Wood Fairys

This is a story I have been working on. These are the first few pages....please tell me what you think and if I should continue.

I do know that it needs editing but I am interested in comments about the content.

Thank You

The Wood Fairies

The final bell rang and Mrs. Woods called out " now children, don't forget to take your english workbooks home and do pages 198 and 199." "Ohhhh" said the children in one single voice. They had hoped that she would have forgotten. The children gathered their books and papers and headed out the classroom door. Mrs. Woods could hear some of the children complaining even as they left the classroom. "Homework, just great, we go on vacation next week and she is still giving us homework." one child complained to another.
Mrs. Woods just shook her head and smiled. It was already time for spring vacation and that meant the school year was almost over but she knew that this was going to be a summer that some of her second grade students would NEVER forget.
What the children didn't know was that Mrs Woods had made arrangements with all of their parents for them to spend the summer with her at her summer home. Mrs. Woods summer home was a very special place indeed, though, nobody from the school or for that matter from this little town could possibly know what an incredibly special place it really was.
You see Mrs. Woods wasn't really like any of them, she was in fact a fairy. Oh to look at her or talk to her no one would have ever imagined that she was anything but a kind loving second grade school teacher, but in fact she was teaching school only to find the children who were to become the "Bana's."
Bana's were the ones who were just beginning to become fairies. They were the children who had been born with the gift of loving all things and believing in things that they couldn't see, hear or touch. Mrs. woods knew that some, not all, of her students this year were destined to live the incredible life that she herself had been a part of since she was just a small girl.
Mrs. Woods waited in her classroom, checking over papers and planning tomorrows lessons until she was sure that everyone else had left the small red brick school house. She did this every day, and everyone thought that she was just a kind and dedicated teacher, but in reality she had to make sure that no body saw her leaving, or they would have been most surprised.
She gathered her belongings and with a swift look over her shoulder headed quickly out the back door of the school, and walked briskly down the path that went into the forest in back of the school. About 300 feet into the woods she again looked around to make sure there was no one near by.
Mrs. Woods then stepped quietly into the forest and walked until she came to the deep green patch of moss that she knew was by the giant oak tree. She loved the feel of the moss under her feet and knew that soon she would be heading toward her beloved home. As she walked around the oak tree she marveled at the wonderful smells and sounds of the forest.
She walked around the oak tree four times in a clockwise rotation and then turned and walked five times in the other direction. She then stopped and placed her hands on the gnarled bark of the wonderful old tree. As she did all of a sudden something that would look very strange to onlookers started to happen.
Mrs. Woods started to shrink, smaller and smaller and smaller, until she was not more than the size of a down feather from a plump pillow. Then she clapped her hands twice and the sound was like that of two blades of grass brushing together in a cool breeze, but in this world it was enough.
With an almost silent flutter of wings her faithful Ock flew down from where he had been waiting, high in the tree. Ock was a beautiful creature with his transparent wings and his comfortable fur covered body. Ock turned his triangle shaped head and looked at Mrs. Woods with eyes that were set on stalks on top of his head, very handy for looking at everything around him and not having to turn around to do so.
He smiled at her and asked " Did all go as you had planned today. Abi?" In this world Mrs. Woods was known by her rightful name, Abi, just Abi, the people who lived in this world had no need for last names nor for the formalities of Mrs. or Mr. "Yes Ock" smiled Abi "everything went exactly as I had hoped." "The children have permission to spend each day with me during this summer vacation, though it is a shame that the ones not chosen won't remember the true wonder of all that they will see and hear." "That is so" replied Ock, 'Are you ready to go?" "Yes, smiled Abi, as she climbed on Ock's back and felt his smooth fir under her hand. "Hang on" said Ock "here we go." And with that Ock uncurled his long sleek tail and gently started flapping his wonderful shimmering wings.
Up and up they circled until they were above the tree and then they flew straight as an arrow toward the base of Lady Slipper mountain.
Abi smiled as she felt the cool breeze that came from Ock's wings and let her mind wander to the village the place where she had lived for these last three hundred and forty nine years. It was a wonderful place set at the base of the enchanted mountain very near where the streams from the mountain created a valley, a valley so beautiful that it was hard to imagine that no humans had ever found it and claimed it as their own. If things went as planned that was the way it was to remain. Abi smiled again and dozed, comfortably settled on Ock's back.
The moment Ock started to circle slowly downward Abi woke and stretched, it was good to be home. Ock landed very close to Abi's house and she slid off his back onto the ground. "Thank you very much for the ride, and be sure to say hello to your sweet wife and to each of your 206 children" Abi said.
Ock chuckled and said" I will but I think there will probably be close to 600 children by the time I get home, remember more were due to hatch today." "Oh dear I did forget," laughed Abi. "well say hello anyway and I'll see you tomorrow morning, and remember when school is out I'll need several of your older children to help bring the Bana's here each day." "I'll remember" said Ock as he gently fluttered his wings and took off for home.
Abi watched Ock spiral skyward and started to walk toward her summer house. She loved the freedom that everyone in the village had during the summer, it was so much better than the village they all used during the frozen winter. Abi's house was in the base of an old Birch tree, so beautiful with it's white bark and spring green leaves. She opened the door that was made from sturdy straw woven to keep out the rain and wind, and made her way into her kitchen.
She set her things on the table that was made from a nice round, flat mushroom, and made her way over to the stove that had been made from rocks and packed mud. After she made a cup of checkerberry tea she sat down at the table and slowly sipped the delicious hot brew. All of a sudden there was a knock at the door. Abi went to answer the door and when she looked out there was Suki, the village elder.
Suki was a very old man with twinkling smiling eyes and a very long white moustach that was curled up on both ends so it looked like the curly ribbon on a christmas package. He was wearing the traditional clothing of the village elder, a cranberry red hat shaped a little like a boat was perched on his head of snow white hair that was very curly and long, his shirt was a mint green color with tiny black buttons, made from the seeds of flowers and his pants were as blue as the summer sky. On his feet were the most unusual shoes you will ever see, they were golden yellow and curled up on the toes. These shoes were the most treasured item in all the village because the elder who wore them was the wisest and most magical of all fairies.
"Good afternoon Abi" said Suki "how are you this afternoon?"Abi replied "I've had a wonderful day Suki, thank you for asking. Would you like a cup of checkerberry tea? I just made some." "That would be lovely" Suki replied "and while we are drinking it we must talk about the plans that we have for the children you will be bringing to us this summer. "Wonderful" replied Abi "I'll get your tea, make yourself comfortable"
Suki loved visiting Abi's house she had made her summer home very comfortable. Wandering around the living room he looked at the fireplace that would be used for chilly nights and at the handmade rugs made of strips of rose petals, braided together and sewn into attractive oval shapes. As he settled on the sofa, well more like settled "into" the sofa he thought how very nice. Not everyone would have thought to make a sofa from the fluffy seeds of dandelions and sew them into corn husks. Abi returned with the tea and said " Now Suki I know that you are concerned about what could happen this summer with the children but if we are careful we won't have the ghastly results that we had twenty years ago."
Suki rolled his eyes, remembering that awful summer. They had almost lost everything that they had all worked so hard for, and all because that awful Ober had used his powers to trick them into selecting a child who was not one of the chosen ones. "Instead of spending just a while with the children like I did last time I have spent a whole school year with them and have been able to observe their actions" stated Abi.
"I know that what happened was not your fault Abi" said Suki " it was mine and I know that this time you have been watching very closely for any sign of the destruction that Ober would like to send our way" "Yes" replied Abi "and I saw to it that the one child that might have been influenced by Ober was transfered to another school"
Suki started chuckling and his laugh grew and grew until both he and Abi were laughing so hard that they were crying and holding on to their stomachs. It had been pretty funny thought Abi, she had cast a fairy spell on the child's whole family and they suddenly had moved to a place many miles away. No one was hurt by the spell and if the family had suddenly, six month later, found themselves living in a hut on a deserted beach and hadn't been able to figure out how they got there? Well still no one was really hurt! It wasn't like Abi had changed them all into toad stools and used them for furniture like some others would have liked her to.
Once they finally stopped laughing Suki said " seriously, we are going to have to be cautious about what we let these Bama's see and do until we are really sure they are the chosen ones. We can't even let them practice spells unless someone is with them." I know replied Abi " as a matter of fact now would probably be a good time to tell you that about six months ago I spoke with Ultr and asked for his wisdom."
Suki gasped "You have spoken to Ultr?" "How did you manage to do that? No one has heard from him in almost two decades."Well I didn't exactly contact him, he sent a messenger and requested to speak with me, but he also asked, that for the time being I not tell anyone that he had contacted me."
"He was going to forbid us to bring any new Bama's here, until I convinced him that any plans we made, we would discuss with him before we implemented them. So you and I need to discuss what we are planning for the Bama's and go talk to him."
Suki reached for his tea with just a slight tremble in his hand and said " I don't think that it is such a good idea that I go with you to see him. I am getting rather old for that kind of traveling."
"Your not getting old" stated Abi, "you just remember how angry he was with you the last time when things didn't go well, and I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that he isn't still a little upset but If we don't do this TOGETHER he isn't going to allow us to bring them here and you know that we have to have new Bama's or this village won't last.
Our survival as a colony depends on it." "Today is Wednesday and next Monday we leave for the trip, we need to be ready before then. "Suki stood with his tea cup and wandered to the fireplace. "I know your right but I'm not going to like seeing Ultr again." he stated.
"I know" said Abi softly placing her hand on his shoulder "but I'm sure it wont be as bad as you imagine, now what do you say we go down to the patch and have supper." " Good idea" replied Suki " I am sure Tigl is wondering where I am by now.
"Suki and Abi walked down the pebbled walkway toward the center of town. The sun was just below the horizon and the fireflys were just now getting to their jobs. The fireflys were a delightful bunch and they landed each night about this time every few inches along all of the walkways in town to light the way for anyone out for and about.
Suki and Abi walked past many cottages and due to the fact that all were snuggled in the base of trees, no two were the same, either in size or color. Some were huge, built into the base of old oak trees, while others were small and cozy like Abi's and built in younger trees like birch or poplar.
Just as they approached the diner, the door was flung open and about five small fairies scurried out in a blur that looked like a swarm of arms and legs. Whoa, little ones" laughed their father Elic, "Watch where your going." " Sorry Suki, sorry Abi" said Elic " they sometimes forget their manners"
Elic was the keeper for the village and as such had the enormous responsibility of recording everything that happened in the village on a weekly basis and taking care that all the records were kept for future generations.
"It's perfectly understandable" smiled Abi " the little ones have so much to do and think they will run out of time to do it." " I'm glad we ran into you Elic" said Suki "Can you come to a meeting of the elders at Abi's house on Saturday morning?" "I would be happy to" Elic promised, "what time?" About nine o'clock" replied Abi. "I'll see you then" smiled Elic "but right now I need to get these whirlwinds home and into bed."
Elic started herding his brood down the path towards their home and Suki opened the door to the diner and held it for Abi.
Tigl was behind the counter when Suki and Abi entered, she smiled and said "Suki where have you been? I was expecting you almost an hour ago, and you know how I worry." Suki grinned and said "I know hun and I'm sorry but I ran into Abi and we got talking and lost track of time."
Tigl was Suki's delightful wife and also the owner of the village's only diner. She had inherited the diner when her grandmother had gone "over the big water, to live in the village of Ultr. Abi and Suki slid onto the stools made of cut carrots and sat at the counter. I made a special for today that I think you both will love said Tigl. " It's mashed whatnots and baked thing-a-ma-jigs." Suki almost jumped off his stool "You know that is my all time favorite is it ready yet?
Abi grinned knowing that whatnots and thing-a ma-jigs meant leftovers all mixed up together and could have anything in it, but she also knew that without fail it would be delicious because Tigl was the only one in their village who had been given as her special power the ability to make anything she sprinkled her magic herbs on taste like what the person eating it wanted it to be.
Tigl left for a moment and returned with two plates and two glasses. "Here you go, Suki what would you like yours to be? Suki thought for just a moment then said "Pot roast, potatos, and green beans, please, with maybe a chocolate milkshake to drink." Abi looked at her plate and was again in wonder that this pile of "stuff" in her plate would, in a few moments, taste like anything she wanted it to, probably baked potato with sour cream and a delicious grilled steak and maybe a tall glass of milk to go with it.