Fairy in Danger by Titania Woods

turning it this way and that.
    â€˜The others look really drab compared with you,’ said Timmy. He looked wistful. ‘I wish I had more fairies like you in my collection.’
    An idea started to form in Twink’s mind. She swallowed hard, wondering if it could possibly work. But she had no other choice than to try.
    She raised an eyebrow as if she were surprised. ‘More fairies like me?’ she echoed. ‘But what for? I’m nothing special. There are loads of other fairies who are much more interesting.’
    Timmy stared at her. ‘Really?’
    â€˜Of course,’ said Twink. ‘I’m just a boring old nature fairy – you can get one of us anywhere. And as for those tooth fairies up in your wardrobe . . .’ She tsk ed , shaking her head. ‘Really, Timmy! I don’t know what you’re bothering with that lot for.’
    â€˜What do you mean?’ demanded Timmy, looking hurt. ‘I’ve got a great fairy collection.’
    â€˜Well . . .’ Twink pulled a face.
    â€˜I have!’ insisted Timmy. He shook her jar slightly, scowling.
    â€˜Oh, it’s all right, I suppose,’ yawned Twink. ‘But if you want a really good collection, you should get some sparkle fairies. They’re the rarest fairies in the world. Nobody else has a sparkle fairy collection!’
    An almost hungry look crossed Timmy’s face. He lifted up her jar, peering in at her. ‘What are sparkle fairies?’
    Twink had no idea, since no such thing existed! She thought fast. ‘They come in all different colours,’ she said. ‘And they sparkle when they fly. In fact, they – they glow in the dark, like little stars!’
    Timmy’s jaw dropped. ‘ Glow in the dark? Wow! How can I get some?’
    â€˜It wouldn’t be easy,’ said Twink thoughtfully. ‘They’re very shy. But if you like, I could summon some for you. Only you’d have to let me out of the jar first.’ She held her breath, hardly daring to move while Timmy thought it over.
    â€˜You couldn’t summon them from inside the jar?’ he said finally.
    Twink shook her head so hard that her pink hair tumbled about her face. ‘No, I need room to move about,’ she told him firmly.
    â€˜All right,’ decided Timmy. ‘Only I’d better shut the window first.’ He put her jar down, and Twink watched in dismay as he went across and swung the bedroom window closed. Never mind , she told herself. If her plan succeeded, then they’d work out how to open the window once they got to it!
    There was a whoosh of air as the Terrible Timmy unscrewed Twink’s lid. ‘Come on, then,’ he said eagerly, tipping her out on to the desk.
    Twink fluttered from the jar, breathing deeply. She had never dreamed that fresh air could taste so good!
    â€˜All right, I just need to – to prepare myself,’ she said.
    Her thoughts were racing. Though Mariella was very good at glamours and could cast them practically from thin air, she herself needed to have some sort of object in place, which she could then disguise as something else. What, though? She looked around the room, trying desperately to find something.
    â€˜What are you waiting for?’ demanded Timmy.
    He moved the lamp on his desk, adjusting it so that its beam shone right on her. All at once Twink could see hundreds of tiny dust motes floating past. She grinned. Suddenly she knew exactly what she was going to do!
    â€˜All right, I’m ready,’ she said.
    Closing her eyes, Twink began to move her hands in the complicated patterns of the spell, carefully imagining what the sparkle fairies would look like. She made them just her size, and in all different colours, glimmering like tiny rainbows.

    â€˜WHOA!’ shouted Timmy. He sprang up from his chair with a clatter.
    Twink opened her eyes and saw him leaping about the room, trying fruitlessly to grab dust motes.