A Fairie Tale

1:1 A Mess

  I slowly struggled awake, a hot film covering me. I fought the warm cocoon surrounding me, thrashing until I broke through. I sat up and took in gulps of of the air. It was hot and sticky, but comparatively cool and refreshing compared to the air trapped inside my blankets. I kicked the blankets away and slid off my bed. Rubbing my sleep-filled eyes, I padded over to the window and peered out.

Nothing.

I squinted into the darkness, leaning out the window. A scaly hand clutched my wrist and I squealed in surprise. A voice began to taunt me and a cold hand reached out, leaving trails of gunk on my face.

"Get up!" The voice commanded. A face appeared, a big, green, scaly thing with fangs, a slit nose, and eyes that were entirely white except for the cat-like yellow pupils. The voice was surprisingly high pitched for such a creature. I looked at the creature in a slightly dazed fashion and then shrieked as a gust of cold air blasted at me. I reached up to bat the monster away when suddenly, I was drenched in an ice cold, sticky liquid.

Gasping, I shot up, my dream dissolving around me. A boy was standing in front of me, laughing silently. He was holding an empty pitcher, but the moment he saw my face, he dropped to the floor in stitches of laughter.

"Samuel Quentin Emarson! You brat! You are so going to pay!" I said in a dangerously quiet voice. I tore the soaked sheet off of my pajama clad body and lunged for him. His eyes flew open as he realized I was serious about revenge and he scrambled for the door, flinging it open and letting in a gust of hot summer air. He ran down the fire escape and into the main section of the house. I barreled towards the kitchen after him, only to have the door slammed in my face. The lock thunked in place.

"Sam! Let me in, you pig!" I banged on the door, frustrated.

"Nope! Sorry, but I'm preparing something... interesting.. for your breakfast, and I wouldn't want the surprise ruined," he chuckled darkly and I rubbed my eyes in aggravation.

"Sam..." I growled in warning.

"You know... I might just accidentally add something like, perhaps, garlic, to your food. I mean, I know how much you hate it... Or would that be celery? Because... we have a whole stalk right here." I could hear the fridge door being opened and closed, and then a knife hitting a cutting board. What? He can't do that... that's so mean! Wahhh! I thought.

"Sam! Come on, please don't," I said tightly. You're not that evil... I added as an afterthought.

"Leave me alone, and I won't," he said cheerily, still chopping away.

"Sam-" I began again.

He cut me off. "Oops. I may have just let my hand accidentally slip. Sorry." The boy didn't sound sorry in the least. "Now, leave me alone and I won't let my hand slip again."

I could've sworn I heard a very evil little chuckle. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Turning around, I went back upstairs to my room. Well, the good thing about having to go outside to get to my room is that I always know the temperature. I thought somewhat sarcastically. I stepped onto the screened in wraparound porch that surrounded my level of the house on all four sides and plopped down in the hammock I had previously hung in a corner. I picked at one of the fraying hemp strings that I had spray painted hot pink and black... with my mum. The thought came unbidden.

I bit my lip to suppress the tears and buried my face in the pillow I kept on the hammock. Gahh. I'll just take a shower later... I pushed back against the wall, swinging and humming softly to myself. My eyes began to droop and I lost track of time.

The phone rang and I scrambled to pick it up.

"Alison!" a voice on the other end snapped. Crap. Cue the bad guy music. Or in this case, bad women.

"Yes, Melissa?"

"I need you to clean up the kitchen. Sam, such a sweetheart, he made a little bit of a mess when we was very thoughtfully making breakfast. Wasn't that so very sweet of him? Such a darling... unlike some people in this household." I flinched as her sharp voice sliced into me. She continued talking. "I'm taking Sam and a group of his friends out to play laser tag. I won't be back until four, maybe later. I might take Sam out to eat for dinner, as well, since his birthday is coming up soon. Make sure the house is spotless by the time I get home."

I saw sparks, I was so mad. His birthday isn't for another FIVE months! Come on, you cannot be serious, Melissa! I fumed inwardly. Outwardly, I grimaced and complied. "Yes, Melissa." With that, Melissa hung up the phone. I grimaced again and watched Melissa and Sam get in the car, which was a sleek, shiny thing that was so expensive I didn't even know the name of it.

I glanced at the wall clock above the door. 8:16. So, I have about an hour and 15 minutes before i'm meeting Leah at the Renich... I can do it. took the stairs two at a time and stepped back into the kitchen. I looked around and burst into tears. How on earth did Sam make such a huge mess? I started to hyperventilate as I took in the mess. There were dishes everywhere: in the sink, on the counter, on the floor, even, for some bizarre reason, in the hanging fruit basket. Food was flung on the walls, ceiling, cabinets, and floor. It actually looked as if someone had taken a spoon and done it one purpose, just so that I'd have to clean it up. Not that I would put that past Sam...

I grabbed a roll of paper towels and began to clean the gunk off the floor just so i could walk without stepping on it.

I looked up at the clock sometime later, after I'd unloaded and loaded the dishwasher. Thank goodness for dishwashers... I was in the process of washing the dishes that didn't fit when the time registered. Oh, crap. Crap, crap, crappity crap! 9:24! I lunged for the phone and quickly dialed in Leah's phone number.

I bit my bottom lip as her phone rang, playing Paradise by Coldplay, since it was one of her favorite songs and bands.

"Hey Alli. What's up?" her warm voice answered cheerily.

"Hey, Leah. I don't think I can make it. Hurricane Sam has come through the kitchen, and I'm stuck on damage duty."

She groaned. "That boy! How bad is it?"

"I've been working for an hour and I've barely made a scratch," I replied, exaggerating a little bit. "Do you think we could meet up in an hour instead of two minutes?"

"Whaddaya think, cupcake? Of course! I'll be there early though, just in case you finish up quicker than you think you will."

I smiled. "You're such a doll, Leah. I owe you."

"I know," she said. I could tell she was grinning. I hung up and tackled the kitchen with renewed vigor.