THE BRACELET
The charm is someplace warm
Sheltered from the sun
Fierce as feathers,
soft as stone
A treasure to be won
Black as soot, the huge black crows painted a grimy mirage in the sky as they circled high above, eyeing their prey. Oblivious, Ali stared at the mammoth rainbow directly in front of her. Only moments ago, she walked along the beach looking at a clear blue sky, but now the most amazing rainbow filled her entire view. She curled her toes in the sand and stared. Then she took a deep breath and stepped toward it, the ocean waves lapping at her feet.
In the dunes directly behind Ali, a tiny black kitten batted at a butterfly perched on a bright pink flowered ice plant.
Eerily quiet, the crows began to spiral slowly down.
As Ali took another step into the water, the butterfly lifted off the flower. The kitten leapt for it but missed, and ended up sprawled in the sand.
Steadily, ominously, the crows circled lower and lower.
Ali took another step.
The kitten, sensing danger, mewed, his unusual golden eyes flashing
fearfully.
The sound of mewing broke Ali’s concentration. Just as she turned to
see the source, six crows, their inky-black wings flashing in the sun, dove straight down.
Not knowing if the crows were after her or the kitten, Ali raced across the sand and grabbed the frightened animal seconds before the birds attacked.
“Caw!” screamed the crows in their displeasure, pecking savagely at the top of Ali’s head.
Ali screamed, hugged the kitten to her chest and raced back toward the water, away from the crows, but they were relentless. In vain she tried to cover her head with her free hand. Blood trickled down her forehead and into her eyes. Panicking, she attempted to run, but slipped and fell backward into the water, hitting her head on a rock and sliding into blackness. The crows “cawed” their victory and closed in for the kill.
“Dear, dear, this will not do at all,” said the man, appearing at the ocean’s edge.
He waved his cane at the crows. “Go away you despicable birds! You wretched assassins will work for anyone.”
He waved his cane again. The crows “cawed” their displeasure but flew away, one leaving a deposit on the crown of his top hat.
The man “harrumphed” then dropped his cane, waded into the water, put his large dark hands underneath Ali’s armpits, and pulled her out of the water.
“Ah, dear one, it is fortunate that she did not venture farther into the water,” he said, as he attempted to free the shivering kitten from Ali’s shoulder where its tiny claws were holding fast.
“Meow!”
“Now, now settle down. You will be perfectly fine, as will Miss Alexandra soon enough.”
The man retrieved his cane then knelt beside Ali. He removed a white silk handkerchief from his breast pocket and gently dabbed at the blood on her forehead.
When Ali’s eyes fluttered open, the man, with skin the color of walnuts and eyes to match, filled her vision. Ali’s eyes widened and she shrank back in alarm. She opened her mouth to scream but fear wrapped around her vocal cords.
“It is all right. You need not be afraid,” said the man, patting her shoulder.
“Who...who are you?” she asked, eyes darting from left to right.
“My name is Mr. Lucian, at your service. I would bow if our conditions were a bit more...accommodating.”
Bow? thought Ali. Does anybody bow anymore?
“Are you able to sit up, my dear?” he asked.
“I-I think so,” she said, pushing her wet hair out of her face.
Tentatively Ali sat up, and when she did she saw that Mr. Lucian wore a
waist coat under a coat with tails, and a high collared shirt tied at the neck with a large bow tie.
“Are you going to a costume party?” asked Ali, rubbing the back of her head.
The man chuckled. “No, I am just visiting.”
“Where’re you from?”
Mr. Lucian merely waved his cane toward the rainbow.
“Th...thank you for saving me,” she said, her voice shaking slightly.
“You are most welcome,” he said, bowing his head.
Mr. Lucian smiled. The warm glow emanating from his walnut-brown eyes helped Ali begin to relax.
“Would you mind if I asked something of you?” he said.
“What?” she asked, suddenly nervous again.
“Nothing too demanding,” he said, his eyes twinkling. “Your
grandmother will be here shortly. She has seen the crows and become alarmed by your long absence from the campsite.”
Ali turned to look down the beach toward their campsite, but there was no sign of Gram.
“But how do you know that...and how do you know Gram?” asked Ali.
Ignoring her questions, Mr. Lucian continued. “First, I would ask you to send her my greetings. Second, she will be telling you a story of something that happened to her long ago, when she was about your age, I believe. I ask only that you try to listen with an open mind.”
“But...”
“Now, let us see if you can stand.”
He helped Ali to her feet and handed the kitten back to her. Then, with a
“humph,” he brushed the bird droppings off the crown of his hat and put it on.
“Ali!”
Ali turned to see her grandmother racing toward her, waving her arms. “Oh my gosh, you were right! There’s Gram, Mr. Lucian. You’ll be able
to greet her yourself.”
But there was no response and when Ali turned back around...no one
was there. Ali stared dumbfounded at the spot where Mr. Lucian had just stood.
When Ali’s grandmother reached her, she bent over, gasping for breath, hands on her knees. “Ali, are you alright?” she gushed. “I saw all those
crows and thought...you’re bleeding. Are you all right? What happened? Where’d the cat come from?”
“I was staring at the rainbow.”
“What rainbow?” asked Gram.
“The one that’s right...”
Ali turned to point to the rainbow only to see a clear blue sky. “There,” she whispered.
Gram’s face clouded. “Go on.”
“I heard the kitten meowing, and when I turned to see where it was coming from some crows started to attack it or me, I’m not sure which.”
“Crows attacking? That’s strange. Crows don’t usually behave like that.”
“I know. It was weird and really scary, but a nice man saved us.” “A man?” said Gram, peering over Ali’s shoulder.
“Yeah. He acted like he knew you...but he wouldn’t tell me how.” “Did...did he give you his name?” asked Gram slowly.
“Mr. Lucian.”
Gram’s face lost all its color. “What? Who?”
“Mr. Lucian. He was nice but kind of weird too, and he dressed funny.” “Dressed funny? How so?”
“He wore a top hat and a coat with tails and...”
A smile played at the corners of Gram’s mouth.
“Like I said, he acted like he knew you,” continued Ali. “He asked me
to send you his greetings. I saw you, and told him he could tell you himself except he...had...”
“Disappeared?”
“Yes! How did you know?”
Gram answered with a shrewd, knowing grin. “Did he say anything
else?”
“He said that you had a story to tell me.”
“Ah, well first we need to get you cleaned up and into some dry clothes, so let’s get back to the campsite.”
Ali didn’t move. “Gram? Do you think I could keep the kitten?”
Ali’s grandmother looked at the tiny black kitten and back at Ali’s hopeful eyes.
“Well, I don’t see anyone else around. You can keep it for now, but you’ll have to be prepared to part with it if anyone comes looking for it.”
“Okay,” said Ali, kissing the top of the kitten’s head. The kitten purred and nestled into Ali’s embrace.
After Ali changed her clothes and Gram tended to her wounds, Gram had Ali take the kitten and sit by the campfire. Since both Ali and Gram lived in the city, several hours away, it was always a special treat when they got to come here. It was the perfect spot for Gram to tell Ali what she needed to tell her. But for now, Gram tucked those thoughts away and started to make the dinner of hot dogs and baked potatoes.
After dinner Gram put more sticks on the fire so they could roast marshmallows. She blew on them until they caught. Then she leaned back, buttoned her sweater, then unbuttoned it again, untied her shoe laces, then tied them again. She pushed her short curly gray hair behind her ears only to have it tumble into her eyes again. Finally, in a small, hesitant voice, she began to tell her story.
“You know how I’ve always said that this was my favorite beach?” Ali nodded. “Mine too.”
“Well, what I’ve never told you is why.”
“Is it because of Mr. Lucian?” asked Ali.
Gram nodded.
“Was he dressed the same way when you saw him?” asked Ali. “Yes, top hat and all.”
“What happened? How did you meet him? Was it a long time ago?”
Gram stared into the fire and smiled. Fine lines sprayed out from around her greenish hazel eyes. She closed them and was silent for what seemed like a long time. Just when Ali started to get restless, Gram opened her eyes and, as though from faraway, spoke.
“It was my birthday. I’d just turned thirteen.”
“Just like me,” said Ali.
“Yep. Just like you,” said Gram.
“I was walking along the beach, not far from here, when I noticed him
sitting on a log. He saw me and patted the place next to him, inviting me to join him.”
“And you did? Just like that?”
Gram chuckled and nodded.
“Yep. I know it sounds crazy, but I did.”
“Then what happened?”
Gram stirred the fire with a stick. “He told me a story.”
“A story? What kind of story?”
Gram took a big breath and exhaled slowly. “A legend, about a charm
bracelet with a missing charm, and the quest to find it.” “So...”
“So, the legend says that whoever can find the missing charm...will be granted one wish.”
“Oh right, like letting a genie out of a bottle,” said Ali, scornfully. “Only then you get three wishes.”
Gram nodded. “I was skeptical too, believe me, but then he said he wanted me to have the bracelet.”
“He did? You mean he actually had the bracelet?
“Yes. He took it out of his pocket. It was a simple charm bracelet, but the charms were made of crystals in the colors of the rainbow: pink, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.”
“Did you take it?”
“At first I said no, but he was persistent and so kind that I finally relented.”
“What happened?”
“As he held it out to me, sunlight reflected off the crystal charms causing a rainbow on the sand. It was beautiful. That bracelet drew me in like a magnet. I couldn’t wait to hold it.”
“What did it feel like?”
“Hard to describe after all this time. All I remember is that it made me feel...tingly.”
“Then what happened?”
Gram smiled. “The most curious thing of all. He took my hands in his, looked deeply into my eyes and said, ‘I hope we will meet again.’ Then he kissed my hands, turned, and started walking back in the direction he had come. I started walking the opposite way, but had gone only a few steps when I realized I hadn’t thanked him for the bracelet. But when I turned around...he wasn’t there.”
“Wasn’t there?”
“No.”
“And you’d taken just a couple of steps?”
“Yep.”
Ali turned and faced her grandmother.
“So...he had...had...just...disappeared?”
“Yep.”
“Wow,” said Ali with a nervous laugh. “Just like today,” she whispered. “Just like today,” echoed Gram.
Ali looked at her grandmother with renewed interest. “Did you ever find
the missing charm?”
Her grandmother sighed and looked down at her hands. When she
looked up, sorrow was etched on her weathered face.
“No, I never did. I actually decided not to go on the quest.”
“Why not?”
“Oh, I don’t know...everything was so different, and I felt so out of place, so...so out of my depth.”
Gram sighed again and clasped her hands between her legs. Her voice cracked as she said, “I just...chickened out.”
“Oh Gram, I’m sorry. What happened to the bracelet?”
Tears slipped down Gram’s weathered cheeks as she stared into the fire. “I gave it back,” she whispered.
“Oh,” said Ali.
“You sound disappointed,” said Gram, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand.
Ali shrugged. “I just thought it would be cool to see what it looked like, that’s all.”
Gram nodded.
Ali watched as her grandmother seemed to move in slow motion taking a marshmallow out of the bag and stabbing it with her stick. Without looking at Ali, Gram placed her stick in the flames, watching intently as the marshmallow slowly turned from white to brown. It wasn’t until she removed it from the flames that she spoke again.
“Ali, I gave that bracelet back and I’ve been sorry my whole life.” She closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip. Her voice quivered as she continued. “I had the chance to experience something magical, or at least different, but I let my fear stop me. Oh, my life’s been happy enough, but who knows what direction my life would have taken if I’d gone on that quest. But I’ll never know. I can only wonder.”
They both stared into the fire and said nothing for a long time. Finally, Gram broke the silence.
“Now, there’s something else I need to share with you. Remember last Christmas when we took that family photo around the Christmas tree?”
“Yeah. It took Dad forever to get the camera set up on the tripod and... and it was right before Mom got sick.”
“Right. Do you remember who was in the photo?”
“Mmmm, Mom, Dad, you and me, Aunt Kay and Uncle Victor.”
“No one else?”
“No. None of my cousins were there; it was kind of boring.”
Gram chuckled. “Yes, I imagine it was.”
Gram finished her marshmallow, licked her fingers, then got up and
walked slowly over to her tent, and disappeared inside. When she returned to the fire she was holding a framed photograph and a small box. Sitting back down she stared at the photo before passing it to Ali.
Glancing at the photo, Ali knew immediately that it was the one from Christmas except—she did a double take.
“Gram...isn’t this Mr. Lucian?”
Gram nodded.
“But isn’t this the same photo that’s been on the mantel at your house?” Gram nodded again.
“I don’t get it. Mr. Lucian wasn’t at your house at Christmas.”
“No, he wasn’t.”
“And I’ve looked at this photo lots of times, and he’s never been in the
picture, right?” “Right.”
A prickle of fear ran down Ali’s spine. “Then when did he...appear in it?” “Right before you came to stay with me.” Ali’s heart lurched against her chest. “How?”
“I don’t know how.”
Ali’s hands trembled as she slowly raised her eyes from the photo to find Gram’s eyes staring into hers.
All of a sudden it got really quiet around their campfire. As the silence stretched into minutes, Ali’s stomach began to churn.
“Gram, what’s going on? What’s this all about?”
“I think it’s about you, Ali. I think you’re supposed to look for the missing charm. Look at the photo again and tell me where Mr. Lucian is looking.”
Ali stared at Mr. Lucian in the photo and there was no doubt, he was looking directly at Ali.
Ali’s chest tightened. “But you gave the bracelet back,” she said, her voice a squeak.
Gram handed the small box to Ali. “Look at the address.” Ali stared at the address then looked up at Gram.
“When did it come?”
“Yesterday.”
“This is...really creepy, Gram.”
“Why don’t you open the box?” said Gram.
“Oh no,” said Ali.
“Ah, go on.”
Ali dragged in a deep breath then let it out slowly. Finally, with fingers
shaking, she tore the plain brown paper off the box. The box itself was white with a rainbow across the top. She looked up at Gram who smiled her encouragement. Ali pulled off the tape securing the sides of the box, opened it, folded back the tissue paper and stared.
“That’s it?” asked Ali.
“That’s it,” said Gram.
Ali took the bracelet out of the box and held it up so that the light from
the campfire sparkled off the crystal charms, then turned and looked at Gram.
“Why don’t you try it on?” said Gram.
Ali started to shake her head, then gulped and held out her arm while her grandmother attached the bracelet.
“I tell you what. There’s a whole lot more I need to tell you about the bracelet and the quest, but why don’t we leave it for now. We’ll talk more about it in the morning.
“Now, how about a name for your kitten?”
Ali sat quietly for a moment, gently stroking the kitten, and asked in her mind, “What should I call you?” Then suddenly she sat up with a grin.
“Do you remember, when I was really little, you gave me a book about a lost kitten?”
Gram chuckled. “Yes, you made me read it to you every time I came to visit.”
“Right. The kitten’s name was Sam. I’d like to name this one Sam too.” “Sounds good to me.”
Ali nodded. They didn’t say any more. She continued to examine the
charms while her grandmother plaited Ali’s auburn waist-length hair into a single, thick, rope-like braid.
Sitting with her arms wrapped around her legs, Ali took in all the glory around her. Under the burnished sky the ocean rocked itself to sleep, its waves dancing their ancient dance. Quiet. Everything was quiet. Sea gulls, too, seemed to sense the moment, for they came without a cry to land with a final lifting of their wings and gaze seaward. With this mesmerizing beauty, Ali could almost forget the reason she was here...almost.
After giving Sam some milk and stuffing herself with roasted marshmallows, Ali climbed into her tent and sat on her sleeping bag. She held up the bracelet and grinned as Sam batted at the charms, then holding him close, she nestled down, and soon they were both deep in sleep.
Ali woke soaked in sweat with Sam frantically licking her face. It was that dream again, that horrible terrifying nightmare...Ali’s mother clawing at her throat, gasping for breath...her father, yelling into the phone... Gram’s car screeching into the driveway...ambulance arriving, siren’s screaming...her mother being carried to the ambulance on a stretcher...Ali begging to go with her...Gram restraining Ali as her father climbs into the ambulance without a backward glance at Ali...Ali watching them go, fists pounding on Gram’s chest.
Ali took a jagged breath and lifted her arm to pet Sam only to discover that a piece of her hair had become tangled in one of the charms of the bracelet. She sat up and with shaking fingers did her best to untangle her hair from the charm. Exhausted she fell back down and fingered the charms. For some reason stroking them calmed her.
“That’s strange. I wonder why just handling the charms makes me feel better.” She sighed. “I’d feel even better if I could stop having that yucky dream over and over.”
Could the bracelet actually be magic? she wondered. Would she really be granted a wish if she found the missing charm? With visions of making her mom well filling her mind, Ali turned on her side and dropped back into sleep.
As Ali slept, a cobwebby silver thread began to wind between her and the bracelet, glistening with jewel-like radiance. An invisible connection between her and the magic of the bracelet. If Ali had opened her eyes just then she wouldn’t have seen it, but it was there.
Gram sat and gazed at the moon as the campfire’s last embers faded. When the moon passed behind a cloud, and the last of the day folded into an indigo silence, she got up and made her way to her tent. She didn’t see the long black feather float down and land on the very spot where Ali had been seated.
