,” Bella answered. “You see, your father and I wanted a baby, and we tried for years, but nothing happened. After we gave up, I snuck out here one night when I heard the crystals calling to me and wished for you with all my heart. Nine months later, you blessed our hearts.”  

Maisie was quiet at first but swiftly asked, “How can you be sure your wish came true, and it wasn’t just a coincidence?”

“Trust me,” Bella said. “My wish came true because here you are.”

“Well, next year, I’ll wish that you never died.”

“We can’t change what happened, but please remember what I said,” Bella warned. “Sometimes it’s best NOT to wish for anything because if the ground spoils, everything will be undone. Promise me that you won’t make any more wishes.”

“Mom,” Maisie said firmly. “My heart is full of love and devotion. Do you doubt me?”

“No,” Bella said, “but to wish for something that won’t come true is a tragedy. Even if you wish to see me every year, your intentions would be based on greed, and you would fall into the darkness.”  

“Alright,” Maisie forfeited. “I won’t wish anymore wishes. Did you have the same problem?”

“I did. The temptation was a struggle, and without my mother’s guiding words, I would have given in a long time ago.” Bella paused and embraced Maisie. “Listen, I want you and your father to know that I’m always watching over you. Even if you can’t see me, I’ll be there. I love you both very much.”

“How do I carry on without you?” Maisie cried.

“Just put one foot in front of the other, and you’ll always end up in the right place.”

Bella looked at the bright sky and said, “It’s time, sweetheart. I’m very sorry, but I hear the angels singing, and I must go.”

“No, Mom! Stay or take me with you!”

“It’s not your time yet, and I can’t stay. Your father needs you more than you know, so give him a break, would you, kiddo? What happened that night was not his fault. The man who killed me is headed to a far worse place than I could ever imagine. Everything is as it should be.”

Bella gave her daughter one last hug and uttered, “I love you, baby girl. This is not the end. It’s the beginning.”

“I love you too, Mom,” Maisie said with bloodshot eyes. “Goodbye.”

Jake awoke to the smell of bacon and rushed to the kitchen, thinking there might be a fire. When he saw Maisie handing him a breakfast plate full of food, his eyes grew ten times larger.

“What’s going on here?”

Maisie gave him a warm hug and said, “I’m sorry for what I said last night. It’s not your fault Mom died. I know that. I love you, Dad.”

“I-I love you too, kiddo.” 

The morning sunlight shined through the open curtains and bathed Jake and Maisie in a warm embrace. A sense of calm washed over their souls, and for the first time in weeks, they knew everything was going to be alright.