Nature’s Prestidigitations
[Author's Note: This story was written for the Geauga Park District's 24th Annual Nature Writing Contest. It received first place.] Jim carried Violet on his shoulders as they walked toward the forest. She was getting bigger, and soon the fairytales would be nothing more than stories. Soon, the magic of nature would be revealed merely as sleight of hand. "What do you hope to see today?" he asked her. "I want to see squirrels," she said. "We have squirrels in our backyard," he said. "I like these squirrels better," she said. "What about you?" "I like the pond," he said. "Sometimes you see a turtle." "Do you think we'll see a fairy?" she asked. Jim shrugged. "They're hard to see. They might not even be in this forest." "Oh," she said. "We'll still see a squirrel, right?" "We'll try," he said. They went deeper into the woods