Crystal Teardrops

Stacy lined the tree with shiny crystal teardrops she took from the back of her grandmother’s lamp. She was hoping she wouldn't miss them. Her garden was almost complete. She had houses where they could live, swings, and teeter-totters for them to play. Stacy had been building her fairy garden for over a year. 

Her collection started with her grandmother buying her the first house. Not long afterward, everyone brought her accessories to go with her village. The family realized that the trinkets kept the little girl entertained and helped with her loneliness. She was an only child who lived in the country, and her neighbors were few. 

Stacy went inside to ask her mother if she could have a picnic under the tree in her fairy garden. Her mother assured her it would be fine. Stacy asks for milk, honey, and some whipped cream. Her mother told her that it was a strange lunch and asked her if she wouldn't prefer a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Stacy accepted the sandwich but asked if her mother could provide the other food also.

Stacy's mother told her she would give her a glass of milk, but the honey and whipped cream would have to come another time. Stacy was disappointed but decided to lure a fairy to her garden with only milk and the shiny teardrops she had placed. 

She climbed up in the tree with her sandwich and waited to see if any fairy took the bait. Stacy sat quietly and ate her lunch. She soon realized she needed the milk with the sticky sandwich. After twenty minutes, the five-year-old climbed down the tree and took a large drink of milk to free her gums of the peanut butter. The fairies were not going to come today and she went inside.

Stacy went to her room and picked up the fairy book she had borrowed from the library. Tomorrow she would have to find a way to get her mother to give her some honey and whipped cream. That is what fairies like to eat. Stacy had already convinced her mother to let her plant flowers around her garden. The sweet smell of foxglove was one of the flowers the fairies liked. The fairies would make a home in the bell of the flower and gather their pixie dust. Pixie dust was one of the magical powers the fairies possessed, and they also had control over some of the elements, wind, fire, and water.

Stacy made sure when she was asking the fairy to come that she only asked for good fairies. She read in her book that there were also evil fairies. Stacy didn't want any of them living in her garden. The fairy she was seeking would be a friend, a playmate, and someone she would love. 

Stacy read all of the folklore in her book that was more advanced for her five years. She was determined to attract a fairy. The morning came, and Stacy got up early to return to her garden. She caught her mother distracted and on the phone with her grandmother. Stacy opened the jar of honey and put some in a plastic bag along with the whipped cream. Her mother came to the kitchen and asked her what she would like for breakfast, and she chose cereal. She needed the milk to complete her fairy trap. 

With the baggie stuck firmly in her pocket, Stacy went outside to her village. The wind was blowing a warm breeze that felt good on her face when she entered. Stacy found one of the teardrops lying on the ground and thought the wind must have blown it down. The crystal was lying beside a small trinket that looked like a green glass rock. She wondered if the fairies had visited after she went inside. 

Stacy was excited to tell her mother. She ran inside and found that she was still on the phone with her grandmother. Her mother told her it was pretty and maybe her cat had drug it in. Stacy knew it was from the fairies, and she needed to figure out a way to make contact.

The book also mentioned the fairies liked beautiful music. Stacy looked through the house for the radio and had to settle for her cassette player that played children's nursery rhymes. She was outside in her garden for several hours while waiting for the fairies to visit until her mother called her in for dinner. Stacy would have to start fresh in the morning. After dinner, she would study her book again to see if there was anything she was missing. 

Stacy's mom and dad talked to her at dinner and asked her if she had an exciting day. She told them about the trinket the fairy left and that she was getting close to making them appear. Her father smiled and told her he loved her imagination. 

Stacy's mom tucked her in bed and kissed her goodnight. As soon as the light went off and her mother left the room, Stacy turned on her flashlight and started reading her book. She had hung shiny things and gave them milk, cream, and honey. Stacy played music and planted beautiful foxglove flowers that smelled heavenly. She was kind and generous to all animals and loved her cat. She didn't know what was missing. 

At eight, Stacy woke up. After breakfast, she slipped out more cream, milk, and honey. Stacy gathered up her cassette player to take with her. Her mother told her it was supposed to be a hot day and to make sure she drank plenty of water. Stacy continued walking fast while not paying attention to what her mother said. She was excited to see if the fairies had visited and left her another trinket. 

Stacy looked everywhere in her village for anything out of place without success. She was sure that the fairies had been there before, and it wasn't her cat, Sebastian, that had brought her the green rock. Stacy was disappointed and started to doubt the existence of fairies when her mother called to her. "Stacy, she said, " it is very hot, and if you want to continue to play outside, you must drink this bottle of water.

Stacy grudgingly went to the house and took the water. She was busy and didn't want to be disturbed. Sebastian jumped into her fairy garden after her return and knocked over the houses. She was upset until she noticed him pawing at her bottle of water. He was thirsty too. Stacy took her fairy garden pond and poured Sebastian some water. The crystals above her head in the trees started to jingle and sparkle the colors of the prism. A warm breeze blew as the fairies came into the garden.

 Stacy had accomplished her wish to become friends with the fairies by offering them gifts and showing her compassion for animals when she put her cat, Sabastian's, needs above her own.