Words & Wings

Written by, Kerrie Alayo

“Elusive…elusive,” Kylie tapped her eraser on the page of her book. She turned to dig through her bag for her dictionary, but it wasn’t there.

“Must have left it in my locker,” she muttered to herself. Kylie pushed back her chair and called out her bedroom door, “Mom.”

“Yes, honey?” Her mother’s voice drifted back from the kitchen.

“What does ‘elusive’ mean? There was a long pause. “Mom?”

“I don’t know, Ky. Why don’t you look it up?”

“I can’t find my dictionary!”

“I’m sure there’s one in the library, sweetheart!”

Kylie had already thought of checking the library, but the huge, shadowy room frightened her. And if she were to tell her mom, she would scold her for being childish and make her go find it anyway. Kylie sighed, and made her way down the hallway, the floorboard creaking under her fee, until she reached the heavy wooden door. The handle was cold as she pulled it open and stepped inside.

The door thudded shut behind her. The library was cold and dusty. Kylie coughed, stepping forward into the dim light that came through the dirty windows. There were many rows of book, and Kylie had no idea where to state. “Stupid, big, old house,” she said, and headed for the back of the library, where a bookcase full of heavy-looking books stood.

Kylie grabbed a think book from the bottom shelf, and flipped through it. It was a reference book. She stuffed it back into its place and began scanning the titles. Her eyes stopped on a bit Webster’s in the third row. She reached up and pulled.

Suddenly, the bookshelf shifted and spun. Kylie leapt back and the wall seemed to disappear, revealing a small opening where the bookcase had been. A candle waited just inside the wall. Frightened, but curious, she looked around. A desk stood a few feet away. She darted over to it and wrenched open the drawers.

“Yes!” Kylie cried as she found a box of matches. She hurriedly shut the drawers and ran back to the bookcase. The candle was heavy and she hurried as she struck a match and lit the wick. Holding the candle into the darkness, she saw a winding staircase. Kylie eagerly stepped onto it, and followed it down.

A dark tunnel waited at the bottom of the staircase. As Kylie walked, the walls turned from dirt to moss. A green light shone up ahead, and Kylie sped up. The candle went out and she dropped it, running. As she got closer, she saw that a layer of leaves covered the opening, but she couldn’t slow in time. She burst through it, tumbling, into blinding light.

Kylie opened her eyes to find herself in a soft, green forest. Brilliant colors swirled around her, and beautiful music filled the air. She blinked a few times. The colors were wings. Her mouth dropped open in shock.

Something landed on her shoulder, and a voice cried, “Hello!” in her ear. She turned her head and a fairy stood by her cheek, smiling. Her winds were yellow and her hair was spiky and pink.

“I’m Alesana. How’d you get here?”

Kylie was in awe. “I took the stairs. My name is Kylie.” Alesana laughed and flew down to stand on Kylie’s knee.

“Join us!” She tugged on Kylie’s finger. Kylie stood up and followed her to a tree covered in faeries. They spun around Kylie singing words she couldn’t understand. The colors began to blur and Kylie felt dizzy. She heard Alesana’s voice in her ear.

“Take this,” and she felt something press on her hear. “I’ll miss you.” Then Kylie blacked out.

Kylie sat up and opened her eyes. She was lying on her bed. It was all a dream she thought to herself as she walked over to her desk. Someone had written on the corner of her book.

Elusive, it said, means mysterious. Just like us. See you again soon.-Alesana

Remembering Alesana’s last words, Kylie reached up and lifted a crown of flowers off her head. She smiled at them. Or not.