Friday, December 3, 2021

NORMAN OKLAHOMA - FAIRY TALE: PART SEVEN



A green light broke off from the circle where Jake stood, laughing. The green light zigged and zagged before coming to rest, hovering next to Nona. The light dimmed and I could see a male fairy dressed in baggy jeans and a basketball jersey from one of local teams. I don’t follow sports myself, but I’ve often wondered where these fairies got their tiny clothes. Must be another one of their magical abilities.

“Why are you wasting your time talking to this stupid giant?” The newly arrived fairy had spiked green hair and looked as if he’d just spent the better part of the last hour sucking on lemons.

“Shut up, Lance!” Nona yelled. “You don’t tell me what to do.”

“Well, but I think I do,” Lance said. “You need to fly back to the circle before I send you home.”

I glanced over at Jake to see that he’d started dancing.

“We’re already home, Lance,” Nona said.

“Not this place,” Lance said, his face growing even more sour. “Home home.”

Nona’s eyes grew wide and she floated back a few inches away from Lance.

“You wouldn’t,” she said, her voice a hoarse whisper.

“Oh, but I would.” Lance smiled, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Some days I’d love nothing more. Now move before I send you back.”

Without another word, Nona zoomed off, her orange light merging with the others.

“Norman Oklahoma,” Lance said, floating high enough so that he could look down his nose at me. “I have a task for you.”

“Anything,” I said, entranced and mesmerized and such.

“First,” he said. “You will call me ‘My Lord’.”

“Yes, My Lord,” I said. “Of course.” I wanted to slam my head into a rock as punishment for not calling him ‘My Lord’ this whole time.

“Next, I want you to prove to me that you can be useful,” Lance said.

“Anything, My Lord. I’ll do anything.”

“I want you to shoot something for me, Oklahoma.”

“Of course, My Lord,” I drew both of my pistols and thumbed back the hammers. “What would you like me to shoot?”

The fairy thought about it for a moment, crossing his arms and holding his chin in one hand as he mulled it over. He looked very impressive.

“I’m told you’re good,” Lance said. “Is that true.”

“Yes, My Lord,” I said. “Very good.” I looked around for something to shoot. I wanted, needed, to show him how good I was.

“Wait here,” he said. “I’ll be right back.” And like that he was surrounded once again by a bright, green light.

I watched the green ball of light streak off toward the farmhouse in the distance. No more than two full seconds had passed before I saw the green light returning, and before I could so much as blink, Lance was once more in front of me.

Lance hovered there for a moment, an apple over his head. The apple was three times the fairy’s size, but Lance carried it as if it weighed no more than a balloon full of helium.

Before I could ask, Lance tossed the apple high into the air, the apple soaring to such a height that it began to look like a tiny, red pea.

“Shoot it out of the sky for me,” Lance said.

I smiled, and in one smooth motion, took aim, and fired. The apple exploded. Lance laughed and clapped his hands.

I’d never felt more proud of myself in my entire life.

To be continued ...

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