‘Can we go and take a closer look,’ said Tia, as she sat on Paige’s lap, which got her a few strange looks.
Alex shook his head in surprise. ‘We best not, as it might be hungry.’
Blaze stroked Adhara’s hair. ‘And it’s dark now, so bed soon.’
Sarin shook her head. ‘But we haven’t heard a story yet.’
James glanced around at the children. ‘Do you want me to tell you one?’
‘Yes, please,’ said Adhara.
James stretched his arms. ‘It’s about a boy called Nick, who was lonely.’
‘What was he like?’ Thomas asked.
‘He was like you, he was called Nosy Nick.’
‘I’m not nosy,’ said Thomas, looking quite unhappy about it.
‘I meant he looked like you.’
‘Not a nice looking boy then,’ said Daralis, and ruffled Thomas’s hair as he was sat in front of her.
‘Mommy says I’m very handsome.’
‘Yeah,’ said Claire, ‘but she says that about Alex.’
‘Papa is the handsomest man in the whole world,’ said Shaula, who happened to be on Claire’s lap.
‘Are we going to get on with this story,’ said Birkaz, ‘as some of us need our beauty sleep?’
‘You’ll have to give me a minute now,’ said James, trying not to laugh at the very unattractive goblin.
‘Beauty is only skin deep,’ said Livvy.
‘Goblins have a lot of skin and it’s thick,’ said Birkaz.
‘That may be true, but Korzak is beautiful, and we love him,’ said Livvy, and the goblin blushed.
‘OK, let me tell you the story of Nosy Nick,’ said James.
‘Nosey Nick
Nick was a ten-year-old boy who got his nickname as you might imagine for all his prying. It wasn’t the most ideal thing for him to do as his father was the town’s only undertaker. He would always have to take a look in the funeral parlour to see who the latest dead body was. Nosy Nick wasn’t a horrible little boy, but couldn’t help prying on everyone. This caused Nick a problem, he had no friends because of it, as no one trusted him. He would go around the small town as people would avoid him, and walk away. Some would even cross the road when they saw him. This made Nick very sad, he always felt lonely and wanted people to come to him and chat away. It would never happen of course, as he would start asking questions about them and write it down in his diary.
Nosy Nick’s latest entries in his diary for the last few months said, bored, fed up, no friends, lonely.
Nick woke up one morning and climbed out of bed quite eagerly, it was shopping day . . . his favourite day of the week. His father would always treat him to anything he wanted when they went shopping, as he loved him very much. Nick waited in the kitchen as his father had not come downstairs, and had the last of the cereal for breakfast. After an hour his father still didn’t get up, and he went to check on him. His father lay in bed with sweat covering his forehead.
Daddy, are you OK? Nick asked, but got no reply.
Daddy, it’s me, are you going to wake up? Still no reply and Nick, now frightened, picked up the phone and dialled the emergencies services.
Hello, can I help you? The voice on the other end asked, it was not the usual response as the voice sounded very tired.
My daddy’s not well and needs help, said Nick.
There are a lot of people who are not well at the moment. We’ll get someone there soon as possible, where are you? The woman asked.
Lawson’s funeral parlour.
Oh, so you must be Nosy Nick.
Yes, that’s me.
It will be awhile, I’m sorry.
Please come quickly, I know everyone hates me, but my daddy’s the nicest man in the world. Please come, please save my daddy, said Nick, sobbing down the phone. Please come.
We’ll be there soon as possible, honey, please don’t cry.
He’s all I have, and I need my daddy.
Five minutes later he heard an ambulance outside and ran to open the door. A man and woman came in and put his father on a stretcher before putting him in the ambulance. Nick climbed into the back as they drove to the hospital.
Is he going to be OK? he asked.
I don’t know, said the woman, so many have the fever, and I think I have it too.
They took his father into the hospital. It wasn’t very big, but it wasn’t a big town. Nosy Nick waited as there were so many people, and none tried to avoid him as they were all too ill. He waited for six hours before a man in a white coat walked over to him.
Do you have any other family? The doctor asked.
Nick shook his head. Daddy is all I have.
The doctor rubbed his eyes. I’m so sorry, but he passed away not long ago.
My daddy’s gone? Said Nick, and started to cry.
I’m sorry, we did everything we could, but we have a plague of sorts and everyone is getting it.
I don’t have any sickness.
No, I think you should leave here, and go home before you get it.
Nosy Nick left the hospital and cried all the way back home. He was completely alone now and felt very frightened.’
‘Where’s his mommy?’ Sarin asked.
‘She died when he was very young,’ said James.
Claire shook her head. ‘I thought it was a scary story, not a weepie.’
‘I’m getting there,’ said James, and continued.
‘Nick had his father’s keys and let himself in. There were no windows on the ground floor to the funeral parlour as his father had been very security conscious. Their home was upstairs, but Nick had to check to see if there was a body in the parlour before going up. He wasn’t being nosy this time, as he wouldn’t be able to stay there on his own if there was a body inside. To Nick’s relief it was empty. He ate the last two slices of bread before going to bed.
Nosy Nick woke the following morning to an eerie silence, as there was usually some noise outside his bedroom window. It was on the high street and many cars always drove past, but he never heard one. He got up and dressed before going outside. Nick didn’t know what to do, but thought he should find an adult. There was no one around, and could hear no cars. Nick walked for a while and the only noises he could hear were of birds and a barking dog. It was Sunday and the church was empty, so he decided to walk to the hospital. Nick saw a man walking towards him, and felt relieved someone else was there. The man approached very slowly, and Nick could see his face was deathly pale. The man put his arms up as if to grab Nick,’ said James, and put his arms up to show them what he meant. Alex felt Talitha tense up.
‘Nick froze for a moment and ran as the man got closer. He kept running for what felt like a long time. Nosy Nick knew what the man was as he had seen them in many films. The man had come back from the dead . . . he was a Zombie,’ said James and paused for a moment as the children gasped.
‘Nick stopped for a while to get his breath back and leant over a fence as he was nearly sick. He heard shuffling behind, turned quickly, and saw a zombie woman who was almost upon him. He managed to duck under her outstretched arms.
Barm, the zombie grunted. Barm.
Nick didn’t understand what she meant and ran dodging many more of them. Barm, they said. He thought they meant brains as he knew zombies liked eating them.
Nick ran home as fast as he could, they were slow, and he could easily outrun them. There were none outside his home, he stepped inside, and put all the locks on the door. He thought he would be safe if none saw him enter, and didn’t turn on the lights as it was now dark. Nick’s stomach rumbled but there was no food in the house, as his father was meant to buy it the day before. He knew he would have to find somewhere else to go, so he could get some food. He decided to wait for a while, and an hour later he realised he had left it too late. Nick looked out of the window to see many of them outside, including his zombie dad who was pounding on the door shouting Barm.
That was too much for him, even his own
dad wants to eat his brains,’ said James, as Alex sniffed Talitha’s hair.
‘Papa, no,’ she said, and giggled.
‘Nick decided to go out the back quietly, and as he turned from locking the door he saw he was almost surrounded by zombies. Nick ran the only way he could, towards the front, but ran straight into two of them who grabbed his arms. The zombies, however, did not eat his brains but instead, dragged him to his father.
Barm, the zombie said, took the keys off him, and opened the front door.
Nick stood there stunned as the zombies released his arms, and his dead father walked into the funeral parlour. He decided to follow him inside, and saw his father drinking some liquid, it was embalming fluid.
Nick’s eyes grew big. So you meant balm not barm or brains?
His father coughed as he let the liquid go down before passing the bottle to another zombie. Why would I say brains?
I thought you wanted to eat mine.
What a strange idea, I’m dead and don’t get hungry anymore. I need the liquid to stop my insides from rotting away.
Nick hugged his dead dad. I missed you, and have hardly eaten in two days.
You poor thing, and after all that running, you must be starving, said a zombie woman, she was their neighbour. Come back to mine and I will fix you something to eat, and you can have as much as you want as I don’t need it anymore.
Nick was happy he was not alone anymore. He had lots of friends now, they were all dead, but he could live with that. The end.’
‘That was so cool,’ said Thomas, and all the children clapped.
They decided to keep it to one story as there were more nights ahead. They chatted for another hour before turning in. Alex sat with Thomas using their night-sight to watch the creatures in the distance with Thomas excitedly pointing at them. Their watch lasted an hour before Carrie and Adhara relieved them.
Alex fell asleep straight away and woke the following morning to find Carrie using his chest as a pillow, and decided to stay there until she got up. He didn’t have long to wait.
Carrie looked up. ‘Should I get changed in here or down by the lake?’
‘The lake,’ said Alex, quickly.
‘Why not in here?’
‘When you sleep this closely to someone,’ said Alex, as he stroked her back, ‘you can tell if they’re not wearing a bra.’
‘Come to the lake with me,’ said Carrie, smiling at his touch.
‘I don’t think that would be a good idea.’
‘I can watch you bathe,’ said Carrie, as her finger drew circles over his chest.
What the hell? If she’s gay, why would she want to watch me? Alex thought. ‘I think we should get some breakfast.’
‘I’m comfy here,’ said Carrie as her finger started to get lower and suddenly froze. She pulled her hand away quickly, lifted herself up, and in doing so knelt over him.
‘Oh gawd,’ said Alex, as he could see down her top, as some of the buttons had come undone.
She wriggled her chest in his face before turning and sitting with her back to him. ‘You could always close your eyes,’ she said, and took her pyjamas off while still sitting.
‘Why would I do that, when I’m thinking of tickling you,’ said Alex, as he slid his finger down her spine.
Carrie shivered. ‘Do you want me to turn around or what?’
Yes, Alex thought, but picked up her dressing gown and put it over her shoulders. ‘There you go, my lady.’
~~~~
Carrie strolled to the lake where most of the women were, and approached the white witches.
Aileen smiled at her. ‘Good morning, did you have a good night?’
‘No, it was bloody awful, well this morning was,’ said Carrie, as she stepped into the lake and started to wash. ‘I know you can’t do anything about love, but what about lust?’
Aileen nodded. ‘We can help there.’
‘Is it that bad?’ Luella asked.
‘I was this close.’ Carrie showed them the gap between her index finger and thumb. ‘It’s like I’m in a trance when I’m with him.’
‘You nearly told him,’ said Aileen.
‘No, I nearly had him.’
Daralis dried her face. ‘That could have been dangerous.’
‘I know and that’s why I need help, as I can’t help myself.’
‘Do you think Alex felt the same way?’ Luella asked.
Carrie stepped out of the lake and grabbed her towel. ‘I have no doubt, and if he didn’t think I was gay, I’d still be in the tent with him now.’
Aileen’s eyes grew big. ‘We’ll have to sort that out for him.’
‘Pardon?’
‘She means with a potion,’ said Daralis.
‘Yes,’ said Aileen with a wink, ‘that’s what I meant.’
‘It would be my own fault if you did it the other way.’
Aileen picked up her bag. ‘No, it wouldn’t, if it hadn’t been for your dreams you would be together now.’
‘That’s true I guess.’
‘I have to say,’ said Luella, ‘I didn’t expect you to be looking so happy yesterday.’
‘We had a chat.’ Carrie put on her dressing gown and told them about the conversation.
Daralis shook her head. ‘He never ceases to amaze me.’
‘That’s why it’s hard for me to stay away from him. You’d have thought he would have hated me by now.’
Paige shook her wet hair. ‘You should know what he’s like by now.’
‘Is it safe to wash?’ said Alex, as he and James walked over, both wearing shorts and a towel over their shoulders. Alex dropped his towel on the ground along with his toiletry bag, dived into the water, before swimming around for a few seconds. He stood up with the water dripping off him.
Claire pulled a face. ‘Why did you ask if it’s safe and come here before we answer you?’
‘House told me you were all decent.’
‘That could change any second now,’ said Carrie, and was about to take her dressing gown off, not that it covered much.
‘We best get you that potion,’ said Aileen, and pulled her away.
~~~~
Luella watched the other women leave, and turned to Alex. ‘Did you have a good night?’
‘The night was great, the morning was a problem.’
‘Why was that?’
‘Certain feelings and desires,’ said Alex, going a little red. She was his mother after all, even if she looked more like his sister.
‘But you managed to contain them?’
‘Yeah, but only just, she does something to me. If it wasn’t for my dream I would be very embarrassed now, and sleeping on my own tonight.’
‘I have never known feelings like yours before,’ said Luella.
‘Can you do anything?’ Alex asked.
‘I’ll go and mix you up a potion, to suppress certain urges.’
Alex kissed her cheek. ‘Thanks, Mom.’
When they got back, the campsite had disappeared all except one tent. The horses were either saddled or carried packs.
‘That was quick,’ said James.
Alex smiled. ‘Yeah, and we know what time to go for a wash every morning now.’
‘The tent remaining is for you to get changed in,’ said Paige, ‘and you have clothes in there, too.’
Luella was also in there as she used it to get changed. ‘Drink this,’ she said, and passed Alex a glass with strange coloured liquid in.
‘Don’t I get one?’ said James.
Luella opened the tent flap to leave. ‘Asima wouldn’t be very happy if I gave you a potion.’
‘It’s to supress my feelings for Carrie,’ said Alex, and drank it which gave him a strange sensation. Luella took the glass and left them to get changed.
‘It can’t be that bad,’ said James.
‘It’s worse than you think,’ said Alex, and told him of his dream.
‘But you couldn’t leave each other alone yesterday.’
>
‘I know, and that’s what the potion was for,’ said Alex, as he looked out of the tent, and saw Carrie. Beautiful he thought, and that was all he thought.
They rode for five hours before reaching the next camp site. It was similar to the last one, only the lake was larger. Alex never had to help set up camp and decided to join the children looking for food. He stood under what looked like a pear tree, even though the fruit tasted nothing like pears.
‘Don’t pick it, Papa,’ said Adhara.
‘What do I do then?’
‘Just put your hand underneath it.’
Alex did and the fruit came away freely. ‘That’s neat.’
‘Yes, the trees and plants give you the food so you don’t have to take it.’
Alex glanced over and saw Birkaz, who was very gentle around the children. ‘I think Korzak was right about you.’
‘Children,’ said Birkaz, ‘have that effect on me, and I hate to think I scare them.’
‘That gives me an idea, and it could be fun.’
‘I’ve an idea too,’ said Thalion, ‘but it means we will lose the children.’
Alex raised a brow. ‘I’d rather not lose any of them.’
‘Of course we won’t really lose any, as House will be with them.’
‘OK, I’m listening.’
~~~~
Michelle watched as Summer sat down. ‘Are you not missing all the cooking?’
‘No, I’m on holiday and loving it.’
‘It’s supposed to be an adventure,’ said Sammy.
‘If you say so,’ said Summer, as she lay in the sun. ‘Will someone wake me when dinner’s ready?’
Carrie sat next to her. ‘Anybody would think you deserved a holiday.’
‘Normally I wouldn’t, but you had to keep having the monster.’
Michelle grinned. ‘Where’s Alex anyway?’
‘With the children.’
Sammy stood. ‘We need to do something to make this more of an adventure for them.’
‘Like what?’ said Carrie.
‘A search or something. Let’s say the elves lost a valuable artefact and the children were to find it.’
The Final Destiny: Vesta Mansion Trilogy - Book Three - Fantasy Page 15
