The city fairies loved what the county fairies made of the empty cylinders. Alone, they were vases. Pierced and hung upside down, they made beautiful lanterns for fairy bedroom or entryway. Set on their sides, cut in half, and padded, they made wonderful cradles for babies. The brass protected the young from night terrors. If the artists added a lid and a spout, the vases would carry water
Today was a particularly spectacular haul. The hard-working fairies chatted and laughed as they collected the bounty.
Until one came along the dead body of a Big Person. His skin, once brown, was gray and soaked in the nasty-smelling ichor the Bigs had in their veins. His chest and abdomen had been carved open by several oblong projectiles.
Most of the fairies vomited. Afterwards, they dropped flowers on the dead man's eyes.
Those tiny brass vases were not what they seemed.
