~
Bun and Emily stayed behind after the assembly ended. The afternoon heat of late fall stung the delicate skin of the fairy and were-bunny, so they retreated to a boulder tucked under shade.
“Oh, Bun,” Emily sighed. “I feel so strange.”
“Winona will figure it out, Emily. It’s alright. Your new look is still very pretty.”
“Thank you, dear. And I’m sure she will. But there’s also this empty feeling inside of me. I’ve had it for a long while now. Blooming in my stomach and chest. A blooming emptiness… do you understand what I mean?”
Princess Honeybun nodded. “Yes. I know that feeling.”
“You do?” Her gaze met her friend’s. She reached for Bun’s hands and smiled. “Really? Bun, do you really know that feeling?”
“Of course!”
Emily couldn’t contain the joy in her eyes. Her heart beat faster.
Bun finished, “You’re hungry!”
Emily still held her friend, but her face fell. Despite her feelings, she smiled and nodded.
“Yes, you must be right. I’ve been hungry for a very long time, I think.”
The fairy princess continued, “Why don’t we enjoy the day a bit more here in the shade before we find our supper?”
Honeybun agreed. “That’s a wonderful idea. We should relax after such a long, sad meeting.”
The pair stretched out on a tree trunk. Bun nibbled at her radishes. Emily thought about the mortal realm and their great collective unhappiness. She hoped she’d be able to visit, just once. Like all the other fairies had.
Their plans for relaxation were very successful because they ended up falling asleep and staying in Dreamland until dusk.
~ Sammicakes
Sammicakes 