Jack looked around. “Okay.”
“I’m dreaming.” Finn said playfully. “I’m probably at home in bed drooling on my pillow.”
“Or, maybe you’re in my dream!” Jack countered.
Finn pretended to think. “Well, if it’s your dream – make some sunflowers!”
“Sunflowers?”
“I like sunflowers,” said Finn.
“You’re the one who thinks it’s a dream!” Jack pointed out. “You make sunflowers.”
Finn stared at the mushroom patch by the wall. He concentrated and held out his hands like he was doing a magic trick.
“Abbra-caddabrrrah! Sunflowers!!!”
Nothing happened.
“If this was a dream I’d be running around naked,” confessed Jack. “I’m always naked in my dreams.”
“Be my guest,” laughed Finn.
“But, it’s not a dream,” teased Jack. “And besides the naked one is always the dreamer.”
“Well, if that’s the case,” Finn stopped and posed like he was a stripper. He grabbed the bottom of his t-shirt like he was about to pull it off. Then he stopped. “Nope. Maybe I’m not the dreamer after all. It’s you that needs to strip!” He grabbed Jack from behind.
Squealing, Jack squirmed out of Finn’s grasp. Their eyes met for a weird moment before looking away. But Jack’s heart was pounding with a rush like he’d just been tickled. Finn looked embarrassed.
They were still catching their breath when they noticed a large fuzzy worm lounging on a really big shelf fungi. Finn gestured. “That’s just too weird to be real.”
The worm looked back indignantly.
Finn heard a quiet step and spun around, “Back! No touch!” Finn successfully countered Jack’s tickle maneuver. “We probably shouldn’t be touching so much!”
Jack fell back embarrassed. He’d taken it to far. He always took it too far. He was touching Finn too much. It was creepy. He didn’t want Finn to think he was like that.
Jack liked Finn more than he should. He knew Finn liked him – as a best friend – which was not quite the same way that Jack liked Finn. Getting older was complicated.
There was an uncomfortable silence.
Jack felt like his face was glowing bright red. Redder than normal. “We gotta keep going. Jenny.”
Finn stared quietly at a strange plant and poked his finger at a green flower that retracted inside itself. “Pirate Jenny’s probably looking for her pirate ship.”
Jack relaxed with the game change. “A pirate ship? Underground?
“It’s got to come out somewhere?”
“And that’s where the galleon is going to be! Maybe we’ll have to fight pirates to rescue her!”
“We could sneak up in a row boat in the dark of night,” Finn offered.
“Dinghy.”
“Who ya callin’ dinghy?”
Jack swatted him. “The row boat’s called a dinghy, Dinghy!”
“Oh!” Finn laughed. “Then we could climb up the anchor rope.”
“I can swim too, we don’t need a dinghy.”
Jack gave Finn the eyebrow.
Finn corrected himself. “Okay, No dinghy needed!”
Jack sighed. “But, I’m no good at rope climbing. I’d make a lousy rescuer. You actually have to be good at stuff to be a hero.”
“Well, I guess we’ll just have to leave Jenny with the pirates,” Finn acquiesced.
“Guess so,” Jack mused. “It’s just that little sisters are so hard to come by. We probably should put forward some effort.”
“But, you’re good at lots of things. You can charm these pirates!” suggested Finn.
“Are you saying that I’m charming?” Jack said with a laugh. “Charm is not a skill!”
“Sure it is. We’d have both been grounded for if Mrs Misener had reported us for sneaking into those caves at their farm last summer. She looooves you!”
Jack shrugged, “Well, she really is nice once you get to know her. Did you know that she makes soap? She has lots of interesting hobbies.”
“But you wouldn’t know that if you weren’t a charmer!”
“It’s not charm. It’s just being curious... and interested in folks.” Jack kicked a sparkly rock further down the path. It nearly hit a large red caterpillar which happened to be crossing the path.
Jack immediately gushed, “Woops, sorry Mr. Caterpillar. I didn’t see you there.” Jack apologized to random things all the time. He couldn’t help it. Apologizing was part of his DNA.
Finn carefully walked around the caterpillar. “Freaksville. That thing is three feet long! Where the heck does a three foot long caterpillar come from? Do you think these things bite?”
“They look kind of cuddly to me.” Jack looked at its scarlet plushy fur. “We could be under the garden I suppose...”
Finn ducked to miss a low flying firefly-like-thing. “Ahhh!” Finn gave Jack the eye. “Drugs! Gots ta be your dad’s mushrooms!” He laughed and spun around. He looked at the red caterpillar and got a mischievous expression on his face. “Do you think these things are edible? We are going to need food at some point...”
Jack scoffed.
Finn teased, “Don’t look at me like that! Have you never read any survival books? At some point we’re going to need food! A caterpillar like that might be the key to our survival if we get hungry enough.”
“Please!! I know that you’ve probably got tuna sandwiches in that bag of yours - and who knows what else. You’ve always got food in there.”
Finn lowered his voice dramatically. “Sure, but what if we’re still wandering these tunnels in a day or two?”
“I’m not eating caterpillars! That’s all I’m sayin’!” Jack crossed his arms. “Nope! Not going to happen, Greenbean.”
“And that sssentiment is greatly apprecssiated!” said a voice near their feet.
The boys jumped to see the red caterpillar’s head lift above its fuzzy body and regarded them rather sternly. Under all that fur was a face!
“You can talk?!” said a surprised Finn.
“OH! MYYY! Can I reeee-ally?” responded the strange creature sarcastically in a high fake baby voice. Then its voice deepened, “It isss good of you to sssa-hay ssso!”
“Now, I know we’re dreaming for sure,” Finn gasped.
“Happy dreamsss, I hope?” asked the red mound of fur. At that, the tunnel erupted into giggles. The boys spun around. Caterpillars were everywhere! Sitting atop toadstools and curled around the fire-flower stalks. They came out of every crevice and hidey-spot. And they all were laughing and pointing with whatever tiny hands weren’t holding onto their perches.
Finn was stunned. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you were... uh... whatever you are!”
“Cleee-arly.” The little speaker gave an amused sideways glance at the others. “Oh, that’sss all ri-hight. We were only just discussssing eeeating you! So, I sup-pose it isss only fair.”
Finn squirmed. “I’m not quite sure what to say to that.”
Jack spoke up. “Of course we’d have never tried to eat you! That’s just Finn talking. Sometimes he says stuff without thinking.”
A caterpillar on a lavender mushroom then rationalized. “If he doesssn’t think, then maybe we caaaan eat him after all?”
Finn turned a pale green to match his hair. “I do too think! I just didn’t think that you thought! I would never...”
The first caterpillar interrupted him. “Well, the truth of the matter is now that wee’ve had a converssssa-ation, I would hope zat weee are off eee-ach other’ss menu. My name isss George. And I am not a caterpillar! I. am. a fuzzy-wiggle!” This was said with far more dignity than Jack or Finn would have expected from a caterpillar.
Then with a smile and a sly glance at Jack, George added, “And, jussst sso you
know, and not that it isss at all important, but ye-esss weee are quite cuddly...”
George rubbed his head against Jack’s knee.
Finn changed the subject. “‘George’ is an interesting name for a cat- uh, fuzzy-wiggle.”
“It wass given to me by a human much politer than yooou.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, George,” Jack said while cautiously stepping back. He didn’t want to step on anyone.
“I’m Randy!” said a pink, fleshy worm holding out a tiny paw.
“Nice to meet you, Randy.” Jack carefully shook the little extended hand. Finn shook the little hand as well.
“This one has nice manners!” said a pink one with big eyes who steadily crept closer to Jack.
Jack could see that Finn was really uncomfortable.
George wound himself around Jack’s leg with a little grin. Jack politely reached down to rub the critter’s fuzzy head. The fur was very soft. George’s eyes closed and his smile stretched wide in pure ecstasy.
Suddenly, the boys were swarmed by fuzzy-wiggles. They crawled up the boys’ legs and the boys fell under an undulating pile of fuzzy-wiggles wanting attention. Every time Jack stopped petting, little mouths opened to reveal startling rows of sharp teeth.
“STOP!” shouted Finn. He quickly extricated himself from the pile feeling more than a little freaked out. “Get away from me!” He added. “Please! I am ready to wake up now.”
Jack crawled out of the pile cuddling a pink fuzzy-wiggle. The other fuzzy-wiggles were clearly envious.
Jack addressed the group of fuzzy-wiggles as his fingers kneaded her luxuriant fur. “I’m sorry. Please. It is really wonderful to meet each of you, but we’re looking for my sister. She’s lost. Has a little girl come by? A girl wearing a pirate hat?”
The little fuzzy-wiggle heads popped up higher at that.
“Oh. Oh ye-esss,” said George. “We liked HER. She’s the human who gave us our wonderful namesss!”
“She wasss fabulousss,” gushed the fur-less Randy. Jack remembered Randy far too well. It felt really creepy when he’d accidentally touched him in the pile.
“When did you see her?” exclaimed Jack.
“Oh, AGES ago,” said an orange and blue striped worm named Beatrice.
“It was just a moment ago,” simultaneously piped up Burt (fashionably yellow and chartreuse).
“We’re not very good with time,” shared George with an edge of superiority. “But time issn’t tha-haat important in the grahnd sschee-heme of thingsss.”
“Well, time’s important to us, and we need to move on. Now!” said an impatient Finn.
“Yes, we really do,” added Jack who was desperate to go.
“Oh ple-heeaessse stay here with usss! She’ll come back eventually.” All the fuzzy-wiggles batted their eyelashes. “They all do. Mosstly.”
“Unless she getsss eaten,” said Burt.
“There isss that,” said George.
Finn started walking. He shouted over his shoulder, “Hasta la vista.”
Jack repeated, “What? Eaten? uhm...” Finn was making tracks. “Nice to meet you!” He hurried after Finn.
Jack remembered that he still held the pink fuzzy-wiggle in his arms. He stopped.
“I should have left you with the others! I didn’t mean to carry you away from your friends!” Jack exclaimed.
“But I want you to carry me away,” countered the furry cuddler. “I like you.” Her voice was soft and persuasive as she nuzzled into Jack’s chest.
“Oh... okay? If you want,” whispered the boy. “Maybe you could tell us what to watch out for? I’m Jack, and that’s Finn. Do you have a name?”
The pink caterpillar smiled and batted her eyelashes. “Pinkie. The girl named me.”
Pinkie had a very nice smile if you ignored all her sharp teeth.
Finn had been listening in. Finn pointed at her. “You. Don’t eat me!”
“Not unlesss I get very, very hungry,” she winked at him.
Finn moved a little more quickly down the trail. “Just puttin’ this out there, I’m not comfortable with this.”
Jack laughed. “Don’t be silly, Pinkie’s not going to eat us.”
The pink fuzzy-wiggle snickered softly in Jack’s arms.
Jack caught up to Finn who was now standing in front of a giant Fork in the path.
Finn gave a big exhale. “Jack, I don’t think we’re under the vegetable garden.”
Chapter 7
The Wishermans’
Big Wish
Jenny crawled up the long dark tunnel after Mr. Wisherman for what seemed like forever. It was cold. She crawled till she thought she would never see light again! Her knees hurt and she’d bumped her head five times on low bits of ceiling. (She’d had to take off her hat and carry it as best as she could).
After a bit, there was a slight warm glow beyond her guide’s waddling form. The glow increased till the tunnel opened into a small cave with a round window in the far wall, which revealed a blinding blue sky beyond. The ceiling was still too low for her to stand up in, but it was a cozy underground home.
She rubbed her skinned knees, which were not happy with all the crawling in the dirt. The light revealed lavender dirt? Her knees and hands were coated with a fine layer of lavender powder. She brushed it off as best she could.
Around her were all the ingredients of a comfortable and cozy home. Everything was shades of lavender. There was an old stone fireplace that beckoned her closer to its orange warmth. There was a rough wooden table, with six three-legged stools around it. There were painted pictures on the wall, knickknacks on the mantle, and delicious smells in the air – something reminded Jenny of her mother’s lavender soap. Puttering in front of a sink, was a female version of the Wisherman.
Wisherman called out. “Halloo Fuzziboo! We’s just passing through.” Wisherman turned to Jenny. “This be Mamy uh... oh...” he frowned. “Wisherman.”
Mamy Wisherman looked at her husband askance. “What’s a human child doin’ in me kitchen? And why’d ya done gone and telled her our real name?”
“Ah, BLAST IT! Ah didn’t tell her it was our real name! She thought it be a fake name! Ah were bein’ extra clever wi’ that switcheroo! Why didja have ta go and tell her it wasn’t fake?” he moaned.
Now that Jenny was next to them in the light, she could see that neither of the Wishermans would be taller than her waist. Their bodies were big lavender puff balls. Her guide had a long patchwork jacket that pushed his fluff to the front, while Mamy had a sort of patchwork apron that pushed all her fluff out the back. Their faces, arms, and legs were a pale shade of green. Mamy had a second and smaller lavender powder puff on top of her head flanked by two pointed ears that wobbled as she shook her head at her husband. His head was fluffy too, but it was trimmed down like a flat-top haircut – which made his ears seem even bigger.
Wisherman gave a sigh and a shrug. “Mamy, this be Pirate Jenny.”
Mamy gave Jenny a bit of an eye.
Jenny tried to sit up like a fearless, but very polite pirate.
“Has she eaten anythin’?” asked Mamy with a stern look on her face.
“What do ya take me for! Of course not!” answered an absolutely indignant Wisherman.
At that, Jenny realized that she was hungrier than ever, what with all the delicious smells of Mamy’s cooking. “I wouldn’t mind somethin’ to eat, if you could spare it.”
There was an awkward silence till Wisherman spoke up, “Well missy... um, the thing of it be, ya can’t eat or drink nothin’ here, or ya can’t go home.”
“Oh?” said Jenny as her stomach growled loud enough for the Wishermans to hear. Her initial spirit of adventure had departed. She was tired. She was hungry. And she was a seven year old pirate. But, she was not going to cry. Pirates don�
�t cry. Not even if they are really hungry. She was more than ready to go home to her family if she just knew how to get there. She sank down on the floor next to the miniature fireplace. She was absolutely not getting teary eyed.
Mamy let out an exasperated sound. “Yar just goin’ ta hafta do it!”
“No, Mamy! Ah worked too hard fer ‘em!”
“But ya can’t be lettin’ that girl go be starvin’ herself, Papy. She’s gotta eat somethin’! Look at her.”
Jenny was absolutely not crying.
Papy Wisherman gave a sob of despair, looked at Jenny and took a long slow exhale like he might cry. Papy gazed helplessly at the ground but couldn’t speak.
Mamy hugged Papy consolingly. “Now, ya don’t hafta give her a lot- she can be clever about it. But, the girl’s gotta eat. And she can’t eat what we be eatin’.”
Papy unstrapped the basket from his back, and stepped closer to Jenny with a serious look on his face. “Jenny, me girl, ya can’t be eatin’ food here. Ya can’t e’en be drinkin’ the water. Faerie food would keep ya from goin’ home.”
“Oh. Faerie food?”
“But, ya can eat and drink the food that yoou wish for – as then those vittles is coming from yar head – not here. Ah can spare ya a few wishes just to keep ya from starvin’. But... it be hard.”
Mamy sank down on a stool with teary eyes. “Forgive ‘im missy. We don’t mean ta be ungen’rous. But, we’re sore pressed. We do be needin’ as many wishes as we can get.”
The sadness on their faces distracted Jenny from her tummy’s growlings. “What for?”
“She took our babies!” Mamy cried. “The Queen’s Redduns came inta our home an’ they done took our wee ones an’ we’ve gotta get ‘em back before they’s... used up!”
Papy continued, “At the Wish Market, we can trade these wee wishes fer bigger wishes.”
He ran across the entrance to the open door, looked outside, then shut the door. He turned back to Jenny with a whisper.
“If ah could get us a big ‘nough wish, ah could get past the palace magic and make me a door right inta the Blue Queen’s closet! Ah’ll sneak in and get our babies back!”
Olly, Olly, Oxen Frey Page 4
