A Fairy's Guide to Disaster by A W Hartoin

Author:A W Hartoin [Hartoin, A W]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Mythology & Folk Tales, Teen & Young Adult, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fantasy, Fairy Tales & Folklore, Country & Ethnic, Fairy Tales, Sword & Sorcery
Amazon: B007J68WNK
Published: 2013-12-28T06:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 15

“THIS is insane.” Gerald dangled his feet off the edge of the mantel’s shelf next to Easy. They both looked down with covert longing.

For once, I agreed with him. The situation screamed insanity, but at the same time I couldn’t help feeling happy about it. Below us, Iris lay draped across a dog’s snout, giving it a good scratch. Both dogs’ tails wagged in unison and they didn’t seem to be a threat. I probably should’ve gone down there and dragged Iris back to safety. That’s what my parents would’ve expected, but I couldn’t do it. Iris just looked so happy.

“What kind of dogs are they?” I asked Gerald.

“I don’t know, but they’re pretty fancy. I wish I had my dad’s books.”

“Your dad has a lot of books?”

“Dozens. And he lets me read any one I want.” Gerald straightened and threw back his shoulders.

“So that’s how you know so much,” I said.

Gerald slumped and picked at a hang nail on his thumb. “It hasn’t done us much good, has it?”

“What do you mean?”

“You heard the commander. I can’t do anything.”

“That’s not what he said.”

“Well, that’s what he meant,” said Gerald.

A faint stink rolled over us as Horc toddled up. Gerald coughed and scooted away. Easy tried to take advantage of the opportunity and attempted to leap off the mantel to the dogs. I snagged his diaper and pulled him away from the edge.

“Hungry,” said Horc.

I divided our last fruit leather between the babies and Gerald. Horc finished his piece in two bites and held out his hand for more. I’d have to go inside the mantel and see what food we had left and I didn’t want to. The damage had to be worse after the last move and it pained me to think about it.

Easy started chirping at Horc. Horc crossed his arms and turned up the lump he called a nose.

“What’s Easy saying?” I asked.

“I’m hungry,” said Horc.

“He still has his fruit leather.”

“No,” said Horc, pointing to himself. “I’m hungry.”

“I know. I’ll find you something. Now what’s Easy going on about?”

“I want lots.”

“Fine.”

“He says he smells something,” said Horc.

I sniffed and caught the scent of something not entirely unfamiliar. “What’s that?”

Gerald smiled as wide as his narrow face would allow. “Smells kind of like my mom’s flatbread, but different.”

“I’ll go check it out. Bread would be awesome.”

“No, wait,” said Gerald. “I hear someone. I think the woman’s back and she’s not alone.”

All my good feelings disappeared. What if the woman sold the mantel? Stranger things had happened. We might be on the move again.

“Iris! Come back up!”

Iris shook her head and continued to scratch the dog.

“Gerald, go get her and don’t take no for an answer,” I said.

Gerald plunged off the mantel out of sight. I carried Easy back away from the edge and told Horc to sit beside him. Gerald returned with Iris, who carried a dog hair twice her height.

“I’m sorry,” said Iris, brandishing the hair like a sword. “I wasn’t paying attention. I didn’t hear.

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