pretty scary if you think that a lot of fairies have been around for over a hundred years. Not easy suddenly having to learn to live as an old woman of a hundred and seventy-five with no money, no home, and no way of getting by.”
I shuddered.
“Exactly. Not something you want to get first-hand knowledge of.” Daisy got up and lifted the window. “Listen, I really need to go,” she said. Then she stopped. “Hold on,” she said, crossing the room to my bed. She reached into her pocket, then lifted the pillow. It looked like she was putting something under it.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
Daisy put the pillow back in place. “Sorry. I thought I’d dropped something.” She went back to the window. “I’ll see you tomorrow, OK?”
“OK,” I said. “Be careful.”
She picked up the feathered charm and, holding it carefully, bent down and crawled out through the window. Stepping out onto the window ledge, she turned back to smile. “Watch this!” she said, holding on to the drainpipe.
I sat on the floor and waited to see what was going to happen. A moment later, Daisy let go of the drainpipe and held her arms straight out. Within seconds, an explosion of color snaked around the edge of her body, making a shimmering star shape with Daisy in the middle. The colors sizzled and spat and sparkled into a haze of blue and pink and purple — changing constantly, flashing and bursting all around her.
Then, as suddenly as it had started — it was over. The lights stopped. Daisy had vanished. In her place, fluttering for a moment outside the window, stopping just long enough to dip a wing as though waving good-bye, was a butterfly. The very same one that had come to our house. It really had been Daisy. She’d flown all the way to my house and managed to trick us into coming here on our vacation. I didn’t even mind that she’d done it because of an assignment. I knew she’d done it because she wanted to as well. Because she wanted to see me as much as I wanted to see her.
I laughed with pleasure, smiling to myself. She was definitely the best, most amazing friend anyone could ever have!
I watched her disappear into the night, the feathered charm trailing behind her — almost twice her size, blowing gently on the breeze as she flew farther and farther away. The moonlight caught the charm, its colors sparkling in the night sky, tiny flickers of light flashing and glinting.
And then I realized something. The smile drained from my face. No! It couldn’t be! I must be wrong!
I leaned out the window, peering into the night, straining to see clearly.
I watched carefully, holding my breath. Yes. I was sure. The material on the charm and Daisy’s butterfly wings!
They were exactly the same.
“Can you see her?”
“I’m just checking now. Yes, I’ve got her here on my radar. She’s on her way back.”
“Has she got it?”
“It looks like it. There’s a very strong indication of something coming with her, and it’s showing a perfect match for us. I don’t know what it is, but my SuperCell says it’s one hundred percent linked with this mission.”
“And she’s bringing it back?”
“Yes, she’s coming through the village now. She’s heading for the river, coming past the shops. Hold on, she’s stopped. Wait — what’s happening?”
“What? What is it?”
“No, it’s OK. I think she’s just stopped for a rest. She’s moving again.”
“Good. We need her here as soon as possible.”
“Hold on. Something’s not right. She’s moving again — but in the opposite direction. And there’s a voice. Can’t pick up the words, but my SuperCell is showing strong recognition — and a warning light!”
“What is it? What’s happening?”
“She — she’s gone off the radar.”
“What do you mean, gone off the radar? How can that happen?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps it’s just stopped working. Let’s not panic just yet.”
“She might be in trouble.”
“We’ll give
I shuddered.
“Exactly. Not something you want to get first-hand knowledge of.” Daisy got up and lifted the window. “Listen, I really need to go,” she said. Then she stopped. “Hold on,” she said, crossing the room to my bed. She reached into her pocket, then lifted the pillow. It looked like she was putting something under it.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
Daisy put the pillow back in place. “Sorry. I thought I’d dropped something.” She went back to the window. “I’ll see you tomorrow, OK?”
“OK,” I said. “Be careful.”
She picked up the feathered charm and, holding it carefully, bent down and crawled out through the window. Stepping out onto the window ledge, she turned back to smile. “Watch this!” she said, holding on to the drainpipe.
I sat on the floor and waited to see what was going to happen. A moment later, Daisy let go of the drainpipe and held her arms straight out. Within seconds, an explosion of color snaked around the edge of her body, making a shimmering star shape with Daisy in the middle. The colors sizzled and spat and sparkled into a haze of blue and pink and purple — changing constantly, flashing and bursting all around her.
Then, as suddenly as it had started — it was over. The lights stopped. Daisy had vanished. In her place, fluttering for a moment outside the window, stopping just long enough to dip a wing as though waving good-bye, was a butterfly. The very same one that had come to our house. It really had been Daisy. She’d flown all the way to my house and managed to trick us into coming here on our vacation. I didn’t even mind that she’d done it because of an assignment. I knew she’d done it because she wanted to as well. Because she wanted to see me as much as I wanted to see her.
I laughed with pleasure, smiling to myself. She was definitely the best, most amazing friend anyone could ever have!
I watched her disappear into the night, the feathered charm trailing behind her — almost twice her size, blowing gently on the breeze as she flew farther and farther away. The moonlight caught the charm, its colors sparkling in the night sky, tiny flickers of light flashing and glinting.
And then I realized something. The smile drained from my face. No! It couldn’t be! I must be wrong!
I leaned out the window, peering into the night, straining to see clearly.
I watched carefully, holding my breath. Yes. I was sure. The material on the charm and Daisy’s butterfly wings!
They were exactly the same.
“Can you see her?”
“I’m just checking now. Yes, I’ve got her here on my radar. She’s on her way back.”
“Has she got it?”
“It looks like it. There’s a very strong indication of something coming with her, and it’s showing a perfect match for us. I don’t know what it is, but my SuperCell says it’s one hundred percent linked with this mission.”
“And she’s bringing it back?”
“Yes, she’s coming through the village now. She’s heading for the river, coming past the shops. Hold on, she’s stopped. Wait — what’s happening?”
“What? What is it?”
“No, it’s OK. I think she’s just stopped for a rest. She’s moving again.”
“Good. We need her here as soon as possible.”
“Hold on. Something’s not right. She’s moving again — but in the opposite direction. And there’s a voice. Can’t pick up the words, but my SuperCell is showing strong recognition — and a warning light!”
“What is it? What’s happening?”
“She — she’s gone off the radar.”
“What do you mean, gone off the radar? How can that happen?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps it’s just stopped working. Let’s not panic just yet.”
“She might be in trouble.”
“We’ll give
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