Glass Maker: A Fairy Tale

Chapter One

Most visitors to the cemetery entered through the wrought-iron front gate. It was a decent enough gate, a little warped from time and worn from weather, but it separated the townspeople from where their dead lay to rest.

In all her visits over the past year, Katherine never once considered that there might be another way into the cemetery. The well-trod path from the center of Lakesedge's town square to the outskirts of the forest knew her steps better than most. Every week, rain or shine, Katherine embarked on the hour-long hike. If her pack was a little heavier than usual with gifts and tokens, then she didn't mind, although her mother watched her leave from the upstairs of their shop with a deep frown.

Not once had her parents made the trek to the town limits to visit their youngest child. Not once had it been discussed.

Today was no different. Katherine left market day in the afternoon, having helped her father break down their extra stall, putting their various wares of blown glass, glass figurines, paperweights, and window panes carefully into hay-filled crates. Her father didn't notice or didn't care that a small figurine of a young girl found its way into the pockets of her dress. Now on the long, steep walk, the clear glass felt cool as her fingers held it. As she always did, Katherine kept her eyes ahead of her, but in her mind, she was mulling over the day.

The lack of substantial sales, the disinterested market-goers, the long hours; it was the same as many days, but today it felt longer. Most of the townsfolk had bought their wares earlier in the week, preparing for the Spring festival by buying small trinkets and glass jewelry. If the earnings were not spent immediately by her father at the town tavern, perhaps it would've been more successful, but after he drank his way through it, there was never much left.

From their stall's place in the square, she could see the small clearing on the mountain and watched it disappear and reappear with the waxing and waning sunlight. Her sister would've loved the sunny day, but there was not much her sister hadn't loved.

Animals, food, sunshine, rain, singing, reading, playing with Katherine. A lump formed in Katherine's throat, and she gripped the glass girl tighter. She didn't know why she kept bringing tokens to her sister. She would bring flowers, glass, snacks, and even read. It was as if she hoped that by pouring all of her grief and love into the tiny glass girl and all the other gifts that came before her, Katherine's love could transform.

Maybe, wherever her sister was, she could feel she was missed. Perhaps, if she put her wishes and hopes into the world, something would take her away to live a life of dreams, and it wouldn't hurt anymore.

Katherine had witnessed no signs that this was the case, but she hadn't stopped trying yet. She walked through the open gate, finding her target with familiar steps. Near the ancient willow tree and framed by its branches, Calla slept forever.

Her flowers from last time had been swept away from the recent wind, but Katherine smiled as she saw eleven glass figures surrounding the stone. It wasn't quite a perfect circle, but each stood strong, having survived winter, wind, and more to still sit where Katherine left them. Sure, the first three had moss growing on their sides, but it felt fitting. They were becoming part of the environment, part of the willow.

She knelt at the tree's base, brushing away fallen leaves and taking a small bouquet of lilies from her pack. She placed them directly in front of the white headstone and pulled the glass girl from her pocket.

Katherine stilled as she did, feeling a tingling in her fingertips. She frowned, looking behind her towards the gate. No one was there.

Why would anyone be? Katherine was always alone here.

She shook her head, batting the feeling away. With a careful hand, she placed the glass girl in the spot between the first and the eleventh figures. For a moment, she admired her handiwork.