The Little Match Girl

I sit down heavily next to the young Lyra, who has changed into the few clothes we managed to find for her. Her drenched pink and green winter jacket is hung out above the fire, where it shows little sign of thawing. I place another blanket around her and rub her shoulders. Although her black hair is already dry, her skin is still pale after her prolonged dip under the ice. To say she was lucky we were passing by would be an understatement. Judging by the tracks on the frozen lake, it was probably the many sleds passing by that had weakened the ice layer. It was only a matter of time before it gave way. I notice that she hasn't touched her hot chocolate, and that little tears are forming in the corners of her eyes. She must still be traumatized after what she just went through. And for good reason. The little one was very close to tragedy.

Marmo barks next to me and whines in my mind. Yes, yes, I understand. We'll try to take her mind off things a bit. I take a deep breath and empty my mind. Then, using my Construct, I summon the idea of the Little Match Girl. I estimate she must be about the same age, or maybe even a little younger. She suddenly appears, with bright red hair, sitting cross-legged on the snow and giving me a knowing look. The young Lyra stares at her as she carefully opens her little case and takes out a box of matches. She strikes a match against the phosphorous, sending out sparks which turn into a hissing flame. She strikes another... Each time they ignite, a little robotic insect emerges from the fire: a metal butterfly or firefly. I smile. During these little moments of distraction, the young survivor seems to forget all about the cold.

Source The Little Match Girl is a Danish fairy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen. In the story, a penniless little girl wanders the streets on a freezing-cold New Year's Eve trying to sell boxes of matches, but no one is interested in buying them. Afraid to return home empty-handed where her abusive father is waiting, she takes shelter in an alley and tries to warm up by lighting her matches. With each one she strikes, she experiences a hallucination of something she's deprived of, but still longs for: the warmth of a hearth, delicious food, and her loving grandmother, who recently passed away. In the morning, passersby find her lifeless body, but she has a smile on her face.

The Little Match Girl is a Danish fairy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen. In the story, a penniless little girl wanders the streets on a freezing-cold New Year's Eve trying to sell boxes of matches, but no one is interested in buying them. Afraid to return home empty-handed where her abusive father is waiting, she takes shelter in an alley and tries to warm up by lighting her matches. With each one she strikes, she experiences a hallucination of something she's deprived of, but still longs for: the warmth of a hearth, delicious food, and her loving grandmother, who recently passed away. In the morning, passersby find her lifeless body, but she has a smile on her face.

SUBHASH