I really don't believe in fairies

Written  for Short Story Slam week 13.

I'm used to seeing birds in trees. I often see squirrels in trees. I’ve seen monkeys in trees and bats in trees. But it’s not every day you come across a blue haired girl in a flimsy blue dress sitting in a tree reading Hello Magazine.

I couldn’t help but stare up at her. Then I realised I was seeing too much and quickly looked down again. Call me old fashioned, but my immediate thought was that she should have worn jeans and preserved her modesty.

‘Hello’ she chirped waving her magazine at me. ‘So I see’ I said’ glancing up. ‘ Not a publication I subscribe to myself but . . . . . .’

‘No silly!’ she interrupted. ‘I was saying hello to you; being friendly '

‘Oh, of course’ I said staring down at the grass, ‘that was indeed a silly thing to say. Err... may I ask? Why exactly are you sitting up there?’

I suddenly became aware of glittery particles  raining down on me, and from the corner of my eye I saw a magazine barrelling across the fields in the autumn breeze . I slowly raised my eyes until I saw the place she’d been sitting. There was nothing there .

OK, I’m a bloke so I don’t believe in fairies. Even if I did I wouldn’t admit it to you. I mean, if I’d had a beer or two, I could have put it down to alcoholic sensory enhancement. But I was on the way to the pub, not on my way back. And in any case I’m sure that fairies don’t read Hello Magazine . What am I saying?

Anyway, I didn’t mention it to my mates when I arrived at the pub. I put my sparkly shoulders down to an accident I’d had at the greetings card counter in the supermarket.

‘Hello’ whispered a voice in my ear. I automatically looked up at the lamp shade expecting to find a fairy sitting there! ’Not a publication I subscribe to myself ’ I muttered before I could stop myself. My friends gave me a selection of bemused looks. Just then I felt a tap on my shoulder from a rolled magazine . I turned around and there stood a blue haired girl in a flimsy blue dress ‘Your secret’s safe with me’ she giggled. I looked at my friends but they just carried on chatting as if there was no one else there . I glanced back over my shoulder and she’d gone . I ordered a quadruple scotch.