We have almost made it to the
Special Place. I show it to Micah
on the map. “When we get there,
you can’t make any noise at all,”
I say. “Fairies are shy. OK?”
Micah nods.
We climb to the top of a big
hill and kneel at the foot of an
old tree. Ferns sprout from the
tree’s elbows and moss blankets
the roots. Mom gives Phoebe a
treat for being quiet. Everyone
knows that it is very important
to be silent if you want to see
a fairy.
A path of bark leads us to the
Special Place, a tiny house in
the tree trunk’s hollow. Inside
we see a table made of sticks,
with four stools made of smooth
stones. But there are no fairies.
Micah groans so loudly that
even Phoebe jumps. If there
were any fairies, they are gone
now.