Scars (a G/t story)

Prologue

"Grandpa! Grandpa!"

A young boy ran out of the forest, hands cupped to his chest and water dripping from his clothes. He fled past the white gate and through the garden. "Grandpa! I found one!" he exclaimed as he burst through the door of the house.

An elderly man rushed to the living room to find his grandson panting. "What is it?"

"I found one in the woods when I was looking for rocks!"

"What? Why did you bring one here? You know you're supposed to leave them alone!"

"I know! But she doesn't look okay..." The boy opened his hands to reveal a tiny winged-person lying unconscious.

The old man let out a small gasp. He leaned closer to the boy and adjusted his glasses to get a closer look. "Oh dear. What happened to her?"

"I was at the river when I was looking for rocks when I heard someone screaming from the sky." The boy paused to catch his breath. "I think she fell from a nearby tree and I found her in the water."

The old man stood up and began to stroke his chin. "It's good that she fell in there, the water may have been able to cushion her fall." He left the living room and entered the kitchen, opening one of the kitchen cabinets to pull out a red box and placed it on the countertop below.

The boy quickly followed behind him, carrying the fairy. "I was so worried for her. I couldn't just leave her there!" The boy looked down at his pants. "My pants got wet in the river when I was looking for her. Sorry."

The old man looked at his grandson, who appeared to be completely drenched from head to toe. Glancing behind the boy, he found a trail of muddy footprints that led to the kitchen entrance. The old man sighed. "That's okay. What matters now is that you brought her here so we can help her." He held both of his hands out to the boy. "Give her to me," he spoke in a gentle whisper. The boy slowly lifted the tiny fairy up and was careful to lay her in his grandpa's palms. The fairy remained undisturbed, causing the boy to worry. What if she didn't wake up?

His grandpa set her on a washcloth that was laid out on the kitchen countertop. He was careful to make sure that her paper-thin wings wouldn't get crushed when she was placed with her back facing down. "Now, go get a new change of clothes," he told the boy as he began to grab more tools from the red box.

"Okay!" the boy turned to run to his room.

"Take off your shoes! And please wipe the floor when you finish dressing up," the old man called from the table as he pulled out a magnifying glass.

"Sorry!" The boy sat on the floor to unstrap the velcro on his shoes. Once he managed to peel his wet socks off of his feet as well, he got back up and carried the pair of shoes to the front door where he entered.

The boy quickly closed the door to his bedroom and proceeded to rip off his clothes and rub himself dry with a towel. He grabbed the first shirt and pants he could find laying on the floor. Prior to today, he had only seen fairies from a distance. Now there was one in his home, and he was excited to see one up close. But based on the condition that she was currently in, he was concerned about whether or not she was going to be okay. His grandpa strictly told him to not bring any fairies home either, and he could be in even bigger trouble if she didn't awaken.

The boy returned to the kitchen to find his grandpa still observing the tiny fairy. She laid on the table, eyes still shut, now wrapped in a little washcloth. His grandpa held her petite wrist between his two large digits. He was quiet, as if he were listening for something. The boy remembered his grandpa telling him about feeling for a heartbeat to figure out if someone was still alive.

The boy didn't want to disturb his grandpa, so he stood behind him patiently. He looked down at his hands, trying to remember what she looked like when he held her fragile petite body. It awed him to imagine how a tiny human-like creature could exist. Sure, bugs and microscopic organisms existed, but he was especially fascinated with how similar they were to him.

After some time, his grandpa partially unwrapped the washcloth and gently placed the fairy's wrist down beside her before tucking her back into the little towel once again.

"Is she going to be okay? The boy looked up at him, eyes filled with concern.

"She's alive," the old man said as he glanced back at his grandson. "Just knocked out from the fall and a bit bruised."

The boy sighed with relief. Thank goodness that she was only asleep. "I know I'm not supposed to bring any fairies home-"

"No," His grandpa interrupted. "I'll allow it just this one time. This was urgent, she needed medical attention."

The boy looked at his grandpa with widened eyes. "So... you're not mad?"

The old man kneeled down in front of his grandson and ruffled his hair. "Of course not. She wouldn't be saved if it weren't for you." His grandpa gave him a warm smile. The boy beamed back.