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.
Sider
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This is most excellent - and I want to know more about Gobblikek. Thank you.
SvarSletI'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.
SletI do like happy endings, although I worried a bit when the bees took the Goblin's home. An excellent story, thank you.
SvarSletI promise a happy ending to Gobblikek's quandary, but after more detours.
SletGobblikek seems grumpy but nice. I do like characters that scolds but still is kind. Maybe he can teach Susan and Heidi more about bees.
SvarSletHave a lovely day.
Goblins are green and grumpy in my head. Having him teach the girls something is good.
SletSusan 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.
SvarSletSome of the grumpiness maybe, but goblins are a grumpy lot - at least the big ones.
Slet