New Moonshine

Howdy ya'll! Check out what nerd chick done! She made another one of those gifs. Hmmm... not sure what to make of it? What do ya'll think?

Anywho, ever wonder if someone out there was thinkin of you? Like that little mouse Fievel, in "An American Tail". I was looking up at the moon the other night. That sucker was large and in charge. I mean Moonshine caught a sun burn from the moonlight while Pablo was reading to us about "Twilight". Must have been a new moon or somethin, cause we was feeling all wild and such. My mind powers was enhanced by like a thousand fold. Not sure why, but I started howling like a dang wolf. Have ya'll ever howled like a wolf at the moon? I suggest you try it! Frankly, it's liberating. Anywho, I was hearing that little mouse sing that song, "Some where out there, beneath the pale moon light, someones thinking of you..." I don't wanna sing the whole dang song, but I was just realizing, life as a traveler is pretty darn lonely. If it weren't for Moonshine, Pablo, and this blog, I don't think anyone in the whole dang world would even know I existed. What a sad thought. Hope ya'll cherish your loved ones and such! Shout out to Nerd Chick, thanks for the help!

Now get the freaking book! http://ow.ly/BoR9B

CHAPTER 3 (cont'd)

Setchra smiles warmly. She tenderly brushes the child underneath her chin with one finger. “I like you, too.”

Faded driftwood logs litter the shore, and look more like scattered bones than bleached wood. Bordering the coast, tall pines, maples, and oaks make up an eerie dark forest that Princess prays she will not have to enter.

The mermaid looks back at the fading tide. The moon is completely covered by clouds, yet it provides enough light for her to see everything clearly. She sees metallic depths, without shadow, that reflect the radiant moonlight. She turns a rock over, examining microscopic silver urchin needles, invisible to the naked human eye, but completely visible to her mer-vision.

On a rock’s surface, she detects a pair of staggered crab tracks that leave a trail under a large flat stone. She follows the trail until two glowing green crab eyes pop over a rock. She looks past the crab and discovers perfect, flashing neon blue rings. “Where there’s crab, there’s prey.”

Following the flashing blue rings, she closes in on a tiny fleeing octopus. Miniature, stretchy arms bend and cycle speedily through the water and an inky cloud disperses all around it, temporarily concealing the invertebrate. The octopus darts here and there, hoping to escape to deeper waters before the mermaid can snatch it. It manages to hide under several rocks and tuck itself in crevices before the mermaid corners it. Cautiously, she pinches the tiny, eight-inch octopus by the top of its head. Instantly, the slimy octopus’ skin flashes gray, as it wiggles and writhes.

            “Why are you doing that?” Princess squeaks.

             Setchra thrusts the octopus into the green kelp bulb and presses a small spiral seashell into the hole, sealing the opening. The blue neon circles on the sea creature’s skin blast powerful beams of light through the kelp bulb, creating a nautical lantern.

“Yeah, but why are you doing that?” Princess asks, unable to subside her curiosity.

“For light,” she instructs, holding up her prisoner near Princess’ face.

Princess squints and strains her eyes, searching for any sign of light. “I see no light,” she says, reaching for the bulb.

The wise mermaid confidently warns, “This tiny creature has enough venom to kill a dolphin.”

Princess pulls her arms in tight, clenching her fists, yet she can’t resist leaning in a bit closer for another look at the frightened octopus.

Setchra strokes Princess’ hair, calming her down. “Don’t be afraid.” The mermaid smiles at the deadly creature. “We have the upper hand.  He can’t harm you from inside this shell.” She taps on the thick kelp bulb. Loud thudding deafens the tiny octopus.

Setchra holds the bulb close up to her face admiring the cascading lights.

“Through my eyes, I can see its beautiful splendor. Bright blue, like a twinkling star, except circling instead of pulsing.” Setchra inhales and focuses on the light. Her eyes trail up towards the dark heavens, which hold thousands of stars perfectly in place. Princess looks up and sees nothing. She looks back at the lamp and finally notices a faint blue ring, glowing and circling. Princess again reaches for the bulb, taking it she turns it round, examining the octopus inside.

From inside the bulb, Princess’ features are less than perfect. Her nose explodes and her eyes swell as she approaches the bulb’s wall. The octopus pushes itself as far back as it can, fear causes its neon circles to glow brighter as the little girls’ monstrously massive teeth grin through the bulbous bulb.

“Come child, we must go.”

Setchra reaches for her hand. Princess again takes her finger and follows behind. Setchra holds the luminous lantern out in front of her and walks straight into the dark forest, stomping thick thorny brushes down, so that Princess can follow her path.

Princess tests her wounded foot by placing pressure on it. "Oweeee," Princess cries out!  

Setchra feels a flash of icy energy avalanche inside her and momentarily suffocate the blaze Princess created. The shifting emotions cause her heart to flutter in panic. For a brief moment, she feels as though she can't breathe. Setchra whips around, and scoops Princess up, clicking her tongue.

* * *

Behind them, down on the beach, Setchra’s mermaid scales catch in the wind and scatter down the rough coast. Crabs continue to compete with each other over the fishy feast. Down the coastline, flying streaks of glittering gold spontaneously zip in and out of the forest. Like a firework’s sparkling trail, the glittering gold haze is followed by pink, green, purple, and red fairy dust trails that explode out of the dark woods and blast down along the rocky beach.

“I told you I could smell a mermaid,” the gold fairy shouts over her shoulder to the trailing ones.

Nymphs zip and zoom towards Setchra’s scales, leaving a spectacular shimmering dust trail in their wake. A beautiful blonde fairy with shoulder-length hair and beautiful brown eyes creates a shimmering gold dust trail. Clothed in a lily petal skirt, the sprite greedily snatches up an armload of scales and presses them against her chest.

“Tillie, that’s not fair!” shouts her brunette twin sister, Nillie. “My wings are worn and torn. It’s time for a new set and a new shine! Besides the beach is full of wings. Full! Full! Full! Get your own!” Nillie latches onto the scales and tugs.

Tillie pops up and delivers a swift kick to Nillie, right in the stomach. Then flies away in an explosive burst of golden glitter. Nillie doubles over, looking up she grits her teeth and growls. Then, in a burst, chases after her sister, leaving a pink cloud of glitter behind her sister’s gold one.

* * *

Deep in the forest, owls hoot and crickets chirp.

Always longing for a pet, Princess’ enthusiasm grows as she peers in at the glowing octopus.

Setrcha sees her small face light up blue from the luminous orb. Princess excitedly squeals, “We should name it!”

The child’s voice causes Setchra to chuckle, which makes Princess giggle. The mermaid's enchanting laugh has an intoxicating effect on Princess.

The two have traveled through the forest for most of the night. Princess’ nodding head reveals her exhaustion.

“How much further?” Princess’ shoulders slump and her eyelids blink heavily.

“Traveling isn’t without difficulty, child. As the sun rises, I lose my sight.” Through the forest, Setchra sees the river’s glistening sparkle. “But be patient, we are near.”

“Are we there yet?” Princess shouts then yawns.

“Almost.”

“Yeah, but are we there yet?”

“Almost,” Setchra responds in the same moderated tone.

“But when will we be there, hmm?” the child persists.

“After,” the mermaid bristles.

“After what?”

“After, after.” Setchra says through her clenched teeth.

Princess scrunches her brows together, presses her lips to the side of her face, then screams, “After, after, what?”

“After we’re—oh look, we’re there,” Setchra says, spotting sparkling water through breaks metallic-looking in the trees. She sets Princess down, takes a few steps forward, and pushes branches back, creating an opening in the thick foliage for the child. Princess tiredly stumbles through the break, rubbing her eyes as she hobbles along on her injured heel. When she stops she sees a riverbank with a wide flowing river and strong swirling current.

Stars fade as sunlight peeks over the distant hills.

“I must be in the water before dawn,” Setchra insists, pressed for time she examines the horizon.

“Why? What happens at dawn?”

“I can't see in sunlight, remember? T’would be best if you remained here and covered your ears.” She lets the branches go, leaving Princess on the riverbank, as she re-enters the forest.

Princess looks through breaks in the leaves and watches Setchra briskly tie the kelp bulb to her seaweed skirt. “What could she possibwe be doing?” Princess whispers. Curiously, she walks to the forest’s edge and creates her own entrance through the foliage. She follows behind the merwoman, but keeps her distance, peeking at Setchra through the vegetation.

            A ray of rising sunlight stabs through an opening in the trees. Setchra throws her hands up to shield her eyes. She peeks over her shoulder at the bright, reflective light coming out of the breaks in the vegetation. The blinding reflection is so intense that she is forced to look away.

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