I've been mentioning this piece on social media and in interviews lately. this is what I wrote during my second year of university when I knew I wanted to write. it has grown a bit since then. I no longer have my illustrations (or they're stranded on my old mac). I was in bed with the flu when I started this and looking around my bedroom for inspiration. I can't currently remember where I was going with it, if anywhere. I don't know if it'll ever be finished.

Untitled second year project.
 
There lives in a house atop a tree Winifred Squirrel and Perry Squirrel. Perry Squirrel was at his job gathering nuts when the foreman came over and told him he just received a phone call from the doctor and Perry Squirrel must get home to Winifred Squirrel right away as she is gravely ill. Perry Squirrel promptly left work to see his wife. Perry Squirrel was so worried about Winifred Squirrel he never made it home. He walked right into Webster Cat. Perry Squirrel was a large grey squirrel but he never stood a chance against Webster Cat, who proudly told anyone who would listen that he was part bobcat.
 
*
 
Deep in the forest there lived an old hag called Gladys, with her resided at least fifty cats. Gladys didn’t own them and they don’t own her, but in their own ways an affection for each other is there. When a big old tom cat looked ill, Gladys was concerned and did all she could to make him better. Just before the big old tom cat’s death Gladys, along with some of the other cats became rather ill. But not every cat came down with the mystery illness, smelling death on the air the cats that were well enough to leave, left the forest. Before Primrose Cat made it out of the forest she came across a small clearing and witnessed the most peculiar thing. Seen from behind a tree on the edge of the clearing, in the middle of the clearing there sat on a rock a tiny grey squirrel. Primrose Cat didn’t think anything of it until she got closer. The squirrel was wearing a pink dress with a lace trim, which was much too large for the creature wearing it. As Primrose got closer she saw the squirrel had a tiny handkerchief and the pitiful little animal was crying. Primrose, herself not much larger than a grey squirrel in prime health, decided to go and see what was wrong with the creature. As she got closer still, Primrose realised the animal in front of her lost a lot of weight in a very short amount of time, like after an illness. Primrose was standing right in front of the squirrel but the poor thing didn’t look up or make any effort to move. “What’s wrong?” asked Primrose. “My husband never came home and all the other squirrels have died,” replied the skinny squirrel. “Why, how did they all die?” enquired Primrose. “Why? I don’t know how they died but it’s all my fault,” said the tearful squirrel before breaking into a fresh batch of crying. “Oh no don’t cry, how could it ever be all your fault?” “I was ill and I made all the other squirrels ill and they all died. But I didn’t. I’m still alive and so alone,” sobbed the squirrel. “Why, they must have died of something else because you’re still here,” comforted Primrose. The squirrel’s tears started to dry up as her tiny brain thought this over. Then Primrose said, “We are both alone and I’m leaving the forest and going to the village. Why don’t you come with me?”
 
*
 
In a tiny house on the very edge of a little village lives a little girl called Dolores. Dolores was the only girl of her age in the village and the boys played too rough for her dainty size, so she normally played by herself in the garden as her family were much too poor to be able to afford a TV. Despite her loneliness and poverty she was a very happy little girl, but not today. Today she felt an emotion she was much too young too know what it was called or be able to describe it accurately. It was all the more upsetting because she was normally so cheerful. Her mother, Audrey, watched from the kitchen as her only child paced back and forth through the tiny vegetable patch all morning. Audrey wasn’t feeling too great either, although in desperate need of money, Audrey decided not to go to work that day. Audrey felt anxious, like something big and terrible was on the way. Audrey temporarily let her eyes drift off her daughter, they wandered onto the dark patch in the distance. The dark patch was the old forest, it was haunted, they say. Strange things happen in there and Audrey didn’t like it. Audrey saw that the animals, tiny black specks on the horizon and tiny black specks in the sky, sensed whatever it was. A chill rose through Audrey’s body as she watched what must have been thousands of tiny black specks leave the forest. Audrey’s eyes fell back onto her daughter, she was glad she didn’t send her daughter to school that day but she wished her husband didn’t go to work. Beyond her dirtied reflection in the window, she saw blackened clouds roll over the noon sun. She decided it was time to have Dolores come inside. “Dolores, Dolores, come help me with lunch,” she said out the window. Dolores stopped pacing and raised her tiny head, her big worried eyes looked at her mother. She stayed this way for a full minute as the sky darkened before she lowered her glaze and shuffled slowly, kicking up dust, towards the house. By the time she reached the door the first heavy drops of muddy rain started to fall. Trying not to let her unease show, Audrey said, “Wash your hands.” In an effort to prevent her voice shaking, the words came out harsher than she wanted them to. Tears welled up in her daughter’s eyes and started to cut through the dust on her face, leaving clean wet streaks. She made no sound, but Audrey saw her daughter’s tears. Despite her own shaking and faster than normal heartbeat that she was sure Dolores would notice, she went to her daughter and cradled her in her arms. Neither said a word but both knew how the other felt. Neither was comforted. The emotions were too strong, like an electrical storm in the kitchen. After what seemed like hours, but was no more than a few minutes, mother and daughter pulled away from each other. Dolores still had silent tears dripping down her face. Audrey, trying to be strong for her daughter had no such tears, but felt like crying. “Shall we see what there is for lunch?” Audrey asked, even though neither felt like eating Audrey knew they should. Silently, as the minutes slowly ticked by, they made lunch and ate it without really tasting what they were eating. By the time they had finished the rain was coming down heavily. Audrey went back to her position by the window to watch the forest, but she couldn’t see past a few feet. Dolores went to her small bedroom, her face winkled in worry. When Dolores got there she was quite surprised. She left her window open that bright and sunny morning, but sitting on her bed that wet afternoon little Dolores found one soaking wet grey squirrel and one soaking wet cat.
 
*
 
There lives in a house underneath the floorboards Mildred Mouse and Gunther Mouse. It was raining outside and Mildred was frightened. Gunther Mouse was at work and she was alone. She was scared the little house would flood and she’d drown. It was just after lunch time when Mildred Mouse smelt something unusual on the air. There were a few strange smells on the air that afternoon, some stronger than others, but it was the weakest one that worried Mildred. It was something Mildred couldn’t place her finger on. She stood still and sniffed the air. The smell made her nervous, more nervous than the rain. Although a very weak odour, it was suffocating. Mildred tried to continue with her day but she felt as if she were choking. Time slowed down and everything was played to her in slow motion. Mildred forgot about the rain. All that she could think about was that smell which seemed to be growing stronger and stronger. It soon overpowered the much stronger odours coming through the floor boards. Mildred sat down and then stood up. She walked across the room, went back to her chair, decided to rearrange the cushions and then sat down again. She couldn’t sit still, she had to get up again. Mildred went over to the radio and switched it on and promptly switched it off. Her ears perked up. Gunther. Those are his footsteps. She should have felt happy, her Gunther was home early. He was such an efficient worker that he received the salary of two mice and his boss would often let him home early. But, she didn’t want her beloved to see her like this and sense her unexplained tension.
 
*
 
There lives in a house in a cave in a forest Olga Bear and Skip Bear. It was a stormy afternoon but neither Olga Bear or Skip Bear were worried. They led a life of luxury, only leaving the cave to go to the post office or hunt stray villagers. Olga ordered Skip about. It was late in the afternoon when Olga declared to her husband that she was hungry. Skip was frightened of her but he didn’t want to get his fur wet. Skip loved his fur, it was the shiniest, softest fur in the whole forest. He spent thousands of gold pieces to maintain it. Skip looked in the mirror to admire his locks. Olga was becoming impatient. While Skip was busy looking at himself Olga came up behind him. If Skip wasn’t so self-obsessed he would have heard her loud monstrous footsteps and he would have seen her obese reflection in the very mirror he used to admire his good looks. But he didn’t see her coming up behind him. Olga came from behind and hit her husband on the head with a large heavy frying pan. She knocked him unconscious and thought Well that didn’t make much difference to his boring personality. While the heap of her husband was laying on the floor Olga went to fetch a large knife from the kitchen. She stabbed him until he was dead and used a slightly smaller knife to remove some of his skin from one of his legs. Then she cut the leg off and devoured it without cooking it. She managed to consume her husband’s entire body but she was still hungry. It was still raining outside but Olga wasn’t as vain as her late husband, so she put on her raincoat and left the comfort of her house in the cave. Olga was surprised when she got outside, even in heavy rain she’d still be able to hear the other forest creatures. She wasn’t worried, she thought they must be hiding. Every creature is terrified of Olga, who loved nothing more than to feast on flesh. As she walked through the pouring rain she walked past many berry bushes, normally birds would be eating them and sometimes she’d spy the common-bears enjoying the berries, but not on that day. She wasn’t going to reduce her status to that of a peasant and eat berries, so she kept walking. She lifted her snout into the air and sniffed. She smelt a smell familiar to her but couldn’t name it before she smelt something that made her very excited.
 
*
 
In the centre of a village there is a brewery, in that brewery worked a man called Kristin. Kristin clocked out and went outside into a storm. It was a bright and sunny morning so poor Kristin didn’t have his umbrella. Kristin wished he listened to his wife’s worries that morning and stayed home. But, they were so poor that if they both stayed home they wouldn’t be able to pay the bills, so Kristin had to go to work at the brewery. Kristin wasn’t feeling too well that day and with every step he took, he felt as if he getting closer to some unseen danger. All he wanted to do was to go home to his wife and beautiful daughter but he had to make some stops first. First he went to the bakery. Paul the baker was looking anxious as he stood behind the counter. “Good afternoon,” Kristin called to the baker. “Is it?” asked Paul, his voice shaking. Kristin stopped trying to be cheerful and let his brow wrinkle in worry. “No, I guess it is not,” replied Kristin. “Strange things are happening,” said Paul. Both men stared at each other, Paul didn’t even notice Kristin dripping all over the bread and cakes. Finally Kristin said, “I have to go into the forest before I can return home.” “Kristin, my friend, have you lost your mind?” enquired Paul. “There is a great evil in the air. All the women and all the animals can smell it and I can feel it in my bones,” said Kristin. “Now, let’s not try to be heroes,” answered Paul. “Paul,” Kristin slowly said, “Was your wife acting unusual this morning?” Paul thought back to the morning it seemed like it was years ago rather than hours ago. “I’ll go fetch my gun,” said Paul.
 
*
 
Near the very top of a very tall tree there lives Tiffany Crow and Felix Crow. Tiffany Crow was in the bathroom throwing up when the phone rang. It was getting late, if it wasn’t raining so heavily and if Tiffany wasn’t puking up her stomach contents, she would have witnessed the most beautiful sunset. Tiffany really was in a sorry state. In the morning she woke with the most terrible headache and begged Felix Crow not to make her join him in his greasy salvage yard that day. But Felix Crow forced his wife out of bed and to the salvage yard. Tiffany didn’t stay long, Felix saw the error of his ways and granted her permission to go home. Tiffany felt as if she had nothing left inside her when the phone started ringing again. She went to answer it thinking it was Felix to demand her to cook his dinner and she was right. When Tiffany was heading back to the forest where her tree was that late morning all the other birds and all the animals were leaving. If Tiffany wasn’t so ill and wasn’t so frightened of her husband she would have joined them. All afternoon Tiffany became more and more nervous and it was more than the natural nervousness that came with being married to Felix. All afternoon as Tiffany grew more and more ill, she watched as all the other creatures that lived in the forest fled before some unseen terror. Tiffany, even in her poorly state, went to the kitchen to prepare Felix his dinner.
 
*
 
 
There lives in a cottage Horace the Persian cat and his wife Katherine. Everyday Horace would sit on the windowsill waiting for his young master to come home. This morning was bright and sunny but there was an unusual smell on the air, rain was coming and by the afternoon it was pouring. But Horace didn’t think the smell was just rain, there was something different about it. It was early evening when his human and the human’s younger brother finally arrived back at the cottage. On a normal day Horace and Katherine would greet their young master, but today, today didn’t seem normal, or whatever normal was. His beautiful Katherine had deserted him that morning, behaviour he expected of her but she would under normal circumstances return by the early afternoon with her prey. A beautiful pedigree Katherine enjoyed hunting, Horace wouldn’t admitted it out loud, but he enjoyed indulging in whatever she caught. He was very worried, Katherine never stayed out this late. He wondered where she had gotten to. He begged and pleaded for her to stay in that day, but Katherine was determined to go.
 
*
 
There lives in a palace in a hedge Princess Hannah Hedgehog with her horrible husband Prince Theodore of the Porcupine and their perfect, at least in Hannah’s eyes, children; Trudie, Oakley, Duncan, Fatima, and the twins Clover and Sophia. Hannah loved her children but despised her husband and his mother, Queen Dinah. She regularly phoned mummy and daddy, King Sidney and Queen Erika, who lived very far away. She missed her parents and would phone and beg to come home and tell them all about Theodore’s and Dinah’s evils. She hated her husband even more today, even little Clover and Sophia who would normally be in awe of him seemed frightened of him. Hannah wondered how her husband and mother-in-law could be so blind. Strange things were happening, she could smell it and she could see it. All day she kept her two eyes trained on the old forest on their doorstep. At that proximity, she couldn’t see much of it, nothing more than a few old tree trunks on the outskirts. But the trunks were different, they were teeming with insects exiting their interiors. Just starring at the bottom of the old trees made her feel different somehow and she wondered what the bugs were doing. She spent a large chunk of everyday studying the tree trunks through the windows of the palace and had never witnessed that before. Even the cheerful girl across the way seemed different when she went to the other side of the palace to see if the girl had noticed anything. She seemed older, like she had aged twenty years in one night. The odour was worrying Hannah the most, an odour that Princess Hannah couldn’t even begin to describe. In the early afternoon it began to rain heavily and Hannah could no longer see the trees but she still stayed at the window.
 
*
 
In a cottage in a little village two young brothers called Seth and Madison were trying to prepare supper. Their mother was still at the factory were she worked sewing together fashionable clothes for export to the rich countries. Seth didn’t want to go to school that day and Madison didn’t want to go to the day-care across the road from the school. Seth noticed things and that day he didn’t like what his mother and younger brother were doing; it made him feel nervous and helpless. Seth was too old, although still a child, to be burdened by what he called the insight, but Seth loved his mother and brother and with love comes trust, so he trusted their emotions that morning. He trusted their sense, even though he had no idea where these feeling were coming from or why. He was still young enough to fear the unknown and not knowing made him more nervous. That sunny morning his mother was a ball of electricity and his brother, his Madison, was static to touch. Things didn’t improve at school, they only got worse. Most of the girls weren’t in that day, that was unsettling for a boy of thirteen. He trusted the girls, even the little ones, more than he trusted himself. Seth was old enough to recognise the uncanny ability of the girls, they could sense the unknown like they knew somehow what was going to happen next. That afternoon when Seth went to pick up Madison from the day-care, he noticed most of the little ones were not there. Little Madison, the whole way to the cottage kept turning around on his seat to look at the old forest. When the bus turned out of sight of the forest and into the village where the brothers lived Madison let out a sigh, as close as they were, Seth didn’t know if the sigh was out of relief or despair. After they got off the bus they still had half a mile to walk until they arrived at their cottage, normally a pleasurable experience but not today. This afternoon in stark contrast to that morning, it was pouring with rain. At least, Seth thought, the visibility was so poor that little Madison couldn’t see the forest. Seth didn’t know what it was about the forest, but based on his brother’s reactions he knew something about that ancient wood was wrong and even more-so today. Seth thought he would feel relieved when he opened the door to their cottage and stepped inside, but he wasn’t even relieved to get out of the storm. He wondered where his cats were, which made him feel worse, they normally wait for him. After he got himself and his little brother out of their wet clothes, they went to the pantry to find something to make for supper, it was the least they could do to help out their parents who both worked long hours. But Seth had a heavy and fearful heart that early evening.
 
*
 
A young pedigree cat was seen venturing into a very old forest on a bright and sunny morning, a little girl, a very anxious child, watched her enter between the large trees into the shadows. This young cat watched the child for awhile. The little girl in question was usually so carefree, but today she was so nervous she had the words worried and fearful tattooed in her aura. This concerned the cat. The cat was already having a bad day, she didn’t feel so good, both physically and mentally. Her mental state she put off to having to bury her lover in secret, if her husband ever found out she was having an affair he’d be mad, but if he ever found out who she was sleeping with it would be her funeral. Every morning Katherine would go into the old forest to visit her lover, she told her flat-faced husband she was going hunting and without fail, she’d bring back a dead mouse or bird, caught by her lover of course. Today young Katherine was quite upset, but she thought that was because she was burying her true love, her darling Webster. But the poor thing was ill herself. She was sweating and every time the wind would blow she’d freeze from the water on her body tuning to icicles. And she noticed something in the early hours of that very morning, she was coughing up a deep-red phlegm, thick blood. She didn’t know what exactly her lover died of, so she had no way of knowing she caught the same disease. On her way into the forest that morning, she noticed all the other animals leaving. There was a smell on the air, a bitter smell. The deeper into the forest she went, the stronger the odour became.
 
*
 
On a stormy evening in a village not so far away two friends were entering an ancient forest. Under normal conditions they avoid going in too far, but, today was no normal day. Today all the women and all the children and all the animals were acting strangely, they knew something all the men didn’t; it was as if every man in the entire village was blind. But the two friends were a bit, just a little bit, more enlightened than the other men. They were both nervous given the circumstances, the old forest was haunted, they say, and strange things happen in there. According to one of the friends (the baker) animals were seen to be leaving the forest all day. The other friend had to take his word because he worked in a dark and dank brewery. But believing his friend, Paul the baker, was an easy task. Kristin the brewer had the most wonderful wife and the most beautiful daughter in the entire land. But, both wife and daughter were behaving incredibly oddly that very morning, anxious and sombre, which was very out of character. Although Kristin didn’t know what was wrong, the state of his wife and his daughter told him it was quite severe. The friends were silent as they walked along the road and the black patch on the horizon began to form the shapes of individual trees. They were both thinking back to the behaviour of their wives and children that morning. Every now and then, like animals, they’d stop to smell the air. 
 
*
 
In the dark alleys of a village there lurks a shaggy black dog called Fabian. It was early evening and raining; Fabian was trying to seek shelter to prevent his fur from becoming even more matted. Fabian watched from the shadows as two men, one with a gun, walked passed his hiding spot and in the direction of an old forest. Fabian was wondering what the men were doing heading in that direction when almost every other creature was heading away from it. He decided to follow them, but he mustn’t let them see him.
 
*
 
In a hole overlooking a crossroads there live an extended family of rabbits. On a rainy evening Giselle and Maurice Rabbit were watching television with the youngest of their children. Both Giselle and Maurice had bad days that particular day; Giselle was feeling uneasy and there was a strong smell on the air that was growing stronger, Maurice, at his job as a guard, had trouble keeping a family of trolls from passing onto the road that leads to a village. They were lost in their thoughts when the phone rang. It was for Sybil, the youngest child.
 
*
 
Olga Bear held her snout in the air. In the distance she smelt her favourite smell masked by a familiar smell. She was anxious about the strong odour, but pushed it to the back of her mind. As she stood there with rain pelting the forest ceiling and sometimes escaping to pat her on the head a new smell came out of no-where. The creature was small, but Olga fancied an appetizer before the main course. Olga, surprisingly silent for her size, ran towards the newest of the smells. The further she ran and the closer she got, the stronger the first smell became. Olga slowed to a walk. Her appetizer was in her line of vision. The creature was crying and coughing up blood; Olga didn’t care, with one bite she ate a pedigree cat. She lifted her snout into the air and sniffed, smelling for the main course. 
 
*
 
Underneath a bridge on the bank of a slow moving river, there lived a family of trolls. It was the middle of the afternoon and the river had swollen with rain and the normally tranquil water was rushing past. The family’s house already lay underneath the water. “Oh Gareth, whatever shall we do?” Holly Troll asked her husband. Holly had her baby daughter, Maud, in her arms. “The baby’s crying. We must find shelter from the storm,” Holly said. Gareth hated it when his wife stated the obvious, but he knew that they had to get away. He led his wife towards the crossroads; the closer they got, the louder Maud cried.
 
*
 
Dolores stared at her bed and wondered what they were doing there. “Aren’t you going to shut that window?” asked the cat, “You’re bedroom will flood,” she added. Dolores went to the window and shut it with a bang, then she went back to her bed. She didn’t speak, but she wondered what the cat and squirrel were doing getting her bed all wet. “I’m Primrose,” said the cat, “and this is Winifred,” Primrose said, waving her paw in the direction of a squirrel. “You are?” “Dolores,” the little girl replied, “What are you doing sitting on my bed?” asked the worried little girl in a shaky voice.
 
*
 
Along a road that is rarely used by any person there lives Hope Magpie. Hope was sheltering from a terrible storm with her sister and three brothers. It was getting late and Hope’s parents had not yet returned. Hope thought it must be close to nightfall, but it was hard to tell due to the pouring rain. Strange things were happening; she heard movement on the road. People and critters seldom used it because of the trolls and what lies at the end of this road. But the passers-by didn’t sound like trolls and they didn’t sound like the un-earthly things that sometimes pass this way. She went closer to the road, she wanted to know who was going past.
 
*
 
There lived in a stable six horses called Darcie, Cody, Odette, Tyler, Troy and Kasper. A stormy afternoon became a stormy evening. Two sisters from the manor were in the stable speaking with the horses. The horses were telling the sisters about how something terrible was on the way and trying not to scare them in the process, when the girls’ nanny came bursting in. “Linda! Daisy! Hurry up, your father has ordered that we all must leave this place,” shouted Fiona. “When you say ‘we’ does that include us?” enquired Kasper. “Course it does you fool,” said Troy. “Yeah how else do you think they’ll get there?” remarked Tyler. “Hogan!” shouted Fiona, “Hogan!” she shouted again, “Curse that damn stable boy,” she said under her breath, but Linda heard her and giggled. Out of the shadows a dark-haired young man appeared, “Yes, Ma’m?” “It’s of no use running away,” Darcie said and everyone fell silent.
 
*
 
“Hello, Mrs Rabbit, can I speak with Sybil please?” Fatima spoke into a bright red phone. Rain was pelting the windows of the palace in which Fatima lived. Fatima listened to the water as she waited for her friend to pick up at the other end. She was trying to decide what to tell Sybil first, when her friend picked up. “Oh Sybil, it’s horrible,” she began, “all the forest creatures are leaving. I want to leave too.”
 
*
 
Two friends were about to enter a vast forest when one turned to the other, “Kristin, did you see that?” “No what was it?” asked Kristin. “Probably just my imagination.” They stepped through the gate in the hedge and then into the forest that had been there since the dawn of time. The trees offered immediate shelter from the rain, although every now and again a drop would escape the forest ceiling and come crashing to the floor. The atmosphere was dense and stuffy; there was a horrid faintly bitter smell on the air that was stronger in the forest. There was space to move between the trees, but one got the feeling that only ghosts and ghouls strayed from the paths. They were silent as they walked deeper into the forest. Every now and then they’d hear a scuffling from behind them; when they turned to spy what it was, nothing was there.
 
*
 
An old forest hides many secrets; five of them are named Gemma, Ebony, Blanche, Naomi and Xena. They are pixies and there are many more where they come from, but these five are outcasts. They were one evening sitting in their tree thinking of how to leave the forest when they saw it: they saw death. Death was following in the tracks of two men not that far in front of him. Without a word between them they jumped out of their tree and onto Death’s back. Death snarled at them and snapped his jaw, but the pixies were too fast. Ebony jumped down and into his waxy ear canal. “You leave them alone you hear,” she said. Like parasites, the other four were trying to burrow through the knots and tangles of Death’s black fur, but he kept trying to bite at them. Ebony sang to it: this subdued it. Her friends stopped their assault and climbed out of the fur as Death collapsed on the path.
 
*
 
Felix Crow was angry as he closed up the salvage yard for the evening. “Fucking slut,” he mumbled, “probably having an affair.” He was always mumbling to himself, usually about his wife. He continued to mumble as he flew into a storm and towards his tree that he shared with Tiffany Crow, but he briefly changed topics and started complaining about the rain and distant rumbles of thunder as he flew towards the forest. He tried to fly straight, but he wind kept blowing him off-course. The only cheer he had when he touched down on his porch was the thought of giving Tiffany a damn good beating. As he unlocked and opened the front door he sniffed and hopped back; he smelt smoke and felt immense heat. That damn bitch had burnt his dinner and set his house on fire, the house his great-great grandfather had built with his bare wings. He slammed the door shut with a bang. The only consolation of not being able to beat his wife was knowing that she was being burnt alive. He imagined her feathers catching alight and her flesh charring. The floor of the porch was becoming unbearably hot. He flew off in the direction of a restaurant.
 
*
 
“Lucian, there’s no point in trying to flee before it,” the lady of the manor shouted at her husband. “What are you on about woman,” he said as he slapped her across the face turning the skin pink. Tears welled in her eyes, her husband had never been violent before. This unseen force was turning him into an illogical, raging lunatic. She tried to talk some sense into him. They’d be no better off there. The thing would find them where-ever they went. “Elsa,” he said as he cupped his large hairy hands around her slender upper arms, “we need to get out of here.” He tried looking her in the eye, but she grimaced and turned her head, shutting her eyes just before spittle flew into them. “Look at me when I’m talking to you,” he shouted, lifting her an inch off the ground. She felt pain in her arms as the coarse fabric of her dress scratched her skin. “I don’t care what you say, we’re leaving, all of us, even if I have to put you in chains,” he said as he put her down.
 
*
 
In a factory, an hour’s bus journey from the village where she lived, a tiny lady with dark circles under her eyes was sitting at a sewing machine hemming a skirt. Her name was Florence and this skirt she was just finishing was the last item of clothing she had to make before she could step outside into the stormy night to go to the bus stop and begin her trip home. The wind was howling and lightning flashing as she stepped outside. She didn’t have an umbrella or raincoat. The morning was sunny and bright, with not a cloud in the sky. Florence put her head down and tried to run, but it was in the direction of the wind, so running was of no use. Eventually she arrived at the bus shelter, but she had just missed the bus. She had a half hour wait before the next one, so she sat on the bench. Then she smelt it, a bitter mildewy smell. She didn’t know what it could be, but instinctively knew it could be nothing good. She tried rubbing cherry-flavoured lip-gloss underneath her nose, but this made the odour even stronger. She got off her seat and wiped at the misty patches on the glass and tried to look out onto the paved road. It was no good, she couldn’t see anything, even when the lightning flashed. Nevertheless, she stayed there and prayed silently for the safety of her sons and husband and prayed that the bus would show up soon so she could get home to them.
 
*
 
A young rabbit in a hallway put a phone onto the receiver. She ran upstairs to her bedroom and opened her wardrobe. The lights in her bedroom flashed bright and then went out. “Mum, mummy,” she shouted as a storm raged on outside. “Mummy I need some candles. Quickly!” The lightning outside was so irregular that there was no point in trying to continue with what she was doing until her mother brought her up some candles, so she collapsed onto her four-poster bed and became lost in a world of her own thoughts. The trolls, the smells and then Fatima. If only she could see the forest that seems to be the centre of the foreboding feeling that started in her stomach on that bright morning and slowly spread through-out her body during the course of the day. Oh, when will Hansel get here?
 
*
 
At the end of a long and narrow road there is a town that the living are seldom allowed to see. Illuminated in its own blue light is a stone wall encircling the town. Sat by the gates, which are kept firmly shut, were two creatures draped in black robes. These creatures are two of the guards that serve the town. On one particular day or night, it is hard to tell, for the natural light is always grey unless something is illuminated with its own light, sat the guards on duty, Napoleon and Fergus. They were in deep conversation. “Her majesty isn’t going to like this,” said Napoleon. “Not at all,” agreed Fergus. “The prison is already full,” said Napoleon. “And we’re running out of space,” added Fergus. “Queen Matilda’s gonna hafta speak with Lady Jocelyn.” “She ain’t goin’ like that.” “What’s that?” asked Napoleon. They both got up with a great clacking sound. Fergus was searching in his robes for something, while Napoleon leant down until his ear was but an inch from the ground and he laid there listening to the dirt track as Fergus found what he was looking for. He held a pair of black binoculars to the place where his eyes should be. 
 
*
 
Queen Dinah walked the empty halls of her palace, everybody was hiding from her it seemed and it was all her daughter-in-law’s fault: the scurrying absent-minded Hannah. The only good things to have come from Hannah were Clover and Sophia. She tensed her muscles and her spikes stood straight up as she heard movement far off in the palace. She relaxed when she realised who the noises were being made by. She picked up her pace a little. She was going to keep Clover and Sophia with her, there was no way she’d let that stupid little hedgehog take them with her. She daren’t call out their names for fear that Hannah would hear and not allow the twins out of her sight. Strange things were afoot and Dinah wanted to make sure the girls were safe with her so that together they could form a new kingdom.
 
*
 
The earth was mildly trembling and little Madison was scared, the dishes were falling off the counter and breaking. “Seth! Seth!” he shouted, but every time he said his brother’s name there’d be a loud crash and a flash of light. “Seth!” Madison shouted through his tears as more thunder sounded and the earth started to shake once more. Horace ran into the kitchen as thunder sounded and lightning struck, the electrics went off. Horace hissed and Madison fell to the floor. “Seth!” The soup fell off the cooker and Madison was scalded by tiny droplets that soared across the room, but he barely felt it. The floor was cold and dirty. Lying there alone with the cat, Madison felt the slightest tremor, which sent him into fresh batches of crying. Seth said he was only going to the toilet, but he still wasn’t back from the upstairs room. Madison wondered if he had been hurt, but he didn’t believe that was so. Madison was too young to think of other things that might have befallen his brother, so he let out a shrill scream of “Seth!” again. And again thunder sounded, sending the little boy into a fresh bout of crying. Even with the storm and the soup, Madison smelt the most peculiar smell which made his insides liquefy. “Seth!” he was frantic now. Horace walked over to Madison, even in his terror the little boy noticed that the cat was shaking. If Seth could only hear him, Madison was sure his brother would come and they could escape. He tried shouting his brother’s name again.
 
*
 
There lives in the top of a lonely tower a wizard called Azriel. Azriel sat on a tall chair made of dark wood at an equally tall and dark table. His long black hair with grey streaks was pulled back to keep it off his face. He sat over a smooth, round rock. He sat staring into it, but only his reflection stared back. Something terrible was happening, he could feel it in his bones, but he didn’t know what the something was. He knew that he’d soon have visitors, so he couldn’t travel to the village. “Amber, Amber, here girl,” he called in a soft and sweet tone as he stood up. He went to a desk and took out a sheet of paper and a pen. Then he went down a flight of stairs, and then another before he came to a floor which served as his kitchen. He rummaged in the mess on the counter and found a small plastic sandwich bag and some ties in a box. “Amber, I’m in the kitchen, Amber,” he called. He took his pen, paper, bag and ties and went to a small high table in the centre of the room. He started scrawling a note in uneven hand writing. “Amber,” he called again.
 
*
 
Underneath a hedge, four young magpies were sheltering from the most terrible storm these parts had ever seen, but they didn’t know the last part. “Oi, where do you think you’re going?” Hamal asked his elder brother. “Going to look for Hope,” Hansel replied. “Well, you shouldn’t have let her go out in the first place,” said Hanan. “I don’t have to listen to you two and I didn’t let her leave. She left on her own accord,” said Hansel, raising his voice slightly. “Take me with you brother, please,” said Helga, “don’t leave me with them,” she added, waving her wing towards her other brothers. Hansel leaned down to his little sister’s height and said to her, “It’s far too dangerous, the wind is blowing and you won’t be able to fly.” Hansel wished that they’d just let him leave, he had stuff to do. “What’s in the bag?” asked Hanan. “It’s none of your business, let me leave,” replied Hansel. He pushed his younger brother out of the way and stepped out from under the hedge and into the storm. Rain pelted his face and a horrible smell engulfed him.
 
*
 
Behind a blue wall there is a grey town where nothing is alive. In this town there is a pub. In this pub there are beings who look human at first glance. Three of them were sitting at a table in the centre of the room. “It’s your doing,” accused Queen Gwyneth in a hushed tone. Although the debate was heated, it was important that they were not overheard, which is why they chose to meet in the noisy pub. “How can it be my doing, I only take the old,” replied King Ebenezer. “What about that hag?” Queen Zelda directed this question to Ebenezer. “She was sick you know,” said Gwyneth. “Sshhh, keep your voice down,” whispered Zelda. “All this seems a bit random to me,” said Ebenezer, as he leaned his head towards Gwyneth. As he did so the grey candle offering a little light to see by went out. “Oh, just great, just fucking great,” said Zelda from her place at the table, “What you go and do that for?” she added. “We’re the only table in total darkness, everyone’s going to notice us now,” said Gwyneth. “What you talking about?” asked a voice belonging to the barmaid, “What is going on here?” “Now, now, Bessie, we don’t tell you how to run your pub, so you don’t need to pry into our business,” said Ebenezer. “Sorry your majesty, but I saw your candle go out,” said Bessie in a sheepish manner, “and I brought you a new one.” She took a grey candle out of a pocket in her grey apron and a grey lighter from the other pocket and showed it to the occupants of the table while lighting the candle. She took the stub of the other candle from the holder in the centre of the table and replaced it with the new one before leaving in the direction of the bar. “Do you think she heard?” asked Zelda, a little worried. “That stupid slut hears all,” said Gwyneth. “Now, now, ladies, Bessie means well and if she spoke anything of what she knew, do you really think I would have suggested meeting here?” said Ebenezer in a soothing tone. “We’d get locked in the dungeons if Matilda ever found out,” said Zelda. “There’s enough suspicion on us already,” said Gwyneth. “Then why are we sat here accusing each other when we should be looking for the real culprit?”
 
*
 
 
 
“Horrible weather isn’t?” asked a soaking wet lady called Peony. “I’ve notice,” replied Florence. “Oh my lord, what is that smell?” asked Peony. Florence was wondering the same thing. She took her cherry-flavoured lip-gloss out of her bad and handed it to Peony. “Here, rub it under your nose. But I don’t know how much good it will do,” she said. Peony did as her friend said and rubbed the lip-gloss underneath her nose. “How long have you been waiting here?” asked Peony. “I missed the bus by about a minute,” replied Florence as she checked her watch. The next bus, the one that she was waiting for, was already five minutes late. When the lightning flashed she glimpsed a look at Peony. Even though Peony was ten years younger than herself, Peony looked old enough to be her mother. Just as Florence was thinking this, Peony took out a handkerchief and coughed into it; what Florence didn’t see was the blood mixed in with the phlegm.
 
*
On a horse that was once grey somewhere in the wilderness sat Queen Matilda. “Go faster you stupid beast!” she shouted at it as she kicked it and hit it with her crop. Queen Matilda did not like the smell in the air. Somehow it signified change; Matilda did not like change. As the horse broke into a canter she wondered who was responsible: Gwyneth, Ebenezer or Zelda; or perhaps they were in a league together, plotting against the High Queen Matilda. She knew that she had to go speak with Lady Jocelyn. That snooty Jocelyn who thought she was better than everybody else. Queen Matilda hated the ever-interfering Lady Jocelyn. Matilda had big plans for the future but Lady Jocelyn always got in the way. “The smell, its all Jocelyn’s fault. It’s her territory,” mumbled Matilda. Queen Matilda was frustrated. Frustrated that there were forces at work that she could not control, such as the weather. The closer she got to the place that she called home, the worse the weather became. And with the bad weather came a horrible smell; Queen Matilda couldn’t quite work out what that smell was, which angered her more.
 
*
Gunther let himself into his house. He was upset to find his wife, Mildred Mouse, in such an anxious state. “Gunther! Gunther! You’re Home!” she cried. He hadn’t even taken his shoes off yet. “Calm down, Millie,” he told her. He was a psychologist and a scientist, efficient enough to receive the salary of two mice. He worked at the prison, an hour’s bus journey from here. Gunter took his wife in his arms and hugged her, he didn’t like to see her in such a state. “Now, now,” he whispered to her, in hope that it would calm her down a bit. “What’s that?” Mildred asked. There was a noise coming from overhead. “It’s just the girl,” he replied and sniffed the air. He smelt more than just the human girl that lived above the floor-boards. He smelt a cat and a squirrel and he heard speech. But beneath the girl (a human) and the cat and the squirrel, there was something else. “Gunther? Gunther?” Mildred asked. Gunther was still sniffing the air. He wondered about that unidentified smell, was that it, did the smell make Mildred anxious? Mildred still had her arms wrapped around him, she was usually so prim and proper. She hugged him rarely.
 
*
 
Amber sat watching a storm from the comfort of the windowsill in a lonely tower. Even though the window was shut a smell slowly seeped in. It was masked by the mildewy smell of rain, but it was there never the less. It was vile. It signified impending doom. It made Amber feel very nervous, but she remained sitting at the window and sat there very still with not even a swoosh of her tail.
 
*
 
Fabian didn’t know how long he was out for. He looked around as he tried to pick himself up. The diffused green light never changed in this cursed place so it was impossible to tell. With a great creaking in his joints he managed to stand on all fours. He sniffed the air trying to pick up the scent of the two men he followed; he must help them. Underneath the smells of the forest and the smell of impeding doom he smelt a new smell. Before he could figure out what it was his assailants jumped out at him again. “Stop! Stop!” he barked, “you don’t understand.” He fell down onto the forest path again. “I’ve got to help them.”
 
*
 
Hope Magpie stood transfixed as a carriage came speeding towards her. The horses looked as if they didn’t want to proceed any farther (and who could blame them) yet they were driven on by a cruel master with a crazed gleam in his eyes. Hope heard screaming and crying coming form inside the carriage; it was the last thing that she heard.
 
*
 
“I can’t believe that cheap bitch burned down my home,” Felix Crow mumbled to himself. “Fucking weather,” he mumbled. Truth was he wasn’t only angry but scared. The storm had blown him off course and he had no idea where he was. “Jesus fucking Christ.” Visibility was poor and all he wanted to do was get to his favourite restaurant and find a hotel in which to spend the night. “Stupid whore,” he mumbled as a gust of wind lifted him higher into the sky. In a flash of lightning he was able to see a bit further ahead. “Goodamnit.” He saw a solitary tower. A place he had never before seen in his life. “What the fuck is that?” He was a very unhappy, very frightened crow. In a brief moment of insight he thought that all the horrible things he had ever done to Tiffany Crow, all the times he beat her and worse, were coming back to haunt him. But, as quick as the lightning flashed, the thought went away. “I probably won’t even fly anywhere near that terrible thing,” he mumbled.
 
*
 
“And where do you three think you are going?” eleven echoes of “going” were heard by Queen Gwyneth, King Ebenezer and Queen Zelda. “See you’ve brought along your minions,” Gwyneth said. “Queen Matilda’ll be back soon, I reckon,” said Ebenezer to the thing that was once (a long time ago) a lady. “Matilda back, Matilda back,” echoed the minions. Zelda walked up to the thing blocking the path and tugged on a red scarf, “I wouldn’t let her catch you wearing that Hedwig.” “You know the rules only grey, blue and black,” added Gwyneth. “Grey, blue and black,” chanted the minions. Hedwig turned to them, “go away, far away, all of you.” Hedwig turned back to Gwyneth, Ebenezer and Zelda, “I’m quite sure that she’ll be more concerned with you three and your whereabouts.” “Yeah and what do you know, you’re just a stupid zombie,” said Gwyneth. “Come Hedwig, let us pass,” Ebenezer kindly asked. Hedwig breathed out a raspy sigh, Gwyneth and Zelda both turned to each other with their fists clenched, if they had blood running through their veins their faces would have been red in anger. Ebenezer looked at Hedwig pleadingly. The blue light of the wall illuminated her half-dead face. “Go on then, but if Matilda shows up I’m not coming to your defence.”
 
*
 
Oh Kristin hurry home,” Audrey said to her empty living room as rain pelted against the windows. Thunder rumbled in the distance like a lion growling low in his throat, Audrey picked up a cushion form the sofa and cradled it close to her chest. She heard voices coming from her daughter’s room, she couldn’t make out what they were saying and she instinctively knew that they weren’t Dolores playing games. Still cuddling the cushion, she left the living room and walked down the hall very quietly. She stopped outside of Dolores’s bedroom and kneeled on the floor pressing her eat against the keyhole. She wasn’t listening long (the voice belonged to somebody called Primrose and Primrose was with somebody called Winifred) when she unexpectedly sneezed.
 
*
 
Olga was moving slowly through the forest, she felt disorientated. Even though she was moving very slowly she knew that she was getting closer, she could hear their voices now.
 
*
 
Fatima quickly threw some clothes into a bag and then left her room and headed towards the kitchen. She hoped that when she got there, the kitchen would be as strangely deserted as the palace hallways. Fatima met no one on her way and just as she wished, the kitchen was empty. She opened her bag and pushed down the already wrinkled clothes. She went into the pantry and grabbed as much as would fit into her bag. Although the kitchen door was the closer door to the forest she left the palace that way. The halls may have been deserted but she didn’t want to risk being seen. She would have to talk around the palace to the road, but she didn’t mind getting wet.
 
*
 
“Madison,” shouted Seth, the earth was trembling and Seth was worried about his little brother in the kitchen. Seth just went to use the toilet before the earthquake. He was washing his hands when it started. He knew bad things were afoot, but he never for a minute thought that he would become separated from his little brother in his very own house. “Madison, stay where you are Seth’s coming,” he shouted just before he heard a very loud creaking followed by an even larger crash. The stairs had fallen. Seth heard Madison scream – at least he was still alive. Seth was trying to figure out a way to get down the fallen staircases when Horace found a way up. Surprisingly the cat was purring.
 
*
“We’re listening,” Gemma told the wretched creature lying in the middle of the forest path. The other four pixies made to mover off death when Gemma shouted, “ Stop! Stay where you are. How do you know that we can trust him? This is Death that we are dealing with.” Ebony, Blanche, Naomi and Xena made their way back into Death’s fur while Gemma went and stood on top of his snout. “Death,” she addressed him, “Why should we believe that you are helping them?” Death despite his pain from the pixie onslaught let out a high-pitched laugh. “By helping them, do you mean helping them to their graves?” Death laughed some more and rolled onto his back crushing the four pixies who made their way into his fur and sending Gemma flying. “You think I’m death?!” He said between his laughter and then he let out a howl, a howl of pain. The pixies bit him, but not hard enough to make him pass out for the third time.
 
*
 
The two men were in Olga’s line of vision now. She dropped to all fours and ran after them. The men must have been lost in their own personal worlds because they heard her and Olga Bear is far from silent. One was named Paul and the other Kristin, but Olga didn’t care about names. She came upon them from behind, her claws were out as she briefly gained speed and leapt. She landed on the man with the gun (as she planned, killing men is nothing like killing husbands and over-priced cats; men are usually armed). She knocked the man to the ground, nearly killing him outright with her immense weight. But it took a slash to the back of his head to finish the job. The combination of her weight and claws crushed his skull. She licked the brains off her paws. Tasty, she thought. The other man backed himself against a tree.
 
*
 
“Daddy, make him slow down,” Linda pleaded. Daisy was crying and Linda was doing all she could to not start crying herself. “Sir, I think the little one is right,” Hogan said to Lucian. “Give me those,” Lucian said as he snatched the reins and slapped Hogan in the process. “Sir, they say bad things happen to those who travel down this road,” Hogan said as he rubbed the side of his face. “Oi, what’s going on out there?” Elsa asked. Elsa was trying to comfort her daughters, but her unease was rubbing off on them and it made all three feel worse. Fiona was the calmest of all inside the carriage, but she did nothing to relieve anyone’s tears. She was secretly hoping that the unhappiness from inside would reach Lucian and he would turn the carriage around. The four horses who weren’t pulling the carriage went in the opposite direction at Bunny Hill and animals always know when danger lays ahead.
 
*
 
“Hurry up will ya,” Gareth said to Holly Troll. “But the baby’s getting wet,” she replied. The baby, Baby Maud Troll, was in fact, more than wet, she was close to drowning in Holly’s arms. Maud’s little violet dress with a delicate lace trim was soaked all the way through and as she lay cradled in her mother’s arms a little pool of water was developing threatening to drown the infant. Every time thunder banged Maud would start crying which would result in her already ill-tempered father getting angrier. Gareth Troll was already worried at getting past Bunny Hill on the Crossroads, no matter which way they went they would have to face the bunnies. They couldn’t leave their flooded house down the road the other way because that way lies the City of the Dead. He was hoping that the guards would be inside away from the rain when they try to pass. Holly Troll was becoming increasingly frustrated with her husband who, she believed, did not for one minute stop to consider her feelings or Maud’s feelings. “Shit!” Holly shouted out, she just realised that Maud was close to drowning (Gareth didn’t notice). Although trolls grow to be very big with very large arms that nearly drag on the ground, the babies are very small and many have drown in their mothers arms. The young family of trolls would have been able to see Bunny Hill if visibility was better when Holly discovered that Maud was close to drowning, but with the weather, they didn’t. “Jesus effing Christ, we’re here already,” Gareth grumbled. “Who goes there?” A rabbit-guard called out. “Let me handle this,” Gareth whispered to his wife.
 
*
 
Lady Jocelyn sat in front of her crystal ball at one point in space (she enjoyed pretending that Old Man Time did not exist). She did not like what she saw, but what gave her hope was that the crystal ball (a gift from Azriel) sometimes played tricks on her. Someone has been messing with Space. Lady Jocelyn was kind and wise, never would she unleash devastation on this scale (especially if it were unnecessary). To make matters worse, Matilda was on her way to see the Lady Jocelyn. She let out a sigh, if she were partial to time it would have been a long one. “How could things get worse, as they inevitably will?” she asked her crystal ball. She thought for what could have been a minute before deciding that she must see Azriel.
 
*
 
Kristin managed to back against a tree in the forest but that was all he managed to do. He had to watch and stare as a giant brown bear consumed his friend. “Now, now my sweet, don’t be worried Old Olga’s got a special treat in store for you,” the bear spoke to him. When the bear spoke, Kristin shat himself. She was still licking brain off her paws when she stood up on her hind legs and walked over to Kristin. He wished that he could run, his mind sent the signals to his legs but they were like jelly and he just slid down landing on his bum with the shit acting as a cushion. The bear took his hands in her paws and lifted him up. “Olga’s going to take care of you,” she whispered. She bent towards his face, he closed his eyes anticipating a bite but she licked his cheek instead. The bear transferred one of his hands to her other paw, so both hands were being held together while she undid his trousers and pulled them down. She loved what nervous tension and stress did to men. Kristin just kept his eyes shut while the bear slid her paw over his penis and moved her hand back and forth over it making sure it was erect and going to stay that way. “Don’t you worry, Olga needs a new husband,” she said and laughed. Kristin did nothing to fight back as she dropped his hands, gave his cock a lick and dropped to all fours. She turned around (so she could look at her kill, which always got her in the mood for a bit of Man-Rape) while she back up. She needed no help in making sure his dick connected to her furry-bear vagina. Kristin passed out just as she thrust herself backwards. Kristin went to another place and luckily didn’t know what Olga was doing to him. Olga brought herself to orgasm on Kristin’s erected cock and left him there with his trousers around his ankles passed out on the forest floor. She watched his shallow breathing while she ate his friend.
 
*
 
“Sshhh, who’s that?” Dolores asked. Primrose and Winifred just looked at her. Primrose shrugged her shoulders. Dolores went to her bedroom door very quietly, grabbed the door handle and pulled it open very quickly. Audrey half fell into her bedroom. “Mother!” Dolores shouted. She was shocked to discover that her mother was spying on her. Audrey stood up and looked at her daughter, she didn’t like what she saw. Little Dolores had dark circles under her eyes, like she had put on black eye shadow the wrong way, but of course, there was no such colour eye shadow to be found in the house. Audrey thought that Dolores must have been crying because most of the dust that was on her face was gone and in its place her skin looked more pale than usual. Her eyes were pink and her brow was wrinkled. Audrey hugged her only child and the girl cried. Primrose and Winifred sat on the bed. The squirrel started to cry but only Primrose noticed. Primrose didn’t comfort anybody, instead she walked over to the headboard, the highest thing to stand on in the girl’s bedroom, and stood up. She cleared her throat loudly and dramatically to get everyone’s attention. She had to do it a second and a third time. Finally, Audrey, Dolores and Winifred had started to ease up on the crying and devoted their attention to the cat. Audrey had heard the voice before her rather unusual entry into the room, but she was surprised to discover that the voice belonged to a cat – she didn’t know that animals could talk. “Right,” Primrose said. Now that she had their attention she wasn’t too sure what she was going to say. “Right,” she said again, “um…yeah, okay. Well, we have some sort of problem. I’m not too sure exactly what it is as of yet. And basically I think that we should leave.” Audrey looked at Primrose and shouted, “What about Kristin?” Then she looked at the silent squirrel and then at her daughter before looking at Primrose again. Audrey’s eyes had grown big. Primrose, from her position on the headboard, was actually higher up than Audrey, so she had to look up at the cat. A tear was running down her cheek. Primrose felt her heart break slightly but did not let up on her frosty exterior. “We have to leave. The sooner the better,” Primrose Cat told her. Dolores’s face fell. Obviously the little girl wanted her father. “He may even show up before we leave and if he doesn’t, I bet when we get outside we’ll discover that everyone is heading in the same direction and we can leave him a note.” “Leave a note! But what happens if he’s hurt? What happens if we have to change our direction?” Audrey cried. Primrose jumped off the headboard onto the bed and then onto the floor. She ignored Audrey as she walked around the room looking for a bag. She found Dolores’s school bag and dumped it out, the girl wouldn’t need her school work again. The bag was nearly the same size as Dolores. The cat found some extra clothes for the girl, put them in the bag and left the bedroom.
 
*
 
 
Felix Crow was sheltering in a thick pine tree. He was lost and visibility was down to zero. “What the fuck have I done?” he mumbled to himself. He was cold and wet, but, most of all, he was scared. He was beginning to regret not rushing into his burning house to see if Tiffany was still alive and trying to save her, although, in the back of his mind, he knew that Tiffany was better off dead than with him. He felt hopeless and alone. “Fucking bitch, she shouldn’t have torched my house.” Felix was angry. But he wasn’t crazy, he stayed in the tree. He was hungry but he knew that he’d never safely make it to his favourite restaurant before it shut for the evening. The tower that he saw played in his mind. It was only in his vision for less than a second but he thought he saw eternity in it. Felix believed he saw his own sleazy death in it. He watched himself coughing up blood, cold and alone. He saw himself taking a last breath. He saw fire. He let heat hot enough to set his feathers alight. The temperature he remembered. The illusion, didn’t warm him, it had the opposite effect, it chilled him to the bone. He shivered. “If only that bitch wasn’t so stupid,” he mumbled to the storm. Tiffany, when she was alive, was not stupid, far from it in fact. The only reason she put up with Felix was that he was the only other crow in the entire forest. The village residents had quite a taste for roasted crow and wiped out all the crows, except Felix and Tiffany in their lust after crow meat. He was hiding in the house that his great-great-grandfather had built with his bare wings. Tiffany knocked on the door, she was looking for a place to hide. She was a bit too thin, but other than that, she was beautiful, with sleek black feathers and natural highlights of blue and purple.
 
*
 
“Finally,” grumbled Florence. She saw the tell-tale headlights of the bus. Her clothes were soaking wet and all she could think about was getting home to her husband and two sons. She prayed to the Gods that they were okay. Little Madison was in-tune with the feelings of nature, but Seth and Paul weren’t. She hoped that they listened to her youngest son. Something bad was happening; she could feel it in her bones and smell it in the air. It was like the Great Plague that she read about in books of distant worlds, but not quite. It wasn’t just disease, but decay as well. It seemed like whatever was causing Peony to cough up into her handkerchief was brought on by the population’s greed and stupidity. The bus had pulled up. “Evening Icabob,” Florence said. “You’re late.” “Sorry,” the bus driver replied, “there’s a lot of trees down.”
 
*
 
“The name is Fabian.” “If you’re not Death, then why did you trey to kill my friends?” Gemma enquired. Fabian was still lying on the forest floor but promptly let the pixies out of his fur when they bit him. “There is no point to explain to you that I am not Death, let me show you instead.” “How can we trust you?” “Jump on my back. Any sign that points to me being Death and you can attack me again.” Gemma jumped onto Fabian’s back. The other four pixies looked at each other. They had nearly been crushed beneath the dog and were a bit less enthusiastic about getting back onto the dog. “Oh hurry up.” Reluctantly Xena got back onto Fabian and the other three followed. As soon as the pixies were on top of Fabian and had his fur tightly gripped in their hands, he ran down the forest path.
 
*
 
Lady Jocelyn grabbed her cloak. It had obviously been well-loved. There were holes in places. Jocelyn wouldn’t have bothered putting it on, it wouldn’t protect her from the storm, but Azriel would be able to weave some of the old magic back into it. She took her small purse out of the pocket. It contained her entire world. Floating through space allowed the lady to be nearly anywhere and everywhere, sometimes all at once, left her with only a small purse to keep her most prized possessions. She picked up her crystal ball and rammed it into her purse. It shrunk to the size of a pea and joined the rest of her belongings. She didn’t want to see Matilda but Lady Jocelyn knew that Matilda would find her at Azriel’s tower.
 
*
 
“Napoleon, get up,” Fergus said as he kicked Napoleon in the rear. “What you go and do that for?” asked Napoleon. Fergus had kicked him so hard that his pelvis became disconnected. “Help me put myself back together.” Napoleon grabbed one of his legs and put it in the hip joint, even though there was nothing to hold it, it stayed there. Fergus reconnected the other one. Once his legs were back in place, Napoleon pulled his pelvis up in the way one pulls up trousers. “What you want?” asked Napoleon. “Look,” Fergus said as he handed Napoleon the binoculars. “By Matilda!” Through the binoculars Napoleon saw a quickly approaching carriage. While Napoleon was occupied with the binoculars, Fergus heard noise from behind the blue wall.
 
*
 
Kristin picked himself up off the forest floor. He was hoping it was all a dream but when he came to his senses he realised his cock had shrivelled up and his legs had goose pimples. He looked down and saw his trousers around his ankles. He felt faint and had to steady himself against a tree. He vomited.
 
*
 
The wind kept blowing Hansel Magpie off course. In the end he gave up and decided to walk to Bunny Hill. It wasn’t very far but it was very rough travelling. On the way he passed a carriage that was driven by someone who was quite clearly mad. There were people inside. He heard children crying. They were headed towards the First City of Dead. No one living is often allowed there. He made a mental note to tell Sybil when he arrives at her house. It was a most strange sight seeing the living travelling down Blue Road. The odd follower of the magical ways was occasionally seen; but they tended to be sane upon arrival and usually on departure, but not always. Not many people liked to venture past the trolls. Few knew that magpies lived down the road from the trolls.
 
*
 
It was evening but if Benjamin had woken any earlier the sky would have looked the same; it had been storming since lunchtime. Benjamin had just has the most terrible of nightmares – everything that he had ever thought was right turned out to be wrong and truth was, in fact, untrue. He tired to open his eyes but they were crusted over. With his woolly trunk he pulled the eye snot out of his eye fur, sucked it into his truck so it wouldn’t blow away as he lowed it to his mouth and then he ate it, tasting salt as he swallowed. With is wet trunk he wiped all traces of crust away from his eyes. He knew what he would see if he looked out of his window, he could hear rain pelting down and crashes of thunder complete with light flickering. So he decided to look into the mirror instead. What he saw staring back at him was not his attractive woolly mammoth self but a look into what quite possibly could be the future. But before he could process the information it changed. Benjamin saw people and animals pouring their energy and power into a false reality. Then he saw the wizard Azriel with the Lady Jocelyn trying to counter it as well as trying to warn everybody. Benjamin listened when they spoke for it always made a lot of sense. They did! They tried to help Benjamin come to terms with reality; the true reality. The one he dreamt of. And Amber the cat had often helped to dye his fur bright pink. She’d tell him about knowledge and wisdom and how they aren’t the same thing. Why it is important to have and apply equal parts of both. Benjamin tried to remember his lessons so he could pour his life’s energy into the mirror to help the good lady and the wizard.
 
*
 
Queen Dinah paced back and forth in her cell. Locked in the dungeon by that hell-sent daughter-in-law and her stupid mother and father. Oh, she should have known, liddle biddle Hannah would call mummy and daddy for back up. They lived so far away, so she must have cried to them about something last week. Dinah looked around her cell. She needed to find a way out. All the bars were solid iron and the cell itself a strong type of stone.