THEGRINNINGFAIRY

ByReidFitzHugh

Onceuponatime,therewasahappylittlefairy.
Shewasthehappiestfairyofall,andeveryotherthingintheforestadoredherdearly.
Foryousee,ifyouwerefeelingdown,allyouwouldneedtodowashearhervoice,andyour
spiritswouldbelifted.
Thehappyfairylivedpeacefullyinherforest,gatheringflowersandcheeringpeopleup,and
wantednothing.
Oneday,shewasoutgatheringflowerswhenshespiedsomethinginthegrass.
Itwasaring!
Abright,shinyringwithabrilliantbluestonesetintoit,itgleamedasthesunsraysbouncedoff
it.
Shewasentrancedbyitsbeauty,andstartedtoreachforit.
Beforeshecouldgrabit,however,sheheardavoicefrombehindher!
Hey.Sheturnedaround,andtherewasalittleboystandingthere.
Iheardyoucancheerpeopleupwithyourvoice,right?
Shenodded.Yes,indeedIcan.Areyoufeelingsad?
Heshookhishead.No,Imfine.ButtherearealotofpeopleIknowwhoarent.
Couldyoucomeandvisitmyvilllagetocheerthemup?
Thefairygrinnedhappily.Idloveto!

Theboyspentalldayshowingthehappyfairyaround,andshemadeeverypersonshemet
haveanextraspringintheirstepandasmileontheirface.
Thefairyandtheboykeptgoingallday,untiltheyhadcheeredupeveryoneinhisvillage.
Bythattime,itwasalmostdark,andthesunwassettingoverthehorizon.
Well,thankyoufortoday.Theboysaid.
ImgladIhelpedyourvillagebecomehappyagain!Sheresponded.
Beforethehappyfairycouldsayanythingelse,shefeltaheavyobjectsmackagainsttheback
ofherhead!
Shecrumpledtotheground,unmoving.
Beforeeverythingwentblack,however
Shesawtheboystrugglingwithatall,darkfigure.

Thefairyslowlycameto,andlookedaround.
Thiswasnttheforest!
Shewasinadark,smellyroomwithonlyasmallwindowandabarredmetaldoor.
WhereamI?Shesaidtoherself.
Beforeshecoulddoanythingelse,aloudvoiceranginthroughthebars.
Well,arentyoujustthecutestlittlething!
Whoareyou?Doyouneedcheeringup?Thefairyssmiledidntfalter,eventhoughshewas
slightlyscared.

Sheheardsoftlaughterfromtheoutsideofthedoor.
IndeedIdo.Butyourvoicewontbeenoughtosuffice,ohno.
Thefairywaspuzzled.Whatelsecouldyouneedmetodo
TheonlywayIcanbehappyisifyouarenot.
What?Icantstopbeinghappy,peoplearedependingon
Thedooropenedwithaloudbang,andthefigurestoodthere,holdingalarge,sharplooking
instrument.
Weshallsee,littlefairy.Weshallsee.

Ithadbeenseveralweeks.
Thefairyshiveredintheroom,herwingssnapped,herdressintatters,andtearsstreaming
downherbatteredface.
Hersmile,however,waseverpresent.
Herfacewasfrozenintoamaskofglee.
Shelookedaroundtheroomabsentmindedly,scanningforanysignofanescape.
Nothing.Asusual.
Thefigurewouldnotcomebackforawhile.Heusuallyonlycamebackeverycoupleofdays.
Thefairymovedslowlytowardsthedoor,gigglingsoftly.
Asshepushedagainstthedoor,itopened.Thefiguremusthaveforgottentolockit.
Shelaughedloudly,theraucoussoundechoingagainstthegraywallsoftheroom.

Asthehappyfairymovedthroughthecorridor,shesawthefiguresittinginachair,completely
ignoringher.
Shehadoncebeenscared,butnotnow.
Now,shehadonlyonethinginhermind.
Havinglotsandlotsoffunwithhernewfriend!
Shepickedupalargeflowerfromthetable.
Itwascoveredinasweetsmellingredliquid,butshedidntcare.
Shehadapersontocheeruprightinfrontofher.

Hello,mister!Thefairygiggledtothefigure.
Hejumpedandturnedaroundtofaceher.
Wwhatareyoudoing
Cheeringyouup,ofcourse!Youreverysad,anditsmyjobtofixthat!
Thefiguregrinnedandstartedtospeak.
Wheredyougetthatknife
Isntitalovelyflower?Ipickeditjustforyou!
Thefigurestartedtorunaway.Howmeanofhim!
Comeback,mister!Weregoingtohavelotsoffun,hahaha!

Thefigurecametotheendofthehall,andturnedaround,stammeringfrantically.
Lletmego,please,Illgiveyouanything

Well,then,Iwantyoutobethehappiestpersonintheworld!
Thefairysgringotevenwider.
Shebroughtthefloweruptothefiguresnose,andhebegantoyell.
Wow,youenjoyedyourpresentthatmuch?Henoddedoverandover.
Goody!Icangogetalotmorethen!Thefigurewasscreaminghisapproval.Hemusthave
reallywantedthosepresents!

Thegrinningfairywentbacktotheroomwherethefigurehadbeensitting.
Therewereallmanneroffunthingshere!Games,balloons,ribbons,andbottlesoffruitpunch!
Youhadallthesethingshereandyoudidnttellme?Thatsnotverynice!
Ohwell,betterlatethannever!Thefairygiggledloudlyasshegatheredupasmuchofthe
objectsintheroom,thenstartedbacktowardhernewfriend.
Thisllbethebestdayever!Youresolucky!
Hewaspositivelywailingwithanticipationassheapproached,readytomakethebestfriend
shedeverhad.

Nooneknowswherethefairydisappearedto.
Thelastsignofherwasaglimpseofherfloatingtowardsherforesthome,whichburneddown
thefollowingevening.
Manymutilatedanimalsandpeoplewerefoundintheashes.
Ifyouseeanyonethatseemstosmileabittoomuch,givethemawideberth.
Youneverknowwhatcouldbelurkingbehindthatjoyousgrin.