A Place Beyond The Map

by Samuel Thews

  Phinnegan stumbled forward several feet, coming ever closer to the gaping mouth in the darkness. When his steps finally brought him to the edge, and he crossed into this darkness, the rain stopped. The air here was warm, and an odor assailed him, though it was neither pleasant nor foul, only the heavy scent of fertile earth.

  Wiping the water from his face and pushing his hair back, Phinnegan turned around. Only just behind him, the rain continued to fall and splash in newborn puddles. He could just make out the rough, rocky outline of the great gaping mouth that had been visible in the darkness. He was in a cave.

  It was not a large cave, but the ceiling was tall enough for him to stand. The entry way was narrow so that his outstretched arms allowed his fingertips to graze both walls, but this throat widened into the belly of the cave, which was large enough for several people.

  Though he was now out of the rain, Phinnegan was still cold and wet, not to mention hungry. He was also exhausted, which dampened his hunger. One glance into the downpour outside of the cave was enough to resign him to bed without supper.

  He moved towards one corner of the cave, but just at the edge of his vision, he spied a small speck of light blinking furiously in the opposite corner. Something pulled him to this speck, but when he reached the corner, the speck was gone. The corner itself was extremely warm. The rock was almost too hot to touch.

  Phinnegan pressed his back against the wall and began to lower himself down to the ground. When he placed his hand on the ground to brace himself, his fingers touched a pile of small, round objects. At first, he took them to be rocks, but a handful and a quick trip to the mouth of the cave showed them to be nuts. Nuts! Pecans and walnuts, chestnuts and acorns, as well as others he did not recognize. Upon his return to the corner, he found more than several pockets would hold.

  A nearby rock serving as a nutcracker, Phinnegan ate nut after nut, smiling to himself that he should have such luck to find this cave with so warm a corner and such a lovely dinner.

  When the last nut had been cracked, and Phinnegan’s stomach was full to bursting, he lay down and curled himself tightly into a ball amongst the scatterings of shells. Within moments, he was fast asleep.

  Phinnegan awoke with a jolt. He rolled his head from side to side, checking the area around him, but no one was there. From where he lay, the morning light was just visible, creeping in through the mouth of the cave.

  He pushed himself to a seated position and stretched his arms high overhead with a yawn. His stomach rumbled but when he searched the floor around him, there was nothing but shells.

  As he pushed himself to his feet, Phinnegan leaned close to one wall of the corner. On this wall there was a cleft in the rock, a little ledge, no bigger than would hold an apple. While there was something on this ledge, it was no apple, nor anything of the sort. There was, instead, a woman. No taller than a man’s finger is long and as slender and lithe as a willow branch, she had been sitting with her knees pulled to her chest, but now bounded to her feet when Phinnegan’s eyes fell upon her.

  “Good morning!” she chirped in a voice that was small without being meek.

  Phinnegan, his eyes wide, was speechless. The little woman cocked her head to one side, staring back into his wide eyes. Her skin was fair and her hair hung long and straight just past her waist, its auburn color the most natural that Phinnegan had seen in this world. But she was more than just a tiny woman. There, folded upon themselves, and sticking up just behind each shoulder, were wings. As translucent as the wings of a bee, but with a tint of orange, they seemed to sprout from her back.

  But as odd as these wings were, Phinnegan did not look at them, nor did he look at her beautiful face. He stared at her feet, the red in his cheeks deepening.

  She was, of course, as pixies tend to be, almost entirely naked.

  “Hello?” she chirped again. “I said ‘Good Morning’.” Had Phinnegan looked at her face, he would have seen that delicate brow furrow as she placed her hands upon her hips. “It is very rude not to return a greeting. Didn’t your mother teach you manners?”

  “Ummm…good morning,” he said, keeping his eyes on her feet. The pixie nodded satisfactorily.

  “That will have to do, although you could speak more clearly. It is very hard for my tiny ears to understand you.” Phinnegan only nodded, continuing to stare at her feet.

  “Why are you looking at my feet?” she cried, her voice rising in alarm. “Are they dirty? Do I have mud on them?” Pixies are of course very particular about cleanliness, and this one was no different. She turned each foot around, and bent it back and forth, scrutinizing every spot until she was satisfied. But she remained puzzled, for Phinnegan continued to stare at her feet.

  “What are you looking at?”

  “Nothing…it’s just that…well…”

  “Well what? And I told you about speaking clearly,” she scolded.

  “Well…” he began, his cheeks darkening further. “You’re naked.”

  The little creature’s lips parted in confusion as she cocked her head to one side.

  “So?”

  “Umm…well I’ve never, you know…” he stammered at first, but then found his voice. “Shouldn’t you be wearing clothes?” She shook her head.

  “I don’t have any.”

  “Oh.”

  Anyone could see that Phinnegan was quite uncomfortable, including the pixie. She looked around the ledge for a moment before finding what she needed. After a few quick movements, she stood proudly before Phinnegan.

  “There, all better.”

  Phinnegan slowly raised his head. She had indeed covered herself, although just barely. Here long hair now draped in front of her shoulders, concealing her breasts. About her waist, a small ivy leaf hung precariously.

  He looked to her face and found that the pixie smiled at him sweetly.

  “Did you sleep well?” she asked.

  “Yes…actually,” he replied, his voice bearing an edge of surprise.

  “Good. I could have led you elsewhere to something more comfortable than stone, but this cave was so near I thought it would do.

  “What? You led me here? I don’t remember that.”

  “Well what do you remember?”

  “I remember,” he began, squinting as he tried to remember the previous night. “I remember walking through the rain, though my memory is kind of foggy…”

  “Quite natural, really. What else do you remember?”

  “Well…not much else about the walk. Just that it was dreadfully long and cold. Then I came here, and it was dry and warm and I found a pile of nuts just there,” he said, pointing to the ground around him. “And then I fell asleep.”

  “Nothing else?” she asked, leaning forward on her toes. Phinnegan appeared to think for a moment, but then shook his head.

  “No, sorry.”

  The pixie frowned, and her shoulders sagged. She sat down on the ledge, her legs dangling off the end.

  “I thought you might have seen me,” she said with a heavy sigh. “No one ever notices me.”

  “Oh, well, I think I would have remembered if I had seen you.”

  “Really? Why?”

  “Ummm…well you’re very pretty. I think I would have remembered that.” She laughed lightly like the song of a bird.

  “Thank you.” But her smile faded and she swung her legs restlessly.

  “But I was there. No one ever notices poor Mariella.”

  “Mariella? Is that your name?” When she nodded, Phinnegan quickly added, “It’s a very pretty name. I’ve never heard it before.” The little creature shrugged.

  “It’s pretty common where I come from.”

  “My name is Phinnegan. Phinnegan Qwyk.”

  “Nice to meet you,” the pixie said, her voice hollow and distant.

  The two remained in silence for some time, the pixie swinging her legs over the ledge, her chin resting in her hand, while Phinnegan racked his brain for his memories of the previous night. />
  “I’m sorry,” he said at last, shaking his head. “ I don’t remember much about last night. I remember the cold, the rain, the walk through the forest, and this cave.” After a moment, he added, “And then there were those little fireflies.”

  “Little what?” she asked, her head rising.

  “Fireflies. I saw several last night. Little bugs that light up at night. They were everywhere.”

  With a broad smile, the little woman jumped to her feet and unfolded her wings, which fluttered gracefully, lifting her so that her pointed toes were an inch off the ground.

  “So you did see me!” She exclaimed, he lips parting in a grin.

  “That was you?” Phinnegan gasped. “You mean you can light up like that in the dark?” Her head bobbed with enthusiasm.

  “Yes of course, all pixies can. It’s much easier for us to lead that way.”

  “Lead,” Phinnegan said, a puzzled look on his face. “What do you mean?”

  “Why, I led you here, of course.” She put her hands on her hips. “How do you think you found this cave so easily in the dark, much less a horrible storm?”

  “I hadn’t thought about it, really. Everything was a bit hazy.” The pixie nodded quickly.

  “Yes, yes. That was just the enchantment.”

  “Enchantment,” Phinnegan mumbled to himself.

  “Yes, doesn’t harm you of course.”

  Now Phinnegan had heard many stories in his twelve years, and a few had been about what the elders in his town called “the little people.” More than once, he had heard a tale of some relative or another who had been led astray by a pixie into some bog or a briar patch. They called it being ‘pixy-led’ and said that the little people cast a spell on their quarry so that they would follow them, seemingly of their own accord.

  Still others spoke of “the little people” as helpful, crediting them with a house that was magically cleaned while they slept or some other chore that was left undone the night before but miraculously finished in the morning.

  There were also stories about a peculiar trait of the pixies. They were quite immodest and more often than not, went entirely naked, with exceptions being made for the odd scrap of ribbon or lace, or some other finery that had been given to them, as they were very keen on gifts. There were even reports of a pixie spotted wearing a shiny silver button as a hat. Unfortunately for all their fondness for pretty things, they possessed an uncanny lack of fashion sense.

  Phinnegan was very grateful that this pixie had seen fit to lead him to safety instead of to trouble, and thought to give her a gift. But he had no ribbon nor lace, or anything so fine. But he did have a silken handkerchief. He plunged both hands into the pockets of his trousers, and after a moment was able to locate the handkerchief. He was confident that he had not had occasion to use it since his mother had last washed it.

  “Umm…for you,” he said, pulling it from his pocket and presenting it to the little woman with a flourish. “Thanks for bringing me here.”

  The little pixie’s eyes widened and she took the handkerchief, which was more like a blanket for her, from Phinnegan.

  “For…me?” She asked, her voice a small whisper.

  “Yes…it’s not much, but –“

  “Why, it’s beautiful!”

  “Well, I’m glad you like it.”

  “Like it,” she said, her eyes fixed on her gift. “I love it!” She held the handkerchief at arm’s length and cocked her head to one side. “Now, how to wear it?” She stood for a moment, looking intently at the handkerchief, the tongue peeking from the corner of her mouth.

  “Aha!” she exclaimed as she leapt from the ledge. She moved in a blur for more than a minute, and when she stopped the silken handkerchief was wrapped around her body much like a toga.

  “Oh, it is so beautiful! And so soft! Thank you so very much,” she said, looking down to admire her new outfit. “Just wait until the others see this,” she muttered softly.

  “You’re welcome…and what others? Do you mean other pixies?” Phinnegan peered around the cave, presumably looking for other small people flying about.

  “Well, they’re not around here silly. We’re quite far away from our little vale.” She wrinkled her nose as she surveyed the barren rock walls of the cave. “This place has its charm, I suppose, but it is not a place a pixie would call home.” Suddenly, as if she had just remembered something, she flew to the edge of the cave and looked outside.

  “Oh my! It is getting quite late. I have been gone for far too long. I must get home.” Without a glance back, she flew out of the cave.

  “Wait!” Phinnegan managed to cry out as he pushed himself to his feet and raced to catch the pixie. He found her just outside the cage, hovering in line with his eyes.

  “Yes?”

  “M-may I come with you?”

  “Come with me?!” she questioned shrilly. “Completely out of the question. No one is allowed in our vale!”

  “But…I don’t have anywhere to go. I have no one.”

  “Why don’t you go home?”

  “I can’t…I don’t know the way. The Faë were supposed to help me but-“

  “What?” she asked sharply, fluttering closer to his face. “You’re not Faë?” She hovered about him for a few moments, darting to check his ears, his hair and his eyes.

  “No…I suppose you’re not. You are far too dull. No offense,” she added with a small smile. “So you’re a human then?”

  “Yes. Does that mean you will take me with you?”

  The pixie was silent for a moment, but at last shook her head.

  “I’m sorry, I cannot help you.” She bowed quickly and then sped off.

  “Mariella! Wait, please!” Phinnegan called out as he ran to follow her. But he did not get far before his foot caught on the root of a tree, and he was thrown forward. He fell flat on his face, inhaling a mouth full of crushed leaves.

  When he lifted his head, sputtering the leaves from his mouth, the pixie had returned and hovered just above the ground in front of him.

  “Where did you get that?” she asked quietly, her face ashen and her eyes transfixed on his chest.

  “What?” Phinnegan managed, brushing the debris from his face. The pixie fluttered closer and landed lightly on the ground just beneath his head.

  “That,” she said, pointing to something just beneath him. Phinnegan followed her finger and saw that she pointed at his pocket, or rather, to something small and shiny that had been coughed up by said pocket when he had fallen. He pushed himself to his knees and picked up the small object.

  He held his hand out in front of him and peered at the object. It was a small coin, smaller than a penny, tarnished silver, and with a strange character imprinted on the visible side.

  “This?” he asked. The pixie sprang up from the ground and landed lightly in his hand. She bent down and traced the character on the coin with her hand.

  “How…” she began in a whisper, but stopped, and then looked up into Phinnegan’s eyes.

  “You will need to be blinded, and you cannot ask any questions.”

  “What?” Phinnegan said in alarm.

  “I said you must agree to be blinded. It is the only way I can bring you with me.”

  “But –“, he began, but she raised a hand to silence him.

  “You have displayed the Mark. You must not speak another word.”

  “I don’t under-“

  “Please. Will you consent? It is an enchantment, nothing more. The blindness will not be permanent. If you will not, I cannot take you with me.”

  Phinnegan sat on his knees, staring at this little pixie, who had returned her gaze to the silver coin in his palm. Where did that come from?

  After a minute or more in silence, he finally nodded.

  “All right, I agree.” She fluttered up from his hand, hovering just in front of his face.

  “Do not worry, I will lead you.”

  Phinnegan gasped when she blinded him, but befor
e he could come to grips with this new sensation, the same haze of the night before settled itself upon his mind and he felt himself stand and begin to walk.

  CHAPTER 19

  An Ancient Token

  They travelled for what seemed like hours, the sun warm upon his back, but it was hard for Phinnegan to guess time with his mind in such a fog. The daze he was in felt much stronger this time, perhaps it was because he was also blind. He could not keep his mind from replaying the events of the previous day. The castle, the stone, Howard. When he thought of Howard, he nearly fell, his feet stumbling over something in his path. But after that, the fog lifted slightly, and he felt much as he had the night before.

  They stopped twice on their journey, for Phinnegan to rest and eat. The pixie guided him to some berries and nuts that grew from the surrounding bushes and to a cool stream for him to have a drink.

  When he realized that the heat of the sun was no longer upon his back, he strained his ears for sounds of his surroundings. Mariella’s charm still blinding him, his hearing served to orient him. First he heard the sound of his feet, echoing about him. Then there was the constant sound of dripping water seemingly coming from all directions. He guessed they were inside another cave, or some other type of passage.

  “Almost there,” Mariella muttered.

  They walked awhile longer, together but each alone. Soon enough, he felt himself stop moving, and the haze began to lift from his mind.

  “Wait here. I will ask permission to bring you in,” she said, and then fluttered away before Phinnegan was able to ask any questions. Still blind, he stumbled around but eventually found his way to the ground awkwardly and sat down.

  He listened intently in the darkness. At first, he heard only the dripping of the water, but then he heard the quiet echo of tiny voices. One was Mariella’s, of that he was certain. The other was of similar pitch and smoothness, and he reasoned it must be another pixie.