Hazel

• Davina Leabon, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2019

For my seventh birthday, I received numerous gifts nonetheless, none more special than Adwin. She had black feathers as soft as down eyes of blue and gold and a scarlet crest of feathers on her great head. At first she I kept her in her cage staring mournfully out of the bars and crying out for freedom. After a few weeks I decided to let Adwin free. As soon as I opened the icy steel door Adwin swooped out and landed on my desk, then something remarkable happened smoke appeared to pour from Adwin’s head until it reformed into the shape of a blue ghostly young woman.
“Hello” she said, “My names Hazel and I’m a spirit” she said then smiled at the look of bewilderment on my face, “You’re probably wondering why I’m here, I’m here to teach you art. My duty has long been, to be spirits of the world greatest artists friends to learn for a great artist in the making” she studied me more closely I could now see her olive skin, hazel eyes, soft black hair, and golden jewellery “You” she continued “Must be the great artist in the making for as the riddle goes you’ll reach the artist as an animal with eyes of blue and gold”
“Do you have a kingdom of spirits, if so are they like”? I asked finally finding my voice.
“Some of us spirits feel they're destined for greatness, others do rightly as our mother the spirit of the earth wishes”
For years since then Hazel has taught me art each afternoon no matter what. Some of her skills were beyond imaginable, but most importantly of all, she made each lesson seem like a game rather than a chore.
The older I became, the more important painting became I did it all through high school and it earned me a scholarship to university. I kept Adwin the entire time. The week before my final exam at university Adwin became extremely ill and the afternoon before the exam Hazel summoned me.
“I fear Adwin’s days are numbered, I can no longer stay as her spirit do you understand” she whispered
“So you’re abandoning me just before my final exam”
“No, while I’m leaving you I‘m not abandoning you’ve all of my knowledge inside you, you need me no longer”
That night we stayed with Adwin as her eyes grew dull and closed as her heart slowed as she became loose and floppy in my arms as smoke poured from Adwin’s chest, as a great golden bird, Adwin’s soul, flew out of the smoke and into the heavens. I watched as with a last tearful glance back and a flash of cyan Hazel my greatest friend faded away to nothing.
Of course I didn’t need Hazel for my final exam I passed it with flying colours. Now as an accomplished artist occasionally I hear her voice in the wind and sometimes there’s a young woman in the smoke of my fire.