It is common knowledge that fairies have wings. Pointy, vibrant ones that unfurl and flap as they fly through breezes and winds. However, between their wings, down upon land, in the middle of town, resided a gilded cage.
No matter how adorned in gold or precious jewels it was, it should have been used to encage no one. However, in a world where everybody flew and clouds had friends and where brunches were held in the air, there was one little fairy. Lacking the only thing that tells them apart from fairies, uptight humans: wings. And nobody in the human lands knew this, but fairies were quite similar to them. The little girl, who was perhaps called Cia, was locked in the fabulous cage. The town grew out of forests and whenever children got lost, the other fairies with their translucent wings guided them home. And whenever those children would look up to meet the eyes of little Cia, clasping the grills of the cage with her tiny fists, they would laugh. They thought it was an amusement. In return, Cia would sprinkle some glitter for them to be mesmerized by through her handcuffed hands.
She knew it was teasing for her to gaze upon the teal trees and the colourful wings through the golden cage, but unable to actually feel them. Unable to feel the breeze through the air, not able to sprint through the clouds with phoenixes flying at her sides.
It was unfortunate. Very unfortunate.
The days seamlessly darkened into nights, but Cia’s hope to feel the joys never faded. Although sometimes they darkened into impossibilities, she believed she would also have her silver lining like in the books she read.
June, 2025
