Then next morning after breakfast, Katongo bumped into Andrea. Andrea looked at Katongo both happily and seriously.

“Katongo, where have you been?” she asked. “I looked everywhere for you and you were nowhere to be seen. You missed eating cake at my place.”

Katongo gently glided and twirled in mid-air. “Do you really want to know where I was?” she asked with a wink.

“Of course I do. And what is up with all the suspense?”

“Come closer, I’ll whisper it in your ear.”

Andrea flew towards Katongo and gave her her ear.

“I was on earth,” she whispered.

“What!” Andrea exclaimed and widened her eyes. “Are you mad? What if they catch you and you’re exiled?”

“Oh silly Andrea,” she laughed, “that will never happen because I am the sneakiest fairy you’ll ever see.”

“You, sneaky?” she teased. “You can’t even get past a fly.”

“Very funny, Andrea,” she laughed. “But I am sneaky.”

“So tell me about earth. Was it fun and exciting? Or was it plain boring?”

“Earth being boring? You’d have to be insane to think that. Earth was amazing! It is different from our place. Their roads don’t have precious stones; they just have sand and regular stones. They have these strange barking animals called dogs and large shops almost everywhere. I also made two new friends. I cannot fully explain it; you have to see it for yourself.”

“Well, are you going back today?” Andrea asked mischievously.

“Duh, I am so going back.”

“Can I come with you?”

“Sure! I never thought you’d ask.”

“Great, then I’ll come for you at night.”

“Coolness, I can’t wait to return.”

They talked for hours until they both had to go their separate ways. Katongo flew back home into her bedroom where she read a book as she waited for Andrea. Soon it was night-time and still there was no sign of Andrea. Katongo began to nod off on her chair. Suddenly she heard a knock on her window. She quickly woke up and opened it.

“Andrea, I thought you wouldn’t make it!” she said.

“And miss the thrill of a lifetime? Of course I was going to make it. Now hurry up before we get spotted.”

Katongo crawled out of her bedroom window and the two flew silently. When they arrived at the gates, the guards were wide awake. Andrea began to panic.

“What are we going to do? Oh, I should have never agreed to come on this stupid trip.”

“Quit nagging, Andrea. We are fairies remember? We can use our fairy dust to miniaturise and get past the guards.”

“Great thinking, Katongo. Sometimes I forget how smart you are.”

Andrea replied with a smile. They both sprinkled some of their fairy dust on their heads and shrunk to midget size. They silently flew past the guards. When it was safe, they maximised and flew down to the abandoned building. And just like before, their wings disappeared when their feet touched the ground.

***

Tell us: Do you think it was a good idea for Andrea to join Katongo on earth?