Jabe wasn't like other fairies. No, he didn't like to fly. Above all else he wanted to see what was under the blue surface of the lake nearby the flower bed. He had seen the gigantic fish jump high out of the water and slide back in with a small splash. He saw the insects who couldnot only walk on water but also swim through it. He could see the reflections of the colorful coral beneath theshinny surface, and wanted nothing more than to explore their crevasses. One day he sat watching the wonders he could never experience when he heard the giggling sounds of elves not far up the bank. Elves were peculiar creatures who normally kept to themselves except when playing pranks on others. He feared he was at the blunt end of this one. He looked carefully over to the group of six rugged elves. The tallest of who barely cleared the shortest stalk of grass. "Fairy," Called one to him, his squeaky voice barely audible above the sound of the water. "Why do you not fly like your brothers spreading your infernal pixie dust all over the place?" Jabe ignored the strange little creature and continued his observance of the blue green substance before him. "Hey you little man, didn't you hear me?" The elf cried again. Perhaps the elf knew that his relative smallness to the elves was always something that had bothered him. Even though the insult hurt, Jabe decided it would be best to turn his back on the annoying larger creature. He fluttered his wings enough for him to lift off the rock that he was sitting on and turned around never coming out of his sitting position. "His wings do work!" Another of the screeching voices said amazed. "Would he not make a beautiful kite?" a female asked quietly. "If you want a kite then use a leaf. I have a better use for him, come on." The first elf after saying this fell silent and scuttered away. Jabe hoped they would not return. He sat pondering the ripples of the water when suddenly they were disturbed and he found himself drenched in water. He was hit by two more waves from different sides. Confused and unable to see from the water in his eyes he tried to flutter up out of the way, but his wings were to wet to lift him. Before he could flap them fast enough to dry he was hit by another wave. By now he knew what was causing the waves. He could hear the elves giggle all around him. He didn't like the fact that he was surrounded. Suddenly before he could spread his wings again he was grabbed in a big bear hug. He heard the first elf's voice in his ear. "Got you, we've got you little fairy man!" He heard cheers from all the elves. However, when his sight finally cleared he saw that one elf was not enjoying their prank. "You have to grant us a wish now!" One of the small females jumped up and down excitedly. "Me first." Was cried by several of the others. "No." The one who held Jabe said with authority. "I caught him so I get the first wish." Jabe sighed. He didn't like giving wishes under these conditions but that was the way of things, he had no choice once he had been caught. "I wish..." The large elf seemed to hesitate as if he didn't know what he wanted. Jabe knew what he wanted, he knew what all elves wanted, and it was just what the elf asked for. With such excitement as if he had just made a brilliant discovery the elf spoke, "I wish for a big pile of ice cream!" With no effort by Jabe he made a pile of strawberry ice cream the size of a frog. Without hesitation the elf passed Jabe off to the next and dove head first into the cold mountain of cream. The next elf seeing what his leader had done didn't wait. "Metoo! I wish for a big pile of ice cream!" This time the elf just threw Jabe on the ground and ran after his pile of chocolate. Before Jabe could recuperate two elves were pulling him by his arms arguing over whose turn it was next. Jabe was confused and all the world spun around him as the two twisted and pulled. Then he heard a little angry voice. "Oh I wish all of you would just leave him alone." This was one wish Jabe was happy to oblige. The two that had been playing tug-a-war with him disappeared and he fell to the ground with a thud. Dazed he didn't move for awhile. "Are you all right?" When he heard the voice he jumped to his feet, ready to run. He thought he had gotten rid of all of them. Then he remembered the young girl who had made the wish, she wouldn't have been included in those he had made disappear. He kept his distance from her and looked on her shyly. When the others were there he didn't have a chance to look at her clearly. Now that he did, he saw how beautiful she was. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you. And thank you for wishing them away." She smiled kindly. "I didn't like what they were doing, it was mean." He only nodded. Then after a moment he smiled and looked up at her. "You saved me, you are entitled a wish." She smiled too. He could see that she liked him. "I don't want a wish." "But you saved me!" He was almost insisting now, he wanted to do something nice for her and not just because she saved him. She avoided this by asking a question. "Why don't you ever grant yourself any wishes?" Dumbfounded he stared at her. "I can not. We can only give wishes to others." "Oh." She said quietly and seemed to ponder his words. They stood there in silence just looking at each other. Jabe was finally starting to dry off and as soon as his wings were able he would fly out of there away from those infernal elves. For now he stood. Slowly he asked. "What is your name?" "Sena." She said quietly marking the sand beneath her with her foot. "Is there nothing that you wish Sena?" He would leave soon and he didn't want to leave without giving her something. She looked back up at him. "I wish you could have your wish, to swim and breath air like a fish, just once with me at your side." Jabe's grin spread all the way across his face shinning like the sun. He took her by the hand running for the water. She giggled a sweet laugh as they hit the water. For the first time Jabe could see those wonders he had only dreamed about. They swam for hours, playing hide and seek in the reef, andbreaching on the surface of the water as he had watched the fish do. In all his days Jabe had never been happier. He knew he and Sena would always be happy together riding on the backs of sea horses. The END.
