Tag: the fairy ring

The Fairy Ring Writing Contest Submission – Anna Meade

In the interests of being fair, I offer up to you my own submission to The Fairy Ring Writing Contest. I can’t win, of course, but I wanted to share my humble effort as I believe all writers are in this together. I hope you enjoy.
Violets by Anna Meade
“I want a man who’ll twine violets in my hair.”
I wrote this sentence and then doodled violets in the journal margin. My whimsy would be the death of me. My days were spent on the outskirts of the woods behind my parents’ home, sprawled under a tree on a faded blue-check blanket, barefoot and hair-tumbled and romantic poetry-addled.
I rolled onto my back, staring at the late summer sky. My too-long skirt tangled round my legs, so I sat up to extricate myself. The shadow fell over me then.
I squinted up at him in the sun, “Hello.”
He smiled and put a finger to his lips. His step barely stirred the grass. He took me by the hand to his bower, where we supped on honeysuckle and blackberries. 
“Every day I am with you feels like a year,” said I, idly leaning against his shoulder.
He smiled, so tenderly, and wound flowers through my curls.
His hands were gentle and his kisses were poignant. I stayed awake as long as I could, but my traitor eyelids fell. I slept so heavy, filled with ambrosia and dreams, and when I woke all the forest was in the chill grip of autumn.
I shivered and hurried back towards the edge of the woods, back to my parents’ home. I ran to the door and pounded, “Mother! Father! I’m back!”
The door opened and a startled wrinkle-raisined face peered back at me. “Are you looking for someone, child?”
I stumbled backwards and ran towards the forest, heedless of my way. I found my tree and beneath it, mostly buried in the dirt, I unearthed the smallest fragment of paper. It was weather-faded and nearly illegible, but I knew what it said:
“I want a man who’ll twine violets in my hair.”
Painting by John William Waterhouse; Photography by Andrew Kuykendall

The Fairy Ring Writing Contest Submission – Mark Blackmore

This entry courtesy of Mark Blackmore (formerly @profquigley) now @mrmarkblackmore who entered this contest under great duress. Thanks Mark!

Unofficial Briefing
by Mark Blackmore
Well sir, PC Stein and myself were first on the scene in Hyde Park. This was at 8.45pm, as it was beginning to get dark. On arrival at the wooded area next to the Serpentine, we ushered back a crowd of approximately 60 people who had gathered to view the disturbance.
I would describe it as a settlement of some sort, though no dwellings were immediately apparent. The trees were illuminated … no sir, I was unable to make out any actual light source. PC Stein also failed to discern any reason that the trees were glowing, sir, and would say so if he were still here.

There were several individuals milling around. I would characterise them as hippies, due to their long hair and mode of dress, which included fairy wings. They appeared to vary greatly in size and the smallest ones gave the impression of hovering in mid-air. I assume the unnatural light caused tricks of perspective, and they were simply very far away.
I attempted to ascertain whether the required permissions for a display in a public park had been obtained, and was approached by two individuals wearing fake ears. On being questioned they identified themselves as Oberon and Titania, King and Queen of Faerie. They were unnaturally beautiful sir, and possessed an inner radiance that will haunt my dreams.
Yes sir. Sorry sir.
PC Stein responded “Is that right? And I’m Bottom, but I’ve left my donkey head at home.” No sir, this just confused me. I’m more of a Dan Brown man. It was at this point that the bolt of lightning struck PC Stein, and he disappeared. Yes sir, it was of course a coincidence, though I’m just wondering if the next lads we send in might wear rubber-soled shoes?

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The Fairy Ring Writing Contest Submission – Paul Ramey

 A few of you have contacted me about entering the writing contest without a blog. If you do not have a blog, just email me your entry at annabbps at gmail.com. I will be happy to post it on my blog so that others may read your work. Of course, you retain all rights to your work.

Here is the latest entry to The Fairy Ring Writing Contest, courtesy of Paul Ramey. If you enjoy, please comment.

Between Pages

By Paul Ramey
At first I mistook it for a pressed flower.
It was frail and dry, and as I opened the pages of the book it stood up slightly, caught deep in the fold. On either side was a slight silhouette, a delicate shadow of the form frozen on the parchment.
It was one of my grandmother’s books. I’d been in her study for the past hour, escaping from the cold reality of her funeral. She’d been laid to rest that very morning, and now people were milling around in the living room and kitchen, reminiscing over the many ways they missed her.
“What is this doing here?” I whispered as I gently pried it out. The tears had not yet come to me, and I hated knowing that I’d failed to mourn properly at the funeral of someone that I loved so deeply.
What was wrong with me?
I gave a slight tug to part of the tissue-thin material that seemed entwined with the pressed flower.
It was then that it winked at me.
I was looking at a little, living thing. It wore threadbare clothing, and had wispy, dragonfly wings. It began to unfold and expand, like an origami shape, and buzzed its wings intermittently, testing them.
Satisfied, the little figure pulled away from my fingers suddenly and took flight, coming level with my eyes. Then, buzzing around to my ear, I heard a very tiny, insect-like whisper.
“Thank you, dear.”
And then it was gone, the light breeze carrying it right out the open window and back into the world.
I walked over to the window, and I couldn’t help but smile as sudden tears lifted off my cheeks and followed the little spirit to wherever the winds decided to carry it next.

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