To Catch a Faery

June 2, 1967

I saw the first firefly of the season. Mom and dad would not let us go outside after dark. They said the boogie man would come and get us. My sister and I aren’t afraid of anything. This is totally ridiculous. My wish tonight is to catch a firefly.

June 3, 1967

Still no luck with mom and dad on that firefly, but one did come into the house.

June 12, 1967

Tonight it happened. Actually it happened eight days ago, but for me it happened tonight. Let me start at the beginning.

Mom made hamburgers for dinner so we ate a picnic dinner on the porch under the awning. I had my firefly catching jar ready just in case. I made a special lid that had mesh instead of metal with holes because I heard the flies die from that. I didn’t want them to die; I just wanted to watch them as I fell asleep.

After dinner, dad set up a bonfire in the newly cleared pasture, and mom brought out the ingredients for s'mores. We do this once a year as a family to celebrate the end of school, the beginning of summer, and as an excuse for a sweet treat. Then they appeared.

Fireflies buzzed around us, a light here, and a light there. It was so beautiful. My sister and I grabbed our jars to catch a few. I put a piece of chocolate in my jar so I wouldn’t have to do as much work. Let them come to me. Soon, I had four fireflies and a dragonfly. I closed my lid, finished my s’more, and was rushed off to bed by mom.

My sister and I were alone in our room, tucked in our sheets. We snuck our jars under our pillows, so now was the perfect time to release our catch and fall asleep. All of the insects flew out of the jars and danced in the air, except the dragonfly. It, or should I say she, landed on my nose.

“Would you like to hear a story?” it said.

“Who said that?”

The dragonfly repeated, “Would you like to hear a story?”

I nodded furiously. A dragonfly was actually talking to me! This is crazy, right? Here is her story:

“Once upon a time, there lived a little girl on a farm. This was no ordinary farm; it was a magickal farm. All sorts of wondrous wee folk lived on this farm including dwarves, elves, gnomes, goblins, leprechauns, sprites, trolls, and pixies. They take care of the human family living in the big house. But one night, the little girl did a very bad thing. She captured a sprite to do her bidding.”

I started to fall asleep, drifty happily along the cobblestone path to dreamland.

“Would you like to come and play with me?” she whispered.

I don’t remember answering her; I only remember skipping down the path with a new friend at my side.

My new friend introduced herself as Shailyn. She walked us straight to the big oak tree in the middle of the woods and opened the door.

“Welcome to my home!” Shailyn exclaimed.

She offered me cakes and candies I had never heard of. It all smelled so delicious. We played games of all sorts, ran around the forest with the animals, and other folk. I was so tired; I just wanted to rest, so I laid down on a log and fell asleep.

I felt the log hug me and cuddle me and take me in. I began to dream in my dream.

I was in a circular room with a lopsided dome ceiling. People, no - wee folk, gathered around a high backed throne. Twinkle lights, no fireflies, filled the air. “Where was I?” I asked myself.

The throne slowly turned.

“Why, Quinn Lithgow of the farm, you are in my court. I am Niamh of the sidhe. You have been brought here to be charged with kidnapping a member of my guard.”

“I-I-I didn’t kidnap anyone”

“Oh, but you most certainly did. Did you or did you not catch a pixie two nights ago?” asked Niamh.

“No. I caught fireflies and a dragonfly but nothing else.” Shailyn flew over to me. “Wait a minute! You can fly?”

“I most certainly can.” she said in a sarcastic tone. “And you caught me in a jar!”

The queen questioned the throng around her, “Well,what shall the punishment be?”

“Protector!” the crowd shouted over and over again.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive my queen.”

“Then your punishment shall be Protector. You know of our world; you have lived here with us for days. Now, you must keep our secret and protect us at all cost Quinn of the Farm, Protector of the Sidhe. Do you accept your punishment?”

“Yes ma’am.” I responded quickly.

“Shailyn take her to her home back to the place you took her from and no doddeling.”

I woke up from both dreams in my bed just as the sun was rising. I ran downstairs to tell my mom about the wonderful dreams I had. She screamed for joy when she saw me. Evidently I was actually gone for days.

If you are reading this, first, it’s not polite to read other people’s diaries. Second, you are now a protector as well. Oh, and if you see my friend Shailyn, tell her I said “Hi.”