Myths by Maddie

Ring Around the Rosie*

*Based off of the myth that humans who entered fairy circles would be forced to dance until they went mad.

"Do it, you won't!" hollered Iris from across the field.
"No, Avery, don't. This is a very bad idea." Phoebe responded. There was panic evident in her voice.

If there is one thing to know about me, it's that I never turn down a dare. The moment we saw the circle of mushrooms, Iris told me to check it out.

"I hate you, Iris," Phoebe commented in her general direction, "and I think you're an idiot of colossal proportions." Then, raising her voice and turning to me, she yelled, "Avery, I also think you're an idiot. Get back here!"

I didn't. I stepped into the circle.

Everything shifted. Suddenly, I was surrounded by pixie-like creatures, all dancing around the mushrooms. I could see Phoebe and Iris, but I couldn't make out what they were saying.

Then, the fairies noticed me. They called to me in sweet, melodic voices. They begged me to join their dance. The call was so alluring, so irresistible, that I obliged.

We danced for a long time. It could have been minutes or years. All I knew was that I never wanted to stop. I felt everything outside of our circle slow. I felt my sanity begin to slip away.

At long last, and all too soon, our dance was over. The sun was still overhead, and my friends hadn't moved.
I walked over to them, listing side to side.

They started to speak over one another. "Oh My Go-Are you okay-Avery what happened!?"

"Fairy circles, fairy rings. Dangerous, magical, madd'ning things," I responded, a musical lilt to my voice.

I walked past the pair, humming under my breath. It might have been a lullaby.