Midnight Fairytale

7: Magical Oreos Under the Stars

When I break down crying behind the wheel on the highway, Ben convinces me to pull over and let him drive me home. “First time?” he asks,...

6: A New Morning

I jump out of bed so fast I trip over my own feet and almost fall on my face. I run into the bathroom, pull off my pajama top and stare...

5: Midnight

After a mostly good day at school, and an excellent afternoon walking along the river with friends, new and old, I arrive home about six...

4: A Sense of Danger

I awaken, after a nice dream of my mom, to the cold dimness of another early morning without her. Being in the living room is a bit...

3: The Waterfall Outside the Window

Dad is very unhappy that I’ve used all the hot water. He complains at my door for a couple minutes before he stops, knocks again, and...

2: A Creeping Sickness

I’m crying with relief, but also for the loss of never having this moment with my mom. I shouldn’t have doubted her. And I shouldn’t have...

1: Mountaintop Secrets

Mom and I hiked a lot, just the two of us, when I was younger and she was alive. Every sunny weekend we made sandwiches, consulted maps,...

Prologue

Every night for weeks, I’ve had the same dream. Deep in a mountain valley, at the base of a waterfall, I’m standing covered in moss....