ONE
Duncan had been driving home from the factory in the wee hours of the morning when he encountered a pixie. It smacked against his windshield with a rather loud "THWAP!" as he idled at a stop light. The pixie groaned as her form splayed almost comically across the glass. Duncan frowned and observed the small creature with that perfect deadpan look only those tired to the bones, yet not in a position to fall asleep, can master. He put the car in park long enough to step out and scoop the small thing up, before depositing it on the passenger seat. He then drove the rest of the way home, ignoring the impulse to question his sanity. Such lines of inquisition could wait for a better time, one when he wasn't having to use most of his willpower to keep his eyes open and on the road.
As he drove home, though, he stole a couple glances at the thing he had rescued. It was the very image of a classical pixie: a fully grown, beautiful woman only six inches tall, wearing a simple green dress, with two sets of translucent, iridescent wings sprouting from her back. Her long red hair came down to nearly her ankles, and her slim, fit figure had a nice set of curves.
She did not awaken as Duncan pulled into the driveway of his small, one-story home. He cupped her gently with one hand as he went inside. Grabbing a clean hand towel, he set up a small "mattress" on the kitchen counter, and lay her down atop it. Then he plopped down on the couch, and turned on the TV. As the sights and sounds of late night programming lulled him to sleep, he wondered if his little hallucination would still be there in the morning.
He was assured of this when, eight solid hours later, he awoke to a tapping on his cheek. With a snort, he blinked awake and nearly leaped out of his skin as he saw the diminutive creature hovering right above his face. Still half asleep, he swatted at it, thinking it was some kind of large bug. She easily dodged his hand, floating up to the ceiling.
"Hey!" she called down, in a voice surprisingly normal sounding for one so tiny. "Careful!"
Duncan groaned and rubbed his eyes as he sat up, wincing at his aches. He clicked off the TV, and looked up at the pixie. She smiled down at him, and floated a bit closer. "Crap," he said. "You're real. Does that mean I'm crazy now?"
The pixie cocked her head at him, giving him a curious look. "Why would that be? Have you never seen a pixie before?" She tapped her chin with a thought. "Hmm. I guess you might not have. What realm is this?"
"Realm?" said Duncan.
"Yeah, you know, realm. Plane. World. Planet. Whatever you call it. Where am I?"
"Um, this is the planet Civero. You're currently in the nation of Bellamy. Where are
you
from?"
"I'm from a realm called Arcovia," she said. She floated down to the coffee table, and sat down upon a short stack of magazines. "Sheesh. Civero, huh? That's pretty far from where I was trying to go."
Duncan rubbed his head. "Okay, well, if you got places to go, then I can let you out."
The pixie shrugged. "I'm going to need to wait a while for my magic to charge, before I can try and do another realm shift. Besides, I need to pay you back for saving me!" She flew up to Duncan, giving him a look that was somehow both chipper and stern. "So, I can't leave until I repay my debt! Is there anything you want from me?"
Duncan backed up a step as she flew right into his face. "Um... no... that's okay. Don't take this the wrong way, but I know the old folk tales. I don't need to be getting wrapped up in any shady deals."
The pixie cocked and eyebrow at him and crossed her arms. "Hey, now, I take offense to that! Who told you fairies were shady?"
"Just what the old tales say," said Duncan. He went into the kitchen. "Still, I don't mind the company, I guess. You can stay here for a few days if you need to. Just don't, you know, touch anything."
"That'll be a challenge," said the pixie, eyeing the cluttered house. It wasn't a dump per say, but several clothes were strewn about the floor, and several magazines and comic books were scattered over the tables. She fluttered over to the kitchen counter, and sat on the microwave. "Still, there's nothing I can do for you?"
"Nope," said Duncan. He started cooking some bacon and eggs. "You want anything?"
"Some warm milk and honey would be nice if you have any," said the pixie. She laughed. "But seriously, you can't keep helping me out and not expect me to repay you!"
Duncan shrugged. "I figure I'm still hallucinating," he said, as he poured some milk into a shotglass and mixed it with some honey. He stuck it in the microwave for a few seconds, before setting it before her.
"Why's that?" said the pixie.
"I've just got done with an 80 hour work week," he said. "I figure its delirium from overworking."
"Oh, dear," she said. She stood up and leaned over the glass. Fluttering her wings to maintain her balance, she touched her lips to the surface of the liquid, and drank. She sucked down about half the glass before coming back up for air, wiping her mouth and giving a satisfying gasp, followed by a tiny burp. "Whew!" she said. "That hit the spot!" She sat back down on the towel, a little flushed.
"I'm glad," he said, flipping the eggs and bacon.
"You're very kind."
"Sure. I'm kind to all my hallucinations."
"I'm not a hallucination!"
"That's what they all say."
The pixie pouted and lifted the glass to her lips, using both hands. She then downed the rest of her drink, looking at him thoughtfully. "Well, are you working today?" she said.
"Yes, but not at the factory, thank god," he said. "I need to get some art finished."
"Art?" said the pixie, her features brightening. Her wings fluttered a bit. "You're an artist?"
"Yeah, I draw."
"Oh, can I see, can I see?"
"Sure. Just don't touch anything."