The Bluebird And The Glorystone (standard:fantasy, 1889 words)
Author: Alpha43	Added: Apr 11 2005	Views/Reads: 3407/2218	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Things have not been going well for a handicaped little girl until she tries to help an injured Bluebird.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story


“My feets fine,” said the lad. Then extending his right hand, he added,
“I gives you my Glorystone for dat bird.” 

“I don’t want to trade anything for this bird, his wing is injured, he
needs medical help.” Why would this boy want an injured bird? 

“You ever touch a Glorystone?” asked the grinning lad. “I worked a lot
of days to get dis rock! It was worth every minute of dat work too! 
Think now, you best make the swap.” 

Becky had a bad feeling about this conversation. She felt that it would
be wise to move along. “I never touched a Gloryrock, and maybe next 
time I will be able to look at it. I better get this injured baby bird 
home so we can take it for medical attention. It was nice talking with 
you.” 

The boy still had a warm smile and a joyful gleam in his eye. Softly he
said; “I would like to see dat bird. Please hold my Glorystone.” 

“I should have been home an hour ago, I don’t want to upset my parents,
I better get on my way. Have a nice day.” Becky slid the bird into her 
coat pocket, put her arms through the crutch cups, and started moving 
away from the bench. 

The boy stood, holding the Glorystone up in front of his face, and in a
slow but firm voice he said; “Wait girl, its time you got some faith! 
Many folk passes by diamonds in de rough, nev’r knowing the treasure 
dey passed up. Dis bluebird is just such a gem. You wants everything to 
be made just right don’t you? Let me see what I can do. Don’t be 
afraid, dis won’t hurt at all. Holds on to my stone and we’ll see what 
glory awaits us.” 

Becky was very nervous, but she halted. She retrieved the bird from her
coat pocket and held it out in both hands in the direction of the boy, 
“Please be careful, he’s so tiny.” 

The lad approached with his right hand extended, offering his
Glorystone. It was dark green with swirls of white, black, and pink 
running through it and it had flecks of sparkle. It was the size of an 
egg, smooth, and very shiny. It seemed warmer than body temperature in 
Becky’s hand. 

Becky found she could not take her eyes off the stone; it seemed to emit
a sense of well-being. Suddenly, the air seemed calm and the chill was 
gone. A smile came to Becky’s face as she thought she heard children 
laughing in the background. She could only think about her most 
treasured memories; her huge orange cat, grandmother and the special 
cookies she baked for Becky, and her family’s joy on Christmas 
mornings. The stone was getting warmer all the time. 

Mysteriously, the stone seemed to wiggle. Becky slowly uncupped her
hands, and to her amazement, she was holding the bluebird. The little 
creature had its beak wide open, it was making a peeping sound, and its 
wing was perched back along its body. The baby bird had stopped shaking 
and trembling. Both wings flapped out and back in short strokes as the 
bird tried to walk on Becky’s soft hands. 

Becky was overjoyed, “You fixed him, you cured the wing, how did
you...”. 

Suddenly, Becky realized she was alone, she was talking to no one. She
looked around in amazement; there was no sign of the little boy. The 
Glorystone that she had been holding was gone as well. 

There seemed to be no evidence the lad had been there, not even
footprints, but there was a beautiful song in the air. A pair of 
bluebirds were perched in the low lilac branches, looking and singing 
in Becky’s direction. Smiling, Becky sat the baby bird in the grass in 
front of the lilacs, and quietly moved away. 

The young girl’s mind was trying to comprehend the morning’s events.
Finally deciding that there was no logical explanation, she was happy 
to just accept the outcome without question. She had never been so 
calm, so much at peace with her life. She felt the earth was indeed a 
wonderful place. 

The wind was strong and the temperature was dropping as Becky started
for home. Small pellets of sleet started to pepper Becky’s skin. As old 
oak leaves skittered across the trail, Becky thought she saw something 
pink tumbling along the path. As she approached, she saw a beautiful 
lace handkerchief flitting in the breeze. The material was fine linen, 
the lacing superb, with embroidery in lavender. 

As Becky continued towards home, she noticed an elderly lady dressed in
a fine tailored suit, stooping along the trail. The lady was searching 
under the shrubs and bushes for something. Becky made her way up to the 
lady and said, “Are you looking for this?”, holding up the 
handkerchief. 

The older woman broke out into a huge smile and politely bowed to Becky,
“My dear, you can not possibly know what great joy you have brought to 
me, finding my heirloom handkerchief. This belonged to my grandmother 
and mother, I wanted so much to pass it on to my daughter. For a while, 
I feared it was lost forever, how can I ever thank you?” 

Becky told the lady the handkerchief was flitting down the path, she had
only done what anyone would do, and she was very happy to return the 
prized possession to its rightful owner. 

The lady was dressed in fine apparel; she wore an expensive looking
brooch, and had very fancy bejeweled rings on both hands. She tucked 
the handkerchief into her leather bag and then reached in deeper, 
retrieving a coin purse. 

“I insist that you accept a little token of my appreciation, and I will
not take no for an answer. Let me see if we have something special in 
here. Ah yes, I think this will do.” 

Becky could hear the rattling of coins clinking in the purse as she
said, “Madam, I really don’t want anything for doing a simple act of 
honesty. 

I need to be heading home, I’m afraid I’m going to be late, as usual.” 

Becky gave the woman a smile, and was about to swing her legs forward
when she spotted the sparkling dark green stone being held just above 
the handbag.  Each glint of light from the hundreds of sparkles was 
brilliant and hypnotic. 

The stone almost glowed and it made Becky feel totally relaxed. 

The lady had a warm smile, and softly tapping the stone she said in a
near whisper, “Wait my dear! It’s time for a little faith!  Many people 
pass by diamonds in the rough, never recognizing the treasure they have 
overlooked.  You are just such a jewel.  We want everything to be made 
just right, don’t we?  Let me see what I can do to ease your burden.  
Don’t be afraid, this won’t hurt at all.  Hold my stone and we will see 
what glory awaits us...” 


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