Today’s guest post is by Elizabeth Kasmer. I met Liz a few years ago, when she first started working on the manuscript of a beautiful Young Adult manuscript called ‘Aurora’. I’m still waiting (impatiently!) for her to finish the novel and find a publisher, but in the meantime I’m delighted to have the pleasure of reading her jewel-like short pieces. This one was written to celebrate ‘Tell A Fairy Tale Day‘, and was inspired by a news story about the little girl to whom birds do, indeed, bring gifts.

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The tiny girl smiled a sad smile as she tossed the last of the crumbs into the bird-feeder. The crows were already beginning to gather in the branches above. Their eyes were fierce and full of knowing. She pushed aside her fear and fingered the tiny silver half-heart in the palm of her hand. The word FRIENDS stamped deep in the silver. Her thumb caressed the jagged edge that separated it from its missing twin. Of all the gifts the crows had left her over the years, this was her favourite. The grey light of dawn took on an ethereal glow as she felt the first fingers of magic prick at her skin. She cried out in surprise at the black feathers that sprouted from the flesh on her arms. More and more crows dropped from the tree, gathering around her, surrounding her in a sea of black. The last of her skin transformed and the tiny half-heart fell to the ground. The crows raised their voices in a deafening chorus of welcome, crying out the word her heart had been waiting for. FOREVER.