The Rainforest Fairy Remains
Specimen Name: Fata Arcanum (Common Faerie)
Date & Location: May 12, 1932 — Brocéliande Forest, Brittany, France
Field Journal Entry:
Today I unearthed the body of what appears to be a fairy, nestled within a shallow cave, half-hidden beneath a limestone overhang. The soil was damp and thick with the scent of moss and rot; yet the creature’s body, despite evident desiccation, retained a disturbing semblance of life. It lay upon its back, skeletal arms folded neatly over a frail chest, as if placed there purposefully — perhaps as part of a ritual burial.
The wings, though brittle and partly frayed, still shimmer faintly with a carmine iridescence when caught in the light. The skin is parchment-thin and gray, clinging tightly to the delicate bones, giving the impression of a creature frozen mid-slumber — or mid-scream. No hair remains on the scalp, and the ears terminate in sharp points, lending it a distinctly inhuman profile. Its five-fingered hands are clenched as though grasping something that was never recovered.
By my measurements, the specimen stands approximately 23 cm tall, with wings spanning nearly 17 cm. The chest cavity is shallow, no more than 3 cm at its deepest point. A faint residue of fine, black dust coated its feet and lower legs — perhaps remnants of its natural habitat, or something more sinister.
There is a peculiar stillness about it, an oppressive silence that settles upon the air when the glass case is opened, as though the creature draws the room into its own quiet grave. Some have speculated it died in sleep; others whisper it was caught in the throes of some ancient curse.
Who placed it there, and why it has endured so intact, remains a mystery. Yet one wonders: if this is but one, how many others lie hidden in the earth, waiting to be found — or to awaken?
Notes & Sketches:
Wings: translucent, veined like a dragonfly, reddish hue.
Head: elongated cranium, hollow eyes, no discernible pupils.
Hands: five digits, nails sharp and slightly curved.
Ears: exaggerated points.
No visible genitalia.
Caution: Prolonged handling of the specimen has been reported to induce vivid dreams of forests and faint whispers in dead languages. Recommend minimal exposure.
