by J Sevil
Lauren versus the Leprechauns
by
John Sevil
Published by
Copyright 2012 Little Rocky Publishing
by Rocky and the Ideas Girl
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Chapter 1
“You’ll be fine. The doctors said that you’re OK now. You can get out and play with some friends again.”
Lauren nodded but still clung to her Dad’s waist. They stood together in the kitchen on her home. Her Dad gave her a warm hug and brushed some loose hair from her forehead.
“For over a year you have had to stay inside, at home because of that terrible illness. But you’re better now, you can go outside.”
Lauren took a deep breath. She stroked some of her long brown hair behind her ears. Her Dad noticed how much weight she had lost over the year. Her arms were slim but not bony. And he could feel her ribs pushing against him as he hugged her.
“She’ll make fun of me. I’m shorter than they are. I’ve been sick. They’ll say that I have germs. Oh, Dad. Can’t I stay inside with Coco like always?”
Her Dad pulled her arms away from her waist. He bent down to speak to Lauren face to face. His green eyes looked right into Lauren’s blue eyes. He could see Lauren was holding back tears.
“Go on. Out you go. I’m here inside if you need me. And look. Jeanie’s already playing in your tree house. Go on,” he said smiling.
Reluctantly, Lauren turned and pushed open the back screen door.
“Come on, Coco,” she said. And Coco stood up from under the table, where he had been laying.
“Let’s get humiliated.”
--
“Yuk. That smelly dog can stay down there!” Jeanie squealed at Lauren. And then poured imaginary tea into Lauren’s cup. Lauren’s dog, Coco, sat staring up at the two girls playing in the tree house. Coco was short, brown and fuzzy and belonged to Lauren. Many times she had heaved him up the ladder to join in her tea parties. But today Jeanie was over to play. Meanie Jeanie, Lauren called her.
“He’s not smelly. He’s lovely.” Lauren frowned.
“Well, my mom says dogs carry fleas and always bite. I’m never going to touch one as long as I live. Sugar?” Lauren shook her head.
“Can’t we play a game with Coco in it? How about hide and seek?” Lauren looked at lonely Coco, looking up with his big brown eyes, licking his nose.
“Lauren. No. We have to discuss playing offices. Now, this is my office and I want you to work for me. I am a very good boss. Now, get to work and clean up this stuff.” She pointed to the tea set on the table. Standing close to Lauren to show how short Lauren was, Jeanie then turned away and pretended to be talking on the phone.
“Oh, yes, I am the owner of this business. Oh, I know, good help is so hard to find. I am still looking. Ha ha.”
“Jeanie. I’m standing just here. And this is my tree house so it should be my office.”
Meanie Jeanie stared at Lauren with her arms folded and her tongue pressing against one cheek.
“I’m not working for someone shorter than me. Besides, do you know how to run an office? You spent all that time in bed being sick, while one weekend I helped my Dad run his business. He said I could run his company all on my own. I am that smart. Now Lauren? The cups?”
With tears stinging her eyes Lauren got up from her stool and climbed down the ladder. She got to the ground and hugged Coco.
“I love you, boy.” Then she walked up the path to the back door with Coco beside her. The two went into the kitchen leaving Jeanie alone in the tree house.
“You’re fired,” said Jeanie in a huff. She bumped her knees climbing the ladder down and held back her tears as she walked out the front gate. Her feet stomped on the pathway and she sniffled constantly as she walked to her house next door. She opened the front door and ran inside howling and sobbing into her Dad’s arms.
“I don’t ever want to play with that girl again!”
--
“Lauren!” her Dad called out from the study. It was evening. Lauren and her Dad had had their dinner and were busy doing their own thing before bed time. Lauren was sitting on her bed talking to Coco while brushing his short curly hair. Coco enjoyed it so much he closed his eyes and panted happily. Lauren loved to make her Coco happy.
“Lauren!” her Dad called out again. “It’s Mom! Come on!”
Lauren ran into the study to find her Dad sitting at the desk. He was talking to the computer.
“Mummy!” Lauren giggled and waved to her mother’s face on the screen.
“Hello, dear. Oh it’s so cold in Ireland. And wet. Are you OK?” asked her mother.
“Yes, Mom. And so is Coco. He’s great,” she said.
“And how did your play date with Jeanie go today?”
Lauren looked at her Dad nervously.
“Well, we played in the tree house ...”
“And?” her Mom asked.
“Well, Meanie wanted me to clean up after her. And she wouldn’t let Coco in the tree house, so I left her there!”
Her Mom shook her head and frowned.
“Lauren. You have to make an effort. You need to be friends with Jeanie.”
“But why?” Lauren protested. “She’s so mean.”
“Because you need someone your own age to play with on weekends.”
“I’ve got Coco. He’s the best friend ever.”
Lauren’s Mom frowned some more.
“Coco is a pet, not a friend. You need someone to play with who can talk. OK? So will you try again tomorrow with Jeanie?”
Lauren’s Dad gave her a little hug and answered.
“I’ll call Mike and arrange another play date. We won’t give up,” he said, reassuring Lauren’s Mom.
“Good. Oh, the battery light is flashing. I can’t charge the laptop battery at the hotel, I don’t have the right adapter. I’ll do it at the office tomorrow. Oh, this place is so cold. Bye everyone. I love you. I love you.”
Everyone called out “I love you” and Lauren’s Mom ended the video call. Lauren’s Dad looked down at her frowning.
“Another play date in the tree house?”
“No,” Lauren said, thinking hard. “We can play hide and seek. She can hide and I’ll forget to seek.” They both laughed.
“I shouldn’t be laughing at that,” he said and put on a pretend serious face. “Off to bed. Both of you.”
He followed her into her room, read a short story and kissed her good night. Once her bedroom light was out Lauren began to think of all the terrible things she could do to Meanie Jeanie.
“Coco. We could tell her there is gold under the house, give her a shovel and then sneak inside and watch television.” Coco was lying on the mat in her room with his head on the floor between his paws. He looked up at her with his large brown eyes.
“Or, we could have a water fight in the yard. I’d really love to throw water balloons at her bossy, little round head.” She looked down at Coco on the floor, he was peacefully watching her.
“No, you’re right. I’ll be a good girl and do whatever Meanie Jeanie wants. It’s not fair.” Lauren rolled onto her back and looked up at the dark ceiling.
“You’ve been my friend, Coco. The best friend I could have asked for. No matter how sick I was, every morning you’d come up to me in bed, excited to see me. We’d play games. I never wanted it to end. And now that I’m better the
y are punishing us both by making me play with Meanie Jeanie. Why can’t I keep playing with you? It’s not fair. Why do I need a friend that can talk? I wish you could talk, boy. I do”
Coco panted happily as he watched and listened to Lauren muttering. Soon she stopped talking and quickly fell to sleep. Coco gave a gentle sigh, closed his eyes and went to sleep too.
--
“Good morning, boy,” Lauren said and yawned at the same time. Lauren loved sleeping in on Sunday mornings. And so did her Dad. The sun was up, he was still in bed and the house was quiet.
“Are you ready, Coco? I have an idea,” she whispered. Coco jumped up excited, he knew something fun was about the happen. Lauren grabbed her pillow and ran out her door, down the hallway and into her parent’s room. She saw her Dad sitting up in bed and yelled.
“Charge!” and she smashed him in the head with her pillow.
“Hey! Careful!” he closed the lid on the laptop and grabbed a pillow.
“Take that!” he said and hit Lauren square in the side of her head.
“Hah,” she said. “That’s nothing, take that!” and she hit him in the head again. He pretended to faint and lay back with his head to the side and his eyes closed.
“I am the winner!” she cheered and hit him in the head again.
“Hey. I had my eyes closed.”
They giggled and laughed. Coco jumped up on the bed and barked. Dad let him stay even though Coco was not normally allowed on the bed.
“What were you doing on the computer?” she asked as she made herself comfortable under the doona.
“Emailing Mike, Meanie’s dad. I asked him what time Jeanie wanted to come over.”
“Oh great. And what did he say?” Lauren stroked Coco’s head.
“She doesn’t want to come.”
“Really? That’s great!” Lauren was excited. “I can play with Coco today, which is what I wanted to do. Woo hoo, boy!” her face was beaming until she saw her Dad’s frown.
“Your Mom’s right. You need to get out of the house and play with other kids. It’s good for your development. We all love the big fuzz ball,” he gave Coco’s fur a gentle stroke. “But you need to interact and talk with others not just have one way conversations with a pet. No matter how adorable he is.”
Lauren rolled her eyes.
“OK, but in the meantime, I’m spending today with Coco. Oh, and you.” She laughed and kissed her Dad on the cheek.
The day went quickly for Lauren and Coco. They played hide and seek in the yard, had a picnic on the lawn, played pirates in the tree house and finally, late in the afternoon, lay on the lounge room floor watching television.
“You two look exhausted,” her Dad said. Lauren was lying with her head rested on her hands, facing up at the television. Coco had fallen asleep curled up at her side. He was making a gentle rasping noise.
“Is Coco snoring?” he asked in disbelief. “He’s becoming human. Anyone hungry?” he asked as he walked into the kitchen. He turned back, about to ask again, when he saw why there was no answer. Lauren had put one arm around Coco and fallen asleep.
“More cake for me,” he said.
--
“No?” said her Mother. Her face glowed brightly on the computer screen. “No playdate with Jeanie?” Lauren sat sheepishly next to her Dad in front of the computer. Her mother was still in Ireland. Just then her face on the screen went dark and fuzzy.
“Oh, Lauren. I am worried about you.” Her Dad jumped forward to adjust the screen and when he did her face turned beetroot red. Lauren held a hand to her mouth to cover a laugh.
“Oh this isn’t funny, young lady. It’s quite serious.” Her face stretched wide as her Dad fiddled with the controls.
“I can’t get it back,” he whispered, clearly embarrassed. Lauren kept her face straight as she listened to her mother telling her to try harder.
“Well, we can talk about this on Tuesday. I’ll be back then. Are you picking me up from the airport?” she asked Lauren’s Dad.
“Mm-hm,” he said, out of camera, trying not to burst out laughing. The picture of her Mother’s head was now tiny and blue. Then suddenly zoomed up to take up the whole screen. Lauren laughed but then bit her lip.
“What are you two planning?” she asked, deeply suspicious. “I hope no pranks. You are picking me up? I mean, it won’t be funny for me waiting at the airport for ages.” Her face suddenly went bright red again and Lauren stifled another laugh,.
“You are planning something. Oh, stop it, or I’ll be worried the whole trip home.”
“It’s Ok,” her Dad said, getting back into view. Lauren was impressed with how controlled his face was. Not a hint of laughter anywhere.
“No surprises. I‘ll check the flight time and all that. See you when you land,” he said and started waving at her huge, stretched, red head.
“Oh, good. OK, I’ll see then. Bye. Bye. Bye now.”
“Bye, Mummy. I love you.”
“I love you, too. I love you both.”
They both said good bye and watched as her large, orange head, as bright as the sun on the computer screen faded to black. When the video call ended they both burst out laughing.
“Poor, Mom. That was so embarrassing.” Lauren hacked out through the laughter.
“I had the brightness up earlier today when I was using it,” her Dad explained, wiping tears from his eyes. “Not my finest hour, just then.”
--
At Dublin airport Lauren’s Mom adjusted her hair one more time and climbed out of the taxi. The airport was enormous with unbelievably high ceilings. It was also very noisy with people constantly making announcements over a loud speaker. A roar was heard overhead every minute as a jet took off or landed.
High up in the ceiling some unusual things were moving around. Three unusual things were tussling. Flying like birds, one was being chased by the other two. They were short, creatures with green pants and blue hats. They were leprechauns, with big round noses, big ears and short arms and legs. They flew so fast and quietly that people on the ground did not notice them.
“Come back here, Pillosh.” One called out, flying after a shorter, fatter one. “You’ve got it coming, you have.”
“Yes, I’ve had it wit’ your little pranks. Wait ‘til I get you.” Called out a girl leprechaun. Pillosh looked back and called out.
“You’ll never be catchin’ me. I’m too agile, too smart, too clever, too ...”
With a loud “dong” Pillosh flew head first into a pillar and slid all the way down to the floor, landing in a rubbish bin. No humans noticed. The other two flew down, grabbed him and stamped their feet to cast a spell.
“Great and grealy grobben goot got. Pillosh mac colourin’ he has not,”
Pillosh froze, immobilised and his clothes become fainter in colour. So much so that light passed through him, like a ghost.
“T’will last for a day,” said the bigger leprechaun. “Long enough for you to GET LOST!” The two leprechauns pushed Pillosh’s floating ghost towards a line of passengers. Pillosh flew slowly and gently through the air and then landed head first and silently into Lauren’s Mom’s big orange suit case, disappearing inside.
“Just the one bag?” asked the attendant who picked up the bag, checking it in. “To Australia?” Mom nodded and handed over her passport while adjusting her hair again. She watched her bag bump along the conveyor and out of sight. Little did she know there was a stowaway inside. A very disagreeable and naughty Irish leprechaun.
--
Lauren awoke in the back seat of the car as her Dad was parking it. Outside the gentle light of dawn was tainting the top of the white arrivals terminal with orange. The clouds above on the horizon were dark red from the deep glow of the far off sun rise.
“Where are we, Dad?” she asked, very sleepy and rubbing her eyes. Coco was sitting up beside her, then bent down to give her cheek a lick. Lauren rubbed his ears affectionately.
“We’re a
t the airport, to pick up Mom.” Lauren peered out the car window with sleepy eyes, half closed, watching strangers walking into the car park pulling their luggage behind them. She watched one stranger cross the road with a big orange suit case. The stranger came closer, Lauren looked again and then shouted with excitement.
“Mommy!”
Coco barked and Lauren’s Dad jumped out of the car to give her a big hug and to help with her bags.
“Oh, I missed you so much!” said her mother and they hugged and kissed.
“Well?” asked Lauren. “Did you get me a surprise?”
Lauren’s Mom rolled her eyes and nodded. Coco started barking and didn’t stop until Lauren patted him.
“But wait until we get home.” Dad did up his seat belt and started the car.
“Home, guys. Let’s go home!”
--
Coco was the first out of the car and into the house, barking excitedly all the way. Lauren, her Mom and Dad were all laughing and chatting.
“Into the bedroom, Lauren and I’ll give you your surprise.” Mom followed Dad into their bedroom. He picked up the heavy orange suit case and dropped it onto the soft bed. The morning light was strong now and Lauren was fully awake. She jumped onto the bed and tried to unzip the suit case.
“Hang on, Miss Hurry. I have to unlock it.”
Lauren could barely contain her excitement as she watched her Mom unlock and open the luggage, unpacking it bit by bit.
“Ah, here it is!” Her Mother held up a large aqua coloured bag which had a zipper three quarters of the way around.
“It’s a makeup kit. Your very first. I hope you like it.”
Lauren squealed. She hugged her Mom tight and ran into her room hugging the bag with Coco jumping along behind, barking. She plopped the bag in the middle of her bed.
“Look at this, boy. It’s brilliant! My own make up and ...!” Lauren stopped talking as the bag began to move. She giggled and waited for it to move some more.
“This is brilliant, Mom,” she called out. But just then a small blue hat came up out of the bag. Lauren froze with her mouth wide open. She was not sure if this was part of the surprise.
“Is it supposed to do that?” she asked Coco who was growling at the blue hat. Then, slowly Pillosh’s small, ugly head come out, then an arm, then another arm, then his body and then his legs. Lauren couldn’t believe her eyes as a Leprechaun, about two feet tall stood on her bed.
“How ...? Who...?”
“’Tat was easy,” he said in his thick Irish accent. “Now tell me, girly. Just where in the great wide world are we?” Pillosh pointed a bony finger around the room and then put his hands on his hips.
Lauren folded her arms, deciding she did not like his smugness.
“You’re in my home, of course. I’m Lauren and this is Coco, my attack dog and model of fine fashion.”
Pillosh looked into Coco’s eyes who gave another growl.
“Did ye’ lick the blarney, Loco?” Coco moved closer to sniff Pillosh and then suddenly gave out a loud bark.
“This dog can’t talk. A travesty!” Lauren was angered and wanted to tell the ugly little leprechaun he was wrong.
“His name is Coco, not Loco. And he can talk. Listen. Coco, listen, what’s that up there?” Lauren frowned and pointed upwards and nodding.
“Roof!”
“See?”
“Oh, great greenery, get me away from the heathen dog and dim witted girly. Up the yard!” Pillosh looked to the ceiling, closed his eyes and stomped his left foot. Lauren and Coco stared at the strange little man waiting for something to happen.
“Are you doing magic?”
Pillosh opened his eyes to find he was still in the room with all staring at him.
“Oh, green gobshivery. Rid me of ‘dis flea bus and the dim lassie. Up the yard!” he opened his eyes again, clearly disappointed he had not gone.
“Are we far from Dublin? You see it’s getting late and I miss me sweet clover comin’ over.”
“Dublin? Like in Ireland? That’s on the other side of the world!” She said matter of factly. Pillosh's face went pale.
“Great sham rocking toadstools. Where are we?”
“You’re in Australia.”
“Where’s that? Am I ... out of Ireland? I’m ... I’m ... If I don’t see dat great clover , well I’ll be gettin’ homesick. Do you know what dat means, lassie?” Pillosh jumped down onto the floor and began pacing, wringing his hands and rubbing his ears.
“I guess. It means you will start thinking about the places you are missing. And your Mom and your Dad?”
“No. No, lassie. Homesickness for leprechauns be fatal. I’ll keel over. I’ll die! You got to be helpin’ me get back!” Pillosh put his ugly, wrinkled face near Lauren’s and smiled, doing his best to look appealing. Coco growled.
“Humph. You were rude to me. What did you call me? A dim something or other?”
“Oh, forget dat. And you know the folk lore. You caught me fair and square, I must grant you a free wish. I’ll give you anyt’ing you want. But you’ve got to be gettin’ me back to Ireland. Please?”
Lauren folded her arms, shrugged and looked away.
“A wish, eh? Let me think.”
--
Lauren did not know whether to believe the mean little man standing on her bed or not. He had rudely appeared out of her new beauty kit, ruining her surprise gift. For a moment she wondered how he could have travelled all the way from Ireland in it without getting any make up on. Coco barked at him.
“It’s OK, boy. So you say I have one wish? Because I caught you? I think it’s a trick. The best thing to do is to let Dad sort you out.”
“OH, NO!” Pillosh’s eyes were wide with terror. “I must not be seen by your parents. I must NOT!”
Lauren sensed the leprechaun was becoming more desperate. He was rubbing his ears so much they were turning bright red.
“And why’s that?”
“I’ll turn to stone of course! To STONE! Oh please, clever girl. Please, let me grant you a wish so that I can be on my way.”
Lauren rubbed her chin and narrowed her eyes. “A wish, eh? Like what?” She pursed her lips and waited for the little leprechaun to answer. He looked around the room, thinking desperately for something to give her.
“Your walls. I can make them smell o’ lavender. Oh the sweet smell...”
Lauren shook her head.
“You want your hair a different colour?” She shook her head again.
“Your dog to become a cat?” Coco barked when he saw the Leprechaun pointing at him.
Lauren shook her head. The ugly little leprechaun’s expression grew worried.
“Well, what ‘den? Is there be any t’ing worrying you dat you want changed?” he asked.
Coco gave another growl to show who was boss.
“My Mom keeps making me play with Meanie Jeanie from next door.”
“All right, ‘den.” Pillosh closed his eyes and began chanting a spell.
“Wait!” said Lauren alarmed. “What are you about to do?”
“I tink I’ll turn her into a Labrador.” He smiled smugly and took a deep breath.
“Wait!” Lauren stopped him again. “I don’t know the law I’m pretty sure that’s not allowed. If you want to help me you’ve got to come up with another way to stop me having to play with Meanie. OK?”
Pillosh sat down on the bed surprising Coco and making him bark. Pillosh looked at Coco in annoyance.
“Why is it you don’t like to play with this Meanie lass?”
“Mom,” Lauren began, “says I have to play with someone that can talk. I’d rather play with Coco but ...” she paused and looked into Pillosh’s mean little green eyes with a hint of mischief.
“Can you ... ?”
Pillosh face turned grim.
“Any wish, lassie, but dat one. It is strictly forbidden by our most loud and powerful king.”
“You said one wi
sh. And if you grant it you can’t take it back.” Lauren folded her arms.
“Oh, you be tellin’ me the rules now?” Pillosh was annoyed and worried. He could see Lauren’s mind was made up.
“How to grant you your wish but not be upsettin’ the great, loud king. Hmmm.” He clicked his bent little fingers.
“Now,” he said. “No one can know, of course or the king will have me stewin’ for gluin’. Deal?” He stretched out his bony hand waiting for Lauren to shake on the deal. Lauren was overcome with suspicion.
“How do I know this isn’t a trick? Or worse. How do I know it won’t hurt Coco?”
“Look. I’ll show you! Be jingoes, be borrin’, be given his sporren!” There was a small puff of green smoke from Pillosh’s hands but no noise. A small white spark shot from his finger tips and disappeared into Coco’s head. Both Lauren and Pillosh looked at Coco. Pillosh smiled with satisfaction and Lauren with horror.
“You could have killed him!” she said on the verge of tears. Coco who was panting with a huge, wet, pink tongue hanging out of his mouth.
“Well? How does ya feel’?” Pillosh asked. Coco cocked his head and looked at them both.
“Well, I’d feel better if everyone stopped staring at me.” And then closed his mouth and opened his eyes wide in shock. Lauren let out a squeal of delight.
“You CAN talk. What an amazing dog!” She jumped off the bed and down to the floor, giving Coco a huge hug and kissed him on the top of his fuzzy head.
“Ahem. Now, about gettin’ me back to Ireland?”
“So how did you do it so the king won’t be angry. Is it temporary?”
“Arh!” he gnashed his teeth. “I’m not sayin’.” He took a deep breath and calmed himself. “I’ve been gone from Ireland for a whole day. I don’t know how long I can hold on ‘til the homesickness gets me.” Suddenly he clicked his shoes together and spoke.
“Be botten me notten!” and faint green smoke puffed from his finger tips.
“What did you just do?” she asked, horrified.
“Ask the wee doggy to speak.” The mean little leprechaun said. “You’ll find dat he can’t. I need to get back to Ireland. Is this your wish?”
--
Pillosh slept in Lauren’s wardrobe between two shoe boxes so as not to be seen. He had a peculiar way of sleeping, with his feet up and his hat on his feet. Lauren played outside in her tree house with Coco. That was what her parents thought, but really she was discussing with Coco what to do next.
“I just don’t trust his mean little face,” Lauren said as she poured water into a bowl on the floor for Coco.
“I mean, in all the stories I heard the leprechauns are tricky. They trick people into looking for a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Right? None found.” She sat at her kid sized table pretending to drink tea, while poking an angry finger at the table.
“They take babies. Wasn’t Rumpelstiltskin a leprechaun?”
Coco gnawed on a bone.
“You know what I think. I think he’s going to trick us. I bet that if I wish for you to talk, as soon as he’s away from us he’ll go back on his word. He said the king would get angry if he gave me that wish.” She watched Coco biting on the bone with his strong, white teeth.
“What else could I wish for? I’m a kid. My parents love me. And even though I can’t stand that dreadful Meanie Jeanie, I don’t want anything bad to happen to her. Much.”
Coco made crunching sounds as he started to break up the bone with his teeth.
“Having you talk isn’t just about getting out of playing with Meanie. You know that, don’t you? It’s more than that. Like, remember when your tummy hurt and we took you to the vet. And they had to do an x-ray because they couldn’t find anything wrong. And then they found some Christmas decorations you swallowed. Well, if you could talk we would have saved you having to stay overnight at the vet. I know you didn’t like that and we were sad too.”
She gave him an affectionate pat.
“And the time you were getting your food stolen by those rotten parrots. You’d run off and chase one while the other one stole your food. Oh, they were clever. But if you spoke you could have told me and between us come up with a plan.” Lauren put down her tea cup and stood up.
“OK, then. I wish for you to talk, but we don’t give him a chance to take it back.” Lauren picked Coco up with the bone still in his jaws and carried him down the ladder.
“I hope you’re just as good a listener when you can talk.”
--
Lauren opened her wardrobe and found Pillosh asleep on the floor. His feet up in the air and his hat covering his shoes.
“Wake up,” she said in a stern voice. “We have a deal.” Pillosh needed a few seconds to gather his senses. He sat up and scratched his red hair. He looked worse to Lauren then when she first saw him.
“You are sick, aren’t you,” she said. Pillosh slowly stood, wavering. He held against the door to keep his balance. He saw the large shoe box on the floor between Lauren and Coco. There was an old pair of socks in it to make a pillow. A tear came to his eyes.
“Oh, good little lassie. Bless your over sized heart. Dat’s t’oughtful, dat is.” His expression turned to concern when he heard what Lauren had to say.
“I wish for Coco to be able to talk so that I can understand him and he can understand me. Not for a day, not for a week but forever.” She folded her arms. Pillosh closed his tired eyes and nodded slowly.
“Dat it be,” he whispered and stepped into the shoe box. As he laid down the box became bigger at the same time he shrank until he was a perfect fit. He raised a hand meekly.
“Be jingoes, be borrin’, be given his sporren,” and he coughed from the effort. A small spark shot into Coco’s head like before. Lauren’s eyes were open wide in anticipation.
“Aren’t you going to put the lid on?” Coco asked and Lauren hugged him.
“Yes!” she whispered. Lauren put on the lid, taped it shut and wrote the name “Mister Smith, Dublin Airport, Ireland” on the box.
“There’s bound to be someone called Mister Smith at the airport. Come on. Let’s take it to the post office.”
“Keep the doggy close by,” he whispered hoarsely from inside the box. “The magic needs to ... er ... settle.”
Lauren winked at Coco and rolled her eyes, as if to say she didn’t believe him.
“Guys! Coco and I are off to the Post Office, back soon,” Lauren called out. She gave Coco a hug and held up a finger. Coco knew they she did not want him to follow her to the Post.
“OK,” came the reply from her parent’s from their room down the hall and with that, Lauren skipped out the door and along the street.
--
The line at the Post office moved slowly as it snaked around display bins of pens, calendars and diaries. The shop smelt of old carpet and had dim lighting that buzzed. Finally it was Lauren’s turn to then put the box on the counter.
“One package to Ireland, please,” Lauren said to the kindly attendant, who weighed it and then put a stamp and a sticker on it.
“Should be there in a couple of days. I’ll take it and put it with the others.”
“Ah, saints be praised” came from the box. The counter lady looked at Lauren strangely then shrugged.
“Is there a toy in there?”
“A doll,” Lauren said, hoping the lady would not want to open it up and look. The lady didn’t and placed it on top of a small stack on rectangular boxes, all with addresses marked for international destinations. Lauren stayed at the counter listening for any sounds to come out of the box. Then she saw it, a small white spark float out of the box, over the counter and over the heads of the people in the queue. Lauren followed it. That double crosser, she thought.
Outside it was hard for her to see. Then she saw it moving slowly along the footpath toward her house. She picked up a small tree branch and swished at it. It did not deviate at all and kept floating in a strai
ght line.
She came to an intersection and had to wait for the lights to change. The spark continued on across the road. A large truck passed, the spark seemed to get stuck in it. The spark emerged from the truck but further down the road. It reached the other side of the road but then stopped. Lauren thought it seemed confused. The spark went in a circle and stopped again. It crossed the road back toward where Lauren was standing and a large bus drove into it. The spark went up out of the roof of the bus and stopped again. Lauren got an idea.
“I guess I’ll be heading home then,” she yelled and walked back toward the Post office. The spark began to follow her. Lauren led it into the shopping village where she saw what she was hoping for. She stopped outside of a coffee shop and bent down to pat a dog that was tied up.
“Hello, Coco,” she said giving the dog a friendly pat on the head. The dog panted and wagged its tail. The white spark zeroed in on the dog and floated down straight toward it. Lauren stroked the fur of the cute puppy and watched the white spark disappear into its head.
“Woof,” Lauren said to it. The dog stopped panting and looked at Lauren seriously.
“woof – woof!” it said back. And Lauren stood up relieved. She skipped the whole way home and ran into the house laughing. “Oh, we are going to have so much fun!”
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