Charlie B. Dinkle's Delightful Adventure

Ch. 9 ~ Quentin the Unicorn

Chapter 9

   Who could’ve believed it? Certainly not Charlie, even though she was in Munchopia.

   Behind Charlie B. Dinkle stood a magnificent unicorn, at least three times taller and bigger than her. It held itself proud.

   A unicorn, thought Charlie, dazed by seeing the object of her fantasies. It was white and muscular, with a long, thick, sparkling wand protruding out of its forehead. It also had a short, nicely-trimmed silver mane. Truly sophisticated.

   “HALT!” he said again, this time making the whole crowd of squiggles and dwarfs and beavers and people turn around. Squiggle B and Swaggy Swiggy narrowed their eyes at the unicorn.

   “I have come,” the unicorn announced, “to see the exciting Charlie B. Dinkle that everyone has been talking about.” He looked from left to right, even though Charlie was right in front of him. “C’mon, where is she?”

   “I’m down here,” squeaked Charlie. The unicorn looked down at here and became very serious. “Are you the famous Miss Dinkle?” he asked.

   “Yep,” answered Charlie. “I’m Charlie B. Dinkle. Dinkle like sprinkle.”

   “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Charlie,” said the unicorn. It was obvious he was a very serious one at that. “I have a question for you, Charlie – have you ever seen a unicorn baseball match?”

   “Uh, what?” said Charlie.

   “A unicorn baseball match. The race of the unicorns are very well-known for their skillful plays in baseball. I invite you to see one with me, Miss Dinkle, and perhaps become more acquainted. My friends and I would love to be friends with an exciting person such as yourself.”

   “Yes! YES YES YESSSS!” Charlie B. Dinkle leaped into the air with joy. The unicorns wanted to hang out with her. It was a dream come true for Charlie.

   “Wait a second there!” shouted Squiggle B. Everyone turned their attention to him. All the other squiggles were backing him up, and they all had the same look of distaste on their pinched faces. A distaste for unicorns.

   “Charlie hangs with us, the squiggles. Coolest people around, heard of us?”

   “I believe I have,” replied the unicorn, showing the same expression of distaste on his own long face. A distaste for squiggles.

   “Well, yeah. You can’t just come around and take her away like you own this place,” continued Squiggle B, the other squiggles nodding their head in agreement. “We own it. We named this place. Wait, what’s your name?”

   “My name’s Quentin Simmercake,” he said proudly. “But I’m afraid I don’t care for yours.”

   Someone in the crowd of people and magical creatures that were watching this confrontation did a loud oooh noise. It was getting heated. Squiggle B puffed out his fuzzy chest to look tougher.

   As you can see, squiggles and unicorns do not have good history with each other. In fact, it would be hard to find one from each acknowledging each other in a relatively friendly way. No one knew why they didn’t like each other. It was just a way of nature. Like how bats will always hate the light, and cows will always make milk, and gobblecrackers will love the color purple, squiggle and unicorn will always dislike one another.

   “Charlie,” Swaggy Swiggy, who was next to Squiggle B, called to the little girl. “Unicorns aren’t as exciting as you think. They’re always sipping on their tea, and saying snobby things. They’re proud, not exciting.”

   “Nonsense!” interrupted Quentin, stomping his hooves. “You’ve never been with a unicorn before to truly know the excitement. Shall we go now, Miss Dinkle?”

   “No, Charlie! I know you want to stay with us!” exclaimed Swiggy.

   “It’s your choice, Charlie,” said Squiggle B solemnly. “Choose.”

   It would be an understatement to say that Charlie B. Dinkle was awfully confused and pressured. She felt so pressured that she might suffocate. It was her life-long ambition to see a unicorn, and play with them under the rainbows. But she didn’t want to leave her friends, the squiggles, all alone.

   “Um- I- I don’t know!” Charlie said. For a moment, Charlie wanted to be plain Molly Smith again. Nah, she thought, of course you don’t want to be Molly again. She was boring. Plus, you don’t even like the name Molly.

   Then, out of the blue sky, a flying old lady swooped down. She had large wings instead of arms, like a bird. She had wrinkles all over her face and wore glasses, making her look like a teacher. Instead of feet, she had claws. Everyone seemed terrified by her presence, except Charlie, who didn’t know this strange flying lady.

   “Watch out, Charlie!” said the squiggles.

   “Be careful, Charlie!” said Quentin the unicorn.

   “Look out, Charlie B. Dinkle!” said everyone. But it was too late for Charlie.

   These claws bestowed themselves upon Charlie, grabbing her by the arms, and taking her back up into the evening sky with pink clouds.  

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Fun Fact: The name 'Quentin Simmercake' was inspired by the name of the totally hot celebrity, Justin Timberlake.