The Contestant Flies Off the Handle

by Heather Horrocks

  At a knock on the laboratory door, she froze. She exchanged a glance with her pure white Arctic fox, Snowball, and then said, “Yes?”

  Her uncle’s voice called out, his tone pleasant for a change, “Jingle, I’ve come to escort you to the dinner table.”

  He couldn’t come into the room unless she allowed it, because her mother had warded the door against everyone except the two of them. This was a snow pixie’s magical lab. Not all pixies had magic. Her uncle didn’t. He had arrogance and control issues. He may have moved into her parents’ home after her mother died, claiming the home and duchy as his own now that he was Jingle’s guardian, but he still couldn’t come into this room. And that infuriated him.

  Which made Jingle wish she could just stay inside forever — but he could make her life miserable if she didn’t obey him. “All right. Let me set my things down, and I’ll be right out.”

  “Hurry, dear.” His voice had a quality of barely controlled patience.

  She set the cone down in the special holder that could corral five cones at once. This special magical snow melted at a much slower rate than normal shaved ice — this one wouldn’t start to drip until late tomorrow evening.

  She wiped her fingers on a damp towel and blew out a breath. Shaking her arms and lifting her shoulders, she prepared herself to talk with her uncle, the Duke of Snowville, control freak of the century.

  Snowball sent a thought to her: Be careful. He is not to be trusted.

  I know it, and I will, Jingle sent back. Will you wait here for me? Otherwise he might see you.

  I will wait.

  She unlocked the door and opened it.

  Her uncle smiled down at her, but she didn’t trust that smile. Usually that meant he was planning something she wouldn’t like.

  She didn’t normally go into people’s heads, even though she could, but when others were feeling strong emotions, sometimes she found herself sucked into their minds before she realized it. That happened now. He was definitely happy about something, but she couldn’t make out what it was.

  Oh well, perhaps later. Happy was good, right?

  He held out his arm, she put her hand on it, and he walked her toward the formal dining room — a room that could seat fifty guests.

  Cook had prepared a feast, undoubtably keeping her five assistants busy all afternoon. There was enough food here for twenty, and yet it was just Jingle and her uncle here.

  The butler pulled out a seat for her. She smiled at him and said, “Thank you, Arnold.”

  He smiled back. “You’re very welcome, Miss Jingle.”

  Then Arnold pulled out a chair for the Duke, who ignored him entirely. The butler went to stand alongside the wall and await the next order.

  She hated how the household staff had grown so stiff and fearful. Not at all like the happy people they’d been when her mother was still here.

  The serving girls brought out platters filled with breads and cheeses, and then her favorite soup, a sweet, chilled strawberry soup.

  Jingle ate, watching her uncle warily. He ate, ignoring her for the most part.

  After the second course was brought out, a succulent steamed fish with vegetables, he looked at her and said, “I’ve been thinking. You’ll be twenty-one in two weeks, Jingle, and it’s time for you to begin thinking of marriage.”

  If you’d like the rest (for free), just click here.

  Excerpt: The Artist Cries Wolf

  Moonchuckle Bay #1

  Grab your free copy on Amazon, B&N, and KOBO.

  Moonchuckle Bay … Movies … Monsters … Magic!

  She’s looking for a change — and the full moon is right around the corner!

  Amber is determined to win over Samuel. He’s just come back from the war when his buddy’s sister shows up. If she knew what he’d done, she wouldn’t give him the time of day. Natalie has been in love with Samuel for three years and she’s there to see if what she feels is real or not. Too bad his guilt over something that happened won’t let her in. A puppy, parents who would want to keep them apart, and a town filled with monsters aren’t going to stop them.

  Chapter 1 - Make Believe

  “ARE YOU GOING TO SEE The Thing from Outer Space?” Seven-year-old Maddie asked the question eagerly.

  Amber Newman had only met her two hours ago, but she’d already fallen in love with the adorable little girl with the blonde pigtails. “I’ve heard about it, but I haven’t seen it.”

  “I have.” Maddie’s eyes grew wide. “It was scary.”

  “I bet.” Amber shot a glance toward Maddie’s parents in the front of the minivan. Why had they allowed this little girl to watch a horror movie, classic or not?

  Maddie’s mother called back over her shoulder, “I think the movies playing in town are the original Mummy and the first Jaws, plus the studio is playing its latest release, Legend Rising.”

  Maddie’s parents, Stephen and Sara, apparently thought she looked harmless enough to travel with them because they’d stopped to pick her up. Amber. Hitchhiking wasn’t her favorite way to travel, but she’d resorted to it this past year when her options ran out. Currently, she was crammed into the far back seat with Maddie behind a toddler in a car seat. Calvin, a ten-year-old boy, was belted in beside the toddler.

  Calvin turned around and smirked at his sister. “You’re a scaredy-cat.”

  “Am not,” insisted Maddie. And the AC couldn’t quite keep up with the June heat in southern Utah.

  Amber sighed. She was lucky to have gotten the ride − she repeated the thought over and over in her head.

  Calvin turned to her excitedly and said, “I want to talk with the vampires and werewolves. They’re everywhere in this town!”

  This town was now showing up on three large billboards on the freeway. The first said:

  Next exit . . .

  Moonchuckle Bay

  The second read:

  Monster Movie Capital of the World

  Home of the World-Famous Creature Feature Studios

  The third featured pictures of classic movie creatures: campy, caped vampires, werewolves with gleaming white fangs, pointy-hatted witches, tightly wrapped mummies − there was even a dragon flying overhead.

  “Do you see that, kids? It’s the steampunk dragon kite.” Their mother nodded toward the sign. “I really want to see that kite.”

  Maddie leaned closer to Amber and confided, “I like the little monsters. The cute ones.”

  “Me, too.” Amber smiled at the girl, shifting in her seat to get more comfortable. She’d been cramped in here for two hours and really needed to stretch her legs.

  “Have you ever seen a real monster?” Maddie whispered.

  “Nope,” Amber lied, shaking her head slowly as she tried to reassure the little girl. “Monsters don’t really exist. They use special effects to make normal people look like monsters.”

  But Amber had seen a monster, all right. Thank goodness he’d been safely behind bars for the past year. At the thought, she felt a pang deep in her gut, and sighed again.

  Coming to this strange town was a new beginning for Amber. Whether or not that was a good thing depended upon a few major “ifs”.

  If she still liked Samuel Winston.

  If he still liked her, even though he’d stopped responding to her emails.

  If he even remembered who she was.

  If he wanted to meet in person − something they hadn’t done yet. They’d only spoken via email, though they had Adam in common.

  We’ve Only Just Begun by the Carpenters poured from the minivan’s speakers. Amber had been exposed to enough easy listening music over the last two hours to last her a lifetime. She had no idea how she was going to remain sane for even one more exit without earplugs.

  Finally, the minivan veered carefully off the highway onto the exit for Moonchuckle Bay. Amber’s heart began to pound. She’d know soon enough whether she’d be staying here for a while — or moving on in the morning. If forced into the second
option, she had no idea what she’d do next.

  They drove along Mane Street, the play on words yet another part of the fanciful, monster-filled town’s branding.

  They passed another big sign welcoming visitors to town, or rather to the town-sized studio.

  As they approached the town square, the streets were filled with tourists — and the promised monsters!

  Maddie said, “Ohhhhh,” in a worried tone.

  Calvin turned around and smirked again. “Time to meet the monsters, Maddie.”

  Amber glared at him and he snapped his mouth shut in surprise. His eyes widened, and then he turned back around.

  Amber leaned over to the little girl and whispered, “It’s all make-believe, sweetie. Even the street signs say so.” She pointed out the window to a sign that read “Make-Believe Boulevard”.

  Maddie smiled at her a little nervously. “Good.”

  They passed the Wildwood Hotel, which looked like a nice place. Maybe she could stay there if things didn’t go well with Samuel. She shook her head, trying to push her worries aside.

  On the next block, there was a diet center on the left. Her mood lightened and she barked out a laugh when she saw the poster in the window: “Popular Werewolf Diet.” Were they kidding?

  Several blocks later, the minivan pulled to a stop and the dad called back, “This is where we let you off. We’re driving around Town Square and then to the studios and then to see the dragon kite.”

  Amber patted Maddie’s arm and whispered, “Make-believe,” then gathered her heavy backpack and, hunched over, made her way to the sliding door of the van. “Thank you for the ride. It was very kind of you.”

  “Are you kidding? We’re glad we decided to pick you up.” Sara said. “You kept our children occupied and mostly not fighting for two hours. We owe you big time.”

  Amber smiled as the side door rolled open. She climbed out and waved. “Thanks again. Have fun.”

  She shot Calvin one last glare and pointed a warning finger at him as the van rolled off. His eyes opened even wider. Apparently she was scarier than she’d thought before. Good.

  Gripping the straps of her backpack, she stared around.

  This town was amazing! Town Square consumed four full city blocks, and Mane Street turned both right and left, forming the Square that flowed around a large park set in the middle. The park was surrounded by City Hall and various businesses.

  She turned to the left and started walking the square, passing businesses with intriguing names like Dorian Gray’s Photography, Count Baklava’s, Beans & Boos Coffee.

  At the next corner, she could see The Black Lagoon Saloon, the Witch’s Closet, and Frankenstein’s Second-Hand Shop.

  Next were the Monster Mash Dance Hall with a sign showing cross-species dancers, and Moonchuckle Bay’s City Hall.

  And she hadn’t even gone into the square, itself.

  Amber felt like a kid again as creatures straight out of monster movies walked around in broad daylight all around Town Square!

  Vampires and werewolves and mummies, oh my!

  Of all of the towns she’d have thought that big, tough Samuel Winston would choose to live in, this one would have never made the list. Apparently, the entire town embraced the monster movie motif as their town’s theme and ran with it. Or shambled with it.

  The Artist Cries Wolf is now available at Amazon, B&N, KOBO, and iBOOKS.

  www.BooksByHeatherHorrocks.com

  Watch for the next Moonchuckle Bay book in July of 2017!

  Thanks again!

  You’re amazing!

  Heather Horrocks

  www.BooksByHeatherHorrocks.com