snail – Page 18 – Space, Time, and Raspberries

Queen Reishi

Glad you could join us for the next visionary episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Elliot 104a — Photo credit: Herbert Baker

The first spongy bite tasted, not like chicken, but bitter like betrayal. Spinning back to face the creature in the tree, Elliot saw no one.

“Show yourself!” he demanded, but no one answered. “I knew this was a mistake. It’s probably poison, and now I’m going to die right here among these singing weeds.” What was it they were singing?

The hum in his head clearly told him to take another bite.

So he did.

Like anger, it roared to flame in his mouth, burning the song to ash, pouring steam from his eyes, clouding the sky with mosquitos.

“What the…?”

Continue reading “Queen Reishi”

Clifton

Glad you could join us for the next sneaky episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

“What’s our Hero been doing all this time?” I’m glad you asked.

Elliot hadn’t eaten or slept since Cassandra disappeared more than two days ago. His infinite pacing traced a twisted, shiny slime path across the bower’s floor.

No one had heard from Vernon. His replacement, a pleasant enough nephew of Queen Lilian, unmotivated by anything except the promise of his next meal, apparently thought this new assignment was a vacation.

“Hey, Elliot, give the floor a break. Let’s go get a drink. It’s almost dinner time — wouldn’t it be nice to prime our taste buds with a little nectar first?”

Continue reading “Clifton”

Sylvia

Glad you could join us for the next reunited episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Sylvia’s lament crumpled as she looked up at her brother. “Arturo? You’re alive?” Flying to hold him close, she sobbed the news. “Rebels came early yesterday to take me, and when Father and Mother tried to drive them off, they attacked the nest and killed all the unborn. Then they said we would never see you again. We thought you were dead!”

“How are you still here?” he asked in wonder.

Continue reading “Sylvia”

Rori Aideen O’Shay

Glad you could join us for the next feisty episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

“Rori Aideen O’Shay,” she corrected him, holding out her hand, “an’ I’m not ashamed ta say it.”

Bowing as deeply as his bandages would allow, Vernon took her hand and pressed his lips to it. “Now I know why your children are so beautiful.”

Fergus laughed. “Were ya thinkin’ I musta brought ya ta the wrong family?”

“I thank’ee kindly, Mr. Vernon,” Rori Aideen smiled as she wrapped Fergus’ arm around her shoulders and snuggled at his side, “but the finest qualities our children possess come from their fahther.” Her smile vanished in an instant and tears welled in her eyes. “I hope ye’ll forgive me rude behavior earlier, but I was so worried we’d lahst him…”

Continue reading “Rori Aideen O’Shay”

Freeborn O’Shays

Glad you could join us for the next free episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Elliot 099 — Photo credit: Vincentius Ferdinand

Without a word, Fergus leaped to the call, leaving Vernon surrounded by a passel of curious hoplings.

“Me name’s Quinn. What’s yers?”

“Where do ya live?”

“Watch me! Can ya do this?”

“Why’re yer legs so skinny?”

“What’s that stuff on yer chest?”

“Did ya bring us any treats?”

Vernon held up his hands. “Hold on a moment. One at a time, please. First, let’s have some introductions. My name is Vernon. We’ve already heard from Quinn, so let’s go down the list.” He raised an eyebrow at the next one. “You start.”

Continue reading “Freeborn O’Shays”

Wait Till Your Father Gets Home

Glad you could join us for the next independent episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

With the sun warming the meadow, Vernon and Fergus took refuge in the woods’ indelible shadows.

“Tell me, laddie, what became of that fancy fella? Is he really as ahful as yer friends had him soundin’?”

“D’Arc? He was worse, but he met with a sticky end. You’re fortunate you never had to deal with him.”

“We keep ta ourselves out here — mindin’ our own business, livin’ our own lives — respectin’ our neighbors. We’ve no need fer a king or a queen ta tell us what ta do. Nivver really cared ta have anyone lordin’ it over us.”

“Did you know Spike and his rebels were preparing to do just that?” Vernon asked. “Were you ready to fight them?”

Continue reading “Wait Till Your Father Gets Home”

Pristalwhisp

Glad you could join us for the next sorrowful episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Elliot 095 — Photo credit: Discovery Channel, UK

Cassandra’s gasp of alarm breathed out as compassion. “Oh, you poor thing!”

The last gleam of daylight glimmered in sunset blue eyes, shadowed and lonely, tired beyond life, sorrowful and aching. Grime and cobwebs overlay a ragged gray coat that didn’t quite cover patches of skin ripped naked bearing scratches, scars, and seeping sores, the trophies of lost battles, the badges of survival.

Lowering herself to the ground, the feline groaned. “Who are you? Have you come to feast on my decay?”

Continue reading “Pristalwhisp”

A Resting Place

Glad you could join us for the next slinky episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Elliot 094 — Photo credit: hdw.eweb4.com

Backing out of the cavern’s entrance, Arturo whispered, “Come on, Cassandra! We can’t stay here!”

“Yes, we can,” she hissed. “We won’t hurt you,” she called. “We’re just looking for a safe place to rest. Surely there’s room for all of us in here.”

An enormous body shifted the air as it rose and moved laboriously out of the hollow to lie down in the last of the light. Deep guttural sounds became rumbled words.

“Are you ready to die?”

To be continued. . .

Previously, on Elliot’s Adventures ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Next time . . .

Fergus Eugene O’Shay

Glad you could join us for the next carnivorous episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Vernon took a step back. “I’m sorry, but why I should trust you? For all I know, you’ve been confined because you’re a raving lunatic or a bloodthirsty murderer or—”

“—an honest fool who celebrated his best mate’s weddin’ with a wee bit too much nectar. I tell ya, me boyo, it’s humiliatin’ enough ta hafta admit to a total stranger that I got meself stuck in this embarrassin’ predicament — can ya even begin imaginin’ the grief me wife’s gonna bless me with when I git home? I’m dead sober now. When I git home, I’m just gonna be dead.”

Continue reading “Fergus Eugene O’Shay”

Where’d Everybody Go?

Glad you could join us for the next chirpy episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

“And Vernon?” you ask.

Weakening with each wingbeat, Vernon struggled back across the meadow, determined to take Spike down even if it meant his own death.

Sunset gilded the grass tips as he landed on the flower Cassandra had been clinging to. Peering into its bowl, he saw nothing but shadows. “I know this is the right spot. Where is everybody? What happened here?”

“Sure an’ I saw what happened, laddie,” a chirpy voice rose from the grass. “If ya can be gittin’ me out o’ here, I’d be more than happy ta tell ya ahl about it.”

Vernon dropped to the ground and stumbled in pain and surprise. Bowls of Death weren’t the only traps in this field.