The Cigarette Fairy
Mindy sat on the red bench, on the patio, the steam from her hot cup of coffee drifting upward into the cold crisp morning. She buttoned up the top button of her parka with her gloved hands. Being a student in this isolated place deep in the snow covered Canadian Rockies meant always bundling up when going outside. She liked the people here, and she liked her classes, but Kerndelle Academy was an old school in a cold place.
The still air was quiet. Mindy's thoughts turned toward a similar morning here on this patio of stone, near the beginning of the semester. She thought about the first time she had come out here to visit with Vanessa.
This was before the disappearance.
Mindy had occasionally noticed Vanessa out on the patio in the mornings, smoking a cigarette. Mornings were a good time to do it because the staff was not on duty yet, and smoking was a serious infraction at this school.
On that morning, Mindy had come out to talk, and during the course of conversation she commented on Vanessa's bravery of smoking here. Vanessa was, after all, the only student who smoked. Although the faculty was not yet aware of her daily activity, it surely was only a matter of time. But Vanessa had seemed unconcerned about it, which perplexed Mindy. Mindy had studied Vanessa as they talked, watched her smoking her cigarette so confidently. Mindy realized immediately she could not fathom this confidence.
Mindy joined Vanessa on the patio the next morning as well, watching Vanessa light up, wondering what it was like to smoke, wondering if she would feel so confident with a cigarette her own hand. Vanessa offered her one, and Mindy smoked for the first time.
Mornings on the patio, having a cigarette with Vanessa, became one of Mindy's favorite things. Always at night, going to bed, Mindy looked forward to getting up in the morning, getting her hot cup of coffee, and going outside with Vanessa and lighting up. She never did quite gain the confidence Vanessa had, but certainly she was much less timid about it than she'd expected of herself.
And then, one day, it was over. Vanessa had gone out to take pictures at the frozen lake, which lay about a half mile from the school. She never came back. When some of the girls went out to look for her, all they found was her camera.
Rumors circulated throughout the school that she had been taken by an Abominable Snowman. Ridiculous, of course. But when local legends of Yeti have been thriving for centuries, it was hard not to give it some serious thought. One time, about a week after the vanishing, a couple of girls said they had seen large tracks in the snow, as if from a man with enormous feet. Naturally, though, by the time they brought others to see, the supposed tracks had been covered by fresh snow.
And so it was that there would be no concrete explanation. Vanessa was simply gone, and although it was still painful for everyone, students and faculty were doing their best to carry on with the curriculum. They carried Vanessa's memory in their hearts every day.
Mindy had a slightly deeper problem than the others though. Vanessa was the only one who'd had cigarettes. Now cigarettes did not exist at Kerndelle. And she still wanted that cigarette every morning.
Mindy struggled daily with her desire which could not be satiated. The school sat alone in these mountains. The nearest town to buy cigarettes was 100 miles away. And even if she had access to a car, the roads at this time of year were completely snowed in. She dreamed of spring time, going to town, and finally getting her hands on a cigarette. If she could last that long.
And then one day, in the library, Mindy pulled a book from a shelf, and saw something inscribed in the back of the bookcase. She pulled out more books, and read the inscription that lay behind them.
Here at Kendelle
Cigarettes are not allowed
Students will not smoke
It is vowed
Now what have you
But regret
If you feel the need
But have no cigarette
And no pity for you
And no one who cares
Ask for a cigarette
You'll get only stares
There is one, though
She lives in the night
The Cigarette Fairy
Understands your plight
The Cigarette Fairy
Will come to you
Give you what you want
If the following you do
A handful of snow
From under the trees outside
Placed under your pillow
To remain there for the night
With morning light
After you've awoke
See under your pillow
A cigarette to smoke
The Fairy understands
So do not fret
Light up
Enjoy your cigarette
- S. J.
Who "S.J." was, and when this was written, Mindy did not know. It was even more ridiculous than the Yeti thing. But it spoke to her, and that night she gave it a try. Before bed, she ran outside in the cold, down to the trees, and scooped up a handful of snow. She hurried back inside, and she lifted her pillow and placed the snow beneath it. She laid down to sleep, laughing to herself, in disbelief that she actually did it.
The next morning she had gotten out of bed and showered before she even remembered about it. She lifted the pillow, and there was a cigarette, white and fresh like the snow. She couldn't believe it. She got her coffee, went out to the patio, and lit the cigarette, inhaling deeply the smoke she had missed for weeks, savoring every puff.
And so every night Mindy did the same thing. Run outside, scoop up the snow, run back in, put it under the pillow, and sleep. And every morning, she enjoyed her cigarette and coffee on the patio. If only Vanessa were still here so Mindy could tell her about it.
Mindy grew increasingly curious to see the Cigarette Fairy. She tried sometimes to stay awake, long enough to see the Fairy when she comes. But every time she had fallen asleep too soon.
And so, on this morning, here was Mindy on the red bench, her coffee in one hand, unlit cigarette in the other, reminiscing about the events that have brought her here. She sipped her coffee, placed the cigarette between her lips and lit it.
Her thoughts drifted with the smoke. She quietly thought to herself that if there really is a Cigarette Fairy, then maybe there really is an Abominable Snowman.
At this thought, she spoke Vanessa's name softly to herself.
The tall, dark trees of the snow covered forest stood silent in the distance, and Mindy watched them as she smoked, wondering what things might be out there about which she did not know.
End
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