4. 24 hours and I have to free the fairy

        Madison’s forcing me to release the little fairy.  She gave me an ultimatum this morning.  Let the fairy go or I’ll tell our parents!!  I only have 24 hours.  She’ll tell, no doubt about that.  I didn’t expected her to keep still forever, not Madison.  I’ve had the fairy for about 10 days now and I guess the limits of Madison’s patience have reached an end.  Not sure what I’m going to do.

        A lot of you feel the same way as Madison.  You think it wrong of me to hold the fairy against her will.  Some of you say it’s mean, but I’m taking good care of the fairy and I would never let anything bad happen to her.  I’m planning to let her go eventually, I just want a little more time.  I really really don’t want to lose her.  I just wish I had a little more time.

        This morning, when Westley and I arrived at the church building for Scripture Study, Madison delivered her ultimatum.  I had no sooner taken my seat for class, than I got the malicious text.  I glanced up when my phone first buzzed to see Madison regarding me intently from across the room, sitting between two other Laurels, her face set and her brow furrowed.  As I opened the text, I was conscious of her watching for my reaction and knew the message would not be pleasant.  It was short and sweet.  “Michael, you let the fairy go or else I’ve decided to inform our parents.  You have 24 hours.  I mean it!”

        At that moment Brother Abernorth entered the classroom.  “Phones down, it’s time to get started,” he said, and cleared his throat.  Then he straightened his tie.  I’ve never seen Brother Abernorth dressed in anything other than a white shirt and tie.  He frowned good-naturedly at those of his students, which was a few of the boys and all of the girls, who were so foolish as to still have phones out after the time for his class to start.

        I showed Westley the text as I closed my phone up without answering Madison.  He whistled in amazement, which caught Brother Abernorth’s attention and caused our instructor to call on Westley for the opening prayer.

        I had to fume through a full hour long lesson on the Old Testament, not able to say or text anything back to Madison, not able to give her a piece of my mind, not able to tell her what I thought of her little ultimatum.  It’s hard enough on a normal day staying focused for an hour on ancient biblical kings and prophets, but near impossible when there’s so much real stuff going on in your life.

        I’d been in such a good mood too.  This morning, when I woke up, I found the little fairy in much better health and spirits after her accident.  Her injured wing’s almost healed and she’s able to curl it onto her back like normal again, although it must still be a little tender for it doesn’t laying quite as flat as the other one, and she still doesn’t stretch her wings to their fullest extent when first getting to her feet in the morning.  I got her some fresh water and some bread and honey before leaving for church, and I told her, yes I know she can’t understand, that I would be back around noon when I got off school for lunch.  I think she smiled at me somewhat.

        Now I have to worry about Madison again.  At least she’s given me 24 hours.  There’s a lot one can do in 24 hours.  I could hide the fairy, maybe over at Westley’s house, and we could deny ever having seen her.  No one would believe Madison without proof of some kind.  But then I wouldn’t be able to have the fairy around as much or see her as very often.  Perhaps I could find some way to blackmail Madison into silence.   No, there aren’t going to be any skeletons in her closet, not Madison with her standards.  I could take the fairy and run.  We could disappear and go out of state, maybe to Arizona where my grandparents live.  Not practical, I couldn’t leave Mom right now.  She’s not well and depends on me.  Also Brian’s been giving her a hard time again.

        I have no doubt Madison will make good on her threats to tell our parents.  I can just imagine how Mom would react, as if she needs any more problems.  I can’t let that happen.  Madison’s parents would be even worse, they have no tolerance for misbehavior whatsoever.  Her dad’s in the Bishopric and he would insist we inform the authorities and do the proper thing and give up the fairy.  People would come and take her away, no doubt of that.  They’d put her in a laboratory somewhere for study, or in a museum, or a zoo.  Not if I can prevent it.  I promised the fairy I would protect her.

        As soon as Scripture Study was over and the amen was said on the closing prayer, I was up out of my seat and headed for the car.  I have an old Mustang, which I love.  It’s kind of beat up but the engine has some real horsepower and makes an awesome noise, the catalytic convert and muffler are damaged, and it fits my style.

        Westley joined me in the front seat.  “I don’t think Madison would dare,” Westley slapped his hand on the dashboard.  “Want me to talk to her?  She promised she wouldn’t tell and she can’t think we’ll let her go back on her word.”

        “Oh, she could, and she will,” I replied.  “You can bank on it.”

        “What is her problem anyway?” Westley smacked his forehead this time.  “The greatest thing to happen in your or my life.  Why does she care what we do with the fairy anyway?”

        I shook my head.  “She’s just feeling sorry for the fairy, and I can understand that.”

        “What, does she think we’re going to hurt the fairy, or that it’s like slavery or something?”  Westley was getting all worked up.  “What are we going to do?”

        “I’ll think of something, Westley, but Madison’s right about one thing, we can’t keep the fairy locked in a cage any longer.  I was hoping for more time, to get her used to me, but Madison’s not going to allow it.”

        We left the church building and drove the half mile to the High School in short order.  I parked in the lower lot.  “You go on to class,” I told Westley.  “I’m going to the computer lab to check my blog and email.  Then I’m going home.”

        “What, going home?”

        “Yeah, if I only have a day left with the fairy, I’m not going to waste it at school.”

        I’m still in a quandary as to what I should do.  Time is running out.  If anyone out there has any ideas, please let me know.  If I can’t come up with something good, tomorrow morning I’m going to have to let the fairy go rather than risk Madison ratting us out.  I don’t know why she thinks it’s her business to interfere, but she does.  Any ideas would be greatly appreciated?

     October 9, 2012

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