by J. S. Skye
Flurry the Bear
The Land of the Sourpie
J.S. Skye
All characters featured in this novel, the distinctive names and likenesses thereof, and all related content are the sole property of J.S. Skye. No similarity between any of the names, characters, persons, and/or institutions in this book with those of any living or dead person or institution is intended, and any such similarity which may exist is purely coincidental.
The Land of the Sourpie
(Flurry the Bear — Book 2)
Copyright © 2015 J.S. Skye
All rights reserved.
www.FlurryTheBear.com
Cover art by Luís Figueiredo, J.S. Skye, & Tony Washington
CHAPTER 1
A SPECIAL INVITATION
Golden rays beamed through Flurry’s bedroom window. The melody of birds clearly carried upon the wind, as if the room were without walls. From the small, framed aperture, lush greenery extended as far as the eye could see. Only rich blue hues, broken by cotton-like clouds, contrasted the expanse of foliage that encircled such a quaint abode. The beauty of new life was ever abundant. Fresh growth saturated everything in sight from the newly-budded trees, the trimmed lawn, to the vibrant flowers that lined the house. Flurry sat up from his pillow, pulled away the sheets, rubbed his eyes, and then stretched out his arms with a hearty yawn. It was a new day, and Flurry was not about to miss it. The gorgeous outdoors was new to the young cub. He had only known winter before, so it was a treat to see something new.
Three months had passed since his arrival in Middleasia. Flurry had quickly settled into his new life in the cozy little town of Haengbokville, but he still missed all of the fun in the snow back in his homeland of Mezarim.
In the days that followed Flurry’s exodus from the North Pole, he learned of many new things. He was introduced to his new favorite food, spaghetti — though he pronounced it as p’sghetti. He also experienced the joy of delicious chocolate milk. Back in the village of Ursus, Flurry always loved hot chocolate the most — drinking it cold had never crossed his mind. Chocolate milk was now, by far, Flurry’s beverage of choice. You could always tell he had been drinking it, due to his signature chocolate mustache that he proudly displayed across his upper lip. Against his pure, white fur its contrast made his activity overtly apparent to anyone.
Despite his new favorites, Flurry generally liked foods of every kind — after all, what bear does not? Flurry loved to eat. Eating was the second most important thing in Flurry’s life, besides himself. He made sure that he took priority over everything else. Overcoming his pride issue was anything but easy. After all, he truly was the cutest teddy bear in existence — or so he liked to tell himself. In fact, Flurry regarded himself as one of the most humble, and he made sure to let everyone know.
Even though he had been sent away from his family in Ursus, to learn a lesson in humility, Flurry still thought very highly of himself. He continued to admire his good looks and would often get caught adoring himself in the mirror. His actions would lead to being given a lecture or getting grounded if he were found to be too prideful or adoring himself excessively.
Flurry’s new mother and father were human, and they treated him very well — as if he were their own son. He felt like he was their very own child, and he deeply loved them in return. However, despite the love of his new life, he still missed his teddy bear parents up at the North Pole. Christopher Kringle had promised that Flurry could visit from time-to-time, when permitted. To Flurry, that decree seemed like ages ago.
A lot had happened since his time away from Ursus. Flurry gained new friends to play with, and enlist to go on adventures together in the back yard. A tall, slender lion named Noah had become Flurry’s best friend. Despite not having a mouth, Noah was certainly Flurry’s favorite of the two lion cubs. It was highly probable that Flurry’s choice came down to which of the two lion cubs would allow him to speak the most.
Boaz, the second of the two lions, often kept to himself. This wee cub, with his bushy mane that covered his ears, loved to learn. Knowledge was his friend — no, his passion. This fervor for knowledge always dwarfed any desire he might have had to go play with Flurry and the others. He was not anti-social by any stretch of the imagination, but playing was not always a priority to him. He could often be found wearing his reading glasses, plopped down behind a book — one much more sizeable than him, more often than not.
Caboose, on the other hand, was never far from Flurry. In fact, this little polar bear was with Flurry so often that you could mistake him for Flurry’s shadow — if only Caboose would have had black fur instead of his vanilla ice cream hue. Caboose looked up to and admired Flurry too much to be away from him for very long. Anything Flurry would tell Caboose was taken to heart and accepted without question — after all, why would Flurry ever say anything that Caboose could not trust? Some would say the polar bear’s blind trust was foolish, but to the lady of the house, she found it to be quite endearing.
As for Honja, what is there to say about this exceptionally miniscule rabbit? With his dark, brown fur, he was frequently mistaken for a mouse — something which he strongly resented. Honja had always been the loner of the group. He did not like to socialize with the others very much. Instead of mingling with his brothers, he would lose himself in his music collection. Either listening to his headset or playing games that did not require other participants, Honja kept himself entertained in his own way. It could be assumed that because Honja could not speak English that this language barrier was why he kept to himself. However, he could speak with Boaz or their human mother any time he wanted to, since they both understood him. Regardless of the situation, Honja often had an attitude that kept everyone at a distance — to say “grumpy” would be an understatement.
They each had unique character traits that made them stand out from one another. They were all very good friends and generally enjoyed each other’s company — though they all found themselves annoyed with Flurry more often than not.
Noah had always been the voice of reason among the gang — as ironic as that may sound, considering that Noah was without a mouth. Flurry, being so young, rarely, if ever, listened to Noah or anyone else.
All of the members of this plush gang found it invigorating to play and explore in the back yard. It was amazing how many adventures they could find for themselves despite the small, confined space of the yard. However, if Flurry was anything, it would certainly be innovative. He liked to say that he took after his daddy in that regard.
Living in Haengbokville was pleasant and peaceful, especially in the spring. Flurry loved to play in the water puddles after a fresh rain shower. Rolling in the grass, swimming in the pool, and watching the butterflies flutter about were also new experiences for him. So many people take such things for granted, but not Flurry — nor Caboose for that matter. Caboose was especially enamored with just about everything.
These new experience were like opening a birthday gift, and Flurry loved receiving gifts almost as much as he loved food.
Flurry was often reminded that his new life was supremely better than what he had left behind back in his own world. Yet, amidst the fun and excitement of his new life in Haengbokville, Flurry pined for the days of getting into trouble with his friend Sunny. He longed to go sledding with his cousin Bliz. He even missed getting scolded by his school teacher — as crazy as that sounds.
Although he had a fun-filled season with all of the wonders and joy of eating ice cream, licking popsicles, and going to the playground, Flurry still preferred the snow.
Each day had passed just like the one before it — slowly, f
rom Flurry’s point of view. Yet, this day was different. Little did Flurry know that a special surprise awaited him in the mailbox. Flurry sat on the hardwood floor in the bedroom and played a board game with Noah and Caboose. As usual, Caboose was right at Flurry’s side. Anywhere Flurry went, Caboose would always tag along. Honja and Boaz were nowhere to be found — as was their custom.
While Flurry was in the midst of rolling the dice, there was a knock at the door. “Who is it?” Flurry called out as he tossed the numbered cubes to the game board.
“Flurry, a letter came in the mail for you. It’s from … the North Pole?” Flurry’s mother informed him with a hint of curiosity in her tone.
Flurry could not have gotten up fast enough. He launched himself toward the door as if he were a living rocket. His mother opened the door and handed the envelope to her giddy boy. Flurry did not waste any time opening it. After he ripped the letter out of its packaging, he stood there and looked at the letter while everyone waited eagerly to hear what it said. Even Boaz and Honja came out of hiding for this.
Now, Flurry always liked to act more grown up than he actually was. He was certainly smart, for only being a teddy bear cub, but he still could not read very well. He continued to stand in place with his gaze fixed upon the letter. He did not want to look silly for not knowing what the letter said, but he did not know what to do. In an attempt to look smart, Flurry said, “Wow! What a great letter! You guys should read it, too!”
Flurry’s mother, being pretty bright, knew what Flurry was doing. She humored him by interjecting, “Wow! You’re such a big bear, now! I’m so proud of you! Would you like me to read it to the rest of them?” Seeing through Flurry’s act, she decided to help him save face in front of the others.
The young oriental lady stood over the cub with an outstretched arm. Flurry handed her the letter and with a tone of indifference replied, “Sure, I suppose.” Internally he was pleased that she saved him from a potentially embarrassing situation, but he knew how to play it cool.
Adjusting her glasses, Flurry’s mother raised the letter to eye level and began to read: “Dear Flurry, everyone has been asking about you. It’s not surprising that you’re deeply missed by us all. It has been over three months since you were last here. We’ve spoken to the villagers, and they would like for you to come visit for a few days. Your parents miss you more than words can relay. You may bring your friends if you’d like. They would be very welcome here. While you’re here, be sure to pick up any of your things that you would like to take back with you. All of us hope to see you soon. A package will arrive shortly to allow you to travel here faster. We look forward to seeing you soon. Yours truly, Christopher & Catherine.”
Flurry was so excited. He jumped up and down and gave Noah a big hug. “Can you believe it? I get to go home! Yay!” Flurry kept jumping while the other plush animals cheered with him. Their mother stood over them all with an amused smile. “So, who wants to come with me?” the cub asked.
Boaz shouted out, “Me!” followed by Caboose saying, “I do!”
Noah would have said something if he could speak, but instead he held up a sign that conveyed the message that he was also onboard with the idea.
Honja said something in his native tongue, but Flurry was unable to understand him. None of the cubs, save Boaz, had yet learned to speak Honja’s language. However, judging from the rabbit’s body language and tone, he seemed enthusiastic about joining Flurry, too. This was indeed a special occasion, because it was rare that the word “enthusiastic” and “Honja” could be used in the same sentence.
“Good! Let’s go!” Flurry exclaimed as he rushed over to his nightstand to make preparations for the trip.
“Well, hold on there a minute!” commanded Flurry’s mother. “We have to make sure you’re well fed before you go. We’ll have to pack some winter clothes, and some food for the trip. By the way, how are you going to get there?”
Flurry, being so sure of himself, answered, “Oh, Mommy, you’re so silly! I know how to get there.”
Flurry’s mother was not convinced by his answer, so she tried to dig deeper. “Flurry, you didn’t answer my question. How are you going to get there?”
“It’s easy!” Flurry assured her. Then he looked from side-to-side, and put his paw to the side of his mouth before whispering, “I can’t tell you. It’s a secret.”
Though Flurry was sincere in his statement, it was only half true. The truth was that it was indeed a secret to anyone not from the land of Mezarim. Anyone that would dare travel to the North Pole in our world would find nothing there but snow, ice, frigid temperatures, and polar bears. To the uninitiated, it would appear to be a barren sheet of ice. However, there is a passageway that is invisible to the naked eye. When passed through, this hidden gateway would reveal an entire world previously unseen. Very few have ever truly seen the North Pole as it actually existed. What is really at the North Pole has been cleverly disguised from the outside world.
However, as I said, Flurry’s statement was not entirely true. In fact, the false part of it was when he mentioned going to the North Pole to be easy. It may have been for him, once he received the package that the Kringle family promised in the letter, but not typically so for others. After passing through the hidden gateway, the land is full of dangers and obstacles. The northern region is protected by an army of warrior elves that allied themselves with Christopher Kringle many ages ago and now guard the land from invading enemies and other dangers.
Flurry was aware of the dangers, but also knew that his own mode of transportation involved an item that arrived in a package later that day. In fact, there was an entire incident accompanied by that box, but that is a story for another time.
They were all excited and as worked up as children can get. Flurry rambled on and on about how wonderful the North Pole was and how much fun they would have. Flurry told them about everything he could think of, and it only added another log to the fire of anticipation that burned within each of them.
The rest of the day went by like a bolt of lightning. Throughout its course, they had gotten their bags all packed and ready to go for the following morning. Flurry had done many things that day, but his mind had been constantly consumed by his excitement to return to his home village. Not surprisingly, Flurry’s mind gravitated toward memories of the delicious food in Ursus, more specifically Mrs. Kringle’s chocolate chip cookies. Flurry loved her cookies so much, and his mouth watered as he thought about how chewy and delicious they were.
The evening quickly came, and they all nestled in their beds. As they each slid under their blankets, their mother came around and tucked them in with a parting kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you in the morning,” she said. After she had finished tucking them in, she walked to the door, turned back for a moment and called to them, “Good night! I love you! Sweet dreams!”
They all replied in their own unique manner. Honja replied in his language, Noah waved, and the other three replied, “I love you, too!”
Flurry got the final word in when he closed the dialogue off by saying, “Okay, good night!” On that statement, Flurry’s mother flipped off the lights and shut the door.
After the door latched shut, Flurry laid there in bed, and peered out into the darkness of the room. He was too excited to sleep. He imagined a grand welcoming party and all of the tasty treats he would indulge in. He could not wait to make snow angels, build snowbears, go sledding, and have snowball fights with Noah and the others. As Flurry continued to fantasize about their next day, he drifted off to sleep and had dreams of fun and exciting adventures.
The next morning Flurry jumped out of bed and ran to the door with his bag in tow. In the haste of his departure, he blew past his mother as she sat at the computer desk in the far corner of the room. “Where do you think you’re off to in such a hurry?” she inquired of him.
Flurry had not noticed her presence and was startled at the sound of her voice. He spun around, backed up again
st the closed bedroom door, and stood there petrified. With his arms behind his back, as he usually stood when he was guilty of something, he answered her. “I was just testing my backpack to make sure it stays secure, in case we have to run from danger.”
He looked up and grinned uneasily at her. As cute as he was, he did not fool her at all. “Flurry, first of all, you didn’t make your bed,” she started.
“Oops! Sorry!” Flurry replied as he sprinted back over to the bed and put the bedspread back in place.
“Secondly, were you running off without waking up your brothers?” she asked in a concerned tone.
“Oops!” Flurry giggled, and with an embarrassed tone continued. “Yeah, I thought I was forgetting something. Now I know what it was.”
“Hey, Noah! Time to get up!” Flurry shouted as he shook Noah vigorously by the shoulders.
Noah leapt up at once, but when he beheld Flurry an expression of anger fell upon his face. Noah grabbed a tablet of paper and wrote something down. He then held it up for Flurry to read the inscription: “Flurry! GO AWAY!” Though Flurry could not read, he could make out his name and see how irate Noah appeared to be.
Flurry giggled nervously and said, “Oops! Sorry, Noah.” Flurry then raced off to Caboose’s bedside.
In an attempt to prevent the same thing from happening three more times, his mother called out to her teddy bear cub. “Flurry! Stop! This time, be more subtle and gentle in waking the others. Don’t startle them like you did with Noah. Okay?” Flurry’s mother foresaw conflict on the horizon if Flurry did the same thing to Honja.
“Sorry, Mommy,” Flurry answered. At Caboose’s bedside, Flurry gently nudged Caboose’s shoulder and whispered, “Caboose. Caboose. Your turn to get up.”
Despite Flurry’s attempt to be very quiet and subtle, Caboose shot straight up in bed and yelled, “I’m not a turnip!”
At first, Flurry was stunned and did not know what to say. Then he giggled and said, “What are you talking about?”
