For Safety Reasons, Please Refrain From Consuming the Bottle Marked "Poison" (part 3)

by Marcella Haddad

"So...what exactly does this accomplish?" Mercatia said skeptically as she watched Fitzgibit.

"I told you. I'm calling on the fairy spirits to grant us access into the fairy world."

He was drawing something in the air with what looked like a violently purple glowstick. Mercatia tilted her head from side to side, trying to read his messy handwriting.

"Is that a different language?" She said finally, when she couldn't make sense of the jumbled mess.

Fitzgibit turned and glared at her. "It's in English, that's plain to see."

"It's a pain to see."

Fitzgibit made an exasperated noise.

Mercatia crossed her arms and stared at his back, tapping her foot impatiently. Fitzgibit kept up his weird writing, until he had created a purple glowing door in front of them.

"Ladies first," he said, sweeping his arm in front of him.

Mercatia raised an eyebrow and looked from the 'door' to Fitzgibit. "There's nothing on the other side."

Fitzgibit made the same exasperated noise again. "You can't see Fairyland until you step through."

Mercatia raised her hands in surrender and stepped through.

"Holy crap."

He was right--she was somewhere else. Fairyland? Probably not. But definitely not the abandoned warehouse.

She was in the middle of what looked to be a circle of willow trees, except they were orange. Bright orange.

She had just stepped up to touch one when Fitzgibit appeared next to her.

"Don't touch that!"

Mercatia turned and looked at Fitzgibit. He had moved towards her, hand outstretched, a look of fear on his face.

"Why not?" Mercatia challenged, putting her hand on her hip.

Fitzgibit stared at her. "Because it's poisonous for humans."

Mercatia looked thoughtful. "Is it poisonous for fairies?"

"No..."

Mercatia shrugged and turned in a circle, observing the circle of trees. "Then unless I suddenly become a fairy, there's no way we're getting out of here."

Fitzgibit looked around as well, and seemed to realize she was right--The trees surrounded them on all sides.

Mercatia was staring at him.

"Good job," she said sarcastically.

"What did I do?!" Fitzgibit spluttered.

"Your fancy 'portal to the fairy realm' crap is what got us here."

Fitzgibit stared at her for a second, then closed his mouth. He eyed the trees again.

"Maybe they aren't poisonous..." he mused.

Mercatia glared at him.