Hey everybody,
I haven’t been writing a lot lately because I’m studying for a module in Financial Management. I haven’t opened a book properly in three years, and I have to admit, starting up my brain took more effort than it had taken to start my old car up in the winter. I tend not to write when I’m studying (force of habit, stopping myself was the only way that I could keep myself in the books) but I had a strong need to do so tonight. Mostly thanks to Antonio because of his great post in Online with Ivy. 😉 You can find a link to this at ‘Antonio’s Place’. It’s great – featuring Kim Harrison’s character Ivy Tamwood as she goes through her electronic life. Anyway, reading it made me realize that I really wanted to just write something, and this story is the easiest.
This post is dedicated to our Rock Chick/ghost friend Tiffany who celebrated her birthday yesterday (16th of June). I hope that you had a great day my friend. Thank you for your friendship and I hope that this year will bring amazing things your way. 😉
So, without any further delay (unlike South Africa’s public services…) I give you:
Nasty Pixie Tale Part 8
When Marsha and Antonio raced into the club house’s clearing, Mud and Phil were already there, their eyes wide at the excited state of the two.
“We heard Kylie hollering something,” Phil said as Antonio raced to a stop in front of him. “What’s up?”
Both Nasties reared up to their hind legs as Marsha joined Antonio. “Where’s Alyssa?” Antonio queried, looking towards the porch where Tiffany had made her appearance. “Tiffany?”
The ghost glanced behind her and shrugged. “In the bathroom,” she said. “Looking for something.”
Marsha blinked. “What?” she asked to which Tiffany smiled amused.
“Hair dye.”
Marsha and Antonio shared a look. “Get her,” Antonio said and looked to the sky where he could still see the moving light. “Quickly.”
Tiffany raised a ghostly eyebrow and disappeared. Mud lumbered closer to Antonio and Marsha and gave them a puzzled look. “What’s going on?” she queried. “Where’s Kylie?”
Marsha smiled at the zombie and motioned towards the moving light. “Following the airship,” she said. “See that light? We think its Suzanne.”
Phil also came closer and frowned up at the sky. “She’s not coming this way,” he pointed out to which Antonio nodded as Tiffany appeared in the doorway with a bewildered looking Alyssa. “That’s why we need her,” he said and trotted closer. “Alyssa, come quickly.”
Alyssa blinked and quickly ran down the porch stairs. “What’s going on?” she queried and did a head count. “Oh gods, what happened to Kylie?”
Marsha came forward quickly and made a soothing gesture with her hand. “Kylie’s fine,” she said. “But we need your help.”
The young woman frowned and pulled her braid over her shoulder so that she could fiddle with it. “With?”
Antonio took a deep breath and pointed up towards the sky. “We found Suzanne,” he said. “But she hasn’t found us yet. We need you to go and get her.”
Alyssa blinked and mouthed Suzanne’s name. She looked at the assembled Nasties and then the forest then in the direction that Antonio was pointing. All at once, his meaning dawned on her.
“No,” Alyss said sharply and took a step back. “I can’t fly.” She could feel everybody look at her, and then at the wings that she kept wrapped around her shoulders. She could tell that they didn’t believe her.
“I can’t!” Alyssa protested again. “No. Guys. We can make a signal fire or something. I’m sure she’ll see that.”
Marsha stepped closer to the South African, who gave her a fierce look and took another step back, away from them and against the porch of the cabin. “She’s already gone past Alyssa,” she said calmly. “You’re the only one who can reach her.”
Alyss’s wild eyes snapped up to the sky and then back at Marsha. “Then none of us can because I can’t!” she said. “I told you lot from the beginning!” They weren’t sure whether it was anger or fear that brought the pitch to her voice.
Marsha took another step to her but Tiffany appeared over Alyss’s shoulder and shook her head at the wolf. “Don’t force her,” she said calmly and rested her ghostly elbows on the railing that surrounded the veranda. “Can’t you see she’s scared?”
Alyss turned around sharply and glared at the ghost. “I am not scared,” she said. “I am being realistic.”
Tiffany shrugged mildly and gave her an encouraging smile. “Fear is very real,” she said. “There is no shame in admitting it. The fear of heights is especially daunting. You are right, we can attempt to make a signal fire. There are some matches in the house.” She started to fade. “Somewhere.”
Alyssa’s face was stark white as she balled her fists. “I am not scared,” she said. “And, I am not afraid of heights. I just…” She swallowed and clenched her teeth. “I just can’t.”
Tiffany raised her ghostly eyebrows and smiled gently, though there was a sharper, mischievous glint to her eyes now, the poltergeist threatening to come forth. “We know you can’t and it’s alright. We can understand that you don’t even want to try. It’s daunting and we’d hate to see anything happen to you.”
Alyss looked at her and then at the assembled Nasties. She closed her eyes and shook her head before shaking a fist at Tiffany. “Don’t feign concern when you are manipulating me,” she growled and pushed herself away from the cottage porch. “Bloody ghost.” She pushed past Antonio and Marsha and moved to a clear spot on the grass. When Mud and Phil stepped closer to her she held up her hand and pointed at Mud.
“You stay right there. I don’t want to take a piece of you with me.”
The zombie smiled and rather lurched over to the porch where Tiffany was standing with a very self satisfied smile. Mud gave her a sideways look and shook her head ever so slightly. “Where you a piano player in your previous life time?” she queried as they watched Alyssa close her eyes and take a few deep breaths.
“Why do you ask?” Tiffany queried amused to which the zombie grinned.
“You know exactly which keys to push to get a workable tune.”
With a look of deep concentration and irritation, Alyssa managed to snap her wings open. Not looking at the Nasties, she looked at her wingspan and frowned, clearly worried. After another steadying breath she flapped them experimentally, spending up a cloud of dry leaves. Seemingly happier with the result, Alyssa swallowed and flapped her wings a couple of times, jumping up in an attempt to get some height.
It didn’t really take her anywhere.
Phil joined the group watching her with a small, worried frown on his face. “She’s going to need to do it quicker,” he said.
When she realized that she didn’t get anywhere, Alyssa frowned and looked at her wings again before looking up at the slow moving light. She bit her lip and flapped harder this time. She managed to remain airborne for a second longer than before but once again dropped down to the ground.
“Maybe we should try and throw you up in the air,” Phil offered when Alyssa looked at them, frustration clear in her face. All at once, her irritation returned and she shook her head sharply.
“There will be no throwing this Nasty,” she said and marched towards them, her wings settling around her shoulders again. “You can however give me a boost up onto the roof.”
Antonio and Phil glanced at each other and quickly helped Alyssa scramble up onto the roof. There the young woman flapped her wings experimentally and perched herself on the edge. Tiffany appeared beside her, not caring that Alyss’s wings went right through her as she moved them.
“Maybe you should flap them before you jump,” she offered. “Or take a run up, get some rhythm. Rhythm is everything you know.” She smiled suddenly. “Maybe think of a song to time yourself with.”
Alyssa sighed softly and closed her eyes, pretending not to hear her. None the less, she flapped her wings harder and leapt off of the roof. This time she didn’t exactly crash like a stone, but she didn’t come down lightly either. Marsha groaned as Alyssa half crashed, half rolled into the ground, knocking out the wind right out of her. When she stayed down coughing, the older Nasty quickly went to her side and helped her up.
“Don’t kill yourself,” she said as Alyssa coughed, trying to get some air back into her lungs. “Please, if you can’t do it then you can’t. I’m serious, a broken neck won’t get us or you anywhere.” When she got her breath back, the Nasty made a growling sound as she stepped away from the wolf.
“Onkruid vergaan nooit,*” she muttered under her breath and went back to the roof. Without waiting for Phil and Antonio she jumped up with a strong flap of her wings, grabbed the side and scrambled up, much like she would’ve onto her horse. Marsha looked after her and then at Antonio who was also frowning. They stepped back as Alyss went to the furthest edge of the roof, her wings spread for balance. It had become so dark that they couldn’t clearly see her face. Clearly visible was Tiffany though, her face serene and ghostly as she stood next to Alyssa with her ghostly hand rested on the young woman’s shoulder. When she let her hand drop away, Alyssa rubbed her own hands on her pants and started running forward. She almost slipped but managed to catch her balance and leap off of the roof…
To Be Continued…
*Tranlated as: Weeds never die.
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