Moon Fairy.

She ran out of the building with one hand raised, calling a taxi. Inside, she gave the driver directions to the tallest building in the city.

A sneeze she didn’t expect forced her wings out, sending dust all over the back seat.

She pulled them in before the driver noticed and nervously scooped the dust into her purse, trying to act normal. Neon signs reflected off the rain bouncing against the window.

She traced a finger along the glass. Light followed it, forming a stick figure that began to run inside the taxi, jumping over garbage bins and tables as the car passed them.

When they reached the building, she reached into her purse and blew on the bills so no dust would cling to them, then paid the driver.

At the door stood a tall figure wearing a long black leather trench coat.

“Follow me,” she said.

They walked down a hallway lit by flickering lights and reached a staircase.

“Show me,” said the woman in the trench coat.

She understood. She pulled out one wing to reveal it. At the same time, the woman did the same.

After that, her attitude shifted completely. She became warmer.

“You’re the only moon fairy left in the city,” the woman said as they stepped into the elevator.

“Yeah. I don’t really do this anymore,” she replied as bland elevator music played. “I can barely remember the last time. It takes a lot of energy to make the spell work. I’m drained for days afterward.”

“It’ll be quick, I promise. One barrel of essence should be enough. I’ll pay double for a full moon,” the woman said as the elevator doors opened.

The building was still under construction—or at least heavily renovated. They walked through a hallway and up another staircase to the rooftop.

The rain had stopped, but puddles covered the surface and the wind was strong. The woman knelt beside one puddle and rolled it up from the ground. As it gathered in her hands like a mat, she froze it and shaped it into a barrel.

“This much should do,” she said, handing her the frozen container.

She searched for the right spot and found a dry patch between three puddles. She hopped onto it and set the barrel down. Removing her jacket to free her wings, she slowly extended them.

Moonlight reflected off her wings as she began to move them, sparkling like diamonds.

She focused and lifted off the ground, eyes closed. Raising her hands, she pressed her wrists together, cupping the moon between them.

As she did, the moon’s reflection in every puddle rose upward until they hovered level with her hands.

One minute before midnight, her wings moved so fast they appeared frozen in place—static—reflecting not just the moon but every reflection pulled from the puddles below.

When the clock struck midnight, a bright white, lava-like liquid poured from her hands and slowly filled the frozen barrel.

The tall fairy shielded her eyes—it was almost too bright to watch—but waited as the barrel filled.

When it was full, she opened her eyes and touched the ground. Dizzy, she knelt and reached for the barrel.

The floating moon reflections fell back into the puddles like droplets of water.

She sealed the barrel. The woman stepped forward and took it from her hands.

“Thanks,” she said.

Then, with a single glance, she froze her wings and shoved her off the roof.

Wind tore across her face as she fell, wings locked in place. With the last of her strength, she cast a spell.

A white rope shot from her hip and wrapped itself around the moon, stopping her fall seconds before the ground.

She collapsed onto the sidewalk, exhausted, landing beside a homeless man shaking a cup for change.

“Hey,” she nodded.

He stared at her, confused, still rattling the cup.

Sitting there, she cursed herself.

“I knew it was a trap,” she muttered, smacking her forehead with her palm.

She struggled to her feet and called another taxi.

As she climbed inside, it began to rain again.

This time, she let the neon signs pass without drawing anything at all.