By Ashley
(Rated G)
"You picked a great day to go hiking Brad!" Joe said
admiring the scenery of the wilderness.
Tom sneezed and said sarcasticly, "Yeah a great day..."
"Allergies Tom?" Steven asked.
Tom nodded and blew his nose. "One with nature." He took
out some pills from his pack. "Right after I have some Benadryl."
Joey took this opportunity to have some fun with Tom.
"Come on Tom look at all the pretty flowers. And the grass..."
"You're not bothering me Joey." Tom said. "Yet." He
sniffed. "Ah. Damn allergies."
Steven had climbed up a small rock. "Doesn't Benadryl
make you sleepy?"
"At least I'll be able to breath." Tom moaned.
Brad shook his head. "I told you guys we should have left
him at the hotel." They hiked around on various trail for about an hour. Then Brad
suggested. "Let's just go off the path for a while and see where it takes us."
Tom stayed in his spot while the rest went off the trail. "I'm
not going off this trail. There's no telling whats in that grass."
Brad starting teasing Tom. "Yeah. Like ticks, and snakes
and chipmunks." Everyone burst out laughing, everyone except for Tom.
"Come on Tom!" Steven called. "Is that medicine making
you drowsy?"
Tom went off the path and stumbled a bit. "No it's not." The
grass was high and Tom was getting eaten up by mosquitos. "Of course. The one thing I
forgot to bring, bug repellant."
There was a sound in the grass next to them. "What was
that?" Joe whispered. Everyone stood completely still and silent as the noise got louder
and louder. "Maybe it's just a rabbit." There was a low threatning growl.
Brad started to walk slowly. "I didn't know rabbits could
growl."
"They don't." Tom said. "Wolves do."
Joey shook his head. "It's probably a dog. Watch." A huge
gray wolf jumped out of the grass.
Tom started to nod. "Big dog."
"Very big dog." Brad gave a nervous laugh. "Nice wolf..."
The wolf gave another loud growl baring it's teeth.
"It's probably a mama wolf." Tom whispered. "With our
luck we're probably about ten feet away from it's cubs."
"Just back up slowly." Steven said. "Nice and slow." They
began to back up slowly the wolf followed them with each step.
"Steven this isn't working." Joey was nervous. "I hope that
thing doesn't have rabies." The more they backed up the more the wolf moved in on
them. "I say on the count of three we run."
Tom looked at Joey. "Are you stupid?"
"No." Joey kept his sight on the wolf. "I'm just a little crazy.
One-"
"Three!" Brad yelled. All five took of as fast as they could
in whatever direction was possible the wolf stood in the same spot like it didn't know
which way to go. After standing in it's spot for a few minutes it finally headed back in the
opposite direction.
Joe leaned up against a tree gasping for breath. "That
worked."
Tom sat down in the grass. "Head spinning..."
"We confused it!" Joey laughed. "I knew it would
work!"
Steven gave Joey a look of disbelief. "Yeah sure Joey..."
Something flew past Steven's head. "What the hell was that?"
"What the hell was what?" Brad asked.
Steven looked around. "Something wizzed by my head. It
was sparkly." A couple more of the strange objects started to fly by them.
Tom stared at the flying objects. "I'm not the only one
seeing those things right?" He noticed everyone else staring and got up from his
spot.
Something crashed into Brad. "What the-" He saw
something fall to the ground and looked to see what it was. It was a tiny girl. Blue hair, a
white dress and a pair of purple wings. It was a fairy. "Guys come look at this."
Everyone came over to see what Brad was talking about.
"What is that?" Joe asked. "Is that a fairy?"
"It can't be." Joey said. "They don't exist."
"Well it looks like they do to me." Tom said. "All three of them exist."
"Three?"
The fairy became concious and saw the five men towering over her. "Oh no!" She
cried in a tiny voice and zoomed off.
"Come on let's follow her!" Brad started running after the fairy. Joe, Joey and
Steven followed right behind.
"I should've stayed in bed." Tom moaned. "This has to be more than aller- aller-ACHOO!" He followed the others. "Wait up! Sick man bringing up the rear!"
Brad stopped following the fairy when she came to a little grove of trees. In front
of the trees looked like a little doorway that was covered with a moss curtain. He turned around and looked at everyone. "You think we should go in?"
"What if they all attack us?" Steven asked.
"Yeah." Tom said. "Death could await us with nasty, big, pointy teeth!"
Brad sat his pack down right outside the grove. "We'll leave our stuff here." He walked through the curtain. Brad had the feeling like he was going down in a elevator everything seemed to rise up around him. He looked behind him to see the rest of the
band walk in. They stepped through the curtain their normal size but then quickly shrank when they were fully in the curtain.
Steven looked around him. "Everything got really big all of a sudden."
Tom shook his head. "No we got really small all of a sudden." He pointed to a large dandelion. "We shrank!"
The fairy Brad had followed early landed on a root next to them. "You should not have followed me." She fiercly whispered. "You have to leave before-" She was silence by the sound of a gong. "You'll have to come to the ceremony now." She flew down from
the root. "My name is Liliana."
Brad spoke for the band. "I'm Brad." He did the intros for each band member. "That's Steven, Joey, Joe and Tom."
"Nice to meet you." Liliana whispered. "Come. We must go to the ceremony now." She took Brad by the arm and led him to where a large group of fairies were standing in front of something that looked like a stage.
Another fairy. An older women wearing a maroon dress with, white hair and white wings came out onto the stage. "I am hear to speak to all of the young girls. Spring is nearing it's
end and you will have to pick a partner by the end of spring or wait until next winter. Remember this young maidens. If you do not chose a partner by the end of your 20th spring you will be outcasted from the kingdom." She left the stage upon that note. The
crowd dispersed.
"That's rough." Tom said. He rubbed the back of his head. "I think I was better off without the Benadryl."
Liliana sat down and started to cry. "I'm going to be outcasted from the kingdom. I'll have to go live alone out there in the wilderness." She looked up at Brad. "It's my 20th spring."
"Oh..." Brad said.
Liliana stood up. "You have to leave now. If you don't leave soon you'll have to stay here forever."
"Why?" Steven asked.
"If you're not gone by sundown. You'll become a fairy." Liliana said. "You'll grow wings.
And when you step out of the curtain you won't go back to your orginal size."
Tom tugged on Brad's arm. "Let's go I'm supposed to six foot one, not six inches."
Brad smacked Tom's arm. "Tom it's only six o'clock." He turned his attention back to Liliana. "You've got a pretty name."
Liliana blushed. "Thank you.
Tom groaned. "Picked a fine time to try and pick up chicks."
Joe made his way to the front of the grove. "I'm leaving." Steven followed Joe.
"Brad we should get going." Joey said. "Come on Brad..."
"No use." Tom said. "If he stays too long then it's his fault." Joey followed Tom out of the grove where Steven and Joe were standing. "Next time we want to do something on a vacation, let's just stay home and rent movies."
Ten minutes went by. The sun started to sink lower in the sky. "I'd like to know what's going on in there."
As soon as he said that Brad stepped out of the curtain. "See? I made it out."
"Out of the little fairy kingdom or with the girl?" Steven joked.
"What?" Brad just shook his head. "Okay Steven..." They all started out to go back to the hotel. Brad didn't notice but Liliana started to follow them and she hid in Brad's
backpack.
Back at the hotel, Brad got into the shower to wash all the grass and dirt that had gotten into his hair. He got out of the shower and started to dry his hair. Liliana had climbed out
of the back of Brad's backpack and was hiding behind a vase on the table. She leaned forward to get a better look when she knocked the vase over. "Oh no." Liliana whispered.
The vase hit the floor but didn't break. Brad turned around and saw Liliana on the dresser. "You followed me?"
"Yes." Liliana blushed. " I didn't feel like staying at home tonight. Especially after what the Queen said. My mother has let it known that I haven't been very concerned with
finding a partner." She sat down legs crossed on the table. "That's my life, fighting with my mother and the other elders. What's yours?"
Brad turned on the TV. "Oh I'm a musician." He stopped on MTV, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" was playing. It was Aerosmith's big hit at the moment. "A musician who's on TV right now."
Liliana looked over at the TV, her eyes grew big. "I saw one of those at the junk yard. I never knew what they were or what they did." She flew over to it and Brad appeared on the screen. "It's you."
Brad rolled his eyes. "Yeah me." Then he added in a low voice, "again for the millionth time in that video."
The video went off and Carson Daly was seen on the screen. "Hey this is Carson Daly and that was Aerosmith with their big hit from Armegeddon."
"Aerosmith." Liliana whispered. "I saw that word somewhere before." She flew back onto the dresser and started pacing. "It was on a big piece of cardboard and there was something big and black and round inside."
"A record?" Brad suggested.
Liliana shrugged. "I guess. I don't know a lot about human things. It had a picture of a toy box on it. It said something else on it but I can't remember." She smiled. "I see a
lot of stuff in the junk yard. I find books in it all the time and read them."
"How do you manage to do that?" Brad asked.
"I prop it up between two rocks to keep the pages back." Liliana said. "The best one I read was a book called The Little Mermaid. I wonder if those exist."
Brad laughed a little bit. "After today it wouldn't suprise me."
"You're right." Liliana sat down on the dresser. "You're kind doesn't believe in a lot of things. Elves are real too. So are witches and wizards." The phone rang and she
jumped a little bit.
Brad answered the phone. "Hello? Yeah. I'm a little busy right now." He started tapping on the table. "Uh- huh. I'm talking to someone. None of your buisness. No you can't come in here. Call the managers office I don't know. Yeah. Yeah. Bye Joey." He
shook his head. "Joey's TV isn't working."
"Oh..." Was all Liliana said. "Maybe I should go home."
"It's dark out." Brad pointed to the window. "And you said you didn't want to go home."
Liliana yawned. "Yes I know. I'm so tired, I'll go sleep outside. Could you open the door?"
"Why don't you just sleep in here?"
"I feel more comfortable sleeping outside." Liliana walked over to the sliding glass door that went out to the balcony. "Goodnight Brad."
"Goodnight." Brad closed the door back and plopped down on his bed. When he woke up the next morning he looked out on his balcony. No Liliana. After he had breakfast he went for a walk around the woods near the hotel.
Tom soon followed him. "Hey Brad!" He looked a lot better than he had the day before. "So what's up?"
"Nothing much." Brad said. "I'm just taking a walk." He started walking again with Tom. "You sound better this morning."
"Yeah. I took some right when I got up."
Brad laughed. "When was that?"
"Hey I actually got up early this morning." Tom said. "I got up at eight."
"That has to be a record for you." Brad started looking around at all the trees. He heard a little giggle coming from one of them. "Did you hear that?"
Tom listened and heard something. "Yeah. It sounds like someone laughing."
Liliana appeared on trhe branch of a big tree. "Good morning." she said cheerfully.
Brad waved to her. "Good morning. Where were you when I got up?"
"Oh I went to get myself some breakfast." Liliana flew down from the tree and hovered in front of Brad and Tom. "There are these berries that grow not far from here. Every morning there's a new batch of them. They're so good they get eaten up pretty fast." She took a berry out of a little pouch on her side. "I saved one for you."
"Thanks." Brad popped the berry into his mouth. It tasted sweet almost like a strawberry but better. "Wow these are good."
"That's why you have to get there early. They ripen as soon as the morning sun hits it."
"What happens on a cloudy day?" Tom asks.
Liliana laughed. "It's always sunny there." She noticed it was cloudy and decided to show them. "I'll show you, follow me." She took off like a rocket and started darting through trees.
Tom and Brad followed her. "Are you sure you're up to this Tom?" Brad asked.
"You're not gonna get dizzy and pass out are you?"
"No." Tom panted. "I'll be fine." Soon they came to a clearing in the trees. The sun was shinning brightly. They looked behind them to see the cloudy sky. "How does it do that?"
"I don't know." Liliana was on the ground near the bushes. "It's just always sunny here. No one is ever here except for in the morning. Someone probably was here. There's foot prints on the ground; they look fresh. Whoever was here must have gotten scared
off."
"This place is beautiful." Brad looked at the bushes that had all sorts of bright blue and yellow flowers all over it.
"I know." Liliana said. "I don't see why the other fairies don't come here during the day."
"No humans know about this?" Tom asked.
"No that I know of. You're probably two of a very few who have see it." Liliana flew up to Brad's face. "I don't know if it's true but I heard that if someone stays here at nightfall they get one wish. One wish only in their entire life."
"You never tried it?" Brad looked at her more closely. She was a pretty little thing.
Liliana seemed to get very nervous. "There are three things that guard this place at night. A big grey wolf, a very big cat, and a big Hawk. People have tried to see if the story was true. None have come back."
Tom's ears perked up. "Wolf? Like a big grey with razor sharp teeth and evil gleam in his eye and looks really really scary wolf?"
"Yes. I'd guess so." Liliana whispered.
"Did you want to make a wish?" Brad sat down in front of a tree.
The little fairy smiled. "I did, yes. But I'm not telling."
"Hey would should try that." Tom said. "I'll have to think about what I want to wish for though."
"Get rid of you-know-who?" Brad suggested.
"No I don't know who." Tom had a puzzled look on his face. Then realized what Brad meants. "Oh Jessica!"
"Who's Jessica?" Liliana asked.
"Past liaison." Tom rolled his eyes. "She wasn't happy when the relationship ended."
"Not happy is an understatement." Brad mumbled.
"It only works for fairies though." Liliana said.
"I think I'll go back to the hotel." Tom started walking back towards the hotel."You coming?"
"Later." Brad said. He stayed with Liliana and talked with her until the sun started to set.
"We should go." Liliana said nervously. "They'l l be coming soon." She followed Brad back to his hotel. "I think I'll go home tonight so my mother doesn't worry."
"Okay. Goodnight Liliana." Brad watched the fairy dart off accross the field behind the hotel.
"Do we have a thing for mythical creatures now?" Steven asked. He'd been watching them for the past couple of minutes. "Oh man if she is anything like Jessica-"
"Steven!" Brad said angrily. "I'm not having a relationship with a fairy. And no one could be as bad as Jessica. I feel so sorry for poor Tom."
Steven laughed. "I guess you're right. But you do seem a little sweet on her. And I know after the divorce and all-"
Brad interupted, "Let's not start with the divorce again." He had gotten a divorce from Karen a year ago. Brad just tried to keep it out of his mind, went on a few dates. "I'll
keep my girlfriends my own kind." He went upstairs and went to sleep.
Liliana didn't show up over the next couple of days. Finally Brad decided to go see her. He tried to find the grove where she lived but no luck. Then he remembered that Liliana said she liked to go to the berry patch she had shown him. When he got there she was sitting in the sun with a couple of other fairies. One of them saw him and gasped, "It's a human!" and flew up to a tree.
Liliana glanced over and saw Brad. "It's okay Daisy. I know him."
Daisy flew down from the tree. "You know him?" She looked at Brad. "Him? You're friends with a human?"
Liliana shook her head. "Brad this Daisy and the one with the red hair is Crystal. Girls that's Brad."
"Hello." Daisy said and backed up a little bit. Crystal just smiled and waved. "Crystal can't talk. She was attacked by dog and had her throat all messed up."
Brad didn't know what to say after that. "Oh..."
"She's okay really." Liliana said. "She just can't make any noises."
"I haven't seen you in a while." Brad looked down at the ground.
"Oh I know where this is going..." Daisy whispered and tugged on Crystals arm. She motioned for them to leave. "We have to go. See you this afternoon at the festival Liliana?"
Liliana nodded. "Yes. Bye!" She turned her attention to Brad. "I've been busy. The Spring Festival is this weekend and my mother has been fitting me for a dress so I can find me a partner."
"Oh..."
"Hey would you like to meet my mother?" Liliana asked.
Brad thought about it for a second. "Sure. I'd love to."
Liliana led him to the grove. "I have to warn you my mother is a little uh- she obsesses on me finding a partner so don't get mad when she starts congradulating you."
Brad stepped through the moss curtain and saw everything rise up around him. "This is like Alice in Wonderland."
Liliana smiled. "I love that book!" She led him to a large tree. "Oh I forgot you can't fly." She pointed up. "See that brach way up there? That's where I live."
"Liliana!" A boy yelled. "Mother's been looking for you."
"Oh I know." Liliana moaned. "She won't leave me alone for five minutes." The she did the introductions. "Oh Brad, this is my brother, Jeremiah. Jeremiah this is Brad."
Jeremiah waved. "Hey." Then he did a double take. "Sis, he's a-"
"I know." Liliana said. "Can you help me get him up to our house?"
"Sure." Jeremiah had Brad put one arm on his shoulder and one arm on Liliana's and the flew him up to the branch. "Home sweet home."
An elderly woman's voice came from inside a hole in the tree. "Liliana! Are you home?" The elderly woman came out of the tree. "Goodness child! You have a week to find yourself a partner. Where have you been?"
Liliana said, "I was just out enjoying the morning air, mother."
Her mother looked and Brad and got a wide smile on her face. "Oh Liliana! You found yourself-"
"No mother," Liliana interupted. "I'm sorry he's just a friend. His name is Brad."
Her mother inspected Brad. "It figures. He wouldn't do you good as a partner anyway. He isn't a fairy." She went back inside the house. "Nicholas! Come on get in here so you can see your sister in her new dress!" A little boy not more than maybe ten came in. "And Jeremiah. Shouldn't you be home? Your wife came by about an hour ago looking for you."
Jeremiah flushed. "Oh no..." He walked out of the room and took off.
"And you two turn your backs." Her mother instructed. "It's not right to see a girl with no clothes on unless she's your wife."
Nicholas look at Brad. "Where are your wings at?"
Liliana struggled to get the dress on. "Don't be silly Nicky. You can't tell? He's not a fairy."
"Is an elf?" Nicky asked. "No wait he doesn't have pointed ears like an elf."
"He's a human." Mother said. "Now turn around." Liliana had on a beautiful, long sky blue dress. Brad was speechless.
"Do you like it?" Liliana asked.
Brad nodded. "Yes. You look beautiful."
"Oh thank you." Liliana blushed. "Uhm- would- you like to escort me down to the festival?"
Without thinking Brad said, "I'd love to."
Nicky burst into their conversation. "If he's a human why is small?"
Mother let out a sigh. "Because if a human steps through the moss curtain he shrinks to our size. And may I remind you Brad that if you don't get out of here by sunset you will be a fairy?"
"I know." Brad said. "I can stay for the afternoon." He put his arm around Liliana's shoulders. "After you get me down."
Meanwhile Daisy, Crystal and Jeremiah were already at the festival. "It's not normal for a girl like her to not be intersted in finding someone." Daisy said. "We need to find her partner. She's our friend."
"I know." Jeremiah leaned on a small mushroom. "She and that Brad seem to get along very well. But he's a human."
Crystal nudged Daisy's shoulder. "Oh yeah. You know what I found out about that Brad? He's a musician on vacation, he'll be gone soon."
Jeremiah became angry at this. "He's going to break her heart. I won't let him. I have a plan." He was an over-protective big brother.
Daisy gave a sly smile. "Tell us."
Jeremiah motioned for them to come closer. He whispered, "I'll get Brad drunk and he'll be so out of it that he'll end up staying here until after sunset. He'll turn into a fairy and have to stay. And, if I know Liliana well enough she'll at least feel sorry for him and end up choosing him."
"Are you going to break out the rose nectar?" Daisy asked.
"I might." Jeremiah said. "I don't think I'll need anymore than the swamp brew." He smiled evilly. "This one isn't getting away..."
Brad and Liliana were walking around the festival looking at performers, crafts, and the food. "So how do you like it?" Liliana asked.
"It's nice." Brad said. He eyed some pies that were at a stand. "It looks good..."
"Here let me get you one." Liliana rushed over to the stand and brought back a slice of pie. "Here you go."
Brad took a bite of it. "Oh this is good." he said with his mouthful.
"Yeah I know." Liliana broke off a little piece. "This was made with some of the berries that gown in that patch I showed you." She licked some of the filling off her fingers. "It's Destiny's best pie."
"Do you all have names like that?" Brad asked. "I mean Liliana isn't exactly an everyday name where I'm from."
Liliana thought. "It's always popular to name a child after something in nature like a flower or a type of bird. Also there are one's who are named after religious people.
Mary us a popular name so is Paul and the other apostles."
"So there are a lot of Mary's and Rose's running around?"
Liliana laughed. "Rose isn't a very popular name."
"Why?" Brad asked.
Liliana started to explain. "Well we use roses to-"
"Liliana!" It was Jeremiah. "Liliana!" He came running up. "Hello sis. I've been looking for you and your friend." Crystal and Daisy were right behind. "I want to get to know your friend a little better." Jeremiah put an arm around Brad. "You don't mind if we go and talk do you? We'll go to that tavern and have a few drinks."
"If it's okay with Brad." Liliana bit her lip.
"I don't mind." Brad said. "Lead on. Bye Liliana."
Liliana waved and smiled. "Bye Brad see you later." She turned to Daisy and Crystal. "I don't trust Jeremiah. He's up to something."
"You worry too much." Daisy said. "Come on let's have some fun and find you a partner."
Back at the hotel the band was wondering where Brad went. "Anybody seen him today?" Steven asked.
"I did." Joe said. "He went looking for-"
"Oh no..." Tom shook his head. "Liliana."
Joe rolled his eyes. "He's done nothing but talk about her. He likes her."
"It's obvious," Joey laughed. "I wonder what he's gonna do when we leave."
"Forget about her probably." Tom said. "That's what he's done with the other girlfriends. He's just left them behind never to speak to them again."
"Guess it doesn't work out for everyone that way." Steven joked. Everyone laughed but Tom.
"Hey I haven't seen Jessica the entire time we've been on vacation. I haven't even gotten a single phone call or e-mail."
"I'm suprised you haven't gotten a call from her dad." Steven said. "How old is she, seventeen?"
"Yeah," Tom mumbled. "She's not pregnant."
Joe leaned against the building. "You see one pretty girl at a concert and your whole world turns into lies and secret meetings."
"I wonder what Brad's doing." Joey was trying to change the subject. "He's been gone all morning and most of the afternoon. It's getting close to sunset."
Brad was with Jeremiah at a tavern. "Would you like somethign to drink?" Jeremiah asked.
"No." Brad shook his head. "I don't drink alcohol."
"It's not alcohol." Jeremiah said. "It's flower nectar or water. You'll love it, trust me." He ordered two drinks. "So do you like it?"
"It's not bad." Brad took another drink. "What is it?"
"It's specially brewed swamp water." Jeremiah saw the look on Brad's face. "Not you type huh? A rose nectar over here please." He slid the cup over to Brad slowly. "This is the best."
Brad took a drink. "Whoa! This is sour. But it's good." Jeremiah had Brad down three more of the rose nectars and Brad was almost falling over.
Jeremiah laughed. "Come on Brad. We're going to have some fun with you."
Liliana was searching the crowd for Brad. "It's almost sunset. I need to get him out of here."
Daisy tried to calm her down. "We'll find him Liliana. Don't worry."
Outside the grove Brad's bandmates were waiting for him. "I wish he'd hurry up." Steven looked at the hills. The sun was sinking lower.
Joe kicked a rock. "I'll go in a look for him."
Steven stopped him. "No. It'll be bad enough if one of us ends up six inches tall. Two of us would be just-"
"Brad?" Liliana looked out of the curtain and saw the others. "Is he out here?"
"No we thought he was with you." Tom kneeled down. "What happened to him?"
Liliana bit her lip. "He went with my brother. I'm worried he's up to something." She noticed that the sun had almost completely gone down. "Oh no! It's too late!" She put her hands to her face. "It's my fault." The sun finally sank leaving them in darkness.
Jeremiah appeared from behind the curtain carrying Brad. "He drank a little too much."
"You tricked him!" Liliana yelled angrily. "How could you do that?"
Brad was dropped onto the ground where he woke up. "What happened where am I?" He noticed the way everything looked around him. "Oh no. Am I too late?"
"Yes." Jeremiah said triumphantly. "You're turning into a fairy as we speak." Joey, Steven, Tom and Joe stood there speechless. Brad suddenly made a yell in pain.
Liliana rushed over to him. "What's wrong Brad?"
"It feels like someone's stabbing me in the back." Brad moaned.
"You can say that again." Steven mumbled.
"No." Brad gasped. "Literally." The pain grew worse by the minute. Two bumps were forming on his shoulder bladed. Finally a pair of dark red wings came through the back of his t-shirt. Brad rolled onto his side moaning in pain.
"I do not believe what I just saw." Tom whispered.
Brad got up, the pain had stopped. "Well there goes the tour we had planned."
"Jeremiah!" Liliana yelled. "You are not my brother anymore! How dare you do something like this!"
"I was just looking out for you!" Jeremiah yelled back. "I wasn't about to have my little sister be outcasted from the kingdom!"
"Oh so this was becuase you wanted to find me a partner and you thought that he was the only one I had any interest in?" Liliana got up in her brother's face. "I don't need your help! We were just going to be friends!"
"What about when he leaves?" Jeremiah asked.
"What?" Liliana seemed confused. "Leave?"
"He's just on vacation." Jeremiah said. "He doesn't live around here. He was going to leave you here and go back to his home with his family."
Brad felt his heart sink. "It's true. I'm just on vacation."
"This would be a good time to good time to make our exit." Tom whispered. He and the other three band members walked away a little bit.
"See?" Jeremiah looked at Brad in disgust. "He was going to break your heart. Now he's going to be one of us and stay here forever."
Liliana had tears in her eyes. "So what?" She flew up into the air. "I need to be alone."
"Liliana wait." Brad tried to take off after her but couldn't get his wings to work.
"It's no use." Jeremiah said. "It takes practice to fly." He went back through the curtain.
Brad started running. "If I can't fly I'll catch her on foot." After running for a half hour he found Liliana leaning against a tree. "Liliana?"
Liliana looked up at him. It wa obvious she had been crying. "I love you. And I don't want you to go and leave me."
Brad knelt down and held her in his arms. "I love you too. I didn't want to tell you that I was leaving. I was going to ask you to come with me."
Liliana sniffed. "Really? No. I couldn't. There are things in this area that I have to eat to survive. Fairies can't eat human food. You can't leave either. You're stuck here and it's all my fault."
"I don't mind as long I'm stuck here with you." Brad kissed her on her lips.
As she pulled out of the kiss. Liliana whispered, "That's my first kiss." She leaned up and started kissing him. "This isn't right." She pulled away from him. "We need to get
you back to normal. We can wish you back to normal." She got up. "I'll use my wish to get you back to normal." She flew up in the air. "Come on!"
Brad managed to take off this time but he was a little clumsy trying to fly. "A little help."
Liliana flew back and straightened him out. "Just try to keep straight." They made it back to the grove where the rest of Aerosmith was waiting.
"Where have you been?" Steven asked. "We've been looking for you for almost an hour! And you're not that easy to look for."
Brad landed on a tree branch unsteadily. "With her. She has a way to get me back to normal."
"There's this little area where you can have a wish granted." Liliana explained. "All we have to do is go there and I can wish Brad back to normal."
Tom remembered that from when she had first shown them the area. "You're going to sacrifice your one wish on him?"
Brad rolled his eyes. "Gee thanks Tom."
"It's my fault he's like this." Liliana said.
"What about the wolf and all the other stuff?" Tom asked.
"Wolf?" Steven heard that.
"I can place a spell on them to freeze them." Liliana flew down from the branch.
"I have to go see a witch though." We won't be able to to do anything until tommorrow night."
"He's going to be like that for a whole day?" Steven looked up at the tree. "We'll have to tear up your food for you won't we?"
"No." Liliana shook her head. "He can't eat human food now. He's a fairy it'll kill him."
"Damn. No Ranch Pringles for you Brad." Steven laughed. "Well what do we feed him?"
"He'll have to stay here." Liliana said. "We'll meet back here tommarow before sunset and then go to the berry patch." With that they parted ways Brad went home with Liliana. He slept in her room with her. There were no beds, just really soft matresses and
blankets. Liliana's mother seemed happy about Brad being there and left them alone in her room.
"So what were you going to wish for?" Brad asked.
"It's nothing." Liliana put her hair up in a bun. "We should just worry about getting you back to normal."
"Come on and tell me." Brad said. "I won't tell anyone else. I promise."
Liliana sighed. "I was going to wish to be happy with my life." She looked down at the floor. "I've never really been happy my whole life. My mother tried to get me paired up with someone the day I reached my 14th spring. And even before that she tried to make me into the perfect wife. I wouldn't have any of it. I was too busy going to the junkyard and finding all of the neat things that were there. I was made fun of a lot by the other children and I don't have a lot of friends." She sighed again. "But like I said we
should worry about getting you back to normal."
"Well wait. I'm a fairy now." Brad said. "I'll just use my wish." He smiled at her. "You should be happy."
Liliana went over to her matress. "Thank you Brad. Goodnight."
Brad was awaken the next morning very early. "What's going on?"
"Come on." Liliana whispered. "Let's go get breakfast." They went to berry patch before the sun was even up.
Brad yawned. "There's no one here yet." As soon as the sun started to come up. They both rushed over. Sunlight poured in and hit the flowers on the bushes. Berries sprouted out of the flowers.
"Grab as many as you can!" Liliana yelled. "No sooner had she said that then a least a hundred faries swarmed in. Brad managed to grab himself five berries and flew out of the patch. Liliana was right behind him. "That was fun wasn't it?"
Brad took a bite out of a berry. "Yeah real fun." After breakfast they went back to Liliana's.
"Oh you need some clothes!" Liliana left and came back an hour later with a pair of brown pants and green shirt. "I got these for you. There's a tub out on the back porch for washing."
After he had bathed he was dragged to a witch's house. "I'm getting better at flying right?"
"At least you're not bumping into things." Liliana giggled. "This witch is really old. Her name is Helen, and she's not in good health for a witch."
Helen opened the door before they even had a chance to knock. "Liliana! I knew you were coming! Come in!" Brad landed on a small table next to a chair.
Liliana followed Helen. "I need to see you about a spell. My friend in there is supposed to be a-"
"Human I know." Helen started messing with some books. "There is no spell to change him back."
"I didn't want a spell to change him back." Liliana said. "We need a spell to freeze something. He's going to wish himself back to normal."
Helen put her hand to chest. "Oh goodness! You're not thinking of going to that berry patch at night! The hawk will get you before you even have a chance to put the freezing spell on him."
"We have help Helen." Liliana landed on a pile of books. "We can do it. Just give us the spell please?"
"My time is almost up." Helen sighed. "I'm not just going to give a spell Liliana. I've known you since you were a baby. I'm going to give you my most prized spell books." She took a huge book out of a book shelf. "I know it's big." She flipped open a book said some words in a strange language and the book shrank. "It's yours to remember me by and to use." They left the witches house.
"It's still early." Helen said. "You want to go see some more of the festival?"
"Sure!" Brad was happy to get his mind off of things.
They watched a puppet show and some singers. They passed a musican playing an instrument that looked like a guitar. He asked the musician if he could play. The musician agreed and Brad showed Liliana what he did for a living.
"You're good." Liliana smiled. "I tried to learn to play but I found it hard. I like to sing better." At sunset they went outside to meet the band.
Steven looked nervous. "So do you have the spell?"
Liliana nodded. "I have it book marked." When they made it to the berry patch she didn't look so sure of herself.
Tom looked around. "This place looks creepy at night." There was a sound of a wolf howling. "Sounds creepy too." Then the wolf jumped out baring it's teeth and growling.
Liliana chanted the spell and the wolf froze in place. She put her hand to her chest. "It worked thank goodness." They made their way to the center of the trees and bushes. "You'll have to wait here. Only me and Brad can go in." Liliana took Brad's hand
and they walked under the bushed into the center of a small circle. She flew up to a small glass ball that hung on a tree limb.
Brad saw the hawk heading towards her. "Look out!"
Liliana turned around said the spell and the hawk went falling to the ground. "Come stand in the center."
Brad did what he was told. He looked up at Liliana who was rubbing the glass ball. "What are you doing?"
"I'm waking it up." Liliana whispered. Brad watched her as she tried to wake whatever it was in the ball up. He didn't notice that a big black cat creeping up behind him.
Joe did. "Brad look behind you!" Brad turned around and the cat pounced on top of him and started clawing him.
"Brad, no!" Liliana cried. She chanted the spell one more time freezing the cat in place. When she got down there she pushed it out of her way. Liliana felt for a pulse. "He's not- not-"
"No." Steven went to go through the bushes but got zapped by a bolt of lightning. "Holy-"
Liliana laid her head on Brad's chest. "Please Brad. Please."
The ball began to glow brightly. "Who has a wish to be granted by the spirit of the orb?"
Liliana stood up. "I do."
"What is your wish?" The orb asked.
"I just want him to live." Liliana cried and pointed to Brad.
A light shot out of the orb and onto Brad. "It is done."
Brad moaned a little bit and opened his eyes. "What happened?"
Liliana started crying. "You're okay! Now you can wish youself back to normal."
"Wait tell me what happened." Brad said.
"You were dead and I used my wish to bring you back." Liliana wiped tears from her eyes. "I had. I couldn't let you die."
"Any other wishes?" The orb asked.
Brad stood up. It was liked he hadn't even been attacked. "I do. I wish for Liliana to be happy."
Steven stamped his foot. "Damnit!" The bushes zapped him again.
The whole area around Brad and Liliana lit up like the sun. Everyone had to sheild their eyes. "It is done." The orb said and the light disspeared.
Brad looked around. "Hey I'm back to normal." He ran out of the bushes. "Where's Liliana?"
"Brad?" Liliana yelled. She sounded happy. She came out of the bushes the size of a normal human. In fact she was human. Liliana threw her arms around Brad. "Thank you."
"What just happened?" Joey looked confused. "He said he wanted her to be happy."
"I am happy as long as I'm with him and he's happy." Liliana said and kissed Brad on the lips. "Becuase I love Brad."
"Where's that twenty at Perry?" Steven whispered tapping Joe on the shoulder.
Liliana looked down. "The spell book." She reached down and picked it up. "It's normal sized."
Brad took the book and tossed it to Tom. "We won't be needing that." He kissed Liliana.
Joe looked behind them. "Oh maybe we will. Wolf!"
Liliana broke away from the kiss. "Oh no! The spell must have worn off!" They all ran as fast as they could until they got back to the hotel. Liliana was gasping for air. "I never really had to run before."
"We're all tired let's get some sleep." Steven said.
Brad took Liliana to his room. "So this is the way it's gonna be from now on."
Liliana laid down on the bed. "Yes I guess so." She straightened her dress out. "When do we leave?"
"Four days from now..." Brad did some calculating in his head. "Friday."
"My mother could plan a wedding in a day." Liliana said.
Brad laid down on the bed next to her. "So you want to have a traditional fairy wedding?"
Liliana smiled and kissed Brad. "Definitely."
When Liliana broke the news to her family, at first her mother was heart broken at her decision but then happy that she was going to be married. The wedding was planned in less than a day and the wedding was held on Thursday. Everyone in the band showed up.
Liliana was dressed up in a white gown and Brad had to wear a special robe. After the wedding there was the party that was taken outside of the grove so no one was turned into a fairy. Music was played and everyone danced.
Joey sat back with Tom and Brad watching as Liliana danced with Steven. "Will this one last Brad?"
Brad looked over at Joey angrily. "What makes you think it won't?"
"I'm not saying that." Joey realized he should have kept his big mouth shut. "Well she's party of the 'family' now."
"Yep." Brad looked at his bride with a smile. "She's so beautiful."
"It's a happy ending isn't it?" Tom asked. "All fairy tales pretty much have a happy ending right?"
"Yeah they do." Joe chimed in. He was leaning up against a tree. "So tell me Brad you really didn't talk to much about your experience as a fairy."
"I was a fairy for one day." Brad said. "I didn't have much of an experience. It's a neat place inside there. Just don't drink any rose nectar."
"Uh oh." Joey said. "Liliana's brother Jeremiah gave me two glasses. Is that why I feel a little queasy?"
"Think of it as the fairy version of Jack Daniel's," Brad laughed. "It was neat I'll tell you that. I didn't get the hang of flying though."
"So your wife was a fairy who is now a human who has a spell book given to her by a witch." Tom laughed. "I've been looking through that."
"Watch what you read and say from that book." A voice warned. Everyone looked around and didn't see anyone. "Be careful the spells in that book are powerful."
"Brad come let's dance!" Liliana grabbed Brad's arm and dragged him into the center of a large circle. The sun was setting giving a nice orange tint to the evening.
"Say it Tom." Joe said. "I know you've been wanting to all day."
"Say what?" Tom looked up at Joe.
"Funny Tom. I heard you start to say it at least three times." Joey said. "So just say it."
Tom laughed a little bit. "And they live happily ever after."