A Childhood Filled With Love

[Helga Zimmermann]

"Stay right here alright Helga?" "And don't make a sound understand?" "You like our games don't you?" Elfi, Elke, and Elli whispered to the young child as they crouched down to speak with her, their hair melding into on impossibly radiant aura of spun gold as their cheeks pressed against one another. Helga who would proudly hold up two fingers at any given moment to announce her age nodded at them a smile on her face. She loved her sisters dearly especially the way the always spoke in questions, and especially their games which always involved hiding of flying or disappearing. She also especially loved their songs and lullabies all made up for her and especially the way their emerald eyes were glittering at her as she sat in the hollow of a pine tree.

"You'll only come out when we say, won't you?" "And never tell Papi where we put you, right?" "And you won't be scared because it's dark, will you?" They nearly sang to the girl. For a moment Helga was unsure about whether she should nod or shake her head. Her brows scrunched together as she pondered, finally she came up with the most brilliant answer of them all, sure it would amaze as it always seemed to.

"Two!" she said nodding confidently as she held up her fingers. Her sisters squealed and clapped and hugged Helga making her feel very proud indeed.

After a few kisses, slobbery on Helga's end the sisters stood and whispering golden words that encased the tree caused it to close up on the girl. A little frightened at first Helga wanted to scream, but knew they wouldn't clap or squeal or hug her if she did, it would make them sad. So she pulled her knees to her chest and waited, and waited and waited. After what seemed like more time then it took for Papi to make dinner she heard someone call her name. Crawling towards where the opening had been she listened. "Helga?" Papi called.

"Two!" the toddler replied happily before remembering what her sisters had said. Sitting she waited some more and then she heard it, the thump, thump, thump of Papi's big boots as he walked. Thump thump, thud, thud, thud, thud, boom, boom, boom! Helga nearly cried out she she heard him coming closer. Soon he was right outside her tree! Helga covered her giggling mouth hoping not to spoil the game.

"Helga!" he called again his voice filling the hollow and ringing in her ears. After moment she could hear his feet moving away, boom, boom, boom, boom, thud, thud, thud, thump... Her smile growing wider she wondered what she was meant to do now, and how long until the game was over. She wanted to call out and ask Essass her collective name for the golden haired wood sprites who always caused the trouble, but afraid to hurt their feeling she remained silent, and waited, and waited, and waited...

Soon Helga was running through a field of poses and daisies chasing butterflies whose wings changed color and sparkled in the light, she was so happy! Then a sound caught her ear, a slight crackling sound and a sharp light caught her eye. Helga blinked and found herself look up at Papi's warm yet worried face, his beard seemed a flame in the light of the lantern. "There she is!" he called softly one large hand filling the space left in the tree as he scooped her up. "There's my tiny little nugget!" he cooed as her cradled her.

As they walked back home Helga thought she heard him saying harsh words to her sisters but couldn't be quite sure as her mind had begun to grow fuzzy and clouded with sleep once more. When they reached home Papi delicately changed her clothing the way one did with a porcelain doll. Then, lying in bed he placed her atop his chest one great hand acting as a blanket as the rhythmic beat of his heart, rolling motion of his breathing, and comforting hog like snore lulled her into a deep and peaceful sleep.