Beyond the Firefly Field

by Munzing, R. E.

  “I see you've brought friends,” SeeLee said, brushing aside the warnings and nodding her head to where Brian and Paul stood motionless. “Hello,” she called to them, but they didn't respond.

  The others looked at Paul and Brian, who were appropriately in shock.

  Penny spoke for them. “That's Brian, and that's Paul. Paul is Phil's brother. They're twins. That's why they look like each other.”

  “I know about twins. I have friends who are twins, and you can meet them soon.”

  Phil then reached over and slapped Paul on the shoulder.

  “She said hi,” Phil gloated as his twin remained speechless. He slapped him again.

  Neither Paul nor Brian could utter a word or move a muscle, so the others ushered them to the protective center of the group as they turned their attention to SeeLee. Clayton noticed more fairies scurrying and flitting about.

  “How have you been?” SeeLee inquired, her voice filled with concern. “I became restless when you didn't return and could feel your unease when I thought about you.”

  “We’ve been going crazy,” Ron answered in a sarcastic, half-joking voice.

  “Yeah,” Penny agreed. “We were constantly thinking and dreaming about you. But the dreams always dissolved, and we were worried we might not be able to get back here. We didn't know if you'd even be here if we returned. We thought maybe you sent us away so you could hide somewhere else. Then a scary old man chased us with a chainsaw when we tried to come back.”

  “Talking about you was the only thing that kept us from doubting that we really did see you,” Phil added.

  “Yeah, we didn't need three to six months for things to start falling apart inside our heads,” Karl agreed. “We remembered what your father had said—how we would doubt we ever saw you if we didn't come again soon.”

  “The Old Ones told me what I needed to know, and I couldn't wait for you to get back to share it with you. I'm sorry your return trip was delayed.”

  Brian and Paul still stood frozen in shock. They stared at the tiny creature, then at their friends, their eyes wide as saucers.

  “Brian and Paul,” SeeLee called, drawing their attention back to her. “The others must have told you they saw a fairy. I am SeeLee, and it was probably me they were talking about.”

  As she spoke, her wings lifted slowly and began to light up. Then she stepped onto the air, unfurling her wings completely. She rose with a slight flutter, turning slowly until she faced them again. This time, her wings had an entirely different colorful magic, with very little purple or lavender. The purple closest to the base of her wings quickly morphed into dark blue swirling patterns, growing lighter as they spread to the center of her wings. There, the swirls turned into bluish-green pinwheels with yellow specks dotting the spokes. As they spun outward, SeeLee's wings looked like galaxies releasing sparkling, golden shooting stars.

  Upon seeing the wondrous colors in SeeLee's wings and the bright gold veins shedding sparkles with the slightest movement, the two boys were again captured in stupor. And those who had seen SeeLee before were mesmerized again as the little creature hovered in the air without flying.

  Penny clapped her hands with joy at seeing SeeLee's wings again. SeeLee smiled, then sank back to the branch, her wings collapsing behind her.

  “I told you!” Phil said, pushing at his brother. “Fairies!” he announced triumphantly, as if that single word explained it all and won him any argument. This was followed by the customary slap.

  Turning to Phil, Paul insisted, “You can't blame me for not believing you,” and slapped his brother's arm.

  “It is a bit beyond belief,” Brian agreed, giving Ron's arm a slap.

  After all the slapping was over, SeeLee spoke again, “I'm not sure of how to do this. The Old Ones only told me how to handle the original group I met.”

  “You're not going to run off again, are you?” Penny asked.

  “No. I think I can wing my way through this. And besides, if things go badly, I would fly off, not run off,” she answered and made a silly face at Penny. “You two are lucky. You're not in shock nearly as bad as your friends were. I thought they were going to drop dead in front of me. I never expected to be the fairy a human encountered, so I was unprepared. I guess I was in shock, too. Now I'm more prepared with how to deal with humans, but I do wonder why you two hit Phil and Ron.”

  “Phil told me about you the night he saw you,” Paul explained. “Then I got mad at him for not telling me the truth. I knew it couldn't really be fairies because they don't exist, or didn't then, so I hit him.”

  “I only hit Ron because I saw Paul hit Phil, and I thought Ron was lying to me,” defended Brian.

  “I really don't understand the lying thing. I think creating a separate set of memories to tell others would be a heavy burden to carry,” SeeLee said.

  “Don't fairies ever lie?” asked Penny.

  “We would rather accept the consequences of our actions and put an end to whatever happened than create lies. We don't fight with each other, either. A fight is never over for the loser, so it doesn't make any sense to leave a trail of others in your life who always want to get back at you.”

  “I guess we aren't that civilized yet,” Karl admitted.

  “Well, if all the hitting is finished now, I'm at the part where I tell Brian and Paul what could happen if they don't ever see us again.”

  “I guess we can skip that part because I'm not really sure I'm seeing you now. Or that I'm really talking to a fairy,” Brian said. “I can't decide yet.” Then his relieved look faded with SeeLee's next words.

  “It will be a lot worse when you're back at home. If you never see me again, you will doubt that you ever did. That's when you could have serious problems.”

  “Don't worry, we plan on coming back here often,” Paul assured her. “And how come you speak English?”

  “The same reason you do,” she said dismissively. “I have to make sure you come back here because you've seen me,” SeeLee reassured the two boys with her sweet smile.

  After hearing what the others had gone through, Paul and Brian seemed relieved they would be spared the same turmoil.

  “I have many things to show and explain to you, so follow me,” SeeLee commanded as if she simply expected to be obeyed. She turned and walked away from them along the branch. They all leaned forward to see her more clearly.

  As one, they took a few steps closer to the tree, slightly jostling each other for a better view. They could clearly see where SeeLee's golden hair joined with her folded wings and continued down her back. The intricate designs formed by the small, blue beads and gold stones woven into her clothes were even more stunning when viewed up close. The designs changed shape as the blue stones on her tiny shirt swayed when she walked. The yellow feathers outlining her garments fluffed and fell back with every step. Everything seemed more vibrant and alive. It was as if their vision of the fairy world became intensified the more they learned about the little people of the woods.

  Crowding together, they took another step closer, but in their haste, they stumbled over each other and landed in a pile. As they untangled and tried to stand up, they suddenly realized they were on the branch with SeeLee. Not only were they on the branch, they were the same size as their little fairy friend!

  In a panic, they clung to one another, pushing with their legs to be the closest to the center of the branch. The rounded branch curved dangerously away from them, and no one wanted to be near the drop-off point. Once again, hearts pounded, eyes opened wide, and mouths were frozen in a scream.

  They were small, but their clothing matched their size. Even the items in their pockets were smaller. The branch was huge, and SeeLee appeared bigger than they were. They didn't actually feel the change happening—it just seemed as if everything around them had grown larger. While their minds grappled with this phenomenon, SeeLee took a seat on a raised knot on the branch.

  “Breathe!” she commanded in a whisper. They obeye
d her command and exhaled. “Well, we got that over with quickly,” she announced as if the metamorphosis was no big deal.

  SeeLee was good at making others feel comfortable, as if any strange thing happening was harmlessly normal, and anything connected with it would always turn out fine. She sat there, smiling, radiating happiness.

  “How did you do this to us?” Clayton finally asked, glancing back to see where they had come from. All he could see was the firefly cluster hovering above. He pinched his arm, but wasn't sure if that helped. As strange as it was, he didn't really mind seeing fairies. They were only visions and memories. But this was different. He was completely changed. Suddenly, fear rolled through him. He felt a new sense of vulnerability, recognizing that he was helpless against the many small forest creatures that were now larger than he was. The long drop to the ground was also dangerous. The others must have felt the same way, as everyone once again scrunched together, hoping to build a sense of security.

  “Are you sure you're doing things in the right order?” Karl demanded.

  Clayton stared at his friends—their growing anxiety filling in their eyes, and the disbelief spread across their faces.

  SeeLee starting talking, and talking fast. “Of course. The Old Ones said it's better to get surprises over with quickly. So let me tell you about getting small while you recover from this new shocking experience.”

  “Recover?” Brian asked sarcastically.

  “A long time ago, as humans and other creatures got bigger and stronger, fairies got smaller and were always hiding to escape them. So, we had no choice but to get faster and smarter, too. It was always survival of the fittest, as the bigger and stronger were preying upon the slower and weaker for food. To survive, we had to get very small, very fast, and very smart. Those who didn't adapt died. Over eons, we were always chanting in the back of our minds, ‘Be small, be faster, and be smarter.' Eventually, this caused a sphere of thought energy to surround us. Anything big and potentially harmful entering the sphere of influence would automatically become smaller.

  “We didn't necessarily plan it that way. I guess it's just a side effect of our thoughts. A thought is actually a thing, and with enough energy and determination, it can cause changes in the physical universe. You stepped into this sphere of our pervasive thoughts, and physics took over. You are still the same. You're still made of the same atoms you had before, they're just five hundred times smaller. They don't seem to mind, and they're still doing their little atom jobs, just like before. Even the atoms of your clothing and the things concealed in them agreed to be smaller.”

  “How do you know about atoms?” Karl was quick to question.

  “We learned about them from humans, of course. Come on, I want you to meet some of my friends, and I'll give you a guided tour of the tree.”

  “We can't stay very long. We have school tomorrow. We have to get home before our parents find us gone,” Clayton admitted.

  “Okay, we can just walk along the branch today. We hardly ever have human company, so my friends are very anxious to meet you. There are benches up ahead, and we can sit and talk while you adjust.”

  SeeLee spoke as if this was a normal daily routine and everything would be okay, no problem. She got up and walked along the branch, never doubting the others would follow. After she had taken a few steps, a firefly landed on her shoulder. The bug lowered its antennae and raised its head, gently touching her cheek. It then flew off, flashing happily.

  Clayton realized that the more time he spent with SeeLee, the more confused he became about her. Sometimes, she seemed wise beyond her years; yet other times, she was a simple girl taking joy and delight in everything around her. She seemed to have no concept of troubles or worries.

  They all walked behind SeeLee. Everyone staggered, clinging to each other as if searching for balance on a rocking ship.

  The branch seemed larger when they were human-sized, but now that they were smaller, the branch should have seemed really large to them, but it didn't. They were relieved to see benches of smooth twigs sitting in the middle of the branch. The benches were bound with tine, and lashed against raised knots, or scars left from other branches broken off long before. The branch they were standing on was dead, and the dried twigs blended well.

  They were all anxious to sit on the tiny benches and sort out how they should feel about what was happening to them. Clayton's mind raced—being so small was a real threat to his safety. It seemed almost everything was a danger to him now, and he hoped he wouldn't have nightmares about being eaten by an animal or being squashed like a bug.

  Penny was always the smallest and skinniest of her friends— and Clayton's friends, for that matter—but she felt really small on the branch. Her hands were shaking a little with fear, but when she made eye contact with SeeLee, a calmness swept over her.

  Sitting on the benches felt good and secure. They were smooth and solid, with backrests to lean on. This bolstered their sense of safety, and the group quickly began to feel less fearful about falling to the earth below.

  “My heart is really pounding again,” Clayton observed.

  “That's a good sign,” SeeLee reassured him.

  “Why?”

  “It means that you're more alive than usual,” she said with a happy smile. He was hoping for information that would be more useful to his present situation, but he really did feel more alive than he ever had before.

  Karl leaned toward SeeLee. “So, we got smaller because our atoms, already being really small, didn't care if they became even smaller?”

  “That's pretty much the way of it,” she replied. “The only thing atoms seem to care about is being as close to the center as they can be, in whatever it is that they're making,” she added as Karl's face shifted into ponder mode.

  “We'll get big again, won't we?” Penny anxiously questioned as she sheepishly looked around for any lurking danger. Being the smallest in the group was no preparation for what was happening here.

  “Don't be silly,” SeeLee answered with a sad expression on her face. Their faces fell as they feared the worst.

  Feeling a brotherly sense of responsibility for Penny, Clayton recovered first. “Is that, ‘Don't be silly,’ as in, ‘You'll never be bigger again,’ or, ‘Of course you'll get bigger, don't worry'?” Their world seemed to stop as they waited for SeeLee's answer.

  Eventually, a small giggle broke through, prompting Penny to reach over and slap SeeLee's arm. SeeLee's radiant face was suddenly replaced with a shocked expression as if she had never been slapped before.

  An immediate panic overwhelmed Penny. How dare she possibly have the nerve to slap a fairy? She desperately tried to form an apology in her mind, but her panic wouldn't let her. The others also wore masks of sheer horror as they frantically wondered what would happen next. After a heart-stopping moment, SeeLee laughed and slapped Penny back.

  “Now I know why you slap each other!” she proclaimed happily. “At first I wondered if you were playing Got You Last.”

  “Fairies play that, too?” Ron asked with surprise.

  “Well, if you don't stop messing with us, you're going to get slapped a lot more,” Penny warned.

  “I just like seeing the looks on your faces,” SeeLee admitted, gracefully dodging Penny's next slap. “You'll get big again, don't worry. All you have to do is race down the branch, and you'll end up running onto the field and returning to the size that you were. Here's a hint: It's best to run a little deeper into the field so the next person following you has room to land, and you won't end up in a pile.”

  Clayton leaned over to Paul, “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah, I guess. I just hope nobody's cat wanders this far into the woods.”

  Clayton didn't envy Paul's double shock. First, seeing a fairy, then becoming as small as one. As he sat back again, Paul slapped his twin on the shoulder and said, “You could have at least told me!” At that, everyone laughed. Laughing felt good, a sign that everything was norm
al, even though it really wasn't.

  Then they all started talking at once. Karl was explaining to Ron and Brian how an incredibly small atom could possibly “not care” if it was much smaller. Paul was trying to apologize to Phil for hitting him so much lately. Clayton was trying to find out if Penny was all right, but she was asking SeeLee question after question without leaving time for answers.

  Finally, during a brief silence, Brian announced, “I'm thirsty.” He looked at the others to see if anyone brought water.

  “Oh, here,” SeeLee said and walked over to Brian at the end of a bench. The bench ended next to two waist-high knots rising above the seat. They looked like small volcanoes with puffed bloated rims. SeeLee reached down and lifted a piece of the rim, pivoting it outward. Then, with increasing effort, she pushed it back. A stream of water rushed like a drinking fountain from a hole in the rim next to the pivoting section. It landed on the inside wall of the rim, filling the crater of the knot.

  “No way!” Karl exclaimed, and he rose from his seat to examine the crater.

  “Yes way!” SeeLee insisted in return.

  Brian turned to the fountain and bent to get his drink before Karl arrived. “Wow, that's good. How did you cool it?” he asked while being nudged out of the way by Karl.

  “It's from under the tree. We asked a bevy of beetles to bore holes throughout the tree to run water through it. Then we created bellows to siphon it to fill a leaf bladder, and finally the water is squeezed through a charcoal-filtered tube. Sometimes we drink from it, and sometimes we fill the knot craters for the birds, squirrels, and insects.” Her face lit with excitement.

  “Oh, remind me to take you on a squirrel ride!” she said in an excited voice. “It's the most thrilling fun you can have. We get on their backs,” which SeeLee pretended to do. “The squirrels run up the tree trunks and out along the branches. Then they jump off.” To illustrate, SeeLee jumped off of the branch.

  “And they soar through the air,” SeeLee said as she hovered in the air, wings spread. “The squirrels land on the branches of other trees,” she added, her face beaming. “Then they race back up the trunk and start all over again. You really have to hang on because nobody knows when they're going to change direction.” As SeeLee talked, her sudden movements caused a continuing stream of sparkles to fall from her wings, emphasizing her excitement even more.