Day 20Glacia is a winter fairy who really wants to design snowflakes – will this be the year that she is assigned that winter task??


 

Glacia huffed out a breath that misted in the air. It wasn’t because the air was cold, it was actually a pleasant summer day. Her chilly breath always came out that way. She hated it sometimes. Nobody liked to be cold. She sighed again.

The fairy standing in front of her shivered, flitting her wings quickly. She turned and glared at Glacia. “You’re doing that on purpose now! Stop it.”

“But I’m bored, Helia. Why are we standing here?”

Helia rolled her eyes. “We get our assignments for the year today. Aren’t you excited to find out what you will be doing this winter?”

Glacia turned away and crossed her arms. “Not really.”

“Aw, come on. Not even a little curious?”

“Nope.”

It was Helia’s turn to huff in annoyance. “Honestly, it’s no wonder you haven’t got many friends when you’re so cold and distant all the time.”

Glacia hunched in on herself. “Whatever.” It wasn’t like she tried to be that way. She simply wasn’t interested in the same things as a lot of the other fairies were.

Helia’s arms suddenly wrapped around her. “I’m sorry, Glacia. I shouldn’t have said that. You are perfect the way you are.” She pulled back. “I wish I could be as unconcerned about this as you. I’m worried they will make me do something dull for summer.”

A breeze ruffled their wings as a fairy landed beside them. “How could any summer work be dull?” she demanded. “You get to play outside all day in the warmth.”

“Aira!” Helia scolded. “We don’t play! Keeping summer warm is serious business.” A smile twitched her lips. “That doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy it though.”

“Well, if it wasn’t for us wind fairies, your seasons would be screwed.”

“Aira, don’t talk that way!” Helia tossed her head. “We all work together to make the year a success. If it weren’t for our seasons, you wind fairies wouldn’t know what winds to direct!”

Glacia cleared her throat. “Uh, guys. I think they’re about to start. I’m going to join the other winter fairies.”

She fluttered her wings in a swift downward motion and shot from the ground, leaving a trail of wintry air behind her. She grinned as Helia and Aira both shivered. Serves you two right for bickering all the time.

She drifted towards the ground where the winter fairies were gathered. One of them glanced up and waved to her. “Hi, Frost,” she greeted him as she gracefully landed beside him.

“Hey. Hanging out with those snobs again?” he asked.

“They aren’t snobs, Frost. You’d get along really well with Aira.”

He sniffed. “I doubt it. Those wind fairies are too flighty.”

“It’s just their nature,” she said, jabbing him with her elbow. “It’s like how they all see us as cold and aloof – it’s just the way we are.”

He shook his head.

“Winter fairies!” A high tinkling voice sounded from above them. “Here are your assignments this year. Let’s do our best to make winter the frostiest one yet!”

She flung a handful of snow into the air. It exploded into hundreds of snowflakes. Slowly, they drifted down to the waiting fairies.

Glacia held out her hand and waited for one to fall into her palm. Please be snowflake design, please, please, be snowflake design!

A flake settled in her hand. Holding her breath, she looked at it closely and read the two words formed in the ice crystals of the snowflake. Her heart sank. Her hand dropped to her side. She let the snowflake fall to the ground to melt.

Frost placed a hand on her shoulder. “Still didn’t get it?”

She sadly shook her head. “Icicle Duty.”

He awkwardly patted her shoulder. “There’s always next year.”

“You say that every year, Frost.” She took off, leaving the gathering behind. She didn’t need to be there anymore. Didn’t want to be.


Perhaps she should just go rogue and make snowflakes anyway!

Is this one of your favourite 500-word-story-starters? Click the heart to like it and it may become a fully-fledged story! –>  1

<– Day 19     #    Day 21 –>