Creeden, Pauline - The Clockwork Dragon

by Pauline Creeden

  The dragon screeched an agonizing, grating cry and fell limp on its side. The column of fire lifted from Nella and covered the figurine. In that instant, the fire vanished as if blown out by a great wind. Yellow-gold ashes lay in an S-shaped heap. Nella reached up and swept the ashes into her palm. She walked into the kitchen and brushed them into a tall trash container. The odor of rotten eggs wafted from the receptacle. She pulled the plastic liner and twisted it into a knot.

  “Where’s your dumpster?” she asked.

  A glazed-eyed woman weakly pointed out a half-glass paneled door. Nella took the trash bag out and threw it away.

  When she re-entered the kitchen, people wondered aimlessly through the house. Her daughters both seemed lost. Dillon approached her, blank faced but knitted brow.

  “What’s going on?” he asked.

  “Dillon, I think y’all were under some demonic influence,” Nella said without hesitation.

  “Oh, right!” He rolled his eyes and started for the door. “You’re always so dramatic.”

  Nella tilted her head and stared at Lisa. She shrugged and followed her father.

  “Who put this crap on my iPod? I don’t even like Jack Black.” The former enthusiast aimlessly wandered out the front door, muttering as he went.

  One by one, people began to leave the house. Nella lifted her granddaughter from Amelia’s embrace and lead them out of the house. She put the baby in her car seat and closed the back door. Amelia stared at the ground as she climbed into the passenger seat. Nella slipped behind the steering wheel and glanced at her daughter. Tears fell from Amelia’s face as she slumped forward against her safety belt. Nella pursed her lips, forgave her daughters’ ignorance and thanked the heavens for divine dominion.

  Bloody Fairy ~ Lynn Donovan & J. L. Mbewe

  Tatyana heard the doorbell ring, and her stomach twisted into knots. She put her book down and glided over to the loft’s balcony. Below, her cousin, Fern, darted to the door, wings shimmering and bursting with golden excitement. Her pet ladybug hovered close on her heel, nearly tripping her.

  “Get back Polk-a-Dot!” Fern pushed him back with her foot and opened the door.

  “Happy birthday Fern!” A colorful array of fairies yelled, lugging wrapped gifts, sleeping bags, and overnight suitcases.

  Rose fluttered in and hugged Fern, her colorful bracelets clinking like tiny bells. “Look at you. You’re almost as tall as I am.”

  Tati rolled her eyes. She remembered Rose’s domineering presence, but this was worse than she recalled.

  Fern smiled. “Doubt that, but look at you flying!”

  Rose tilted her head. Her immaculate eyebrows lifted high on her forehead. “Mother says I’m blossoming early. I can hover in the air for, like,” her eyes bulged, “five minutes. I can already flick pink and blue stars. Of course the emerald ones come later.”

  Tati clenched her teeth. If Rose could get over herself, she would see that Fern’s abilities had bypassed hers, but Fern would just let her think what she wanted to think. Was Fern that desperate for friends?

  Fern turned to the others still waiting out on the tree branch. “Don’t just stand there. Come in! It’s so good to see you. Summer just has us all so busy.”

  “Well, lucky for us you have a birthday in the midst of it.” Rose glanced around the living area, twirling her honey-red hair around her fingers and chewing gum. Small, white rose buds clung undisturbed to her mountain of glossy curls. A pink bubble erupted from her mouth until it popped. She licked the sticky gum from her sparkling lips and continued chewing.

  Livia danced in, her blue silk dress swirling and sighing. She kissed Fern on the cheek. “You look lovely.”

  “Thank you.” Fern smoothed her green gown. “My mother made it.”

  “She did a great job. I just love all the twisting vines and the three-tone greens.” Liv touched the ringlets piled atop Fern’s head. “It matches your hair perfectly.”

  “How sweet!” Rose stepped between Liv and Fern. “If you can’t afford a new dress, at least your mom is an excellent seamstress.” Rose held Fern’s shoulders as she eyed Fern’s dress up and down. “You can hardly tell it’s homemade.”

  Tati sighed and stepped back from the balcony railing.

  This was going to be a long night.

  “Sorry, we’re late,” Lavender said as she brushed through the doorway. The layers of her purple chiffon dress floated behind her and then settled around her delicate legs.

  “Oh, don’t worry about it.” Fern hugged her. “My mother is putting the finishing touches on the honeysuckle cake.”

  “Yum,” Liv said. “I just love your mother’s cooking.”

  “A homemade cake, too!” Rose glanced over her shoulder.

  The girl’s stared at Rose, their faces flushing.

  Rose straightened and smiled. “How delightful!”

  Fern’s eyes darted from Rose to Liv. “I’ll let her know.” She smiled. “Why don’t you all come to my room? You can put your stuff there.” She glanced up toward her room.

  Tati backed into the shadows, but not before she caught Fern’s gaze. She scraped her teeth across her lower lip. Oh bugbane, here they come.

  Her heart raced as she withdrew into the room. The lilting voices drew near. She glanced around, spotting the book she had been reading. She grabbed it and sat in the bentwood chair. To slow her heart, she took a deep breath and exhaled. Why was she so nervous? Did she really care what these girls thought?

  The giggling mass of girls and a shimmering rainbow of colors burst into the room, shattering Tati’s moment of peace.

  Rose glared at Tati, her lip moved up in distaste. “What’s she doing here?”

  Fern glanced at her cousin. She leaned toward Rose and whispered, “She’s just moved here, and my mother made me invite her.”

  Rose turned to the other girls and whispered, “I’m thinking Ex-ney the ousin-cay.” She sliced thin fingers across her throat. The girls giggled behind their hands. Fern’s eyes darted toward her cousin.

  Tati shrugged, as if she didn’t understand pig Latin. She rose gracefully from her chair and squared her shoulders. Her eyelet lace sundress draped neatly at her knees like flower petals.

  “Hello Rose,” Tati said. She glanced at the other fairies. “And you must be Livia and Lavender. How nice to meet you.”

  “Likewise.” Liv and Lav burst into giggles and scrambled over to the corner where they dumped their sleeping gear. Liv turned, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “What are you reading?”

  “Oh, nothing really. Just looking at Fern’s collection.”

  “What?” Rose cocked her head with a wry grin. “Your family doesn’t have books?”

  Fern glared at Rose and took a deep breath. “Okay, fairies, let’s go eat.”

  “Where do you want your gifts?” Lav asked.

  “Oh, great stars.” Fern blushed pink. “I think mom wants the gifts down with the cake.”

  Rose picked up her gift. “Oh, you’ll just love what I picked out for you.”

  Tati’s stomach sank. Her handmade gift was sure to garner disdain from Rose and the others. Maybe she could slip it to Fern in the morning—except she had already put it downstairs.

  Liv and Lav grabbed their gifts and rushed after Rose and Fern. Tati stared at the empty doorway. She sighed and then slowly walked down to the party.

  *

  “What can we do now?” whined Lav.

  The girls looked around for ideas as if they might materialize out of the inner walls of the tree home. “Hmm.” Their wings buzzed.

  Tati leaned back on her elbows. What would they think up next? The cake had been delicious, and Fern had appreciated the beautiful seed-portrait of their mutual grandmother. At least, when Fern opened the portrait, Rose stopped her irritating bragging. Sure, a crystalized Queen’s-Lace bracelet had been expensive, and a nice gift, but geesh!

  “Ooo.” Rose jumped to her feet.

  Tati’s wings j
erked. She turned her attention on Rose, dreading what she might have in mind.

  Rose dramatically stepped between the girls. She flayed her fingers like she was still drying her nails. “Let’s play,” she spun around and faced Fern, “Bloody Fairy!”

  Tati blinked. Surely she was kidding. She glanced at the other girls.

  They stared, mouths gaping, at Rose. Then Liv giggled. “Oh, that would be too scary—let’s do it!”

  Lav shook her head. “No! I heard there was a group of fairies who played Bloody Fairy, and they disappeared from their room. And were never seen again!”

  Fern swallowed hard. “I—I don’t know Rose,” she said, diverting her gaze to her lap.

  “Fine,” Rose said. “If you’re such a scaredy-beetle…”

  Fern glanced at Tati.

  Tati shrugged. All eyes were on her. “It’s your birthday party. Whatever.”

  Fern’s eyes met Rose’s expectant face. “Al—all right.”

  “Sparkly! Let’s get some fireflies!” Rose sidestepped Tati as the other three fluttered to their feet.

  Tati remained seated. “How do you play it?”

  Rose rolled her eyes. “We need fireflies and a mirror. We call Bloody Fairy’s name three times. He’ll appear and tell us—well, you’ll see.”

  Lav glanced at Fern. Fern shrugged.

  “Doesn’t your mom have an oval mirror?” Liv asked.

  Fern slowly nodded.

  “Should be perfect.” Liv nudged Lav with an elbow. Lav nodded vigorously.

  “Great!” Rose said. “Let’s catch some fireflies.

  Tati trailed behind the girls who followed Rose outside like three beetle pets. Fireflies danced among the tall grass blades. Rose cupped her hands around one. Shards of yellow-white light reached out from between her long fingers. Lav and Liv did the same. Pleased with their acquisition, they strolled back into Fern’s tree home.

  Tati lingered and stared at the field of flashing bugs. Why did her mom insist on her coming? It wasn’t like they wanted her around. She forced a smile and turned to follow the girls.

  Fern guided the girls into her mother’s sewing branch. They gathered around a gold-leaf mirror. Fern flicked blue glittering stars from her finger tips and turned off the glowing, overhead mushroom. She joined her friends and chewed on her fingernail.

  Golden firefly light reflected off the mirror and across their wide-eyed faces. Tati stared at the eerie images clustered before the silvered glass. An uneasy feeling settled in her stomach.

  “Bloody Fairy,” Rose spoke slowly. Her eyes darted between the reflective faces.

  “Bloody Fairy,” chanted the others.

  Tati swallowed and pursed her lips.

  “Bloody Fairy.” The fireflies fluttered inside Liv’s and Lav’s cupped hands. Slants of light swept across pale expectant faces. No one breathed. No one moved.

  Tati’s eyes scanned the bug-glow reflections. She tore a bite of a fruit twist and idly chewed. “Really?”

  The girls gasped. Relieved giggles swept through them as they stepped back from the oval mirror.

  “No!” Rose stamped her foot. “We have to say it together. ALL of us need to say it together.” Rose’s glare landed on Tati’s reflection in the mirror.

  Tati searched the other faces. “All right.”

  Rose, Liv and Lav held their glowing hands out. Tati pressed in next to Fern. Everyone took a deep breath.

  Tati stared at Rose. When Rose spoke, Tati spoke. “Bloody Fairy.”

  Rose smiled, then pressed her lips together. “Bloody Fairy.”

  “Bloody Fairy.” Tati’s eyes darted from face to face.

  Silence hung like a thistle down caught on a cascading breeze.

  A distortion rippled across the mirror. No one dared utter a sound. No one moved. Tati’s heart pounded in her ears.

  A raspy voice emanated from the mirror. “Who dares summon me from my slumber?”

  Tati glared at the girls reflective faces. Their eyes bulged, sweat beaded their glistening foreheads. Behind the glow of their faces, an endless expanse loomed like a black abyss. Slowly from the darkness a lightning-cursed cotton wood stump appeared. A wide gash split muscular roots and left an open wound into the heart of the trunk. Crimson rivulets oozed through the diseased bark and dribbled to the ground. A grey mist filled the hollow remains and clotted into the shape of a young male fairy

  A shiver washed over the girls.

  Large ebony eyes peered through a curtain of limp black hair. Sharp cheek bones lifted a narrowing jaw. A long, sleek nose ended in an upturned point, and his dark, thin lips curved into a frown on his golden face.

  Tati refocused on the girls’ reactions. With dilated pupils they stared at the image like love-struck moths. A high-pitched sigh escaped their lips.

  Fern tucked long bangs behind her petite ear and averted her eyes. Rose’s eyes widened as she raised her polished eyebrows. Lav grinned and twisted her arms against the length of her body like a serpentine rope. Liv’s face filled with a pink glow, her long lashes fluttered like a butterfly trying to regain its balance.

  Tati frowned. “Seriously?” she whispered and refocused on the dark, golden image.

  The corners of his mouth turned up. His haunting gaze drew her in and held her. Complete stillness told her the others were captivated too. Dread swarmed over her like angry fire ants.

  “You have summoned the Bloody Fairy,” he spoke slowly, enunciating each syllable. “What is it you wish of me?”

  “It’s Fern’s birthday, and we were playing a game—” Rose blurted.

  Fern stiffened.

  Lav whimpered and bit her lip.

  “Fern.” The name flowed from his mouth like liquid gold. “The day of your birth is to be celebrated wisely. You honor me.” He dipped his head toward the girls and returned to his haughty position at the stump. “A gift beyond your imagination awaits you here in these sacred remains. Find your gift, and you shall find me. I await you.”

  A ripple distorted the image and faded into blackness. Lav softly giggled. As Tati’s eyes adjusted, faint images of their faces emerged in the mirror. Where’d the light go? Hesitant eyes fell upon three lightless cupped hands. Liv squealed. The others jumped.

  “What happened to the fireflies?” Tati asked softly. Her heart ached. She reached up and pulled Rose’s hand back. A glowing rainbow smudged Rose’s palm. “Oh no,” Tati whispered. “You killed it.”

  “But, I—I never—I didn’t do anything to the firefly! Honest!” Rose’s eyes darted between Tati’s and Fern’s accusatory glares.

  Lav and Liv opened their hands and found the same florescent smudge.

  Tears streamed down Liv’s face and mingled with the iridescent smear.

  Tati stepped back. She couldn’t believe it. How could they have killed the fireflies? She flung white glitter at the ceiling and light filled the room.

  “Ow!” Rose shielded her eyes.

  The girls blinked and ducked their heads. They turned toward Tati.

  Tati drew a ragged breath, her chest heaving. She clenched and unclenched her fists and glared at Rose. “How could you? I can’t believe—”

  Tati glanced at Fern and froze. Fern stood still, pale as a lily flower, still staring at the mirror. Was she breathing? Her eyes bulged. The others followed Tati’s gaze.

  “Fern,” Tati whispered. “What’s wrong?”

  Fern started trembling, her wings quivered.

  “Fern! What is it?” Lav squeaked.

  “I—I know that stump.” She whispered. She turned from the mirror. Her eyes were so wide they looked like bloated thistle pods. “I know where he is!”

  “Oh, snap dragon! Let’s go!” Rose darted toward the door.

  “NO, wait! Rose, wait!” Fern clawed after the hem of Rose’s dress, but missed. She threw tiny emerald stars at the door, and it slammed in Rose’s face.

  Rose glared at the dissipating shimmers. “Emerald stars? How’d you…?” She
pirouetted on tip toes and planted balled fists on her hips. “Why wait? If you know where he is—”

  “Holy dung beetle, what are you thinking?” Tati stepped between Rose and Fern. “Look, Rose, this has gone too far.” Her eyes scanned the other girls’ blood-drained faces. The air grew stagnant. Tati’s eyes returned to Rose. She held Rose’s glare for what seemed like the passing of two moons. She could play this game, too.

  “Girls, please,” Fern said. “Come on, Rose, it’s my birthday!”

  Rose’s eyes darted to Fern. The right corner of her mouth lifted, then the left. Her eyes narrowed as she lowered her chin. “All right Fern, don’t get your wings in a crick. We don’t have to go anywhere.”

  Tati inhaled and willed her heart to slow down.

  Rose picked up a piece of cloth draped over a pressing board and wiped the bug guts from her palm. Still, the iridescent smear stained her skin. She rubbed her palms together.

  “It’s okay.” She lowered herself to the floor. Leaning back on stiff arms, she shook her head.

  Something scratched at the edge of the shadows. Liv and Lav froze and stared at each other. Fern straightened. The room was deathly still. The scratching continued.

  Tati’s pulse quickened. “What is that?”

  “I-I don’t know.” Fern wings quivered. “We’re the only—”

  A stack of boxes shifted against the walls. Liv screamed, then the boxes exploded. The fairies shot up into the air. Something hit the mirror and the glass shattered. Rose fled from the room. The other fairies buzzed after her—except Tati. She paused halfway through the door and glanced back just as Polk-a-Dot burst from under the boxes. Fern’s pet sped around the room and bumped into the wall before fleeing as well. Tati frowned. Poor ladybug! They probably scared him half to death.

  Back in Fern’s room everyone huddled under their blanket, their fear discoloring the air around them. Tati put her hands on her hips. “All right you scaredy beetles, it was only Polk-a-Dot.”

  Fern’s head emerged from under her blanket. “Oh.”

  Liv and Lav threw their blankets down and exploded in giggles.