Jessima

she was a tiny little thing, barely bigger than the length of your finger nail. 1

Her eyes were wide, luminous, expression swam in the pool of color that she called burgandy. Her hair was longer than her waist, and stopped at the small of her back. It was the whitest color, and outshhined the snow. 2

Her teeth were barely spots , and resembled the beautiful pieces of confetti that sparkled when you threw it. 3

She wore the baby clothing of the barbies, and still it was too big. It draped off her shoulders, and made her look as figureless as her height. 4

She was barely wirth mentioning in a land of giants that cared nothing for her kind anymore. In fact, she cared nothing more for them either. In a world that didnt welcome her, she had made a pretty place for her self. 5

She lived in a dollhouse, with real running water. She heated her own food, and bathed to cold water as if it were the springs of her generation's time. 6

It was there that a child had found her. First by the doll house, then by the running water. The little girl's parents didnt believe, but the child knew that the house was inhabitied. She had heard the water running and seen the furniture been arranged. 7

"Hello?" She whispered, her eyes peering widely into the open side of the house. Nothing moved, and she sighed. 8

"I know you're there. And I know I should offer you something, but I dont know what to give you. The book said you guys liked to live in woods and help people and cause mischeif... but you live in my doll house. I'd really like to see you." She whispered, turning and clicking off the light as she crawled in her bed. She coughed violently before becoming quiet. 9

The little girl had been sick a long time, the fairy knew. She had watched the child, as the child tried in vain to see her. As the girl was curious about her, she was curious too. She crept to the girls bed, her wings fluttering softly. She landed among the soft pillows and walked to the girls ear. 10

"I want nothing, and I need nothing. But we can exchange something. I grant your wish, and you grant mine..." The little fairy called. 11

The girl woke up and stared in awe. She'd never seen a fairy, but knew that was what was in front of her. She nodded. 12

"What do you want from me?" 13

"My name is Jessima. My home has grown too big for me, but your doll house is perfect. I want the doll house. In exchange, I'll make you stop hurting." The fairy whispered, as she sat cross legged on the pillow. 14

The little girl nodded, then stopped, her eyes in tears. "Mommy says it wont stop hurting until god comes to take me home. I dont want to leave mommy."15

"Your momma will join you when she's in pain too." The fairy replied softly. 16

"You can have my doll house." The child whispered, before she began to cough. 17

"I need you to put the dollhouse some where safe, and permanent."18

"I can put it in the attic, by the window. No one will bother it there." She whispered breathlessly. The fairie nodded, hopefully. 19

The girl got up and carried the doll house up to the attic and placed it where the sun would shine on it. She piled boxes and scooted trunks until the little doll house was hidden from veiw. She was tired, and had to stop and rest after she was done. The fairy nodded her approval, from where she sat on the girl's shoulder. 20

Slowly the girl walked back to her room and crawled back into her bed. The fairy watched as the girl closed her eyes, and her breath began to get shallower. She struggled to stay awake. 21

"Sleep." The fairy whispered. 22

"No, I want to watch." the girl replied. 23

"I'll give you my gift in the morning." the fairy whispered, hating to watch the child struggle to breath. 24

The girl nodded, and closed her eyes. She felt the tiny hand print upon her cheek before she fell asleep. 25

"Enjoy my gift little girl- and thank you for my doll house." She whispered, watching until the girl stopped breathing. 26