No way...
Jerri had been happily walking home from school one, boring, regular day. The sun was bright out, a change from the normally dreary weather, and the extra light had caused her to notice something sticking out from the ground.
Could that be...
The shiny piece of metal was golden in color, and sparkled in the afternoon sun. She had no idea how long it'd been there, but had likely never noticed it due to lack of sunlight in the area. Now though, the golden rod stuck out like a sore thumb, and beckoned her.
Stepping off from the sidewalk, and into the wooded area, Jerri wrapped her fingers around the golden object. She managed to pull it out of the loose dirt with ease, bringing the entire thing up to the sunlight.
It's.... It's.... She began. A... thing? Jerri asked herself, not quite sure what it was.
Like the end sticking out of the dirt, the entire thing had been bright gold in color, and was quite heavy. The rod was long, and ended in two sharp prongs. It looked like a tuning fork, but why was it made from gold? Or, at least colored like it was?
Wait! Let go of that! A squeaky, high-pitched voice called out to Jerri.
Wha-? She asked, as a positively tiny, human with sparkling wings and a green, leafy dress flew up to her face. What are y-
Please! You must let me have that! The thing asked.
Jerri looked at the tiny girl floating before her, mouth agape. The thing looked like a fairy, with its minuscule size, glittery wings, and human-like shape.
Are you...
PLEASE!
O-Okay, geez. Jerri said, holding the rod out to the fairy, who'd won her over with her desperation.
Thank you. The inch tall sprite said, placing a finger on the golden fork, whereupon it immediately vanished. You've done me a great service today, human. What is your name?
J-Jerri. She said, finding her situation increasingly harder to believe.
Then thank you human known as Jerri. I'd like to offer you my services now, as payment for your assistance. The fairy said, flitting about Jerri's face as she explained.
Services? Jerri asked, her confusion deepening. What kind?
Oh, I can do many, many things. The fae said, resting an elbow on Jerri's nose. I'm quite magical, you know. She added, snapping her fingers to summon a wisp of flame above them.
Wow! Really? Jerri asked, her eyes widening in disbelief. So you can grant me wishes? Like a genie? She asked, before gasping widely. Were you the genie of that stick? She asked, covering her mouth in surprise.
Genie? Erm, Of course I was! The tiny thing announced, disappearing in a puff of smoke, and reappearing a moment later in a sarong. I was freed as soon as you touched that fork! So make three wishes human, and they shall be granted!
Jerri found the entire situation hard to believe. Three wishes. Anything she could ever want. What sort of incredible good things had she done recently to deserve such a thing?
Um... Jerri began, her face turning red. She knew exactly what she wanted to wish for, but found it uncomfortable to ask. Can you... She tried again.
The tiny, winged creature hovering in front of her face yawned widely, waiting for a wish.
C-Can you, um... Jerri tried once more, frowning.
Go on. The lively fairy encouraged.
I wish that I was a hundred, no, a THOUSAND feet tall! Jerri blurted out all at once. She'd long been a fan of giant monster movies, and made an effort to root for the monsters in them. Her dream was to one day get into a rubber suit, step out into a model city, and act it out herself.
This would be better than acting though, this would be real.
Easy! The sprite shouted, and clapped her hands.
Jerri began to grow rapidly, not stopping until she stood at what she could only assume was the requested thousand feet of height. Glancing down below, she could see that her flip flop clad feet covered the entire street, and she lifted a shoe, smiling at the deep crater it left behind.
That's one! A teensy, almost impossible to hear voice called out to Jerri.
I wish I was in the middle of a big city! Jerri shouted, excited over the prospect of getting to live her dream.
After a blinding flash, Jerri felt a series of light, metal crunches beneath her flip flops, and smiled widely. While the spots cleared from her eyes slowly, she could see that she stood amidst several comparatively puny buildings, and there were multicolored specks fleeing for their lives from her feet.
O-Oh my! Jerri said, her excitement mounting as she rubbed a tiny building out of existence with the rubber sole of her shoe. This is amazing!
Two! The almost imperceptible voice announced.
Smiling, Jerri began to reenact several of her favorite scenes. She tried walking completely through a building, her bare legs smashing through dozens of floors with the greatest of ease while rubble trickled down to gather on her toes.
With careful aim, she kicked her flip flops off in the direction of the fleeing mobs of humanity. The footwear acted like giant missiles, crashing through dozens of blocks before skidding to a stop, and, unluckily enough, missing the crowds she'd been aiming for.
Not prepared to let her toys escape her arena, Jerri stomped after them, making sure to wipe the tiny things out completely. So long as she had her way, there wouldn't be any escaping the area, because that would be denying her of extra fun.
Having turned the front of the crowds into a thin layer of organic paste, Jerri decided to test how much damage her new body could inflict, and allowed herself to fall backwards onto the carpet of a city. People, vehicles, and buildings alike all flattened beneath her descending form, and she giggled at the feelings. Nothing could stand up to her. Just like all the movies she was so fond of. The military would intervene at some point, but they couldn't stand up to her might.
Smiling contentedly, she began to laugh, the sound assaulting the ear drums of anyone still alive near her tremendous body.
Oh I wish this would never end. She said, brushing a lock of hair from her face.
Three! Now for payment! The minute voice demanded.
Payment? Jerri asked, her voice thundering through the panicking city.
Three wishes means three golden forks, if you please! The fairy said, her tone chipper.
I only had the one. Jerri said sadly, afraid her wishes would have to be revoked.
Oh... well...
Yeah? Jerri asked, hopeful that there would be some kind of loophole to allow her to keep her new stature.
Well, then I'll just have to obtain payment in another way! The fairy said.
Another blinding flash of light, and the sights and sounds of the city were replaced with a straw floor. Sitting up, Jerri rubbed her eyes, and looked around. It looked to be a nice little hut, if not for the fact that everything was built to a massive scale.
Oh you're up! The fairy asked, her voice loud, and booming.
Heart pounding, Jerri looked directly above, and found the two bare soles of the fairy floating above her. The fairy's wings flit rapidly, keeping her suspended in that position.
Not being able to pay for wishes means payment with your life. I'm sorry Jerri the human, but you didn't follow the rules.
Jerri stood to run, but didn't get more than a step before the hovering giantess of a fairy stopped hovering, and slammed her feet down onto the tiny, non-magical girl. Her body didn't last more than a split second, and was obliterated beneath the fae's heel.
Why do you always go through such ridiculous hoops to squish something? Another fairy asked, hovering into the room slowly.
I like to know a bit about them first. That, and sometimes they give me ideas. This one was named Jerri, and she gave me a real good one. The fairy in the sarong said, licking her lips as she examined the sticky goop on her heel. A really, really good one. She added, remembering Jerri's brief, but nonetheless destructive rampage.
Yeah, well, clean that up. And quit stealing my hair pin! The second fairy said, grabbing the now tiny golden fork from the floor, and floating out of the straw hut with it.
Wiping the mess from her heel with two fingers, she watched it stick and separate to the two fingers. It'd once been a human, but now it was nothing more than a mess.
A really good idea... The fairy repeated to herself, deep in thought.
Author's Chapter Notes:
In this short story, a girl somehow finds a magical fairy. The fairy offers her three wishes, but when it's time to receive payment for the wishes, there is a small problem.