Olly, Olly, Oxen Frey

by Paul Manchester

  Even Asphixia fell to the floor, surprised with shock until her eyes fell on Jack.

  “Ah! You! Freddy-Boy?” she screeched. She saw his dirty apron. “Ha! Are you joining my kitchen staff?!” She cackled like a mad woman.

  She sent a blast of lightning that hit the floor next to Jack.

  She laughed hysterically, “Oh, I’m not going to hit you! I’m going to catch you and drain you of all your blood!”

  She fired another bolt of blue fire, but it was intercepted by the golden ball of light that had once been Mordette. The glowing orb, absorbed the bolt, grew larger and engulfed the terrified Jack!

  It scooped the teen and the Wisherman kids into its glowing mass and flew up the steps. Flying out of the door at the top of the steps, it dumped them into the flat rooftop gardens of the castle. The shadowy courtyard was filled with topiary creatures which seemed nearly real in the fading light of day.

  The giant ball of light flew over their heads till it disappeared into one of the most unusual sights that Jack had ever seen. A floating island was tethered to the roof.

  Mordette had called it a floating island earlier, but his imagination had not been prepared for the sight of the floating green mountain in the early twilight.

  It was big. Maybe not big for an island but when Jack compared it to their property at home he figured it could be an acre. There was a central green mountain with a strange structure built into its side and lush forest around it. Against all reason, water encircled the island and hung suspended in the air over their heads, while the bottom of the island poked out below in a tangle of tree roots and packed dirt.

  The whole mass hung above the castle wall so the surface of the water was maybe twenty feet above Jack’s head. A long staircase suddenly dropped out of the roots as if to welcome the crowd of children and animals below it.

  There had to have been over a hundred and fifty children. It was going to take time to get them all aboard.

  “The Blue Queen’s never going to fit up that stairway.” He thought. “That might give us a few extra moments. But they’re never going to make it!”

  Yet, the golden ball of light had not forgotten them. It swept back down again into view and literally scooped up all the children and b’Trixers and zoomed up the steps and into the island.

  Jack, Bilbe, Dilbe, and Lilbe sprinted towards the steps as a thunderous explosion of rocks burst out of the center of the courtyard. Plants, statues, and stonework flew in all directions.

  The glowing Blue Queen floated out of the opening and cackled.

  Chapter 47

  The Text

  Saturday evening, after a fun day of scrounging with Not-Finn in thrift shops and the Jones’ basement for their art project, Millie received a text from him.

  FINN: Millie, meet me tomorrow night at 6PM in the Saunders’ mushroom cellar! Important. Life or Death.

  Millie tried calling him but he didn’t answer. Not-Finn and his foster family had driven up to Bellingham on a family visit. They wouldn’t be back till late Sunday afternoon.

  Millie figured that she was just going to have to wait.

  Chapter 48

  Footbe

  Unmasked

  The Water-Whittler took a little longer to get the hang of than initially hoped. Getting in and out of the dinghy without getting soaked was difficult when there was such a wide ring of water surrounding it.

  Footbe initially tried trimming water off on one side to allow clear space for exiting, but the boat kept naturally centering itself within the water. This led to the swath of water being too narrow to keep the small boat up in the air and it fell is a great splash and almost sank if not for Jack and Finn’s quick thinking. Soon Footbe was trying again with the boat and a new patch of water.

  “Tis a good thing we be pract’cin’ with the dinghy an’ no’ the ship!” Gibbie remarked dryly. The ship having fortunately survived its magical adjustments by chance rather than skill.

  Nibs ended up crafting a sort of outrigger sort of set up with a couple barrels and an old plank they weren’t using anymore due to the recent retirement of the Captain. The solution wasn’t perfect , but it made a sort of bridge out to the edge of the water on either side that folks could use to get into the boat. They all agreed it would work for the present.

  The ship stayed parked above the lagoon and Footbe, Jenny, and the Wishermans flew the longboat a short distance over the forest to a spot above the river. Here they descended and moored the boat to a little bridge over a small tributary.

  Footbe being the last to debark (and the heaviest) still got a little wet in getting down to the trail, but they all agreed it worked in principle.

  “Ah’ll be needin’ ya to hang back a bit here on the trail while ah be openin’ things up.” Footbe waved them back when he started up the overgrown trail that seemed to get thicker the deeper he went into the thicket of vines.

  A small authoritative voice rang out from its depths, “None can enter without de blood of der majesties Meryth or James in der veins.”

  * * * *

  Finn was soaking in the main pool. The mosaics throughout the pools were extraordinary. As he could now breathe underwater, he explored the extensive underwater halls and the colorful depictions of magical creatures and plants that lit up his imagination.

  Finn was still light-headed from donating blood and Bellamy had started preparing it for the eventual treatment of his mother. After the initial shock, Finn was relieved to hear that the cure did not require all his blood. Just a little bit. Something about human immunity mixed with merfolk genetics. Science was never Finn’s strong suit.

  Finn wanted to leave right away for the castle to find Jack and Jenny, but Bellamy assured him that the castle was a great distance away and he would need help to have any chance of success. Finn grudgingly acquiesced.

  He would leave on the following morning on a short trip to procure some sort of moss from a rare tree – hopefully he could find it quickly. There were some maps in his father’s office and Bellamy pointed out the island where he needed to go.

  For the moment, his mother was stable. He was fed, he had a safe place to sleep tonight, and he had to confess that he found exquisite pleasure in just floating and luxuriating with water and the moment enfolding him. Maybe it was merfolk genetics waking up within him. He admitted that he was really tired. Tonight, he needed to rest so that he would be strong with all he had to do. He’d abandoned the boxers – the cottage creatures certainly didn’t care about that sort of thing. The freedom of the moment was more marvelous than he could describe.

  If he wasn’t so worried about Jack, Jenny, and his mermaid mom, and maybe his foster parents, he would be in a state of perfect bliss.

  He was nearly asleep – floating there in the water, when a commotion across the room brought him to his senses. Some sort of horrible creature had burst through the double doors. Finn instinctively leapt from the pool and stood in a defensive posture as others followed behind the hairy creature.

  “Finn?!” came the sound of Jenny’s voice.

  The sequence of emotions and thoughts that zipped through Finn’s brain were too stricken to grasp, but with the same speed that he’d leapt to the center of the room, he now found himself back in the pool and standing modestly against the water’s edge and blushing profusely (which is a bit of a mystery for one whose blood is pure white).

  “Jenny?” Finn gasped.

  “Finn?” said the hairy goat-man-creature.

  Finn now recognized the creature as a phooka – like he’d seen in storybooks.

  Jenny was more than surprised. “What happened to you? And how are you here? Is Jack here too?” Jenny shot the questions out in rapid fire.

  “Finn,” repeated the unbelieving phooka.

  “Yes – Jack’s here – though not here-here. I actually
don’t know where he is – I’m trying to find him –”

  “Jack’s here?” Jenny murmured.

  “I lost him underground, we got separated – my mom’s going to help me find him –”

  “Jack’s here.” Jenny was still wrapping her head around the idea. “Wait! Mrs. Jones? She’s here too?”

  “Not my foster mom – my real mom. She’s a mermaid! I – uh, know it sounds crazy.” Finn was full on blushing now. “I – uh got these yesterday.” He lifted one leg into view to show his scaled leg and big webbed foot.

  Jenny silently looked at him for a moment, then she shrugged and said. “Cool.”

  Finn was caught off guard by her chill response. “Cool?”

  “Yeah. You have no idea all the freaky things I’ve seen. Is Jack different now too? A second head or something?”

  “Not that I know of...” stuttered Finn.

  “Oh,” she looked kind of disappointed.

  “Finn – ” said the phooka.

  The boy looked at the goat-headed man. “Who are you?”

  At that moment a shout came from the door to the laboratory. “You! How dare you come in here – you – youuu, awful phooka!!” hollered Bellamy.

  Finn had no idea that Bellamy had that sort of rage within him. The slender blue butler was truly a little terrifying.

  “Wait!” entreated the phooka. “I’m not who you think I am! It’s me. It’s Footbe! I’m James!”

  “What type of second rate creation do you take me for, Pytharus! I know exactly who you are!” shouted Bellamy. “You stole James’ secrets!”

  “Stop!” hollered Finn over the top of the crowd of voices that were erupting. “Explain! Who are you?”

  The tired looking phooka took a big breath and began. “Ah know ah look like Pytharus de Phooka – my helper from years back. Ah left here usin’ a wish to hide Meryth in the cavern ah made. You’d just been hatched but ah was goin’ ta take ya on my quest fer de moss – as you bein’ too little ta leave ya. Ah still looked like myself, then. Ah didn’t know that Pytharus was hunting me with wishes from the Blue Queen.

  “After I locked up the cottage and set the Rose Buds to guard the place, I set off towards the bay where I had a boat hidden. You, Finn, were warm in me bag when Pytharus caught me. He were lyin’ in wait. Ah only had one wish wi’ me and no time ta think – ah had ta send ya somewhere’s safe.” Footbe stopped and looked at Finn. “Where did ah send ya?”

  Finn was still looking incredulously at the goat-headed man, but after a moment he realized a response was wanted. “They found me in a leather satchel in front of the otter exhibit at the Seattle Aquarium.”

  “They’s got an aquarium now? Good fer ‘em. Ah jest love otters. Weren’t many of ‘em when ah lived there in the forties. But ah guess part o’ me thought you’d be safe w’ the otters in Seattle.”

  “Yeah...” Finn scratched his head. “Not sure how that would’ve worked out. But I was found where some tourists saw me, so I guess your wish kept me safe.”

  “Oh.” Footbe sighed a bit. “Ah really didn’t know where ah sent ya. But, ah loved otters since ah was a wee one. Wishes are funny critters. Sometimes they listen mo’ ta yer heart than yer sense.”

  Finn wasn’t yet quite sure what to say. He couldn’t wrap his head around this creature being his father. He supposed he shouldn’t have expected a normal dad after all he’d learned from his mother.

  The phooka sighed. “Pytharus knocked me unconscious after he caught me, and after a bit he brought me to the impostor Queen. But, he decided to be clever about it. Few but I knew that Pytharus was not simply a shape-shifter as other phookas were. He could also cast his shape on others and steal their appearance. He had not been a faithful lover to that ugly Frit. He feared retribution when his usefulness were over. And though that evil bitch hated the mermaids (sorry fer my French, Jenny) she was indebted ta me. I was the one who accidentally created the Frit people. If she destroyed me, she might be destroyin’ herself. In theory, my blood is sacred and powerful to the Frits. If the phooka looked like me, he’d be safe.

  “But from what I hear, it didn’t work out too well for him. He’s been locked in a dungeon cell. Asphixia wiped my memories and shunned me. I’d no memories of my life till I met little Jenny in the nixie village. She kinda woke me up gradual-like.”

  Bellamy stared thoughtfully at the phooka. “But, how do we know that any of this is true?”

  “It be truesy, boss!” shouted a rose bud from a cluster of buds that crowded around the window. “We tasted his blood. He be James all right.”

  Jenny interjected. “But, why do you call yourself Footbe?”

  He smiled. “It was the only thing about meself that ah could remember. It was what Meryth used ta call me.” he laughed, “She were – was fascinated with my feet. It’s going to take awhile to remember to speak correctly again. It’s been so long.

  “So, yer my Finn, all grow’d up,” burst out Footbe joyously moving towards his long lost son.

  Finn had no idea what to say to this hairy goat-man. The experience with his mom had forced him to think outside his expectations – but this frightening creature with the furry man-body who was wearing far too small of a loincloth – the thing was coming at Finn like he wanted a hug!

  Footbe kneeled down next to the pool and held his arms out to embrace his son who was pressed up against the side of the waist deep pool.

  “Can’t. I’m naked just at the moment.”

  “Ah, son, no body be carin’ ‘bout that here in Frey. Why yer mom and me – ”

  “Stop.” Finn said quickly before there was too much information. “I still care about that sort of thing.”

  “Well – suit yourself! Ha! So ta speak!” Footbe ruffled Finn’s hair and stood up. “You take yer time to get used to me. I know I must look pretty frightenin’ to you. But fer my part I’m surely happy to be seein’ you.”

  Footbe stood. “We be a’goin’ ta de castle. There be childr’n there ta rescue and I promised Jenny that I’d help. But, we need ta get yer mother as soon as possible. Finn, I kin draw ya a map on how ta find her. Better yet! I can tell ya how ta wish yerself there. Ya can’t wait. I’ll be back right soon. We need ta be rescuin’ her now that we got the cure stuff tagether.”

  “I already found her. She’s in there.” Finn pointed towards the lab.

  “She’s here?” Footbe gasped with the most wistful look on his face.

  “You have that moss stuff?” asked Finn hopefully.

  “Yup!” answered Jenny as Footbe rushed into the lab. She smiled. “He doesn’t leave it anywhere. He always keeps it with him in that bag over his shoulder.”

  “I can’t believe he’s my dad. Or I believe it but... I don’t.”

  “Jack – ” Jenny crouched down by the pool.

  “Jack! Yes – Jack. I’ve got to find him,” Finn’s heart ached. “If he’s still alive,” he added.

  “Where did you last see him?” Jenny felt like a seven year old shouldn’t be leading this conversation.

  “In the tunnels. I crawled down the side of a cliff to check out the cave that my mom was hidden in. I left Jack up top with Pinkie. When I came back up they were gone – there was just red stuff on the trail that led up to a crack in the wall.”

  “The Redduns got ‘im.” asserted Papy.

  “The who?” asked Finn in a panic. “And, you are?”

  Jenny jumped up. “Oh, sorry Finn. This is Papy and Mamy Wisherman. I’ve been traveling around with them. I’m going to help rescue their kids from the castle.”

  “Oh,” Finn looked surprised at the little girl. “It’s kind of dangerous for a seven year old. Don’t you think?”

  Jenny looked Finn straight in the eye. “Nope.”

  “If’n the Redduns took ‘im, this Jack’ll be at the castle too. The Reddun
s work fer the Queen. She takes kids fer ta use der blood.” explained Mamy. When Finn looked alarmed she added, “She dinna take all a kid’s blood right off. Jest a wee bit ev’ry day. Yer boy still might be okay.”

  “I’m going with you – ” said Finn. “How are you getting there? How soon can we leave?”

  * * * *

  Within an hour they left on their rescue mission.

  They’d left Bellamy to prepare the cure for Meryth. Footbe was concerned to discover that Finn had given the butler a name. He feared it would complicate life in the cottage and lead to issues like salary and vacation days, but what was done was done he supposed.

  Footbe had grabbed the weapon which had brought them to the cottage in the first place. It was a sawed-off shot gun. When Finn looked at it with surprise, Footbe just smiled and said it was his own creation and that it had been specially modified.

  Most the small party traveled via the flying longboat back to the pirate ship, but as Finn and Footbe could not both fit in the small boat, Finn just swam below. He found traveling via water to be more comfortable anyway.

  The ship’s green sails looked almost orange as its small bulk soared through the sunset’s brilliant clouds over the Riddle River Valley. Finn had again chosen to swim alongside the ship, and he noticed a peculiar red blur below them. He poked his head out of the bottom of the aerial bowl of water to get a better look. Above on deck, Mamy glanced over the side as well.

  “Redduns!” she cried to everyone on deck.

  The red tornado seemed to see them as well for it immediately shifted direction and began to follow along in the ship’s disappearing shadow. A flying ship headed towards the castle was much more important than checking out a triggered alarm. And it didn’t take a genius (fortunately) to suspect that the two things might be connected!

  “Well, the Redduns can’t fly,” muttered Footbe grasping the back rail with a clawed grip. “And I think we’ll be getting to the castle first.”

  “It’s a’gonna be a race,” warned Gibbie.