Echo

off. She supposed she could have followed him. She wondered if he might return. If he did, she better figure out a better way to handle the situation. Even though the encounter went badly, she felt different; hopeful. She wasn’t sure why, but she had a feeling about this little human Brother. Maybe he could be The One.
    ###
    The little boy hurried down the path that took him out of his magical woods, the golden coin tucked safely in his pocket. Running down the hill past his neighbor’s homes, he could see his house. He noted with relief that his father’s car no longer sat in the driveway. Bursting breathlessly in the front door, he beheld his mom and Abby waiting for him.
    “Oh baby, we were so worried. Where did you go? We called and called. Didn’t you hear us? We even went up to the woods.” His frazzled mom hurried over as fast as she could, her brace clinking at her side. She awkwardly sat on the floor in front of him, holding out her arms to sweep him to her chest. Tears coursed down her face, the worry lines standing out in relief as she softly ran her fingers over the bald spots on his head.
    “It’s okay M om . I’m okay. Please don’t cry, I’m sorry I ran away.” He hugged her tight, his young head fitting under her neck for comfort.
    “Hi, sport,” Abby said. “Glad you came home—got’cha something.” Joining her brother and her mom on the floor, she gave Scotty a kiss and put a brightly wrapped slender gift in his lap. He fingered the ribbon with wonder. The bow was bright gold. Unwrapping the gift, he grinned in amazement at the book about fairies. Wow, did this mean they knew? Leafing through the book, he located a whole chapter on Wood Fairies. He would study that chapter first. He knew he would learn everything he needed to know about his fairy in the book.
    “Gee, thanks, Ab. Mom, I met a fairy in the woods today. He left me a present. Did you tell him it was my birthday?” His face shined with unconcealed innocence.
    “Sweetie, I’m sure you met your very own birthday fairy. But what do you mean, he gave you a present?”
    Scotty sighed, knowing his mom worried about child molesters. Though unlikely any lived in the neighborhood, she monitored everything, knowing you must be extra careful ever since they abolished the sexual predator register (declared unconstitutional, they have rights, you know). The Socialist Democrats went nuts over political correctness, although the Muslim Brotherhood rebelled, insisting they police their own.
    “Mom, he did leave me a present. He’s a golden fairy. Abby, do fairies usually have a tail? His tail glowed. And he left me this.” Pulling out the coin from his pocket, he proudly held it up for his sister and his mom. Taking it from him to examine, his mother carefully scrutinized the coin.
    “This coin is very old sweetie, old is good. That’s what makes it valuable.”
    “Is it a special coin, Mom? It must be special because I got it from the golden fairy and he knew about my birthday.” Scotty’s chest inflated, his wandering eye unexpectedly centered in his eyeball.
    Looking over to the kitchen table, a new birthday cake winked at him. He could tell his mom purchased it at the bakery. He wondered where she got the money but the moment contained so much joy he pushed away his guilt. Jumping up, he tugged on both of them.
    “Mom, let’s have cake. I want to blow out my candles and make a wish.” Hurrying over to the table, she lit the candles as she sang to him. While they blazed with flame, he made a wish and blew them all out. Smiling happily to himself; he realized this time, his birthday wish would come true, absolutely convinced his golden fairy would grant it. He couldn’t wait to wake up the next morning to hear of his father’s death.
    When bedtime came, his mother tucked him in. Noticing his gold coin and his new book in bed with him, she removed them, placing both on his dresser.
    “Sweetie, I think we’ll put your coin someplace safe, it’s probably very valuable. I’ll look into it and see what I can find out. Good night, birthday boy.” As his mother shut off the light, the last thoughts filling his head swam with images of the fairy and the most fantastic birthday ever. Scotty slumbered fitfully, unaware of the probing flashes of residual rainbow light that sent fingers to tumble around in his brain.

    Going off to school the next morning, he took his new book with him. Reading the chapter on wood fairies,