Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog Page A

wherever you're being taken?"
    "Right."
    "Okay: So where are you being taken?"
    "I'm not sure. To wherever it is that fairies go."
    "You mean, like. Middle Earth or something?" I look down and see the broken remains of the fortune cookie, and I can't keep the sarcasm from creeping back into my voice. "So, um. Some fairies want to kidnap you. Why? Do you have the one ring to rule them all?"
    "They've come to take me home " he says softly.
    "Oh." This would be the time that I'd expect a camera crew to come bursting through the door, saying this is all a practical joke. But Cam doesn't joke like that. He's a terrible liar. I study the door, willing for it to open, for some peppy TV host to thrust a mike under my nose and ask me how it feels to know I fell for the stupidest and most unbelievable prank ever, but it never happens.
    "Wait. Are you saying you're a fairy? Like Tinker Bell?"
    "Well, not exactly. Tinker Bell was a pixie, and she isn't real."
    I'm suddenly aware that my mouth is hanging open. I close it and firmly place my hand on his shoulder. "Listen to yourself. That's nuts. You got hit too hard last night, and-"
    "I know it sounds crazy, but what about the fortune cookie?"
    "Big deal." I point to the pimple budding from my chin. "Make this go away, and maybe I'll believe you."
    "I can't. I told you, I'm not so good with the wand yet. I wouldn't want to turn you into anything."
    I roll my eyes. "Fantastic. So, where are they taking you?" Since Cam has never wigged out on me like this before, I keep my lips zipped as to where I think he needs to go: the nearest mental institution.
    "It's this kingdom, this whole other world" he says, his voice wavering. "I'm not sure. Dawn told me it exists alongside this world. I know, it's totally whacked, but I have to go there on my sixteenth birthday-"
    "What do you mean by 'have to'?" My voice starts to do the same little dance that his is doing, rising and falling between a whisper and a nervous shriek. "Because we have this party, and everyone's going to be there, and..."
    He's staring at me, and I know exactly what he's thinking: I just found out I'm not human, and you're worried about your sweet sixteen?
    And yes, it may be a little callous of me, but please. A fairy? I know everything about this boy. He's always been completely levelheaded, never one to believe the latest gossip, no matter how true it seems. And there isn't anything about him that is a mystery to me. I know when he's angry, I know when he's nervous, I know when he's... lying.
    And, looking at him now, I can tell one thing for certain.
    He believes every word he is saying.
    'This is crazy," I say, my voice hoarse. "You're telling me that a week from now, a bunch of fairies are going to steal you from me?"
    He nods.
    "For how long?"
    He doesn't answer, just looks away. I take that as a "forever."
    I bite my tongue. "This has got to be a dream. Wake up, Morgan," I mumble, pinching my arm through my cashmere sweater.
    He ignores me, stands up, opens the door a crack, and peers out. "Look, we haven't got much time. Are you going to help me or not?"
    My head is still throbbing, but I sit up and pull my knees under me. "What do you want me to do?"
    He relaxes a little. "Do you remember how we learned, a few years back in world history, about those women in China? How the men liked small feet, so the women used to bind them?"
    "Uh-huh," I say, flashing back to an image of a poor Chinese woman with feet that were no bigger than balled-up fists. They'd actually been able to stunt the growth of their feet by wrapping them tightly. Gross. "So what?"
    "I figure it's worth a shot." He reaches into his bag again, and this time he produces a roll of white bandage. He looks around carefully, then, pulling up his T-shirt, whispers, "Will you wrap my wings?"

Chapter Fourteen
     
    THE REST OF the day is a bit of a haze to me. I end up missing bio and most of lunch because of Cam. When I finish wrapping up Cam's wings-yes, you