YOU ARE MAGIC!

Lucy, now fourteen, was completely beside herself with excitement. It was the first carnival in her town since the end of the world war. It had been five years, but the desaturated landscape would make one think the war had just ended only a week ago.

“Step right up! Step right up! I’ll guess your height and weight! Hop on the scale and let me guess! If I’m wrong, a prize you take!”

Lucy chuckled as she locked arms with her bestie. Her friend was saving her only dollar for some cotton candy, a delicious step closer to what used to be a normal teenage life. Lucy had three dollars for her birthday and she had a plan. She’d use two dollars to get a birthday souvenir, and then follow her friend's lead to eat blue and pink sugar clouds.

They laughingly marveled at the cool and creepy rides. They weaved in and out of colorful tents filled with challenges and games. They passed by plenty of confection cubicles that seemed to be deep frying anything and everything. Booth carnies shouted at every twist and turn, but the girls were focused on one thing, must… have… cotton... candy!

Lucy’s adventurous worldview was fueled by life's beauty and mystery, a perspective handed down to her from her grandma. She and her grandma had been very close. When she was alive they would have the biggest birthday celebrations. No matter how tight the budget, they’d always find something amazing to do. This would be Lucy’s third year without grandma. Her grandpa had been out of the picture long before she was born, so when her grandma passed, it really hit her hard. In truth, losing her grandma impacted her more than the war.

The funnel cake spinners told them the cotton candy stand was in the back of the carnival. Excitement took over their hearts as a speed walk commandeered their legs, that is, until something caught Lucy’s eyes and ears.

“Pick the right key and set your inheritance free! Unlock what blocks your fortune! One dollar a try! Take all the time you need! One dollar to unlock your incredible des-tiny!”

The mysterious booth’s shelves were filled with all sorts of odd shaped locked boxes and items. In front of the booth was a long strung cable decorated with many kinds of keys. The man claimed there were fortunes inside the locked items that would instantly be yours if you found the right key. Most of the people playing were trying to open the big center box, but what got Lucy’s attention was a particular item off to the side. On the back corner shelf, hanging from a big rusted nail was a heart shaped locket. Lucy knew it would be the perfect birthday souvenir. The locket reminded her of the one her grandma used to wear in old photos, an heirloom forever lost in the post war rubble.

Lucy inquired about the locket. At first the man didn’t even seem to remember there was a locket.

“Little girl, are you sure you don’t want to go for one of the big boxes filled with treasures untold?”

Even her friend told her to go for the big box, but to Lucy, having something that reminded her of her grandma was priceless. She made her choice. She would try to win the heart shaped locket. She gave the man one of her dollars and took her time picking a key from the cable. She walked up to the locket with her chosen key in hand. No luck. In fact the key didn’t fit at all. Undeterred, she kept her focus on the locket while handing the man her second to last dollar.

“Again.”

She took her time looking through the keys.

“It has to be one of these smaller keys with a rounded tip.”

She grabbed a round shaped key and went back to the locket. She was convinced this was the right one. This time the key fit. Out of the many daunting and taunting keys, Lucy had managed to pick one that actually fit! She looked at her friend who was mirroring her anticipation. She tried to turn the key. No luck. You could see the disappointment and embarrassment settling in, but nonetheless, she turned to the man without skipping a beat.

“Again.”

Her best friend chimed in.

“Lucy! This is your last dollar. I mean… it’s a beautiful locket and all, but when’s the next time you’re gonna be able to get cotton candy?”

Lucy was captivated by the locket. It’s shape, it’s beautiful gold pattern and there was also a little pink stone set above the keyhole. She couldn’t describe what she was feeling. It was as if her grandma was whispering to her through the soft summer night breeze. The man too was now intrigued by her determination.

“Little girl, I couldn't help but overhear your friend. Why waste your last dollar? You are not guaranteed to unlock it even with a hundred tries. It’s just a locket. I’m not trying to turn your money away but in these hard times... you might find one walking through the city ruins for free is all I’m trying to say.”

Her eyes were fixed on the locket. Her only movement was handing him the dollar. Back at the keys she closed her eyes imagining her grandma smiling at her. When her eyes opened, hanging right in front of her was the perfect little key. It even had a tiny pink set stone like the locket. Her heart almost skipped a beat.

“This MUST be it!”

She tried to hold back her smile but she couldn’t help slipping a grin. The carnival noise faded away as she walked back to the dangling molten mystery. Noticing her grin, the man felt compelled to offer his advice.

“If I may offer you a bit of carnie caution little girl, I wouldn’t get too happy just yet… for even keys can be quite deceiving.”

She hadn’t realized her smile was that noticeable, but then again, smiling was a rare sight these days. One might say her smile was as rare as the booth itself. No matter. His words were kindly ignored. Her eyes were intensely locked on the locket. Her heart of flesh now firmly fastened to the little heart of gold. The key slid into the lock with ease. So far so good. At this point she wasn’t the only one holding her breath. The crowd of silently cheering fans felt as if they were trying to unlock it themselves. Even the man found himself leaning in. She tried to turn the key, but it just wouldn’t budge.

The crowd let out a collective sigh. No words. Just a mixed bag of anxiety and disappointment. Their eyes apologetically glanced at Lucy before they disappeared into the rest of the carnival. Lucy felt as if time stood still. A heavy tear started to roll down her cheek so she grabbed her shirt to wipe it before anyone could see. The booth man however, had learned to be incredibly observant in his line of work. Missing nothing, he took note of Lucy's tear. Her friend looked at her and immediately knew what she had to do.

“Lucy...” is all she said.

Lucy turned around to see her bestie waving her only dollar.

“Lucy, please take this dollar and try one more time. You’ve always been there for me. I’d rather see us walk out of this carnival with sugarless lips and empty hands than leave without you getting one more chance. After all, today IS your birthday!”

Lucy couldn’t believe her friend would give up her cotton candy money so she could have one more shot.

“No way! I’m OK. Some things are just not meant to be. The man is right anyway. I’m sure we can find a similar one in the ruins. Let's go get you some carnival cotton!”

“No Lucy! I mean it! Please take it.”

The man spoke up.

“I'll tell you what little girl. I will give you another chance. You’ve already spent three dollars here, and besides, a carnie with no heart is no carnie at all! Consider it a birthday gift, but just the one try, after all, carnies can’t be all heart."

He smiled.

"Just remember, the odds of you winning are so slim you might as well try the key hanging around your neck. Ha ha ha.”

Her eyes dropped to her chest. She forgot about the key hanging from her necklace. The man noticed it when she wiped the tear away with her shirt. It was a last parting gift from her grandma. Ironically, she gave it to her exactly three years ago. A birthday gift following the most magical tea party. After a long hug, her grandma hung the pink and gold glistening key around her neck. She told Lucy, “My dear little girl, I hope this will always remind you of my love. When all else fails, believe in yourself, for in life, you will find that you ARE the key, that YOU ARE MAGIC!”

Lucy’s smile returned.

“That's not a bad idea sir.”

She started to remove the necklace when he responded.

“Little girl, I was merely pointing out the ridiculous odds, but actually trying your key, well that… that would simply be impossible! That would be…”

It was now Lucy’s turn to interrupt him, “MAGIC! It would be magic!”

With her key in hand, she quietly said “I love you grandma… and I believe in our magic.”

Without missing a moment she put the key into the locket and to everyone's amazement, the key fit! She looked up to the night sky picturing her grandma's face in the brightly lit stars. Adrenaline flooded her veins as she turned the key knowing in her bones that this time it would unlock… and she was right! The heart shaped locket opened! What Lucy saw next stole her breath away. It was a picture of her with her grandma, but Lucy’s image was not of a little child, no… it was of her at her current age, as if it was taken that morning!

Bewildered, the man and her bestie had the same look of astonishment. He regained his composure and without saying a word lifted the dangling locket off the rusty nail. He then put the locket and three dollars into her hand. He stood there speechless with his mysterious carnie grin.

“Forgive me little girl. It isn’t everyday one finds himself face to face… with another time traveler...”

Lucy’s smile gave way to perplexity. The man could see her confusion.

“Interesting… it seems you still have much to discover... little girl. Well, I uh… believe you ladies have earned your fill of fluffy fun. You’ll find the cotton candy stand around the bend. Do enjoy the rest of the carnival. Oh and Lucy… do tell your family I said hi! Ha, ha ha...”

The girls smiled ear to ear. Their hearts filled with awe and wonder. They thanked him. In no time they could see and smell the cotton candy. Lucy tried to be excited but her mind was racing, desperately trying to understand what the mysterious man had said.

“Wait a minute… Did he know my grandma?"

She turned around and ran back to the booth, but what she found froze every muscle in her body. For the man, the tent, the locks, boxes and keys were simply just… gone. She quickly checked her pocket for the locket. Still there. She opened it to check for the picture. Still there. Well… it kind of was, with one significant difference. It was the same picture except this time, there were three people. Lucy, her grandma, and... the mysterious man from the booth.

Goosebumps shot through the whole of her spine…

"Grandpa?"

THE END