Land of Smoke and Ashes

The Article in the Attic

It wasn't as if either of those things were bad, but she wanted choices. She wanted more. Something that would take her out of town, to more exciting parts of the world. Some of her classmates had never been outside of Ashton, seemed content to grow up here, get married and die here.

Natalie couldn't get out fast enough. There was so much out there to see. The was a whole world out there, and she hadn't experienced any of it yet.

The latch was stiff with rust, and she crouched down beside the trunk, hesitating. It would be just her luck to cut herself trying to wrench it open. Could you get tetanus from this sort of thing?

Casting about herself, she found a set of rusted-looking tools hanging from wooden pegs. Carefully taking an old screw driver down, she returned to her task, prying the lock open. Finally it inched upwards with a shriek of protest, and Natalie set her fingers to the edge and shoved, nearly falling backwards when the lid flew open.

Her first reaction was disappointment.

Nothing inside the trunk looked very old. There were a few envelopes, all of them still crisp and white, and what looked like a tangle of silk scarves at the bottom. And...a jewelry box.

Her pulse picked up. Maybe she was about to find her entire college fund here. If there were gold rings or something they might be worth a lot.

As soon as she picked the box up she was sure it was empty. It was too light.

The hinges creaked faintly as Natalie tipped the lid up.

Inside there was a tiny silver finger balancing on one foot, a fairy with delicate silver wings poised mid-dance. She waited for the figure to rotate, for the box to chime out a song. But it remained silent, the fairy stayed in place, and Natalie felt a pang of disappointment. She was just feeling for the key at the back, when her gaze fell on a glimmer of silver nestled in the center of the box. It was almost lost in the crumpled tissue paper inside. Carefully she reached in and grasped it between finger and thumb, pulling out a slim silver chain. Her heart leapt. This could be valuable, couldn't it? The chain looked like it might be pure silver.

She pulled it all the way out, surprised to find a pendant on the end. When she weighed it in the palm of her hand she was shocked by how light it was. Costume jewelry maybe. She felt the hope dissolve again. It couldn't be worth anything then.

Still, she tilted her hand to catch the light coming in from the window. The pendant was a slender halfmoon. The light that fell across her palm revealed a small, intricately carved figure sitting in the curve of the moon, smiling, her face tilted upwards. There were a pare of lace patterned wings on her back. A fairy woman.

The silver figure was so well done that Natalie half expected her to move.

In awe, she traced one finger over the smooth surface of the moon. Had this belonged to the previous owners of the house? It couldn't possibly be her father's.

It was some kind of strange impulse that made her put it on. She lowered the chain carefully over her head, taking care not to let it catch in her curls. Once it was on, the moon sat flat against her t-shirt in the center of her chest. The light caught the fairy and made it glitter the tiniest bit, and Natalie wrapped her fingers around the pendant.

When she glanced back into the chest, thinking idly that maybe she would keep the necklace, one of the envelopes caught her eye. Something was written on one of them, thin black letters had been scrawled along the surface. They seemed to jump up at her.

June Porter, 2007.

The date her mother died. Ten years ago, exactly.

Natalie's mouth went dry. She released her hold on the necklace, reaching for the envelope.