A Charming Short Story
The crackling bolt of energy hit the tree. Nolan O’Malley ducked, barely able to avoid the lightning ball flung at his head.
The wizard, Cliona, yelled at him, “Bean chéile!”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing. I loved each and every one of them.” His emerald eyes glistened in memory. “There were no complaints coming from the little lassies.”
“You made my sister think she was the only one, used her and then disposed of her like she was abhorrent waste.”
“I never made promises of forever. Why would I do that when there are so many willing, beautiful women for me to love?”
Nolan dove away from another bolt.
“I curse you to stay in the empty realm and only walk the Earth on Patty’s Day—until you find the woman you would die for.” She raised her finger. “But, she must accept you or you will forever be stuck in the realm.”
Cliona snapped her finger. Nolan was teleported to an ethereal realm of emptiness. The rolling green hills of Éire were nowhere to be found. No fresh smell of buttercups and daisies wafted through the air.
Just emptiness. Nolan walked alone in the dark realm. Each year, it was torture having people in his life for only one day and then, have it ripped away from him and he was alone again.
Happiness was forever out of his reach.
∞ ∞ ∞
As promised, he returned to Earth on Patty’s Day. Year after year he sought out women, had pleasure with many but never found the key to breaking the curse.
After a few centuries, he’d given up.
He would lose time until the familiar burst of the lightning ball would send him traveling through the portal.
This time, he was nowhere near his home.
Nolan looked around. There were fields of flax dancing across the horizon. Unsure of where he was heading, he walked down the dirt road.
There was an old-looking contraption on the side of the road. He approached a group of young women. They were giggling and laughing on their knees in the grass.
“Look! I found one!” One of the young girls raised a four-leaf clover in the air.
The thick Southern American accent was surprising. It was the first time he’d been sent to the New World.
The other two girls ran over to her. Squealing and laughing.
He kept walking. The girls saw him and waved hello as he moved on about his business.
“Come on, Heather. I’ll help you find one.”
Nolan turned to watch the girls help Heather. She was a young lassie, perhaps twelve or thirteen. Several minutes later, the girls rode by him in the contraption and waved as they went by. The little girl didn’t look very happy.
She probably didn’t find her four-leaf clover.
Nolan continued toward town. The plan was to find a woman he would die for. But, since he’d given up, a pint would be nice.
On his way out of town, he saw the little girl again digging around the dirt.
“What’re you doing, lass?”
She quickly stood and backed away a few feet. Nolan immediately felt her tension and stopped walking toward her.
He put both hands out. “I’ll not harm you. Just heading my way back out of town. You looking for a four-leaf clover?”
The little girl nodded.
“I’ll tell you a wee secret to finding one, if you promise not to tell anyone.”
She nodded again.
“Look for the fairy rings. But these rings won’t be barren. They’ll have the colors of Éire in them. The darker the green in the middle, the better it is. Once you find that special fairy ring, you’ll find the magical clover you seek.”
The little girl’s smile lit up her face.
“And don’t forget to make that wish!” Nolan waved and walked on down the road, knowing he’d be back in the dark realm soon enough.
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Have a good moments day,
Pam
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