the belle and her snow

the day was young, a girl was dressed in white pinafore and a bonnet and she went around looking for snowdrops in this winter morning. she had met a wrinkly lady one day and told her all about snowdrops. The woman asked her why was she looking for snowdrops and what did they look like and she replied that it was for her grandma and that her grandma told her that snowdrops gave good luck to those who found one. It had small white petals and morning dew, she carried on, and then she left the lady with a smile on her. carrying a basket, she walked into the garden you two went and then into the heart of it where she saw only pine trees, snow and nothing else. lost for a while, hungry, she crumbled into tears and sniffed but she didn't cry. belles do not cry, grandma said that and she knows.

she saw no one who could comfort her, and so she decided to stop shedding tears and looked around for signs, for headway to go home but she couldn't. she looked to the ground before her and saw only white snow, and then she looked to her left and there it was, a small flower with a green stem and dew resting on its lips.

it looked deliciously dreamy in a patch of snow and faun and so she plucked it and called it snow. snow seemed to reassure her and she felt happy and lucky so long as it was with her. alas, she walked and found her way out of the park and they danced into the beyond in the sun set.

the gypsy

a candle was lit in the night. the bright and yellow flickering flame danced nakedly in the cold of the night.

the smell of fruits tickled the nose of the guy with a dog and he sniffed and gave the two of them a cheeky bliss wishing grin and winked at the guy with the spotted scarf and then he ran after his dog which was now running wildly towards the squirrels which taunted it on their tree. It barked at the squirrels and they scurried around frantically before realising dogs couldn't climb trees.

she ran with him for a while now, holding his hand as they left the park and turned left and towards a slum looking place that didn't seem to be there a moment ago. It was made to look out of place in the high rise neighbourhood and jay wondered why he didn't notice it earlier. The lights of the night market were already in neon bright and there was a crowd he could see further inside the place. the night market looked dirty and sleazy and he didn't know if he wanted to go in at all, even with his angel.

"stop!" he said and pulled her to his direction and they stopped running.

"where are we going?" he continued, didn't know what to expect from the smiling girl.

it was unfair, she flashed her sparkling eyes and said nothing and he was convinced she was worth anything. she seemed to want to say something but held back, and they went inside the market, her hand still firmly in his grasp unwittingly.

"i haven't been here before." she said suddenly when they made their way through a building crowd into the heart of the town. "but i have heard of magic that happens here. and you are here to protect me if anything goes wrong."

Jay felt bemused at the thought of magic, and looked around to see a shop that sold ornaments that looked like gems and a skull, the shop that sold sweets and other food that "explode". They saw sling bags, mountain backpacks, bags for shoe bags and many other bags in a very befitting bag it all shop and then she pointed to the "beyond mystic and wonders" shop that had a picture of yet another lady telling fortunes about what could happen and what could not happen. he looked at his angel and she seemed lonely and lost for that very moment if only then. And then her eyes sparkled and they were in this old people smelling shop listening to fortunes told by madam Victoria.

There was a authentic gypsy feeling to the place even though he knew they were probably going to be dry people who say something that answered itself like "you will feel sad in many moments to come" or something quirky like "The day will end as it began, with a smile and then eyes closed." There were many rag-like purplish red carpet patches that covered all over the brown wooden cabinet that stood just before the entrance, and the inside looked like a tent even though the shop itself was in a small building. there was a fireplace near an oak table and there was a treasure chest that looked like a cheap ornament at the side. there were no chairs to seat on, only pillows and the oak table and unlit candles rolling on the table and the lady sat behind it, comfortable at keeping at arm's length from them as if to add to her aloofness.

the gypsy pursed her lips, looked into their eyes and then opened her mouth to speak but no words came out, and she gave a sigh instead. She seemed to be in deep thought, and then finally brightened up and said " i know what you know, but, perhaps, a little more, and i tell you three stories that you will understand to shed light on your fortunes and what nots. you two have an interesting.. " and she held her tongue and then she turned to her back and fiddled with the plastic looking chest and took out a bowl that had beads of all colours wrapping around it. There was cash inside and she pointed to the sign beside her that was abstract enough to look like a painting but if you looked closely beneath the smudges it read five "dolers per reeding" and then she pointed to her bowl and placed it on the table to them.

jay thought she was ridiculous and wouldn't think twice to leave the place and he got up, his hand still firmly holding the girl's, but she pulled him back to his pillow seat and got five dollars from the pocket of her skirt and dropped it in the bowl. The gypsy clicked her tongue and turned to the fireplace that choked dark smoke, got up and took some sand from her pouch and threw it into the fireplace.

bright colours bloomed from the fireplace and twined into a spiral and then burst in the air.

"the first story, is about the belle and her snow."

the gypsy smiled as she took her seat.