A Rag Doll's Guide to Here and There by Richard Roberts

Author:Richard Roberts [Roberts, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: young adult fiction, fantasy
Publisher: Crossroad Press
Published: 2019-03-17T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

The Punkin Picker smiled down at me, the webs clinging to her chin stretching as she leaned forward. “I’m sorry, little one. You missed the Perky Pied Punkin Picker by days. I am the Pensive Pied Punkin Picker.”

Sandy craned her head around, looking at the sunny meadows that surrounded the garden on all sides, then the starry sky up above us. “Are we Here or There? I thought the Punkin Patch was Here, but this looks like There.”

“We are There, sweet child. Mine is the duty of carving new dargons, and they must be surrounded by Here’s warmth to be as kind and friendly as can be. And yet—” She paused to swing a hand around to show off her field. “Punkins only grow in the dark of the night, so one path of There was extended far, far over Here. It is often the way, beloved child, that you need darkness to beget light.”

Well. That was an interesting theory. I wasn’t sure it made sense. Other than having only one or the other, there didn’t seem to be a direct attachment between dark and light. Actually, they existed in a whole range of light and dark giving way to each other, so if one made the other, you’d get a lot of wobbling.

As a metaphor, however, it might work. Certainly, the greatest thing that ever happened to me was because of the worst thing that ever happened to me.

Or perhaps this was philosophical? A statement meant to lead us to useful thoughts, rather than being true?

Or maybe it was just nonsense.

Sandy took a deep breath, her shoulder rolling underneath me. She let it out in a slow sigh, and seemed about to say something when the Punkin Picker held out a gloved finger and touched Sandy’s lips. Up close, I could smell the dust and cobwebs on the glove.

“You are tired, dear child. Tired in body and soul.”

Sandy’s hand closed around my middle, squeezing me as she held me to her chest and petted my cap. “It’s not that bad, but I’ve walked a lot already today, and I have no idea what time it is. I’m not used to day after day of excitement.”

“Rest, then. My garden will always be safe for you, just as under the Perky Pied Punkin Picker it would always be fun.” The Picker stepped back, an arm held out in invitation.

Sandy followed, wobbling me with her uneven steps. Oh, my. Those hadn’t been obvious before. Had she been hiding her pain, or did it appear suddenly when the walking stopped? She certainly didn’t sound pained, and instead chuckled. “I can tell by all the playground equipment.”

The what? Oops. I was going to blame my cracked eyes, severe distraction, and the darkness for not noticing. Among the punkins were scattered hunks of oddly shaped metal. One was round, and spun gradually, rather like Port Rait’s streets. Another looked like a cobweb, just a tangled mass of rods. A third was definitely a slide with a ladder leading up to it.

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