by J Sevil
--
Amongst the spider webs and dust under the house Vanquar was listening. He walked bent over keeping his head from hitting the floorboards above. Taking a few steps at a time and then stopping to listen. He was underneath what he knew would be the hall way. He could make out where the door way to each room was. He had sat under a room and was sure he heard Lauren’s parents going to bed. He knew Lauren would be in one of the remaining rooms.
He thought he heard whispering but was not sure. The wind outside and splashing rain was making it hard for him to hear. Vanquar raised his large left boot and stomped the ground.
“Bitsy uppity,” he whispered and his whole body rose slowly off the ground and, like he was a ghost, his head went through the floor boards. He stopped rising when his head was fully inside Lauren’s bedroom. He could see the bed but not what was in it or on it. He sniffed, sure he could smell a dog. He sniffed again, a long draw to take in the full scent. Just then Lauren leaned over to see what was making the sniffing noise. She was shocked to see a leprechaun’s head on her floor looking up at her.
Lauren thought quickly and threw her pillow over Vanquar so he could not see. He tried to stomp his foot but it was off the ground, he struggled to lower himself back down again. Lauren grabbed Coco and ran out of her room and into the lounge room.
“I’m not giving up.” she said angrily. “We fight these little things. Everyone until we win! You’ve got to hide. You know the plan.” Coco nodded and headed outside through his doggy door. Lauren opened a draw in the kitchen and grabbed her Mom’s wooden rolling pin.
“Let’s roll,” she said and ran back into her room. She lifted the pillow but the head was gone. She closed her door, turned on her light and searched her room but found nothing.
“He must be outside.” She put on a rain coat and went out the back door. The wind whipped up her hair and sprayed rain in her face. Squinting, she looked around the yard for the leprechaun. There was very little light, only what came from a nearby street light. He could be anywhere, even beside her. And he was, level with her shins under the edge of the house. He stayed still and watched what Lauren was doing, hoping she might lead him to Coco.
With the rolling pin raised slightly, ready to strike, Lauren crept along the garden path toward the middle of the yard. There she turned and scanned the whole yard. Lightning flashes helped her see what was in the darker corners. But she saw nothing. Moving toward the house she lowered to look underneath. It was dark under there with no hope of seeing anything, but she was listening hard.
“I’m OK,” Coco whispered from his hiding place under the house. A clap of thunder frightened Lauren then she looked around and realised it was not thunder but a mighty spell from the leprechaun who was suddenly standing beside her. She took a swipe at him with her rolling pin but lost her balance. She thought she had slipped on the wet ground but realised she was rising slowly up through the air.
The leprechaun grinned an evil smile as Lauren slowly ascended to roof height and was plopped onto the wet roof tiles where she sat with her rolling pin. There she was completely exposed to the storm. She clung on for her life as the strong wind tried to push her off the roof top and the wind and rain stung her eyes. With Lauren out of the way Vanquar began looking for Coco.
“Where are ye little flea bus.” He poked his head under the house but could see nothing. He sniffed loudly but the wind made finding a scent impossible. He stomped his foot and his fingers on one hand extended another few feet. He used his extra long fingers to poke and prod the ground in the blackness under the house. Coco could see the fingers moving toward him.
Up on the roof, a strong gust of wind caught Lauren by surprise, she cried out and started to slide down feet first one side of the rood. She dug her fingers into the wet tiles looking for a way to stop. Her feet slid into the gutter causing rain water to splash onto the concrete decking below. The rolling pin hit the decking with a thud, bouncing a few times. Vanquar heard the cry and stood to see what was happening. He saw Lauren lying flat on the roof, hanging on to wet tiles while her feet were in the roof gutter, bending it awkwardly. He laughed and bent back down again to continue searching.
Just then Coco launched out from under the house and with his head pushed Vanquar over onto the sopping wet lawn. Coco ran up the stairs onto the deck to see what was happening and saw Lauren’s bear feet in the gutter. Below her was the hard concrete deck. If she fell she would be very badly hurt, certainly she would break some bones. He looked around and then jumped toward the outdoor setting. With his jaws Coco pulled the cushions off the bench seats on the outdoor setting and placed them under Lauren. The wind whipped at the cushions as he was trying to place them.
Vanquar walked up the steps to find Coco fighting with a cushion in the wind.
“Ah, flea bus. Prepare for the un-preparable.” Vanquar raised his hand toward Coco and stomped his mighty foot. The windows in the house shook and rattled and a loud thunderous clap slapped into all of them and knocked them all over. Lauren lost her grip and slipped off the roof. She screamed loudly but was muffled by the wind and the driving rain. Miraculously she landed on the cushions Coco had placed and she was not hurt.
She saw the leprechaun lying on the deck with his eyes closed. Next to him was her rolling pin, which she picked up. Near the table, lying on the deck was Coco, also with his eyes closed. Lauren guessed the worst, that the spell was a mighty one and had knocked them both out. Vanquar began to wake, groaning. Lauren rushed over to him.
“You have hurt me and my beautiful dog. Take that!” Lauren hit him in his enormous head. Vanquar’s eyes rolled back and he groaned.
“And that!” she hit him again. Vanquar stumbled down the stairs and landed on the path. Lauren followed him down and hit him again.
“You vile little creature! You nasty, mean, dreadful, horrible beast!” she hit him again hard and his head spun on his shoulders. Groggily, Vanquar lifted an arm to the sky and cried weakly.
“Begorren...” his head hit the wet ground. Lauren was about to whack him again when a bolt of lightning struck the leprechaun and he disappeared. She dropped the rolling pin and ran back up the stairs to where Coco lay, soaking wet in a pool of water. She picked him up and took him inside. She placed him on towels in the lounge room and Lauren’s Mom and Dad came out.
“What’s going on, guys?” her Dad said, sleepily. “What’s wrong with Coco?”
“I think he’s been struck by lightning,” Lauren cried, falling into her mother’s arms, sobbing.
They sat in the lounge room waiting for Coco to wake. All night Coco’s set body laid rolled up in a towel in the middle of the floor in front of the dim fire. By morning the storm had passed and the sun was shining. Lauren had fallen asleep in one of the chairs. Her Mom and Dad were asleep on the lounges. Lauren woke up groggily. Someone had wrapped her in towels as well. She peeled them off and laid on the floor next to Coco. Lauren closed her eyes and put her hands together, praying.
“Please, God, please let my wonderful doggy be all right. I know he can’t talk anymore, but please, that’s OK. I just want my doggy to be all right.” Lauren reached out and held Coco’s paw, holding it against her cheek. She closed her eyes, a small tear running down her cheek.
“This is God speaking. Give your dog chocolate everyday and he will be fine.” Lauren opened her eyes wide and looked at Coco. His eyes were open and he was grinning.
“YES!” Lauren wept and hugged Coco tightly, giggling and laughing. “Ha ha ha ha ha. And you can talk!”
“Apparently,” said Coco who then looked from side to side and then saw Lauren’s Dad watching them.
“Uh oh,” they said.
--
“Are we playing offices?” Lauren asked Jeanie. They were sitting at the small table and chairs in Lauren’s tree house. The sky was deep blue and the sun shone brightly. All that remained of the storm the previous night was puddles of water on the path and clumps of dead leaves on the path and la
wn.
“Why is Coco in the tree house?” Jeanie asked, not taking her eyes off Coco.
“Because I’d like Coco to be my business partner,” Lauren said while patting him. Coco panted happily with his big pink tongue bobbing slightly.
“I want to be the boss and I say who is business partner or not.” Jeanie spoke looking down and Lauren with her chin sticking out and hands on her hips. Jeanie stood up tall to make the most of how much taller she was of Lauren.
“You know, Meanie Jeanie,” Lauren answered loudly. “After battling with mean, nasty little leprechauns for the past week, you don’t look so scary to me at all. Coco stays. It’s my office. Coco is my partner. OK?”
Jeanie went to speak but no words came out. Then she sat down and sighed.
“OK. It can be your office.” Jeanie gasped.
Lauren hugged Coco and laughed.
--
Vanquar stood before the great king, his head bowed. His breathing was slow and mournful. The king stood above him, looking down at him, scowling.
“I see, my people,” he rose, lifting his chin and spoke. Lining the walls of the great hall were leprechauns, seven deep in some places. The hall was full and all were silent.
“We are defeated. Our great ... champion has returned to us. With injuries so great your great king can only guess at what a mighty battle it indeed was.” He slowly descended the steps to the hall floor.
“I also see that this flea bus has a protector so fearless, so cunning she has beaten the best of us. There is little more we can do. And so it is.”
He walked out into the middle of the hall and raised his golden staff.
“Who here will seek and bargain with ... the Pirates?” All gasped and held their breath. After a long pause that seemed like an eternity Kitty raised her hand. And for the first time that day the king was pleased.
“Leave today.”
--
The end
###
