Day 4 : Fantasy Writing: Winner/Runner Up

haminasto

@haminasto

By: BlurredLines

Winner

#Gift of Time

Ariel was excited about her first trip to Human world, she had waited for three years to get selected as one of the fairies that will be sent to earth on Christmas eve. The magic portal will send them to earth for one night was an adventure she didn't want to miss. She trained hard for three years, knew the rule book by heart. 

And so when she was finally assigned her task, the excitement faded away as soon as she learnt her mission.  

The grand adventure she had assumed turned out to be a night out with a human named Priscilla, who is 85 year old and living in a old age home. And Ariel was supposed to spend the night taking care of her. 

" But I can't see anything if I am stuck  with  one human " Ariel whined a little to her friend Tiffany who was tasked with looking after kids. 

" I don't even like little fairies , I assume little humans will be similar " Tiffany spoke up and the two friends failed to observe that Gardena, their Fairy  in-charge overheard them until she flew and stood beside them. 

Both Tiffany and Ariel were taken back by the stern expression in the ever smiling face of Gardena. 

"Being sent to Earth for a night is not so you can sightsee or satisfy your curiosity about humans, you are sent to offer comfort and love to someone in need. Do you know Priscilla is the only one left alone during Christmas because her family didn't take time to visit her, and the kids in the Orphanage would likely never get to celebrate Christmas with their parents. " Gardena spoke up and left the two of them with regret. 

So when Ariel finally walked through the MagicPortal to meet Priscilla, she had already learnt her lesson. But the night didn't go as Ariel expected , Priscilla, may have been 85 but she was lively soul who spend most of the night regaling Ariel with her past stories. It was better than what Ariel had hoped, she loved each moment of it 

"You are a god sent dear, Paula was a nice girl, the one whose shift you are seeing today but she doesn't have the patience to listen to me, here you go , a little something from me , Happy Christmas Ariel " Priscilla spoke up, as she gave Ariel a Hand knitted Shawl.  

" I didn't even give you anything " Ariel lamented, giving gifts are allowed , she should have got something. 

" You gave me the most precious gift Ariel, Gift of time , It is not about how much you give  but how much love you put into it , by volunteering to  spend the day with me, you gave me the best gift " Priscilla answered back as she drifted to sleep. 

Ariel returned back to her fairyland, with her gift, the Shawl may not be worth much in her fairyland but it was priceless because of love and the memories of the night with Priscilla. 

By: BlurredLines

Runner Up

#A Stranger's Knock

Grief consumed Mary as she stared at the empty crib. John was supposed to be still with her and not gone far too soon. She lost the precious gift within a month after he was born. Alex, her husband had been her rock through it all. It has been already six months but she was still lost and on Christmas eve, she couldn't bring herself to celebrate the occasion .

John had been their miracle baby after five years of wait and she finally conceived after several treatments  and they were happy even if poorer by the cost incurred. So each item she brought for John was carefully chosen, so it would be within the budget . Each item reflected her love  and it had been the reason, she was unable to discard anything.

A Knock to the door, made her open it  hoping to see Alex, who had been working too many shifts due to the debt they incurred, and their son was still gone.

But Instead of her husband, there stood a woman with a crying baby. "Do you have some food for my baby? " the woman spoke up, and it was enough for Mary to invite the stranger into the house.

Mary fed the baby, while her mother ate the food she offered, And when she noticed the child's thin clothes, she dressed him up with her son's warm clothes and packed a suitcase full of her son's belonging for the baby. 

Mary had been reluctant to part with them because it was all she had as the remainder of John, but the baby needed it more than her. The mother had been reluctant at first  but Mary insisted that it wasn't worth much.

"It is not about how much you give but how much love you put into it and I can see those belongings means a lot to you, so thank you " the mother spoke up, and left with her baby. 

And when Mary returned back inside, it was to find a pamphlet lying on the crib, it must have fallen of the baby's clothes she thought,  as she picked it up and found it to belong to an Orphanage.

Mary rushed back outside to ask if the mother was going to abandon the kid, she knew that the thought must have crossed her mind. But she was too late and she couldn't find them.

The Next day on Christmas Mary and Alex Visited the Orphanage to see if the baby was abandoned and it was where they met Hannah, their daughter. Mary had often thought about the woman, and how she led her to Hannah and made her realize, that while she lost John, they were  kids who had lost their parents, and that they could adopt a child then let the grief consume them. 

And Mary never would find out that the woman who visited  that night was a Fairy and she was sent  to brighten up Mary's life.