The Reject by Edyth Bulbring

Author:Edyth Bulbring
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tafelberg
Published: 2018-10-18T07:44:28+00:00

11

LEXI

We are in a forest. I know I’m not in the Tree Museum back home – unlike those saplings Mistress planted after the fire more than three years ago, this is a forest of ancient trees.

We are hostage to trickery. Or maybe we are dead. Until I know, I can trust nothing and no one. Only myself. Gollum stirs next to me. And him – I can trust Gollum.

I hear a low growl in the dark. Yellow eyes flicker at me from behind a bush. A pointed nose appears, then a furry grey-and-tan face shadowed by a frilly bonnet. It arches its head and howls: Awoooooooooo! A bleak and mournful sound. The wolf bares its long teeth and growls. No woodcutter can save us.

We leap to our feet and run. Bushes armed with thorns stab our faces. Vines covered in giant tendrils grab at our arms and legs. Above us, the umbrella of foliage blocks out the light and the forest grows darker the further we go.

We follow a twist in the path. Up ahead, a white bird flutters down and pecks at white crumbs; stops and looks back at me so I am compelled to follow.

The bird flies to a cottage. Its roof is made from slabs of chocolate. Its walls are covered in brightly coloured buttons, some smooth, others coated in sugar. I know the story of Hansel and Gretel and I do not try and nibble the cottage – behind the biscuit door is Baba Yaga, who will make me her drudge and feed Gollum until he is plump enough to eat.

My heart hammers in my chest as the cottage door opens. Instead of a witch, Lexi appears. She beckons to us. I look behind me. The bushes are alive with hundreds of pairs of yellow eyes; it will be safer indoors. We follow Lexi to where a large fire warms the kitchen. A cage nearby is empty, bar a few chicken bones.

“Lexi has butterbeer, ginger pop or tea,” she says. “Lexi expects you’re hungry. Lexi can offer you a piece of Miss Trunchbull’s chocolate cake, made with sweat and blood. Or perhaps some truffula fruit?” She wrinkles her nose at Gollum. “You’re a meat eater. Lexi supposes you’ll want green eggs and ham.”

I hear the buzzing of flies at the same time as I see a pig’s carcass lying rotting on the kitchen table. Flies are crawling out of green eggs and devouring the grey flesh.

“Maybe Lexi will make you eat all of this until you explode, you greedy Bogtrotter. The flies too!”

Lexi giggles when Gollum backs away mutely towards the door.

“That was rude of Lexi. But Lexi doesn’t think it’s polite to eat animals. You must go to your cage. The witch is partial to the meat of Homesaps.”

I look over at the corner of the kitchen, where Gollum is now crouching inside the cage with the chicken bones. An old crone hovers over him, poking her finger into the bars.

Now I know I’m not mad.

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