Newford [14] Spirits in the Wires by Charles De Lint

Author:Charles De Lint
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Fiction - Science Fiction, Canadian, Fantasy fiction, Contemporary, Fiction - Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Science Fiction - General, Fantasy, Newford (Imaginary place), General, Technology, Fantasy - Contemporary
ISBN: 9780312869717
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: 2004-08-17T04:00:00+00:00

He appeared to have his foot snagged in among the protruding roots of the tree that towered above him. Aaran couldn’t identify it. All he knew was that it was a solitary tree with a wide expanse of open fields spreading out from beyond it and some of its boughs overhanging the path. When Aaran stopped, the little man tried to make himself invisible, but without any real luck. He wasn’t having much luck freeing his foot, either.

Aaran glanced at where his companions were still foraging ahead. He remembered Bojo’s warning when they’d first crossed over.

I can’t emphasize this enough. Don’t leave the path.

But this wouldn’t really be leaving the path. It was only a couple of quick steps to where the little man was trapped.

He gave a last quick look at the backs of his companions, two hundred yards or so ahead on the path, then stepped off, into the field. The little man’s almond-shaped eyes went round with fear and he frantically started tugging at his foot again, his whole little body shaking and trembling.

“Take it easy,” Aaran said, gentling his voice the way you did with a frightened child. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

When he reached forward, the little man stopped moving. He lay there, terrified eyes staring at Aaran, nervous tremors making his limbs jump.

“Really,” Aaran told him. “I’m here to help.”

He dug with his fingers around the little man’s foot, found where the roots had wedged around the tiny ankle. It only took him a moment to stretch the knotty roots far enough apart to pull the foot out. Even with his foot free, the little man continued to lie there on the ground, shaking with fear.

“It’s okay,” Aaran said. “You can go now.”

He moved back, holding his hands open to show that he meant no harm.

“Or did you break something?” Aaran asked.

But as soon as he was an arm’s length away, the little man jumped to his feet and went tearing off into the field. In a moment, all Aaran could see was the small wake the little man left behind in the tall grass and weeds. Then that, too, was gone.

“So I guess you’re fine,” he said, straightening up. “No need to say thank you.”

He had a last look into the field, trying to see if he could spot the little man, before he turned around to get back onto the path.

Which was no longer there.

Don’t leave the path.

Oh, come on, he thought. I only took a couple of steps.

But retracing those steps didn’t bring him back to the packed dirt of the path they’d been following. Instead, he was still in the middle of this enormous field, knee high grass and weeds swaying in a light breeze, the expanse dotted here and there with large trees like the one under which he’d rescued the little fairy man.

And not at all a bright little man, either, Aaran thought. If the fairy hadn’t panicked, he’d have discovered that all he had to do was push his foot the other way and he could have worked himself free.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.