Sweet floral scent tickled her nose and Beliza opened her eyes to a trio of small beings – miniature people dressed in ylang-ylang petals. They were about three inches tall, with long, bluish corn-silk hair and were perched on the rim of her woven crib. They wore enthralled expressions as they gazed at her. A couple more flew in, carrying a dark purple and white orchid she did not recognise. The pair laid the blossom beside her head, cooing to her as they touched her cheeks with light, cool fingers.
Steps from outside startled the beings and, after blowing her a kiss, they flew away just as the door opened. The gasp of the sunburnt old woman with a permanent scowl woke her up.
And brought Beliza back to reality – she was not that infant any more, and she was in the middle of the woods, a
