There was a girl that stood idly in the clearing. She had wicked magenta eyes and a smile that made my insides twist with dread. “Greetings,” she said casually, as if this was a normal meeting between two people who weren’t utter strangers.
“Hi?” I replied weakly, backing up with caution.
Her grin grew wider at the sight of my fear.
“Who– who are you?” I asked shakily. She approached me slowly. I raised my guard, preparing to defend myself with the little fight I had left. “Don’t come any closer!” I warned, but honestly I don’t know what I was warning against.
She ignored me but before we were practically toe to toe, she lowered her head and stared at the ground. I followed her gaze and saw a monarch butterfly, its wings crooked and bent in ways they shouldn’t be. It twitched helplessly, trying to fly away but to no avail. The girl’s expression turned to pity as she crouched, inching her finger toward the injured insect.
“Caught in the rain, my friend?” She sighed sympathetically. “Don’t worry, everything is alright.” A glow of violet formed in her hand as she cupped it in her open palms. She raised one hand and sprinkled a sparkly dust over it carefully, the substance delicately falling like snow from the tips of her fingers. Then the powder liquefied and patched its wings, transforming it into a slightly larger version of itself that was unnaturally colored, brilliant pinks and purples.
Satisfied, she turned her head to the side and cast it away with a single breath, the butterfly soaring into the air freely. I stared at her with disbelief.
“What’s the matter?” She said, “Never seen magic before?”
