Nasty Pixie Tale Continued…

Hey guys!

I believe that this is part 5 of my Nasty Pixie Tale. The previous one was mistakenly labled 3 (and it was really 4). I’m back into writing mode and thought that I’d start off with this. I did and completed Script Frenzy, which turned out not to be as difficult as I thought. Really, it was actually quite easy though I’ll be the first to confess that the quality of my product leaves much to be desired. But, more of that later. For now – I return you to the adventures of the Nasties. Enjoy.

Nasty Pixie Tale Part 5.

The Nasties were moving again.

After a quick trek to the stream Antonio had discovered for a drink, some failed fishing and a rest, Antonio pulled them up and started herding them through the forest. His pace was considerably quicker than before, fuelled by an excitement he wouldn’t share with them lest he ruined the surprise. On the odd occasion, he’d run ahead to make sure he was on the right track, followed closely by Kylie and Marsha who seemed to revel in the increased pace – enjoying the strength of their new bodies.

Mud too lumbered forward with a slow but steady Zombie gait that allowed her to keep up with the group. Alyssa tried her best to remain with them but continued to fall behind until a now fully clothes Phil offered to piggy back her. It bore testament to her exhaustion when she accepted his help without protest.

Kylie glanced back to where Phil and Mud were walking before bounding ahead to where Antonio had trotted to an up rise, sniffing the air.

“Antonio-kun, you really ate ground on your last scouting trip,” she said by way of greeting. “How did you manage that?”

Antonio, who was still standing on all fours, smiled and unconsciously stretched his back, digging his very tiger like claws into the ground. “This body’s not just for show,” he purred.

Marsha snorted and gave him a sharp thump with her tail as she walked by him to look around. “Where are you taking us Antonio,” she queried. “Phil wants to know, as do we all really.”

Antonio glanced back to see Phil and Mud start up the hill, his light green hair flashing in the sunlight. Alyss’s wings were folded around him like a blanket and she seemed to be asleep. The young man didn’t seem to have any trouble carrying her and was making a joke with Mud, though his face was covered in sweat.

“We’re almost there,” Antonio said and turned around, standing upright as he did so. “You’ll see there’s a clearing just up ahead, that’s what we’re aiming for. And, I’m not saying, telling you would be like reading ahead in a book to see what’s going to happen next. That’s not how I tell my stories.”

Kylie laughed. “So you’re a spoiler free Antonio?”

Antonio smiled and turned to Phil. “Something like that, should I take her for a bit?”

Phil tossed some of his hair out of his eyes and shook his head, shifting his burden into a more comfortable position. She was indeed sleeping and their talking didn’t seem to hinder her at all.

“Nah, I’m alright. These wings are hot but other than that she’s no effort.” He looked around. “Are we there yet?”

Mud stopped with them and looked around, a small smile on her half rotten mouth. “I think we’re close,” she stated to which Antonio frowned.

“How do you figure?”

Mud tapped her skull. “Zombie sense.”

The group gave her a puzzled look then turned to Antonio. “So?” Marsha queried.

Antonio only grinned and dropped down to all fours again. “Come on, just a little bit further.” He trotted off, leaving the rest behind to roll their eyes at each other.

“Antonio the Adventurer,” Mud said dryly. “He seems to be enjoying himself.”

Marsha grinned at her and dropped down to all fours herself. “Aren’t we all?” she confessed and turned to Phil. “You sure you alright?” When Phil nodded she wagged her tail and trotted after Antonio. Kylie looked at them and got a wicked glint in her eyes.

“Bugger this,” she said. “I don’t have to stay behind them. I’m off to see what Antonio’s hiding. See ya!”

She leapt up into one of the trees, leaving the two conscious Nasties staring after their friends. Mud sighed patiently and started lumbering forward. “The living has no patience,” she said and glanced at the sleeping Alyss. “Think she’s nocturnal?”

Phil chuckled and started moving with her. “Would be interesting if she is, her sleeping patterns never matched with ours. What’s it like to be a zombie Mud?”

The carcass grinned. “Enlightening, what’s it like to be able to go invisible?”

Despite himself, Phil blushed. “Draughty.”

Antonio and Marsha waited for them at the edge of the clearing, both frowning when they did a headcount.

“Where’s Kylie?” Antonio asked, but before Phil could answer there was a shout from the clearing.

“It’s the clubhouse!! I swear!! It’s the clubhouse!!”

They looked up to see Kylie running towards them, her ninja mask unable to hide her glee. “Antonio you found our house!” Behind her, they could see the faint outline of a small house at the furthest edge of the clearing. Kylie ran up to them but, instead of slowly down, she leapt onto Antonio and glomped him to the ground. Grinning, she hugged the tiger. “You found our clubhouse!”

Antonio laughed as he pushed her off, accepting a helping paw from Marsha who pulled him up. “It might not be ours,” he tried to calm the ninja down. “But, it’s… Familiar sort of. I didn’t take time to explore it, I figured it would be something we can do together. And the door’s locked.”

Kylie grinned and pushed herself up. “I can fix that!” she exclaimed. “I’m sure I have ninja lock picking skillz!” She ran back to the cottage yelling; “We have a house!”

Marsha looked after her then at Phil. “Was there anybody there? Any new Nasties?”

Antonio shook his head and started to follow Kylie, motioning the others to walk with him. “No, I couldn’t see or smell anybody.” He paused for a moment, making Mud raise her only eyebrow.

“But?” she queried.

Antonio shrugged. “I couldn’t help but feel that that place is occupied. But, it wasn’t.” He hesitated and looked at Kylie who had already reached the house and was working on the door. Marsha made a considering sound in the back of her throat almost touching on being a growl and lifted up her tail.

“Maybe we should hurry down to her,” she said softly. “We don’t know what’s out here. And I mean, she might be a ninja but… she’s still our responsibility.”

Phil stepped forward. “Maybe I should go in first,” he offered. “I sneak in without alerting anybody to my presence…”

“I’VE OPENED IT!”

Mud shook her head and rolled her eye. “Great plan, late execution,” she said. “Come on, before she hurts anything. Go on you two, we’ll catch up.” She nodded as Antonio and Marsha sped down to where Kylie was slowly pushing open the door.

When the two animals joined Kylie she grinned and opened the door completely, stepping into the house confidently. “Hello?” she called. “Anybody in here?!”

Antonio rose up onto his hide feet and put his paw on Kylie’s shoulder. “Wait for the other’s kiddo,” he said with a small smile. “It’s only fair…”

A flower pot sailed out of the house and would’ve hit Antonio had Kylie not reacted instinctively and kicked it out of the way.

“Damn!” Marsha snapped as she dove both of them to the ground and pulled them out of the way as another pillow came sailing out of the door.

“Staaay… Awaaay…” A disembodied voice rose up around them. “Staaay… Awaaay…”

Both Antonio and Marsha seemed to double in size as the fur on their bodies stood on end and Kylie’s eyes were wide as she squirmed out of their grip. “There’s a ghost!” she said. “There’s a ghost in the house!”

“Guys!” Came Phil’s call as he ran up to them. The increased pace woke Alyss who blinked surprised and let go of him without warning, opening her wings with a flap as she jumped back from his back. She stood there blinking for several seconds until Mud grabbed her by the arm and pulled her forward. Phil reached the group and ducked as another vase flew out of the window that opened with a snap as the door slammed shut. “What’s going on?”

Antonio didn’t answer him immediately but looked back and yelled at Mud. “Get down!”

His warning came too late as a tennis racket sailed out of the house, spinning like a ninja star, and severed Mud’s head right from her body. Adrenaline jolted Alyss to a full waking state as she cursed in a foreign tongue and tackled Mud’s body to the ground before making a dive for her head and shoving it back in place.

Kylie tried to see what was going on inside the house by looking through the window but Marsha once again pulled her down and held onto her.

“What’s that?!” Phil asked, thoroughly spooked as another pan sailed out of the window.

“A ghost!” Kylie said. “Marsha let up! It might be Beej!”

“No way Kylie,” Antonio said sharply. “That voice sounded female.”

“Awh!” Kylie moaned in protest. “Come on guys! Let me go! I can talk to it!”

The disembodied voice drifted around them once more. “Staaay… Awaaay… Staaay… Oh for bloody hell. Where did I put that…” The voice faded away.

Silence reigned around the Nasties as they looked at each other. Alyssa and Mud joined the group and where Alyss looked bewildered, Mud seemed quite calm as she counted her finger to make sure she had a full set before looking at the door. “A ghost eh?” she said. “Goodness.”

All eyes turned to Kylie. “What did you do this time?” Alyssa snapped, gesturing to the door.

“Hey!” Kylie snapped. “I didn’t draw any ghosts just like I didn’t draw Phil naked! It just sort of happened.”

Marsha swallowed and motioned to Alyssa to calm down. “Do you think it’s one of us?” she queried to which Antonio let out a sharp breath.

“Someone’s gotta talk to it.” He said. “If it is… No Kylie, not you.”

The youth rolled her eyes. “Come on, I’m used to it.”

Mud sighed and pushed herself up. “None of you will,” she said patiently and lurched to the door. “Let’s leave the dead to the dead shall we?”

To Be Continued…