Bubbles sniffed three times and swallowed hard. “I think that’s the best smell in the world. Does it taste as good? Anyone would eat riverbed cookies with that on them!”
“There goes that practical joker again.” Cook laughed.
“I think we’re about to make Tricks and Treats all in one!” Bubbles grabbed the bowl Cook nodded to and the ingredients Cook pointed out one after the other. Cook even had a jar of dried river weed.
“Why do you have this?” Bubbles asked.
“Leftover from the Primus party for one. I was told somebody, two somebodies, would attend who liked River Weed Punch.”
Bubbles patted his tummy. “I remember. It was great.”
They worked quickly and soon a platter big enough to fill two Barforami boxes was over-ladened with river weed cookies iced with dripping honey. While they waited for them to cool before boxing them up, Cook showed Bubbles his cookbooks. They discussed ways to prepare river weed.
When they finished boxing the treats, the windows in the kitchen showed dusk outside. Smush knocked on the door, dressed up in her new hat but without the parrot. Shyly she said, “Can Bubbles come to the party?” She stepped aside as ten dr’gons and wizard students marched past her and picked up the boxes all tied in purple cord and filled with cookies. Cook told them to leave the ones on the table in the corner for last. “Those are special for Cl’rnce and for the Barforami.”
Smush’s eyes widened. “Special for us?” She looked to Bubbles, who nodded and grinned.
“That hat is rather plain,” Cook said cocking his head at Smush.
Bubbles was ready to defend Smush’s hat, because he knew how much her pretty hats made her feel good, but Cook went on, “I think you need feathers.” He snapped his fingers and from high over head with a flutter of wings, the parrot Pieces of Eight flew to Cook’s shoulders. “Don’t you think you should decorate Smush’s hat?”
The parrot screeched, “Pieces of Eight!” and flew to Smush, sitting in the middle of all the colorful ribbon flowers.
“Yes. That’s just right. Now both of you get out,” Cook said. By now Bubbles was sure Cook wanted everybody to think he was mean, but he really wasn’t.
Smush whispered to Bubbles, “What are you going to do for a costume? Your apron is really dirty.”
Cook ambled over to the cupboard and opened a lower drawer. He pulled out several large aprons shaking his head. Finally he pulled one out that was very much Barforami-sized. He held it up. “If you wish …”
The apron had embroidered across the front, “Cook’s Apprentice.”
“Yes. Yes. Yes,” Bubbles said, taking the apron and tying it around his neck. For once his tummy didn't knot up over a new experience.
He and Smush left for the party with their boxes and Cl’rnce’s. When they got to the ballroom on the third floor, Cl’rnce and Great and Mighty Wizard trotted over to them. Bubbles handed his boxes to Cl’rnce. “Here’s your Trick or Treats.”
“Where did you get the apron?” Great and Mighty asked.
“Cook gave it to me,” Bubbles said, feeling very special.
Cl’rnce clapped Bubbles on the shoulder. “I see you have been Tricked by Cook. Everybody knows he refuses to have an apprentice. Good trick, huh?” He walked away toward a group of dr’gons.
Smush nudged Bubble’s shoulder. He looked down at the apron. As good as he’d felt a moment before, now he felt nothing but hurt. Tricks were not so good. Maybe his idea for the river weed cookies was as mean as this trick of Cook’s. He was right about new experiences. They were awful.
It only took a few minutes before Cook arrived. Bubbles couldn’t look at him. How could Cook be nice to Smush and so mean to Bubbles?
Finally Cook strolled to the end of the ballroom where Hazel and Gaelyn were chatting with the most important dr’gons. “I have an announcement,” Cook said in a voice so loud everybody stopped talking.
Hazel nodded, and Cook turned to face the room full of wizards, dr’gons, knights, other creatures, and the Barforami. “I am taking on my first apprentice. I discovered a very talented new cook. A Barforamous. Bubbles.”
The crowd yelled, “Trick!”
Bubbles wanted to skulk out of the hall and hide in his river. He’d never felt so small or hurt.
Cook clapped his hands bringing silence down on the room. “Wrong. Treat! I am serious. I do NOT do Tricks!” He looked around the room.
Hazel smiled at Cook. “Well, this is indeed a Treat. Cl’rnce and Great and Mighty, as Primus you must approve this.”
Bubbles could hardly believe what he was hearing. He felt like he was flying along the top of the highest riverbank.
Cook nodded and held up a paw. “First you will taste the Trick or Treats Bubbles created.”
As fast as if he was a stone falling into water, Bubbles’ heart crashed into the muck of his swampy hurt. The River weeds cookies were a Trick. Cl’rnce would spit them out and yell, “No Way!” Cook had lied. He had pulled a Trick on Bubbles.
“Bring your boxes.“ Cook snapped his fingers at Bubbles and Smush.
All Bubbles could think of was how to run. But Smush pushed him, and with every eye on them, they walked as slowly as Bubbles could drag along. He kept thinking of running and escaping through their tunnel. When he reached Cook, Hazel, Cl’rnce, Great and Mighty, and Gaelyn, Cook took the box out of Bubbles’ paws and opened it. He held the cookies out to Cl’rnce, who took the first one.
Bubbles swallowed, waiting for Cl’rnce to gag and spit. Waiting for the laugher from the crowd and jeers of “Trick.”
But Cl’rnce took a small bite, then another, and then the cookie was gone. He reached for another.
Cook whipped the box out of Cl’rnce’s reach. “Well? Approval?”
“Best cookie I’ve ever had! Everybody, Cook has his first apprentice, super apprentice Bubbles!”
Bubbles and Smush were immediately the center of the party. Everybody demanded a cookie. And everyone loved them, even complimenting Smush on her beautiful hat. A super tall wizard student gave Smush a wink, and said. “It’s your hat now. You make it look amazing!”
When the cookies were gone, and Bubbles could get to Cook, he asked, “I don’t understand. The cookies were a Trick. They were supposed to taste bad.”
“First lesson as my apprentice. Chemistry. River weed baked and combined with certain ingredients is amazing. Agreed?”
Bubbles nodded.
“Also first lesson,” Cook added. “Taste what you cook!”
“I guess that was a trick on me? Even if you don’t do Tricks?” Bubbles laughed.
Cook roared, “But you did the Trick on yourself!” He laughed so hard, Cl’rnce came over.
Cl’rnce clapped Bubbles on his back. “Welcome to your first Halloween Trick or Treats party.”
Smush tapped her hat. “Next year, maybe Bubbles will wear a hat. A cook’s hat.”
Bubbles stuffed a cookie in his muzzle. "Next year I might just try a brand new recipe!"
Join Bubbles and Smush in their other adventure Bubbles and Smush: Closet Monsters. You can read more about Cl’rnce and Great and Mighty in The Lazy Dragon and the Bumblespells Wizard.
About the Author
At seven years old Kath Boyd Marsh self-published her first fantasy on lined notebook paper, stapled together by her grandfather, and starring a creature based on her little sister- the ‘PB.’ Before Kath moved to Richmond, KY to write about dragons, wizards, and other fantastic creatures, she lived in seven states, Panama, and one very haunted Rhode Island house. The Lazy Dragon and the Bumblespells Wizard is her debut novel.
kathboydmarshauthor.com
CBAY Books
CBAY Books is a small press out of Dallas, Texas, that specializes in fantasy and science fiction novels for kids and teens.
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Kath Boyd Marsh, Bubbles and Smush_Trick or Treats
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