Nasty Pixie Tale Part 10

Hello people,

And – here we have another instalment of my Nasty Pixie Tale, quickly drabbled out this morning as I psyched myself up to try and get dressed. Lol, I think my mood was imposed on the Nasties. I apologize for my lack of humour. 😉

Enjoy!

Nasty Pixie Tale Part 10

As they watched the dark shape of Alyssa disappear into the night, Antonio clapped his hands together with a satisfied grin and turned to Marsha.

“Our work here is done,” he said and started heading towards the cottage. “If we had coffee or something stronger, I’d have said that we should celebrate.”

Marsha smiled at him and dropped down to all fours. “Hopefully Suzanne will have some supplies in her airship,” she glanced behind her. “Are you coming Phil?”

The green haired Nasty was still staring up at the sky, at Marsha’s call, he turned to them, his features strangely troubled. The two older Nasties saw it immediately and frowned.

“What’s up mate?” Antonio asked and took a few steps towards Phil. “You don’t look too happy.”

Phil waved off Marsha, who had come closer, and shrugged, putting his hands into his pants’ pockets. “I’m just thinking that…” He hesitated. “Well. I’m happy for Alyssa but she’s not the only one who’s been kinda trapped.”

Marsha frowned at the young man. “What do you mean Phil?” she queried to which he shrugged again and motioned to the cottage where they could just see Mud and Tiffany standing on the veranda. “Tiffany’s trapped in the house,” Phil pointed out. “Think about it, we go out and explore the world and she’s there… Forever. I don’t know how much I like the idea that she’s a ghost. And I really don’t like the fact that she’s trapped in the cottage. Whenever we go, she will be left behind.”

His words made the two shift awkwardly as they looked at Tiffany in a new light. Antonio dropped to all fours beside Marsha and motioned to Phil to start walking. “We’ll have to talk to her about it.” He looked at the trees. “I hope Alyssa finds Kylie and sends her back, I don’t want her to stray off too far.”

Marsha chuckled warmly and wagged her tail when Mud started lumbering towards them. “Don’t let her hear you say that,” she said. “Our Kylie’s very independent. All good Mud?” She called to the zombie who patiently lumbered towards them.

“Now that was entertaining,” Mud said as she joined them. “I had my doubts for a few moments and my heart in my hands, but luckily I managed to pop it right back in there and she managed to get herself out of the tree.” She smiled her zombie half smile. “So what’s our next task of the day?”

Antonio motioned to the cottage where Tiffany was waiting for them, her ghostly light a shining beacon that could guide them there. “We need to find a spot for Suzanne to land,” he said. “And put up some lights. We don’t want Suzanne landing on the roof.”

Mud smiled amused and looked around them, trying to determine how much space they had around the cottage. “That would be disastrous,” she said. “Tiffany! Do you have those lamps?”

The spectre nodded and motioned beside her, the ghostly light spreading out to illuminate a couple of lamps that was on the porch. As they watched, another one drifted out of the house and went to rest beside the others. When she saw the three Nasties’ expressions she smiled ethereally and shrugged. “I don’t have to throw things around. They can be put down gently as well.” She paused. “If nobody’s trying to break in.”

“And the light?” Antonio queried.

Tiffany paused and shrugged. “Don’t go towards it?” she offered. The tiger huffed a laugh and shook his head.

“No,” he said. “I mean, the light that you just made appear. How did you do that?”

Tiffany raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “Same way I haunt the house?” she offered. “I don’t know. One of those things.”

Phil stepped forward enthusiastically. “Do you think you can make more?” he queried and motioned to the porch. Tiffany misunderstood him and gave him a dry, blank stare.

“I’m a ghost, not a lamp maker Phil,” she said and flicked her ghostly hair out of her eyes. “I think there’s two more somewhere in the house.”

The Nasty quickly shook his head and motioned to her. “No,” he said. “I mean, the light – can you create more? We can use that to guide Suzanne here. It’s pretty clear.”

Mud clapped her hands together lightly. “That’s an excellent idea!” she said. “Tiffany, you can indicate the spot in the clearing where Suzanne can land.”

“And we don’t have to bother with the lamps,” Marsha added. “I was worried that their light might not be bright enough.”

They waited for Tiffany to respond but the ghost just looked at them, her pale face frozen with a look of serene puzzlement. Phil made a sound and went forward smiling enthusiastically.

“Come on Tiffany,” he said. “Come with me, I’m sure you can do it.”

The ghost looked to him, the little heart on her cheek becoming more visible. She looked as if she wanted to speak, then abruptly vanished, her ghostly light fading.

The gathered Nasties looked at her, puzzled by her sudden disappearance. “Tiffany?” Mud called as she lumbered up the veranda. “Tiffany? Where are you?” There was no answer, the cottage feeling emptier. Marsha frowned as she joined Mud’s side, sniffing the air to see if she could trace the ghost.

“Think she’s avoiding the subject?” she queried and looked at Phil who was frowning. He didn’t answer, but they could see that his thoughts were troubled.

There was a dull noise close to them as a shadow leapt from a nearby tree and ran towards them, barely visible in her dark attire. “Dude, it’s dark here!” Kylie said as she ran her hand through her hair, surveying the group with a small smile on her face. She quickly sensed that something was amiss and turned to the one she could read the best.

“Phil-kun, what’s wrong?”

Her friend looked at her and sighed, raising his hand in greeting. “Tiffany disappeared when I suggested that she try and leave the cottage,” he pointed out. “She’s not answering.”

Kylie frowned and looked at the dark house. “Well, she’s still here,” she said. “You can feel it. Tiffany?” When the ghost didn’t make an appearance, Kylie frowned and looked at her gathered companions. “She won’t like the idea of leaving the house you guys.” She pointed out softly. “She haunts this place, it’s what she’s tied to. She just can’t leave when it suits her.”

Antonio sighed and went to pick up the lamps, his previous high spirits dampened a bit by Kylie’s statement. “And in that we have a problem don’t we?” he pointed out. “Come on you guys, we better start lighting these. Does anybody have any crazy NaSty fire lighting skills?”

Mud made a dry considering sound and picked up a lamp of her own. “I do,” she said and put her hand into a hole in her rotting chest cavity. “They’re called matches…”

To Be Continued…