Unicorns, Fairies, and Dragons That Breathe Fire (300 word version)

Once there was a very young squirrel that lived in a magical forest full of unicorns, fairies, and dragons that breathed fire. She watched for the quick flashes of unicorns running through the woods, wished the fairies lights would flit through trees with her, and hoped a dragon would warm her home some night.

Time passed, and somewhere along the way the young squirrel stopped believing that her forest was magical. She explained away the flashes of white as joggers, fairy lights as fireflies, and dragons as inventions of less sophisticated minds. Not only did the little squirrel stop believing in magic, she felt angry at the other creatures for tricking her into believing. What right did they have to spread such lies?

More time passed and the young squirrel got older still. Age slowed her daily scampers and, as she spent more time looking around, she began to appreciate how the trees seemed to have distinct . personalities. This awareness struck a long-silent chord in the squirrel's heart, and the sound of it was a wonder that gave her a feeling of lightness she remembered from her youth. She caught glimpses of white between trees and was no longer convinced they weren't unicorns. The lights shining between the branches at night may not always have been fireflies. And once, on a very cold and lonely night, she heard a low roar and then found her home warmed, as if by the breath of a dragon.

Now, as the squirrel makes her way between the trees, she knows with a certainty in her soul that she is, indeed, in a magical forest, as magical as every other forest, and she admits to the possibility that she may be sharing it with unicorns, fairies, and even dragons that breathe fire.

~~~~~*~~~~~

This story was written for a summer service at the UU church I belong to, and has since been chopped down to exactly 300 words to enter into the Half-Price Books Children's Literacy Project contest.  It's exactly 300 words now, but if you notice any glaring issues please let me know and I'll edit it.  It's been looked at by a couple people and some changes integrated, but I wouldn't mind a few more!  I will try to get an audio version up soon, and if people like the story I'd be willing to post the long version also.

 

Ahmie