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onsdag den 30. juni 2021

Words for Wednesday -- June 30

This is a challenge, where the old saying "The more the merrier" holds true, therefore: Please, remember to go back, read other peoples' stories there or follow their links back. And please place a comment after reading. Challenges like this one thrives on interaction.

For the last time this June  the Words for Wednesday are given to us by River at Drifting Through Life. For June 30 we were given:

Boxy  
Honey
Clock
Yearn
Erupted
Drift
    and/or:
Goblin
Differences
Relax
Shimmer
Porch
Rainwater

I promised to continue Susan's story. But these words took me back to the Unicorn Farm. I'll prolong my break from the depressing story of Susan's comedown. Again I took up the additional challenge of using the words in the order, they were given.
This is a bit crazy. The words led me. It's sill near midsummer. Well, no more excuses. 


"Susan, did you see that movement? What is that? Over there, by that boxy boulder," Heidi whispered.
"It's a swarm of honeybees," Susan said, draping her shawl over her hair. "Lets leave before they come over here. If they get into your hair, they sting you." Susan turned around and walked away from the boulder and the swarming bees. Her steps turned into a run as the humming filled the air around the two girls.  
The clock in the belfry of the Unicorn Farm struck the half-hour and Susan felt Heidi's hand on her arm. "Susan, please stop. I think I sprained my ankle, and there are so many, many bees up there. Can't you do something. You're a blue apprentice for heaven's sake. You're supposed to be good with animals?" Heidi shook and her eyes slowly filled with tears.
Susan suddenly remember what she did to the police dog, she, and the others on the green team kept him away by thinking "we're not interesting" thoughts at it. The opposite of calling an animal to you. This might work for bees as well. Susan drew her wand from inside her shirt. She pulled the shawl over both of their heads and was about to try to repel the bees. "But what if they go somewhere else, maybe to one of the summerhouses and sting the people there? Thora told us repeatedly that we have to think of other people, normal people before using our magic." She thought again - what would a swarm of bees feel attracted or repelled by? A yearning for a hidey-hole, a new place to build and grow, erupted in her brain. "The hollow tree," she said. "Where was it, the one we explored yesterday?" Heidi pointed, keeping mouth and eyes tightly shut and only extending her hand as little as necessary from inside their shawl-tent.
Susan followed her finger with her eyes. "Yes. Now I remember."
Heidi pulled in her hand and tucked it under her tunic.
Susan bean humming, telling the bees of the perfect living quarter in the hollow tree. Soon a couple of the bees got the drift and began flying towards the tree, returning, flying towards the tree again and pulling more and more bees with them for each repeat.

After a little while, there were only a few stragglers left behind. The buzzing of the bees had changed from the overwhelming sound to a more peaceful, almost humming tone. Susan inched closer to the tree and saw the bees standing almost still in the air, scouting out the surroundings of their new home.

Suddenly a small, stocky being stood in front of Susan. It started scolding her in a thin reedy voice. "Stupid girl," the Goblin began, "don't you know the difference between a hollow tree and a Goblin house?" Now you've ruined near to a whole year's worth of work for me and my kin. You ... you ..." It stammered, turning greener and greener.
  Heidi came hobbling, the shawl trailing from one hand. "Oh, Master Goblin," she said, curtseying. "We did not know that you and your folk lived in that hollow tree. We were terribly frightened by all those bees. They made so much noise, and... " She wiped her eyes and sat heavily on a smaller boulder "... and I hurt my foot running, and Susan here saved me from those ferocious bees." Heidi looked at the Goblin, big tears rolling down her not quite clean cheeks, dropping to the ground.
The Goblin visibly relaxed. " Bees are not ferocious, stupid girls. Not when swarming at least. You know, they fill up their bellies with honey before leaving the old hive. And to sting, thy have to bend over. Do you like bending over with a stuffed tummy?" Heidi and Susan both shook their heads vigorously; their hair flew around them, shimmering in the sun. "Well, neither do the bees," the Goblin continued, "as you would know were you not scared witless by the buzzing. They do not sting unless you sit down on top of them." The Goblin looked at them, his face became harder, greener again. " But now the bees have taken over our home, they fly around on OUR porch. What are we to do?"
"Couldn't you move into the abandoned shed near the end of the island?" Heidi suggested. "The ornithologists built it some years ago, but somebody forgot to close the door for the winter, and the rainwater spoiled the floors. I don't know if it's better than a hollow tree or worse, but at least nobody ever goes there any more."
"Let us go there, the Goblin said. By the way, I'm Gobblikek, give me your foot, foolish girl."
"I'm Heidi," Heidi said, but extended her sprained ankle towards the Goblin. He placed his grimy, green and four-fingered hand on her ankle and tugged at his ear with the other hand. The swelling subsided, and Heidi drew a sharp breath and let it out slowly. "Ouch! That hurt! But now, now I feel fine! Thank you Gobblikek." He smiled broadly at Heidi, pulled her to her feet with amazing strength and off they went, in search of the abandoned hut.

8 kommentarer:

  1. This is most excellent - and I want to know more about Gobblikek. Thank you.

    SvarSlet
    Svar
    1. I'm afraid you've got to wait until August's WEP to hear the ending to this ... If I do not get a better idea for the WEP Challenge that is.

      Slet
  2. I do like happy endings, although I worried a bit when the bees took the Goblin's home. An excellent story, thank you.

    SvarSlet
    Svar
    1. I promise a happy ending to Gobblikek's quandary, but after more detours.

      Slet
  3. Gobblikek seems grumpy but nice. I do like characters that scolds but still is kind. Maybe he can teach Susan and Heidi more about bees.

    Have a lovely day.

    SvarSlet
    Svar
    1. Goblins are green and grumpy in my head. Having him teach the girls something is good.

      Slet
  4. Susan did a good job, and i hope the goblins like the new home. It sounds like it would be bigger than a tree hollow, which might take some of the grumpiness away.

    SvarSlet
    Svar
    1. Some of the grumpiness maybe, but goblins are a grumpy lot - at least the big ones.

      Slet

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