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The March Fairy

She wished for a friend, yet something else lurked in the amethyst mist.

By Gina C.Published about a year ago Updated about a year ago 25 min read
Top Story - March 2023
73
Image created with Midjourney

Every night at midnight, the purple clouds came out to dance with the blushing sky.

At least, that was how Annabelle always envisioned them. Though it was painful for her to admit, she was achingly envious of the three girls who lived down the street - desirous of the way they laughed and twirled in their exquisite, lavender tutus. There was a certain magic about the way that their violet, pristine skirts flashed against the large, pastel-pink of the house on the corner. As she watched them, her heart often burned with an insatiable longing.

Annabelle had a daily routine of dawdling behind the old, overgrown lemon tree in her parent's backyard, which she considered her “secret hideout”. There, hidden among patches of clover, jungly citrus branches, and crushed abalone shells, she would marvel at the beautiful girls as they prepared for tryouts for Spring Jubilé - the upcoming school ballet.

Annabelle had always dreamed of being a dancer. Quiet, awkward, and artistic, however, she’d always been much better suited for fanciful, outdoor games - which she played in her backyard kingdom along with the companionship of her exceptionally wild, vivid imagination.

“Be more like a cloud in the wind, Emma!” Lila demanded.

“I’m trying!” Emma shot back.

As she eavesdropped on the girls’ conversation, Annabelle reminded herself that she, too, had important matters to tend to. She turned back toward the secret tea table - which she’d positioned behind the thickety rose bushes and alongside the fence - and thoughtfully rearranged the two place settings.

The March Fairy is certain to like these, she thought to herself as she placed two odd gifts - a rare, purple butterfly wing and a vile of rosy-pink bath salts - perfectly amid a collection of other like-colored trinkets. Annabelle stepped back to marvel at the collection, and a small beam of excitement lit up her eight-year-old face. This is going to be the night she comes to visit me, she thought, surely, she won't be able to resist this.

For days, Annabelle had been leaving tiny purple and pink presents for the March Fairy out on the tea table. Devastatingly lonely, Annabelle hoped that her offerings would be enough to entice the March Fairy to become her best friend. The short month of February was coming to a close, and the blossoming foliage was setting up the most paradisiacal stage for spring. Annabelle knew that the March Fairy would soon be returning.

Annabelle gave one last, hopeful glance at the set of chipped tea plates, then crawled out of her hideout and headed back to her house. All she could do now was wait.

***

Annabelle was envious of the girls down the street for many reasons, but there was one reason in particular that had been weighing especially heavily on her heart.

For weeks, Annabelle had been having the same dream about the dancing, violet clouds. By night, they twisted and twirled around the rosy haze of her subconscious, and by day, they managed to seep into her mind in the form of forewarnings.

Annabelle saw lavender clouds and rosy-blush skies in just about everything around her. She saw them in the dark purple bruises on the soft, pinkish skin of her knees, in the deep, violet juices of the blackberries as they bled through her strawberry oatmeal, and in the vibrant, wine and rose colorations of the hanging ballerina flowers. And, of course, she saw purple clouds in the lavender leotards of the girls down the street - she saw rosy skies in the paint of the house on the corner.

Purple and pink, purple and pink - just like the tulip and plum tree blossoms that were exploding all over town - Annabelle was certain that these two colors were the trademark of the March Fairy herself, and that she would be irresistibly attracted to whatever - or whoever - could provide the greatest display of these hues.

It was for this very reason that Annabelle secretly resented the girls down the street, for she worried that the March Fairy would view their wonderful dance as the superior gift.

Determined to not be outdone, Annabelle had spent those last days of February frantically collecting mauve and blush-colored items that she believed were worthy of the March Fairy’s acceptance. Lilac buds, acai berries, rose petals, and broken-off pieces of vases and pottery were among the things she secretly hid in her “fairy box” - selecting only the most beautiful from among them to showcase on those chipped, porcelain plates.

“You’ve gone and ruined all my abalone shells, Annabelle,” her mother chided crossly.

Annabelle looked down into her fairy box and eyed the shavings from the shells’ opalescent coatings with guilt. It was true. She’d spent hours one day meticulously prying off the beautiful, rainbow-stained markings that gleamed just the right shades of lilac and coral.

Her mother shook her head. “What am I ever going to do with you?”

Embarrassed, Annabelle walked back into her room and shoved the fairy box under her bed. As she did, she thought about the violet-toned butterfly wing and the blush-colored bath salts that sat amid all the other pink and mauve treasures. She hoped that her offerings were enough. She hoped - among many things - that the March Fairy and she would become very good friends.

Nostalgic, Annabelle gazed at the large, painted butterfly wings that decorated the back wall of her room. For a moment, she imagined a girl standing in the center of them, smiling at her - desiring to be her friend.

The butterfly wings were vibrantly colored and the size of a small child’s arm span. Annabelle and her friend Macey had painted them together two summers ago, right before Macey had moved across the country.

Sadly, Annabelle never saw Macey again, and oh, how she missed her. Whenever she looked at the wings, Annabelle longed for their friendship.

Annabelle whispered a prayer into the silence just before climbing into bed, begging God that she’d no longer be lonely.

***

March decided to come in like a lion. Anna woke up with a light in her heart that dwindled the minute she looked out the window and saw all the beautiful spring blossoms blown from the trees. Petals now swirled in the street like sugar plum whirlpools, and the neighborhood grass was blanketed with purple and rosy-pink snow.

“Where are you going?!” Her mother yelled as she watched Anna fly out the kitchen door, “you’re going to be late for school!”

Anna ignored her, desperate to get into her hideout and see if the March Fairy had come for a visit. It was the only thing she could concentrate on.

Anna’s freshly pressed clothes became dampened with droplets of water as she squeezed past the densely-packed roses and lemon-tree branches.

Time seemed to stand still - or at least - move in slow motion. The world all around her blurred like a dream as she nudged past the wet greenery and felt her clean shoes become muddied with dirt. March sometimes comes in like a lion, she reminded herself, the March Fairy is just making her grand entrance - that’s all.

Much to her dismay, however, she emerged from the dripping-wet branches to see that the tea plate was sitting there - unseen and untouched. All of her hard-earned offerings were now buried under a puddle of rain and pink, wilted blossoms.

Anna felt herself fight back the tears. She walked over to the small table and gently tilted the plate, allowing the water to spill toward the ground.

“It’s still early,” she whispered into the dewdrop-laced air, “I know you’re around here somewhere.”

And with those quiet, optimistic words, Annabelle made her way back to the house and left for the school day.

***

“Every night at midnight, the purple clouds came out to dance with the blushing sky".

The words echoed throughout Annabelle’s mind as she watched the three girls twirl once again by the corner - flashing bursts of purple and pink all throughout the neighborhood.

Though her dependable acquaintance - “miss Envy” - sulked by her side, the small beam of hope that Annabelle had found that morning now radiated just a bit brighter. At school that day, she had become privy to one key detail that she had somehow - embarrassingly - overlooked:

the date was actually February 29th. Yes, it was a leap year.

The wave of alleviation that swept over Annabelle's heart was so powerful that she could hardly contain herself. As she watched Mrs. Elleby write the date on the board, the embarrassment she’d harbored was quickly replaced with pure, perfectly exalted jubilation.

Annabelle went home that day buoyant as ever - skipping through hundreds of small puddles that gleamed in the sun. The rainclouds had dissipated, the wind had died down, and all seemed perfectly springlike and joyous. The purple and pink blossoms - having rid themselves of the overnight rain - now unfurled once again in all their full glory.

As Annabelle watched the girls twirl in their lavender tutus that evening- as she examined their confident, graceful jetes against the blush-colored house - she smiled to herself.

At midnight, the clock would finally strike the first of March.

***

Annabelle studied herself in the mirror that hung on the wall of her room. It was 11:47 p.m., and she’d managed to awaken to the sound of her alarm clock without disturbing her parents.

Running her fingers along the sides of her cheeks, Annabelle stared intently into the soft, mossy green of her eyes. She was a timid-looking girl, with earthy-brown hair that fell down her back in long, limp tendrils. She was quite simple and muted - not bright and notably pretty like the girls down the street. Her complexion was pale and harbored the faint, olive-green undertones derived from her ancestry.

Like every eight-year-old girl, Annabelle’s face was constantly changing. The chubby-cheeked kindergarten picture that sat in her mother’s kitchen was no longer the same child that comprised her reflection. Annabelle lifted her hand in the air and placed her two fingers against the cool of the mirror and just over her cheekbone. She marveled at how the thin, silvery medium separated two beings that were otherwise one.

She looked at the clock: 11:54 p.m. She smiled at herself. March was just moments away. It was finally time. Outside, her best friend awaited her.

With a deep, hopeful breath, Annabelle flipped the light switch off and proceeded to carefully open her door.

And as she did, the butterfly wings on the wall - for the faintest fraction of a second - flashed brightly behind her.

***

If Annabelle had lived in a fairytale, the night outside would have aligned quite divinely with an enchanted stroll through the woods. Of course, however, Annabelle lived in the suburbs of Lafayette, California - and it was her luxuriant imagination that brought the shadowy world all around her to lush and ebullient life.

As she tiptoed through the darkness, the silvery tips of the trees - fully aglow in the light of the moon - became the sharp, angular rooftops of castles, and the chirps of the crickets and katydids transformed into whispers that seemingly called out her name.

“Annabelle…”

Though the earth below her bare feet was still damp from the previous day’s rain, the fragrance of the flowering foliage lent a sweetness to the air that could only mean one, prophesied thing: spring. Yes - springtime was finally here.

“March!” the crickets exclaimed all around her.

And march, Annabelle did…right through the long, unkept grass of the garden - directly toward the entrance of her solacing, dripping-wet hideout.

Annabelle paused for a moment at the doorway - absorbing the sounds of the night and the scent of the citrus around her. Though she did not wear a watch, she became attuned to the sound of the wind chimes, which abided the heartbeats of time.

Three…

Two…

“One,” Annabelle whispered into the night - taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. Then, she pushed back the branches and wandered inside. As she moved forward, wet leaves from the foliage engulfed her, and she became one with the season of spring.

Upon reaching the center, Annabelle wiped the water and dirt from her face. Then, with widened eyes and an eager smile, she took in the sight of her…

sitting there.

And she was exactly as Annabelle had always imagined.

“Hello, Annabelle,” she said, “thank you so much for the gifts!”

At first, Annabelle did not say a word. She wasn’t in shock, but she wasn’t unimpressed, either. She was in love. And for a moment, all she wanted to do was marvel at the beautiful girl who sat primly at the table before her.

She was the mirror reflection of everything Annabelle had always dreamed of. With long, violet-brown hair that fell down the length of her back, a petite frame that was dressed in a gown made completely of tulip tree petals, and two butterfly wings the color of plum blossoms adorning her back, she was the pure essence of the lavender clouds that danced in the blush of the sky.

And oh, how something about her truly did dance.

Though she sat with a teacup propped up in her hands, there was a flickering light that twirled in her deep, mossy green eyes - mossy green eyes that radiated with an uncanny resemblance to those of Annabelle.

Annabelle couldn’t help but mirror the smile that glowed on the girl’s lovely, angel-like face.

“I’ve been waiting for you!” Annabelle exclaimed, completely unable to hide her delight.

The girl’s smile grew brighter. “Yes, I know!” She replied with sweet vigor. She set her teacup down and held up the butterfly wing and the salts. “How did you know that I’d like these so much?”

Annabelle blushed. “I’ve… been having dreams about you,” she shyly admitted.

The girl’s jaw dropped just a little - flattered - and she held her hand up to her heart. “Oh, my! That’s so sweet!” She tapped the place setting directly across from her. “Come and sit with me, Annabelle! We have so much to talk about.”

Annabelle giddily accepted the girl’s invitation and stepped closer. Though the girl seemed to be exactly the same age as her, she seemed a bit wiser somehow - a bit more mature. And, though she looked precisely the same as her - aside from the butterfly wings, that is - she was somehow more breathtakingly lovely.

Annabelle pulled out the chair and sat down with a plop. The tail of her night robe dragged along with her, and she realized she was damp and dreadfully covered in mud. She looked at the girl’s glorious, lavender gown made of fresh, silky petals, then glanced down at herself - at the disgrace that she was.

“I’m all dirty,” she said softly, “I’m so sorry I look like this.”

“Oh, don’t worry!” The girl said, “none of that matters here. You’re with me now!” She smiled so brightly that it lit up the entirety of the small, thicket-enclosed capsule around them.

Annabelle’s shame melted away. “What should I call you?” She asked, “I mean, what is your name?”

The girl propped her chin on her fist and stared intently into Annabelle’s eyes. “What do you want to call me?” She asked, “What do you think my name should be?’

Annabelle inhaled a short breath in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I’m the friend that you’ve always wanted,” said the girl, “you should be the one who names me.” She smiled another glorious smile and the warmth from her presence swept out the chill from the room.

Annabelle thought for a moment. “Hmmm…”

“Whatever you do, just don’t call me ‘April’” the girl interjected. She looked at Annabelle and giggled the most heavenly giggle. “I mean, I love being March, you see… I like to think that my version of springtime is just a little bit more…”

“Magical than April?” Annabelle asked.

“Yes! Exactly.” The girl said. She looked into Annabelle’s eyes and grinned with delight. “You know, Annabelle, I can tell we’re going to be great, great friends.”

Annabelle beamed. “I think your name should be ‘Anna-Aurora',” she said.

The girl’s mossy green eyes lit up like the dawn that was quickly approaching.

“Oh, I love that,” she said, “because I’m quite just like you, but more like a rainbow…yes?”

Annabelle’s eyes filled up with tears of elation and longing. “Yes,” she said quietly, “I knew that you’d like it.”

Anna-Aurora winked at her. “And I knew you knew that I’d like it.”

The two girls giggled for a moment, then simultaneously stopped upon noticing the rays of the sunrise.

“I need to leave soon,” Annabelle said sadly.

“Oh no, you couldn’t possibly leave now,” Anna-Aurora declared. She reached over and grabbed Annabelle’s hands. “Please, stay here with me! We have so much to decide!”

“What do you mean?” Annabelle asked.

“Oh, don’t be silly, Annabelle! We need to decide how we’re going to make you become more like me!”

Annabelle felt her heart flutter with glee. “You think I can really become…like you?” She asked.

“Well, of course!” Anna-Aurora exclaimed. She gave a gentle flap of her wings, and a dusting of mauvy-pink plum blossoms fell down all around them like snow. “After all, I’m already a bit like you, so why couldn’t you become a bit more like me?”

Annabelle gazed at her. Anna-Aurora was everything she ever wished to be, and yet somehow, she was more. Inside, Annabelle was absolutely glowing at the proposition before her. She contemplated Anna-Aurora’s enchanting appearance and basked in the light of her charming and irresistibly warm presence. She tried to imagine a world where she could be exactly like she was. The mere thought of it caused a rainbow-like smile to spread over her face. “Where do we begin?” Annabelle asked.

Anna-Aurora squeezed her hand and let out a girlish, high-pitched squeal. “I was thinking we could start by making you shine brighter than those three girls down the street,” she said. Her eyes sparkled with the slightest bit of jade, effervescent fire.

Annabelle’s eyes lit up in return. “How?”

“You’ll see. Soon enough, you’ll be the most beautiful, dancing lavender cloud that this neighborhood has ever seen. I promise you.”

***

Annabelle went off to school that day with a glimmer of joy leaping within her.

Though she and Anna-Aurora did have to eventually part for the school day, Annabelle knew her new friend - the March Fairy - would be there waiting for her when she got home. Indeed, Anna-Aurora had promised Annabelle an afternoon packed full of wonderful, first-of-March things, such as cloud watching, flower pressing, and searching for robin nests - as well as an engaging conversation about learning how to become more like her.

At school, Annabelle noticed a new sense of confidence walking along by her side. In class, she felt brave enough to raise her hand and contribute to the class discussion, and at lunch, she was able to look in the direction of where the three beautiful girls from down the street sat and actually smile at them.

I have a secret, she thought to herself as they shot her an awkward, slightly suspicious glance back.

Annabelle felt truly amazed by what just one day of having a friend could actually do for her. She couldn’t wait to get back home and see what Anna-Aurora had in store.

She couldn’t wait to become more like the beautiful March Fairy.

***

“Look at your skin - how you’re glowing!” Anna-Aurora exclaimed.

Annabelle watched as her friend’s mauvy-pink wings fluttered with excitement.

“Don’t you see?” Anna-Aurora asked. She held up the mirror so that Annabelle could examine herself. In the luminous, afternoon glow of the secret hideout, Annabelle observed how her complexion appeared just a tiny bit rosier than normal - how she looked just a bit more like the flowering, pink plum trees than she usually did. Annabelle’s eyes brightened. The magic was already working.

“I see it!” She exclaimed.

Anna-Aurora smiled and set down the mirror. “You’re already beginning to blossom, Annabelle,” she said. “This is wonderful - just wonderful news. Should we have tea?”

“I would love some!” Annabelle chirped.

The two girls sat down together and began to enjoy a cup full of rose water. Anna-Aurora had collected the petals and seeped them for hours in the warmth of the sun - all while Annabelle had been away at school that day.

So I was thinking,” said Anna-Aurora, “if we were to go on a March rainbow hunt, and actually find…well, a rainbow, I could show you something exceptionally special that I just know will help you become more like me.”

Annabelle felt an intense excitement begin to explode in her chest. “A rainbow hunt?” She asked.

“Yes, of course!” said Anna-Aurora, “Rainbows are my favorite part of the month of March. There’s just one catch, I’m afraid.”

Annabelle looked at her with big, inquisitive eyes.

“We’ll need to wait for the rainbow weather, of course,” Anna-Aurora said.

“Rainbow weather, of course!” Annabelle excitedly repeated. A big smile began to grow on her face. She admired the way Anna-Aurora sounded so sure of herself - how she ended every sentence with the phrase ‘of course’.

Anna-Aurora leaned over and gave her a soft nudge. “You’re glowing again!” She exclaimed. “Gosh, Annabelle, that color of pink really does look divine on you.”

Annabelle blushed, and her cheeks grew even closer to the color of roses and the blossoming sunrise. Then, she remembered something. “I had another dream about the dancing lavender clouds,” she said.

“Oh, that reminds me!” Exclaimed Anna-Aurora, “Look, I have a gift for you.”

Annabelle watched as Anna-Aurora stuck her hand in her pocket and pulled out a small, shiny stone attached to a delicate, gold chain. The stone was the most lovely shade of violet that Annabelle had ever seen, and it sparkled a bright, energetic lilac hue in the light of the sun.

“It’s an amethyst,” Anna-Aurora said, “go on, take it.”

Annabelle marveled at its beauty. “What is it for?” She asked.

“It’s for you to wear at all times - a symbol of our friendship. Amethysts are known to bring courage to the owner. The longer you wear it, the braver and more outgoing you’ll become, and the closer you’ll be to outshining the girls down the street.”

Annabelle beamed. “The more I’ll become like you?” She asked.

Anna-Aurora smiled. “Yes, the more you’ll be like me. And, when we find that rainbow…” she paused, and her eyes lit up again with that lustrous green fire.

“Then I’ll really be like you.” Annabelle cooed, suddenly feeling amazingly confident.

Anna-Aurora nodded - the smile and fire fixed on her elegant face.

“I’m so thrilled to become more like all the things I’ve always envied,” Annabelle purred.

“Yes, well, envy is very green, green color,” Anna-Aurora said, “and you’re making wonderful progress in the opposite direction. Soon, there simply won’t be any reason to feel envious anymore.” She snapped her finger, and a dusting of pink petals fell down on their tea plates.

The two girls laughed, and Annabelle soaked in her words and her light. As she did, she felt a euphoric tranquility enter and flow through her veins. She pressed the amethyst into her chest, and quietly told herself that all Anna-Aurora was saying was true. She believed her. She believed every word.

***

“Every night at midnight, the purple clouds came out to dance with the blushing sky.”

Annabelle couldn’t help but repeat the words to herself, for she was beginning to believe they were sewn into the seams of her being. As she skipped along with the twirling, ballerina-like figures of plum blossom petals that formed in the street, her imagination - once again - began to run wild. She, too, became a coryphée who danced in the amethyst mist.

“What the hell are you doing, Annabelle?” A pretentious voice asked.

Annabelle turned around to see Lila, one of the beautiful girls from the house down the street, watching her with perplexity. She wore her tight, violet leotard and fluffy mauve skirt with a superior pride.

“I’m practicing to try out for the Spring Jubilé,” Annabelle replied, “I want a role as a lavender cloud.”

Lila let out a small laugh and her icy blue eyes festered with mirth. “You?” She smirked. “You can’t be serious. Besides, those spots are all full.”

Annabelle could feel Lila’s eyes - those icy blue eyes - roll like the ocean before her. At her. It was the same ocean that reflected the carefree and jubilant blush of the sky, yet also harnessed the dark, emerald power that Annabelle so often fell hopelessly into.

However, this time was different. This time, her envy was nowhere to be found. Annabelle looked at the beautiful girl - at the graceful, lavender cloud whom she often watched dance against the blush-colored house - and for once, she didn’t feel threatened. Annabelle flashed her a big, confident smile, and walked calmly away. As she did, she noticed the skin on the backs of her hands glowing a marvelous, rosy-pink mauve - just like the petals that swirled in the street.

***

“I’m so proud of you, Annabelle!” Anna-Aurora exclaimed.

It was the most lovely, spring-infused day, and the two best friends sat inside Annabelle’s hideout, drinking their tea. The March sun was bright and warm all around them, and the robins were busy pulling up worms from the grass.

Annabelle looked at her very best friend, Anna-Aurora - the exquisitely charming and beautiful March Fairy - and smiled. She had just finished telling Anna-Aurora about her encounter with Lila that day, and how unbothered she felt. She had told her about how she was starting to feel more like the lavender clouds that danced in her dreams, and how she now believed it all to be a sign that she was destined to shine in the Spring Jubilé - just like the girls down the street.

“Thank you,” Annabelle cooed, “I really do feel like I’m becoming more like you. I can feel it.”

“This is so very exciting,” Anna-Aurora squealed, and she gave a little flap of her wings. This time, instead of a dusting of mauvy-pink blossoms, a sprinkle of fresh, newly-grown leaves fell down in their laps.

Puzzled, Annabelle gazed up toward the trees and noticed that the rosy-hued flowers were beginning to fade into clusters of shiny, tiny green leaves.

Anna-Aurora - noticing immediately what Annabelle saw - swayed her attention. “I heard from the little birds in the yard that it might rain tomorrow,” she said.

“Oh, no!” Annabelle exclaimed, “I was going to start practicing for ballet tryouts on the patio.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that!” Anna-Aurora assured her, “this is actually very, very good news. Don’t you remember what we might find when it rains?”

Annabelle thought for a moment, then her mossy-green eyes lit up with a newly-bloomed glow. “A rainbow,” she said.

Anna-Aurora smiled a big, angel-like smile. “Exactly,” she said.

Annabelle felt a flurry of vigor stir from within her. She knew that finding a rainbow meant she would be able to become as much like Anna-Aurora as possible. She gazed at her marvelous, breathtaking friend - at the girl who looked exactly like her but was somehow more perfect - and imagined a world where she was one with her.

She imagined a world where she was the March Fairy.

***

“I can’t believe that the delusional nerd down the street is trying out to be a lavender cloud,” Lila’s prissy voice echoed.

There was a choir of high-pitched giggles, and then the sound of the door as they exited the bathroom.

Annabelle flushed the toilet and walked to the mirror. In the past, she would have immediately been brought to tears over the sound of their remarks. However, something had changed in Annabelle. She grasped the small amethyst that hung from her neck - the violet, glimmering gemstone that was a symbol of courage and a gift from her fairy-winged friend - and pressed it into her skin.

Annabelle stared at herself in the mirror. She looked deeply into her mossy-green eyes and examined her pale, olive complexion - the complexion that had been derived from her ancestry.

Though she felt marvelous, she wondered something: where had her blush and lavender glow gone? Running her hands over her cheeks, she noticed that the green of her veins was just a little more prominent than normal.

Then, she remembered the trees - how the blossoms were fading into clusters of bright, emerald leaves. Green, like her eyes. Green, like her skin's undertones. Green, like...

envy.

Annabelle squinted at herself. Her face seemed to be changing. Just as she'd done the other night, she placed her two fingers against the cool of the mirror - just over her cheekbone. Once again, she marveled at how the thin, silvery medium separated two beings that were otherwise one.

Suddenly, Annabelle was pulled from her thoughts by a loud, rumbling thunder. She moved over to the window that looked out toward the front of the school.

Dark, omniscient rain clouds - grey, but so grey that they almost seemed purple - were rolling in from the west. In the east, blossoms of white clouds still gleamed in the light of the sun. Annabelle gasped to herself as a curtain of glistening rain began to fall through the sky. The droplets sparkled like diamonds as they fell toward the ground.

Annabelle smiled to herself. She knew this could only mean one thing:

rainbow weather.

Yes, she was in luck. 🍀

Wasn't she?

ChapterTwoComingSoon...

Image created with Midjourney

SeriesMystery
73

About the Creator

Gina C.

Achievements:

  • Twice-published in Vocal's Moment of Freedom Collection:

My Soul of Red

Free Verse

Free-Form poet of ethereal style🧚‍♀️✨

Fantasy writer

A sucker for a good rhyme☺️

Fueled by a conflicted soul of fire & water

TT: poetry.in_pajamas

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    The story invoked strong personal emotions

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    Zero grammar & spelling mistakes

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Comments (42)

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  • Antoinette L Brey7 months ago

    very engaging story

  • Naveedkk 9 months ago

    I couldn't stop reading. Gina C.Your writing was really well done!

  • Bugsy Watts9 months ago

    oh man, I need to know what the March Fairy's deal is; is she evil?! Chapter 2 pleeease!

  • Excellent challenge entry and love the main image, I thought I had read this. I have now and enjoyed it.

  • Veronica Stoneabout a year ago

    I love the way you use the opening line as a refrain, drawing the reader back to the central idea. The colours infuse the whole story, creating a sense of dreams seeping through into real life. I would love to read more!

  • Thavien Yliasterabout a year ago

    "“It’s still early,” she whispered into the dewdrop-laced air, “I know you’re around here somewhere.”" - Okay, this made me feel sad for her. I felt those feelings before when trying to find either a lost or new friend, location, toy, etc. Sometimes as a kid, You'd get this special feeling that someone or something magical was close, but only to realize that they're not real once the search ended. That line hit me right in my feels. "Running her fingers along the sides of her cheeks, Annabelle stared intently into the soft, mossy green of her eyes. She was a timid-looking girl, with earthy-brown hair that fell down her back in long, limp tendrils." - Me: *Looks at profile picture. Reads the description again.* Ah, hold up a second. "Annabelle could feel Lila’s eyes - those icy blue eyes - roll like the ocean before her. At her. It was the same ocean that reflected the carefree and jubilant blush of the sky, yet also harnessed the dark, emerald power that Annabelle so often fell hopelessly into." - This confused me a bit cause I thought that Annabelle had green eyes and Lila had blue eyes. I have always heard that the ocean's waters are like a deep green (possibly due to algae). Yet, if Lila's eyes are blue I'd expect them to be of a sapphire or "aquamarine." "Quiet, awkward, and artistic, however, she’d always been much better suited for fanciful, outdoor games - which she played in her backyard kingdom along with the companionship of her exceptionally wild, vivid imagination." - Me: Waaaaaaaait, a minute. *Remembers all of the previous stories and poems.* Gina, is this character You? "Of course, however, Annabelle lived in the suburbs of Lafayette, California - " Okay, now this is tooooo much like You. Lowkey, I scared and surprised that Annabelle's fairy friend showed up. Like, I was more hesitant about it. Magic always sort of scares me a bit. Especially when it involves children that have hyperactive imaginations. I'm glad that the March Fairy is real, but part of me wonders how much of the March Fairy is all a figment of Annabelle's imagination that's a completely separate personality from Annabelle that Annabelle views as a physical manifestation in the world. Like when 'split' splits and it's more than just a mental rift. The envy monster. Oooo, this sends shivers up my spine. Makes me wonder if Annabelle will become more perfect than who Anna-Aurora is, and if Anna-Aurora will start to transform into an envy monster as March comes to an end. "March decided to come in like a lion." - Personally, this line brought up a lot of nostalgia. Growing up in a Christian community, it was a common line to hear, especially at school. March came in like a lion, and out like a lamb. It was a perfect description for the month of March, and it fit this story just right. You made it bring the magic, that's for certain. I like how Annabelle is going for things that she really enjoys. It's not that she's going from being introverted to extroverted, it's that she's becoming more confident and not allowing others opinions to bother her. She's going from admiring others to admiring herself. Yet, I don't think I like that Annabelle's admiring herself through Anna-Aurora's eyes. This is an intriguing story, Gina. Wish I knew what else I would like to comment on about it. Oh well, something will probably pop up later. Oh, Macey. Her friend. That hit hard in the feels.

  • Deasun T. Smythabout a year ago

    Congratulations on your top story. this was a great read. can't wait for chapter 2!

  • The Invisible Writerabout a year ago

    You are such an amazing writer! The stories you create. The worlds you take us away into are so rich with detail. Congratulations on the top story so well deserved

  • Novel Allenabout a year ago

    It was a lot, got the gist, have to reread. So happy for Annabelle who found peace.

  • Ginaaaaaa, I need chapter 2 like right now, lol! Gurllll, the whole time I was so conflicted on whether is the March Fairy good or evil. March is my favourite month and Annabelle resonated deeply with how I feel about people and things. I too would feel that the March Fairy is the best thing ever! Gosh, if you continue this story, I'll read the heck out of it! Congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊

  • Testabout a year ago

    What a magical and whimsical tale. Annabelle is such a well-developed character, and so easy to root for. Excellent work on this first chapter. So deserving of a top story!

  • C. H. Richardabout a year ago

    Such a lovely vision of Annabelle finally meeting Anna- Aurora! So much emotion woven into this child's story and friendship. Just gave me a feeling of March and of hope. Beautiful ❤️

  • Sonia Heidi Unruhabout a year ago

    This tugs at the heartstrings of anyone who has felt lonely as a child and longed for a friend. Well done!

  • R. J. Raniabout a year ago

    What a beautiful offering, Gina. I love your descriptions, the lyrical repetitions, and the relatable interactions. And Annabelle's character transformation, the full circle of the story... ah! Thank you for writing and sharing this!

  • Testabout a year ago

    So you're not only a poet, you weave beautiful fantasy fiction too! So pretty, Gina. This practically pirouetted off the page (and that cover pic–stunning!!!) Congrats on a well earned Top Story. x

  • Paul Stewartabout a year ago

    All...I...can say right now is congrats on Top Story. So many more mumbles and words will come later when I can formulate what the f I want to say. This is great, though, and well worth the wait.

  • Parker Samabout a year ago

    its wonderful mam, congrats on top story😍

  • Anyelin Mejia about a year ago

    lovely !!! :D

  • aly suhailabout a year ago

    wow its a fantasy novel.

  • Thavien Yliasterabout a year ago

    I need to come back and read this at a better time. Can't wait to read it in all of its shiny, glory.

  • DJ Robbinsabout a year ago

    Hello. You write with a whimsy and a verbiage that all fantasy writers should write similarly to.

  • DJ Robbinsabout a year ago

    beautiful picture

  • Kelli Sheckler-Amsdenabout a year ago

    Wowza! We write and write and write, and still, I can't formulate the right words to tell you how amazing this story is! Spectacular job Gina. Congrats on the top story, and I look forward to seeing this run up the top

  • Moe Radosevichabout a year ago

    Fantastic in all aspects gina, congratulations my friend.

  • Dana Stewartabout a year ago

    Fabulous story, magical and I especially loved the rainbow hunt idea. Congratulations on Top Story!

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