The Moonlight Visitor
By Cathy Collar
A mist was swirling around Katie’s feet as she stood in the exotic, emerald forest. Her satiny gown brushed across the soft pine needles as she turned to survey her surroundings. The fog, slipping around the trees caressed her like a warm blanket. An echo crept through the fog, Katie, Katie come to me… She didn’t recognize the voice but for some reason she trusted it. A silver bird lit on her shoulder then flew slightly ahead, beckoning her to follow with its beautiful song. Without thinking, her feet were moving, carrying her on in pursuit of the shiny bird and toward the mysterious voice.
The bird fluttered ahead and for a moment was lost in the fog. As Katie paused, the fog began to gather itself and transform into slivery glow. Slowly the glow took form. Long, black hair floated about a pale, delicate face. Huge, dark eyes twinkled with starlight beneath the ebony hair. The woman’s silvery gown swirled around her petite body as if caught in a breeze, but there was no breeze. Katie was mesmerized. Then she was terrified! Was this a nix? Was she about to become a gross, bloated victim of this devious water fairy? She turned to run but her feet were stuck firmly to the ground.
The woman spreading delicate wings glided over to Katie. Then she spoke. “Hello Katie,” She said. ” I have been waiting for you.”
Katie’s mind started working again.. “Okay,” she said to herself. “This is not real
It is only a dream and you can’t drown in a dream. You just need to wake up!
“Ah yes, this is a dream,” said the woman, “But I cannot allow you to wake up. Not just yet. I am a Moon Fairy and I am called Luna. Right now I am visiting you in a dream. I have been sent to give you a message.”
A Moon Fairy, awesome, thought Katie grateful not to be facing a Nix.
“I know you must have a million questions,” said Luna.” but right now we don’t have the time, for if I don’t hurry I will be stranded here and all hope for our worlds will be lost. The moon fairy now stood directly in front of Katie. She looked deep into Katie’s eyes. “Katie, you must listen to me and heed my words, for they are very important, to your world and mine.
Katie tensed. She felt as if those starry eyes had seen deep, down into her soul.
We must send you into Fairyland on a very dangerous quest. Inside the golden chest in the attic resides your guide. At midnight on the morrow, the chest will open.” Luna placed a slender hand on Katie’s shoulder. “You must be in the attic, at midnight, for it is the only safe way to enter Fairyland. Be there, Katie. We are all depending on you.”
As the moon fairy spoke, her voice drifted away. Katie was back in the fog. She heard Grams calling her name and opened her eyes to see her grandmother’s concerned face leaning over her.
“I called three times for you to come down to breakfast. I got worried when you didn’t answer, but as I see now, you were too tired to even change out of your gown last night. Well, I think you’re rested now, so come on down. I’ve kept your breakfast warm.”
Katie rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. It had just been a dream. She smiled back at her grandmother.
“It was a wonderful night, Grams?” she said yawning. “I wish it could have lasted forever!”
“As a girls first ball should be.” Grams said. “Now clean up and come downstairs.
Katie slipped out of her gown. Her hands were smoothing the delicate fabric, when she noticed a silver spot on the shoulder. Oh No! Surely she hadn’t spilled something on it at the ball? She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she had ruined the beautiful dress. She looked closer at the spot, frowning. She didn’t remember eating anything silver last night. As she squinted, the spot seemed to move. It got larger and larger. Soon, it resembled a silver bird. Katie gasped backing quickly away. It looked just like the bird in her dream, but it couldn’t be! That had been just a dream, developed from a fantastic night of fantasy. It wasn’t real... or was it? She continued to look at the bird. It puffed out its feathers as if being inflated, then hopped off of the dress and onto Katie’s hand. It had a silver parchment in its beak. The bird winked at Katie, dropped the note into her hand, and then singing its magical melody, disappeared before her eyes. Katie sat awe struck. What was happening to her? Maybe she was still asleep. She pinched herself on the arm. Ow! No, she was definitely awake. She opened the delicate parchment. Inside in an elaborate handwriting, of ebony ink, was a message:
Katie, Katie hark and hear
Your Fairy Friends now need you near.
On morrow night the time is right
for you must help us with our plight.
The key resides within the chest
To start you on your destined quest.
Katie dear be true, be true,
Faite of Our Worlds depends on you!
Katie started to read the note again but before she could, it vanished in a puff of
silvery smoke. Oh my, thought Katie! That wasn’t just an ordinary dream! The moon fairy had visited her and then sent a messenger to make Katie realize it had been real. Now what was she supposed to do? The fate of her world and Fairyland was in her hands? How could she not go?
“What’s keeping you, Katie?” Grams called from the kitchen. “Your pancakes will soon be cold as Jack Frost’s whiskers.”
And what would Grams do when she found her gone?
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