I know that it's been a while since I've put a story out here. Oh well. Gotta push forward and continue writing. I hope that you all forgive my absence.
Here's a new story. This might be a standalone, or not. I'm not sure at this point.
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"Who are you and why did your people attack us?"
Jack Freeman sighed. His interrogator had been yelling the same question at him for hours. He didn't seem to believe, or want to believe the answer. Jack repeated himself one more time, "My name is Jack Freeman. I am an agent of the Nuclear Facility Decommission Agency of the government of the United States. We are acting within our agency's charter."
The man finally lost his temper. He yelled, "The United States is dead! We've been running things in Monticello on our own for over a year without so much a peep from Washington, much less from St. Paul."
Jack just shrugged as a reply. That didn't seem to improve the interrogator's mood. He grabbed Jack by the front of his uniform and picked him up out of the chair. Jack was a little intimidated, but didn't show it. The man growled in his face, "Let's just say that you're telling the truth. That the US government is still operating somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. So what? You don't have any authority here anymore. The President was pretty clear about that during his speech on Doomsday."
Jack found that the people scattered around the country had different names for what had happened to the world just over a year ago. The official government name for it was Day 0. Everything after has been a day by day struggle to contain the anarchy around the country and to keep the government functioning. People around the country also had a strangely varying interpretation of the President's Day 0 speech. The President said, in what Jack saw as direct and clear terms, that the US government would move the capitol to Colorado Springs, with most of the operations run out of Cheyenne Mountain. He said that the government would suspend most civilian services for an indeterminate period, but that it was not renouncing its authority over the people of the United States. Apparently, most people didn't see it that way.
The man dropped Jack roughly into the chair. Jack calmly said, "The President is still alive and still the authority of the entire United States as it was on Day 0. We have every right to come here and decommission the nuclear plant here."
The man, who had turned his back on Jack, quickly rounded and punched him squarely in the jaw. "You can't do that! The nuclear plant is the only thing keeping this town alive! We sell energy to some of the surrounding communities in exchange for food. We're one of the biggest towns left in this part of the state."
The man's reaction wasn't uncommon. When the NFDA ran into resistance at a nuclear power plant, it was often the life blood of the community. Jack even felt bad about that, but these people didn't have the resources to keep the plant running safely. The agency was created, with several others, under the National Foresight Act. The purpose of the act was to try to prevent further ecological and infrastructure harm that would be caused by misused or mistreated facilities. Nuclear facilities were high on the list for decommissioning since they could cause widespread radiation if something went wrong.
Jack ignored his throbbing chin and said, "Listen, we know that this will be hard for you all, but it would be much, much worse if the plant had a meltdown. The effects of a meltdown wouldn't be contained to your little town either. The cloud of radiation would spread all over the Midwest and the jet stream would spread it all the way to the Atlantic coast. We just can't allow that."
The man's attitude quickly turned from one of anger to desperation. He was practically pleading when he said, "But we're taking good care of the plant! Most of the employees that worked here before are still living in town. We haven't had any trouble with anything at all."
Jack knew that the crisis here was coming to a resolution. He said, "I've heard that story everywhere I've gone. Believe me that I know that you all are taking good care of the plant right now. However, what happens in a year or two when an essential part breaks or an essential computer fails? You people can't manufacture those parts here locally."
The man sighed and nodded. "I guess that you are right about that. But what will we do? How will our town survive?"
Jack was about to explain how the government compensates towns that cooperate when he heard a quiet, and peculiar sound outside the door. The man didn't seem to hear it. Since Jack recognized the sound, he said instead, "Your people will find a way. People are resourceful. Unfortunately for you, though, you won't live to see that."
The man didn't seem to understand. His look of confusion was quickly replaced by fear as the door came flying into the room and three armed men rushed in. The lead soldier shot the man once in the forehead.
Another soldier pulled out a knife and cut the bonds that were holding Jack's hands together behind his back. Jack stood and stretched his arms and said, "It's a good thing that you guys came when you did. I was about to have to give that fool the care package."
The four of them laughed for a moment. The lead soldier said, "Well, we'll get this one cheap for a change."
Jack nodded and chuckled. He asked, "Is the rest of the facility secure now?"
The others nodded. Jack said, "In that case, let's go shutdown and disable the reactor."
A blog about geeky and non-geeky topics brought to you by a geek.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Story a Week 42 - Candy Land 8
Man, it's been quite a week for my blog. My last story has gotten 100+ views! I'm amazed by all the great feedback that I've gotten on the story. I hope that you all keep reading.
This week is a return to the Candy Land storyline. It's wrapping up, with just one or two stories left.
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Queen Frostine made me sleep while she ordered her fleet to sail for the Molasses Swamp. It had been a very long time since I had slept; I immediately fell asleep when I got a chance to lie down. It only seemed like I was asleep for a moment when I heard Queen Frostine calling my name to wake me. Drowsily, I stretched and asked, "Are we there already?"
I sensed some alarm in Frostine's voice as she said, "Yes, and there's something you have to see."
She led me to the deck and it took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the light, but when they did I could see why Queen Frostine was alarmed. My mouth dropped as I stared out over the ocean to the shore and saw a giant hardened mud wall running the entire length of the shore. Along the wall I could see square shaped holes that looked like the holes on the gun decks of the ships.
I turned to Queen Frostine and said, "Are those what I think they are?"
She shrugged and said, "We're not sure. We've never seen cannons in any of their camps." She paused. "So far, they've ignored our presence, but who knows how long that will last."
As if on cue, a loud and deep horn like sound came from behind the wall. Right in front of us, the wall started to split near the bottom and I could see an opening appearing there. After a few moments, the opening appeared to have completed and a Molasses Monster appeared there with a white flag on a stick.
I looked over to Queen Frostine and said, "Shall we parley with them?"
She nodded and ordered for a dingy and rower to bring us to shore. A few minutes later, we were standing with the Molasses Monster on the shore. It was the first time that I had ever met one and I was a little intimidated. The creatures are at least seven feet tall and probably the same distance around their waists. Their shape is somewhat fluid and not well defined, but still imposing.
The creature spoke first. "What are you doing here?" it asked bluntly.
Queen Frostine and I glanced at each other. She subtly indicated that I should speak, so I did. "Well...uh, sir, I've heard a rumor that a castle has recently appeared near your swamp and I'd like to request..."
It interrupted me and roared, "What do you know of the castle?"
I fought the urge to look towards Queen Frostine. I said, "Well, that castle was originally quite a ways away from here. It was teleported..."
Once again, it interrupted me. It said to Queen Frostine, "Why have you brought this one here?"
For the first time, I saw Queen Frostine raise her voice. She was practically yelling when she said, "He wants to go through your swamp to the other side! There is no reason not to allow this. I will go with him."
The Molasses Monster looked down at Queen Frostine for a moment. It looked over to me and blurted, "You may pass, but the ships must leave."
I looked over to the queen and she nodded. She turned to the sailor who had rowed us to shore and gestured for him to leave. He saluted and jumped into the boat.
"Follow me," the creature said.
It walked through the opening in the door and I could see that it immediately began to close. Frostine and I ran through the opening. "These guys are faster than they look," I said. Queen Frostine grunted her agreement.
I took a moment to look around. Behind me, I saw some sort of mud mortars on the walls sticking out the holes. In front of me, I saw an apparently endless swamp. Queen Frostine gave me a reassuring pat on the shoulder and followed the monster, carefully picking her way through the swamp. I quickly followed. Like I said, those Molasses Monsters are quicker than they look.
After a few hours of treading through the swamp, we finally came to the end. The Molasses Monster stopped at the edge and waited for us to walk out onto the plain before wordlessly turning back.
I turned to Queen Frostine and asked, "So, where do we go from here?"
The question was answered for me when I heard a rumbling behind me. I cautiously turned around and saw the largest creature that I've ever seen. It was obviously a Molasses Monster, of sorts. It was twice the size of the one that had led them out to the plains. I stared at the creature for a few moments while it made a rumbling sound. After a few moments, I realized that the creature was laughing.
After another moment of laughing, the creature spoke. "You are looking for the castle that came out of nowhere?"
I didn't know what to make of this development, so I just mumbled, "Uh, yeah."
The monster laughed again. "You'll never find it on your own. The plains are vast."
I glanced over at Queen Frostine and she just shrugged. I said, "Do you know where it is?"
The creature shook in a way that I took as a nod, but it didn't say anything. I asked, "Will you tell us, or take us there?"
It shook in a different way that looked more like a no. "Well, what use are you then?"
The monster laughed again. "I like you, man. If you give me a gift, I will take you to the castle. What say you?"
I looked at Frostine again and shrugged. I whispered to her, "Do you have anything to give the monster? I don't..."
Suddenly I remembered what Mr. Mint had given to me. I reached into my inside pocket and pulled out the Chocolate Peppermint Flute. I said, "Well, Mr. Monster..."
The monster interrupted me. "My name is Gloppy!"
I hesitated for a moment, and then continued,"Um... Gloppy, then. Will you take this flute in exchange for showing us where the castle is?"
Gloppy gasped. "What a beautiful flute! That will indeed be sufficient payment for this task."
He strode forward and plucked the flute out of my hand. He continued moving without a break and walked westward out into the plain. He went so fast that Frostine and I had trouble keeping up at a walking pace.
We walked for what seemed like hours. I was having a little trouble keeping up the pace when we came to a steep hill. Gloppy and Frostine reached the top of the hill first and I heard Frostine gasp. I shook my exhaustion away and ran to the top of the hill. The sight I saw was breathtaking. Candy Land Castle was there on the plain below us. Beautiful, fertile fields surrounded the castle for as far as the eye could see.
It struck me then that what Lord Licorice had done. He'd solved one of the kingdom's greatest troubles. Here in front of us was the vast farmland that our kingdom needed to continue to prosper. Who would have guessed that the kingdom's greatest villain would ultimately be its savior? All of the worry and dread of the last few days washed away as I passed Gloppy and Frostine in a sprint down the hill to the castle.
This week is a return to the Candy Land storyline. It's wrapping up, with just one or two stories left.
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Queen Frostine made me sleep while she ordered her fleet to sail for the Molasses Swamp. It had been a very long time since I had slept; I immediately fell asleep when I got a chance to lie down. It only seemed like I was asleep for a moment when I heard Queen Frostine calling my name to wake me. Drowsily, I stretched and asked, "Are we there already?"
I sensed some alarm in Frostine's voice as she said, "Yes, and there's something you have to see."
She led me to the deck and it took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the light, but when they did I could see why Queen Frostine was alarmed. My mouth dropped as I stared out over the ocean to the shore and saw a giant hardened mud wall running the entire length of the shore. Along the wall I could see square shaped holes that looked like the holes on the gun decks of the ships.
I turned to Queen Frostine and said, "Are those what I think they are?"
She shrugged and said, "We're not sure. We've never seen cannons in any of their camps." She paused. "So far, they've ignored our presence, but who knows how long that will last."
As if on cue, a loud and deep horn like sound came from behind the wall. Right in front of us, the wall started to split near the bottom and I could see an opening appearing there. After a few moments, the opening appeared to have completed and a Molasses Monster appeared there with a white flag on a stick.
I looked over to Queen Frostine and said, "Shall we parley with them?"
She nodded and ordered for a dingy and rower to bring us to shore. A few minutes later, we were standing with the Molasses Monster on the shore. It was the first time that I had ever met one and I was a little intimidated. The creatures are at least seven feet tall and probably the same distance around their waists. Their shape is somewhat fluid and not well defined, but still imposing.
The creature spoke first. "What are you doing here?" it asked bluntly.
Queen Frostine and I glanced at each other. She subtly indicated that I should speak, so I did. "Well...uh, sir, I've heard a rumor that a castle has recently appeared near your swamp and I'd like to request..."
It interrupted me and roared, "What do you know of the castle?"
I fought the urge to look towards Queen Frostine. I said, "Well, that castle was originally quite a ways away from here. It was teleported..."
Once again, it interrupted me. It said to Queen Frostine, "Why have you brought this one here?"
For the first time, I saw Queen Frostine raise her voice. She was practically yelling when she said, "He wants to go through your swamp to the other side! There is no reason not to allow this. I will go with him."
The Molasses Monster looked down at Queen Frostine for a moment. It looked over to me and blurted, "You may pass, but the ships must leave."
I looked over to the queen and she nodded. She turned to the sailor who had rowed us to shore and gestured for him to leave. He saluted and jumped into the boat.
"Follow me," the creature said.
It walked through the opening in the door and I could see that it immediately began to close. Frostine and I ran through the opening. "These guys are faster than they look," I said. Queen Frostine grunted her agreement.
I took a moment to look around. Behind me, I saw some sort of mud mortars on the walls sticking out the holes. In front of me, I saw an apparently endless swamp. Queen Frostine gave me a reassuring pat on the shoulder and followed the monster, carefully picking her way through the swamp. I quickly followed. Like I said, those Molasses Monsters are quicker than they look.
After a few hours of treading through the swamp, we finally came to the end. The Molasses Monster stopped at the edge and waited for us to walk out onto the plain before wordlessly turning back.
I turned to Queen Frostine and asked, "So, where do we go from here?"
The question was answered for me when I heard a rumbling behind me. I cautiously turned around and saw the largest creature that I've ever seen. It was obviously a Molasses Monster, of sorts. It was twice the size of the one that had led them out to the plains. I stared at the creature for a few moments while it made a rumbling sound. After a few moments, I realized that the creature was laughing.
After another moment of laughing, the creature spoke. "You are looking for the castle that came out of nowhere?"
I didn't know what to make of this development, so I just mumbled, "Uh, yeah."
The monster laughed again. "You'll never find it on your own. The plains are vast."
I glanced over at Queen Frostine and she just shrugged. I said, "Do you know where it is?"
The creature shook in a way that I took as a nod, but it didn't say anything. I asked, "Will you tell us, or take us there?"
It shook in a different way that looked more like a no. "Well, what use are you then?"
The monster laughed again. "I like you, man. If you give me a gift, I will take you to the castle. What say you?"
I looked at Frostine again and shrugged. I whispered to her, "Do you have anything to give the monster? I don't..."
Suddenly I remembered what Mr. Mint had given to me. I reached into my inside pocket and pulled out the Chocolate Peppermint Flute. I said, "Well, Mr. Monster..."
The monster interrupted me. "My name is Gloppy!"
I hesitated for a moment, and then continued,"Um... Gloppy, then. Will you take this flute in exchange for showing us where the castle is?"
Gloppy gasped. "What a beautiful flute! That will indeed be sufficient payment for this task."
He strode forward and plucked the flute out of my hand. He continued moving without a break and walked westward out into the plain. He went so fast that Frostine and I had trouble keeping up at a walking pace.
We walked for what seemed like hours. I was having a little trouble keeping up the pace when we came to a steep hill. Gloppy and Frostine reached the top of the hill first and I heard Frostine gasp. I shook my exhaustion away and ran to the top of the hill. The sight I saw was breathtaking. Candy Land Castle was there on the plain below us. Beautiful, fertile fields surrounded the castle for as far as the eye could see.
It struck me then that what Lord Licorice had done. He'd solved one of the kingdom's greatest troubles. Here in front of us was the vast farmland that our kingdom needed to continue to prosper. Who would have guessed that the kingdom's greatest villain would ultimately be its savior? All of the worry and dread of the last few days washed away as I passed Gloppy and Frostine in a sprint down the hill to the castle.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Story a Week 41 - What I've Done
Hello everyone! This week's Story a Week is a flash fiction challenge from Chuck Wendig. Basically, you hit shuffle in a media player and take the song title and write a story based on it. I got "What I've Done" by Linkin Park. I think that made it easier, since the title is pretty generic and kind of thought provoking in itself. He put a 500 word limit on it and I'm coming in at 484 words. I hope that you enjoy it.
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"Truth be told, I'm not proud of it. They say that people do what they need to do to survive, but I don't know if I can live with this. Sometimes I think that it might have been better to have just lost everything than to do what I've done. I don't even want to talk about it, but I feel like if I keep it bottled up any longer that I'll explode.
"There are times, of course, that I forget about it. There are times that, when I look at how my family is thriving after the crisis, that I think that it may have been worth it. Those times are rare. When I lay in bed at night, next to my beautiful wife... even the warmth of her body next to me isn't enough to keep those feelings away.
"Sometimes I get so angry at myself for it. Sometimes, while I'm driving alone in the car, I'll yell, 'You would have lost everything, you fool! You have to do this to keep your house and your family together!'
"I know that I'm not the only one who has done the same thing that I have. I know that I'm not alone, but that doesn't console me either. I don't know that anything can console me. Being a part of that group shouldn't make anyone proud.
"My family doesn't know about it, of course. My wife doesn't ask where I go, or where the money comes from. I don't think that she wants to know. I'm afraid that if I tell them that they would leave. I did it for them, to have them leave now would be the end of me. It would have been all for nothing. They can't know about this.
"Maybe that's why I'm telling you all of this. You're a stranger to me. It can't hurt to have someone else know. Someone has to know. I just can't keep it to myself any longer.
"You won't judge me, right? You can't judge me. You don't even know me."
The man stood there for a moment. He just looked at me with desperation, anger and fear in his eyes. I said, "Um, I just wanted a coffee, man, not your life story."
He looked confused for a moment, then down at his clothes. He sounded sorrowful as he said, "I still can't believe that I got a second job as a barista." He sighed, then blurted out, "That will be $4.55."
I handed him a fiver and told him to keep the change. After I got my coffee, I hurried back to my car. My wife asked me, "What took you so long?"
I replied, "I just heard the saddest story. I feel bad for him, but I think he did the right thing."
My wife was obviously confused, but I just shook my head and we drove away.
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"Truth be told, I'm not proud of it. They say that people do what they need to do to survive, but I don't know if I can live with this. Sometimes I think that it might have been better to have just lost everything than to do what I've done. I don't even want to talk about it, but I feel like if I keep it bottled up any longer that I'll explode.
"There are times, of course, that I forget about it. There are times that, when I look at how my family is thriving after the crisis, that I think that it may have been worth it. Those times are rare. When I lay in bed at night, next to my beautiful wife... even the warmth of her body next to me isn't enough to keep those feelings away.
"Sometimes I get so angry at myself for it. Sometimes, while I'm driving alone in the car, I'll yell, 'You would have lost everything, you fool! You have to do this to keep your house and your family together!'
"I know that I'm not the only one who has done the same thing that I have. I know that I'm not alone, but that doesn't console me either. I don't know that anything can console me. Being a part of that group shouldn't make anyone proud.
"My family doesn't know about it, of course. My wife doesn't ask where I go, or where the money comes from. I don't think that she wants to know. I'm afraid that if I tell them that they would leave. I did it for them, to have them leave now would be the end of me. It would have been all for nothing. They can't know about this.
"Maybe that's why I'm telling you all of this. You're a stranger to me. It can't hurt to have someone else know. Someone has to know. I just can't keep it to myself any longer.
"You won't judge me, right? You can't judge me. You don't even know me."
The man stood there for a moment. He just looked at me with desperation, anger and fear in his eyes. I said, "Um, I just wanted a coffee, man, not your life story."
He looked confused for a moment, then down at his clothes. He sounded sorrowful as he said, "I still can't believe that I got a second job as a barista." He sighed, then blurted out, "That will be $4.55."
I handed him a fiver and told him to keep the change. After I got my coffee, I hurried back to my car. My wife asked me, "What took you so long?"
I replied, "I just heard the saddest story. I feel bad for him, but I think he did the right thing."
My wife was obviously confused, but I just shook my head and we drove away.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Goodbye 2011!
Well, these are the last few minutes of 2011, so I thought that (like most other bloggers) it was time to write up a year-end blog post. Considering that I don't read most year-end blog posts, I don't expect a lot of people to read this one, but I'll continue nonetheless.
This year has been a great year for me and my family. My wife and I took a great vacation, we bought a new house, I got a new job, and we got a new car. That's just the short list. I've written about each of these things in this blog.
Of course, there's always some bad that comes with the good. This year, my wife found out that she was Hyperthyroid. She went in and got a radiation treatment to calm down her thyroid. It turned out to have calmed it down too much and turned her Hypothyroid. So, now she has to take a pill every day for the rest of her life. It's been difficult for us and particularly for her. Of course, it could be worse, so we'll get through this.
For myself, like I said, I got a new job. So far, I'm happy with the change. Also, I've been doing this thing called Story a Week. I've been a little lax during the holidays, but so far, I've written 40 stories and I LOVE doing it. Most of my stories fall into part of one of a few story arcs that I've been working on. That wasn't my plan when I started the project, but overall I'm happy with what I've done. In my opinion, the experience has really improved my writing. It has also allowed me to share with you all some of the stories that I've had floating around in my head.
So, now's the part where I make some resolutions. It's also the part I hate the most about New Years. But, it's a tradition, and I do like the sentiment of it. So, here's a list of resolutions from me:
-I will finish a novel this year. I have a few started, and I could probably turn some of my storylines from Story a Week into novels. I'd also like this to be separate from my attempt at NaNoWriMo this year.
-I will get healthier this year. I've already started this by joining the YMCA and I've even gone a few times in the two weeks we've had the membership. I have medium-high cholesterol and I'm a little bigger than I'd like to be, so that's pretty much why I'd like to do that.
-I will be less crabby this year. I've been turning into a crabby old man and I need to stop that before it's too late.
-I will attempt NaNoWriMo again. I can't do much worse than the 3,000 words that I got to this year. I think that I know what I need to do differently; I need to do my research first and write about something that flows easier.
I think these are attainable goals. Plus, this year I've documented them on my blog, so I have more motivation to stick with them. Hopefully.
This year has been a great year for me and my family. My wife and I took a great vacation, we bought a new house, I got a new job, and we got a new car. That's just the short list. I've written about each of these things in this blog.
Of course, there's always some bad that comes with the good. This year, my wife found out that she was Hyperthyroid. She went in and got a radiation treatment to calm down her thyroid. It turned out to have calmed it down too much and turned her Hypothyroid. So, now she has to take a pill every day for the rest of her life. It's been difficult for us and particularly for her. Of course, it could be worse, so we'll get through this.
For myself, like I said, I got a new job. So far, I'm happy with the change. Also, I've been doing this thing called Story a Week. I've been a little lax during the holidays, but so far, I've written 40 stories and I LOVE doing it. Most of my stories fall into part of one of a few story arcs that I've been working on. That wasn't my plan when I started the project, but overall I'm happy with what I've done. In my opinion, the experience has really improved my writing. It has also allowed me to share with you all some of the stories that I've had floating around in my head.
So, now's the part where I make some resolutions. It's also the part I hate the most about New Years. But, it's a tradition, and I do like the sentiment of it. So, here's a list of resolutions from me:
-I will finish a novel this year. I have a few started, and I could probably turn some of my storylines from Story a Week into novels. I'd also like this to be separate from my attempt at NaNoWriMo this year.
-I will get healthier this year. I've already started this by joining the YMCA and I've even gone a few times in the two weeks we've had the membership. I have medium-high cholesterol and I'm a little bigger than I'd like to be, so that's pretty much why I'd like to do that.
-I will be less crabby this year. I've been turning into a crabby old man and I need to stop that before it's too late.
-I will attempt NaNoWriMo again. I can't do much worse than the 3,000 words that I got to this year. I think that I know what I need to do differently; I need to do my research first and write about something that flows easier.
I think these are attainable goals. Plus, this year I've documented them on my blog, so I have more motivation to stick with them. Hopefully.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Story a Week 40 - Candy Land 7
Welcome to another edition of Story a Week! This week is another episode of the Candy Land series. We've rounded the bend and are coming up to the end. I think maybe three more stories after this one, though I'm not quite sure yet.
I haven't posted a plain blog post in quite a while. I think that I'll think of something to write and do that this week or next. Maybe something about the holidays. Dunno, we'll see.
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I was dazed. "How did I get here?" I asked.
"I don't know for sure," the woman replied. "Some strange things have been happening around here lately. The Queen of the Baked Alaska Islands has ordered her float-illa mobilized to patrol the sea. You appeared out of nowhere on the flagship. As long as you don't cause any trouble, I won't have you confined to the brig, yet."
I looked around the ship and saw many sailors standing with weapons ready. I must have been coming out of my daze as I realized that the sailors had been ready to leap on me if I made a wrong move. I took a deep breath to steady myself. I'd never been on a ship before and I was starting to feel a little queasy. I said, "I'm sorry to drop in like this, but I assure you that it was against my will. I think that it was pure luck that I dropped onto your ship rather than into the sea."
She looked me over and said, "Well, good or bad luck remains to be seen. Tell me who you are."
I could tell by her tone that her patience was running thin. "My name is Ap LePie," I said. I told her my tale from that fateful call from Plumpy all the way up to being teleported to her ship.
After I was finished, she nodded and stared at me for a moment. Finally, she said, "Okay, Mr. LePie. I believe your story. Follow me."
She walked back towards a door at the rear of the deck. We went through the door to a large cabin. Within was a large table with a stack of maps, a desk and a bed. The woman walked over to the table and began to shuffle through the maps.
I looked around the room and asked, "Are you the captain of the ship?"
She continued to look through the maps as she said, "No. The captain was nice enough to let me use his cabin while I'm aboard. Ah, here it is."
She pulled out a map and spread it out on the clear part of the table. The area it represented wasn't familiar to me. She said, "Based on what you've told me, I think that I know where your king is."
Her news sent waves of excitement through my body. I couldn't believe that I'd stumbled on someone who knew where the king was. "Really? Where is he? How do you know?"
She laughed and said, "Calm down, Mr. LePie. Let me tell you a story of my own.
"The people of the Baked Alaskan Islands love the sea. We trade with everyone who lives on the shores of the sea. From the Peeps Tribes on the northern shores to the Gummy Bear Tribes on the south shore. There is only one set of people that refuse to trade with us. The Molasses Monsters are a Xenophobic people who live on the western shores of the sea in the Molasses Swamp. However, lately we've had some contact with them and they've told us a tale of a castle appearing out of nowhere in the Butterscotch Plains to the west of the swamp."
She pointed at the map. "Here is the swamp. And here," she moved her hand west, "is the plains. Your king and his castle must be there."
I stared at the map in disbelief. I was finally getting close to finding the king! "Well... wait. I don't even know your name yet."
She looked me over once more and said, "Okay, I think that I can trust you. I am Queen Frostine III, the Queen of the Baked Alaskan Islands."
"Oh," was all I could say. I felt a little silly, so I said, "Thank you for the information, your majesty. But...I think that I have a favor to ask you."
She nodded, so I continued, "Well, would you be able to drop me off at the swamp so that I can make my way to the castle?"
The queen looked down at the map for a moment, then back up at me. "Mr. LePie, I'll do you one better. I will accompany you through the swamp to the castle."
"You majesty!" I burst out. "You can't do that!"
Queen Frostine scowled at me. "Two reasons that I will be going with you." She stuck out a finger and said, "One, I'm the Queen and you can't tell me what I can or cannot do." She stuck out a second finger and said, "Second, you're going to need help. The Molasses Monsters don't know you and won't let you through their swamp without me."
I could tell that she wasn't going to be swayed. I sighed and said, "All right. You may come with me."
I haven't posted a plain blog post in quite a while. I think that I'll think of something to write and do that this week or next. Maybe something about the holidays. Dunno, we'll see.
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I was dazed. "How did I get here?" I asked.
"I don't know for sure," the woman replied. "Some strange things have been happening around here lately. The Queen of the Baked Alaska Islands has ordered her float-illa mobilized to patrol the sea. You appeared out of nowhere on the flagship. As long as you don't cause any trouble, I won't have you confined to the brig, yet."
I looked around the ship and saw many sailors standing with weapons ready. I must have been coming out of my daze as I realized that the sailors had been ready to leap on me if I made a wrong move. I took a deep breath to steady myself. I'd never been on a ship before and I was starting to feel a little queasy. I said, "I'm sorry to drop in like this, but I assure you that it was against my will. I think that it was pure luck that I dropped onto your ship rather than into the sea."
She looked me over and said, "Well, good or bad luck remains to be seen. Tell me who you are."
I could tell by her tone that her patience was running thin. "My name is Ap LePie," I said. I told her my tale from that fateful call from Plumpy all the way up to being teleported to her ship.
After I was finished, she nodded and stared at me for a moment. Finally, she said, "Okay, Mr. LePie. I believe your story. Follow me."
She walked back towards a door at the rear of the deck. We went through the door to a large cabin. Within was a large table with a stack of maps, a desk and a bed. The woman walked over to the table and began to shuffle through the maps.
I looked around the room and asked, "Are you the captain of the ship?"
She continued to look through the maps as she said, "No. The captain was nice enough to let me use his cabin while I'm aboard. Ah, here it is."
She pulled out a map and spread it out on the clear part of the table. The area it represented wasn't familiar to me. She said, "Based on what you've told me, I think that I know where your king is."
Her news sent waves of excitement through my body. I couldn't believe that I'd stumbled on someone who knew where the king was. "Really? Where is he? How do you know?"
She laughed and said, "Calm down, Mr. LePie. Let me tell you a story of my own.
"The people of the Baked Alaskan Islands love the sea. We trade with everyone who lives on the shores of the sea. From the Peeps Tribes on the northern shores to the Gummy Bear Tribes on the south shore. There is only one set of people that refuse to trade with us. The Molasses Monsters are a Xenophobic people who live on the western shores of the sea in the Molasses Swamp. However, lately we've had some contact with them and they've told us a tale of a castle appearing out of nowhere in the Butterscotch Plains to the west of the swamp."
She pointed at the map. "Here is the swamp. And here," she moved her hand west, "is the plains. Your king and his castle must be there."
I stared at the map in disbelief. I was finally getting close to finding the king! "Well... wait. I don't even know your name yet."
She looked me over once more and said, "Okay, I think that I can trust you. I am Queen Frostine III, the Queen of the Baked Alaskan Islands."
"Oh," was all I could say. I felt a little silly, so I said, "Thank you for the information, your majesty. But...I think that I have a favor to ask you."
She nodded, so I continued, "Well, would you be able to drop me off at the swamp so that I can make my way to the castle?"
The queen looked down at the map for a moment, then back up at me. "Mr. LePie, I'll do you one better. I will accompany you through the swamp to the castle."
"You majesty!" I burst out. "You can't do that!"
Queen Frostine scowled at me. "Two reasons that I will be going with you." She stuck out a finger and said, "One, I'm the Queen and you can't tell me what I can or cannot do." She stuck out a second finger and said, "Second, you're going to need help. The Molasses Monsters don't know you and won't let you through their swamp without me."
I could tell that she wasn't going to be swayed. I sighed and said, "All right. You may come with me."
Friday, December 2, 2011
Story a Week 39 - Candy Land 6
Hello everyone! I had a dream this week about how a movie studio wanted to use my stories to make a movie. Ever since, I've been thinking about who might play some of the roles. My thoughts so far:
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It took some time for the tribes to agree, but they finally did and the combined kingdom and tribe forces assembled outside of the woods. It took a couple of hours, but once we were all assembled, I led everyone back towards the Peanut Brittle Patches.
Princess Lolly, Circu S'Peanut and Lemo N'Drop walked with me. I said, "Gramma Nutt has promised to lead us through the patches so that we don't have to chop any of them down. I promised her that we wouldn't do anything to harm them. Can you spread the word among the troops?"
The three of them nodded and spread the word. About an hour later we arrived at the edge of the patches, and, as promised, Gramma Nutt was there waiting for us. The four of us walked over to her and I said, "It's good to see you, Gramma Nutt. I've shared our agreement with the forces here."
Gramma Nutt glanced around as we approached and gestured for us to be quiet. She came in close and whispered, "Lord Licorice has sent spies into the patches, following you, Mr. LePie. A dozen or so Swedish Fishmen are now wandering in circles through the patches."
I smiled at her. "I don't know how you do it, Gramma Nutt, but I'm glad you're on our side."
She glared at me and said, "Let's get this straight, bucko; I'm not on your side. I'm on my side." She pointed her finger at Princess Lolly. "I want an agreement signed after all this is over that says your kingdom will build a new road that goes around the patches instead of through it!"
Princess Lolly glanced over at me and I slyly nodded. She said, "Of course, Gramma Nutt! I don't know why we never did that before!"
Gramma Nutt grunted and without another word she turned and headed into the patches.
Princess Lolly and I shrugged at each other and followed her.
To this day, I don't know how we did it, but we managed to get through the patches in just over an hour without losing anyone. We emerged from the patches and the commanders set about counting their troops. I turned to Gramma Nutt and thanked her for her help. She grunted and said, "If I don't get what I want from your kingdom, no one will ever get through the patches again. Don't you mistake me, Ap LePie, I don't intend on killing anyone. It's just that everyone who enters will find themselves leaving the same side of the patches that they entered after a couple of hours of walking. Understand?"
I nodded and said, "Princess Lolly will make sure that a new road is built."
She shrugged and nodded then turned and walked into the patches.
I turned and found Princess Lolly and the Gummy Bear chiefs. After another moment or two we had the army moving on its way again.
It wasn't long before we had Licorice Castle in sight. Everything looked much as it had before I left. Colonel Crunch must have seen us coming as he was coming out to meet us. When he got in speaking range, he said, "Please tell me that the bears are here as allies and not guiding a defeated army home?"
I thought about teasing him about it, but I thought better of it. Instead, I said, "We've asked them to help us convince the Lord of the error in his ways and they've agreed."
Colonel Crunch nodded and smiled. He said, "Good. We'll array them in the front flanks with the siege ladders that we've been making." He glanced up at the sky, judging the time. I noticed that it was getting dark. "We won't have time to properly set up our lines tonight, so the bears can camp wherever they like that is behind the front line. Princess Lolly, your troops can camp with mine."
We all agreed on Colonel Crunch's plan and set things into motion. When everything was moving, Colonel Crunch said, "Princess, Ap, let me show you the preparations we've been making."
The princess and I followed him to a large tent in the center of the camp. Inside the tent was a large table with a map and figures on it. Upon closer inspection, I saw that the map was of the castle and surrounding area. The figures on the table represented some number of troops. There were three giant-shaped ones and a dozen or so smaller pieces.
Colonel Crunch pointed to the table and said, "Sergeant Ers and I have come up with a plan to attack the castle. I knew how many troops you had, but I didn't know that you'd be bringing reinforcements with you. We'll have to redraw up the plan, but I think that the basics will remain the same."
Suddenly, a soldier ran into the tent and up to the colonel and saluted and waited. Colonel Crunch barked out, "Report!"
"Sir! The drawbridge has lowered and Lord Licorice is waving a white flag. I think that he wants to parley, sir," the soldier said quickly.
Crunch looked over to me and Princess Lolly. She looked at me. I said, "I think that I should go alone. I don't want either of you where Licorice can easily get them." I chuckled and said, "I'm not that valuable of a hostage."
I walked out of the tent, then the camp. I could see Licorice waiting for me at the gate to the castle. When I got to the edge of the drawbridge, I stopped. We weren't in speaking range so we just glared at each other for a few moments. Finally, he shook his head and chuckled. He confidently walked over to me and said, "You are one stubborn man, Ap LePie."
"What do you want, Licorice? The army and I are preparing to storm your castle," I retorted.
The smirk disappeared from his face. He growled, "This castle isn't going down that easily, LePie. Even with your pet Gummy Bears."
It was my turn to growl as I said, "I disagree, Licorice. I'll see you soon, Licorice. On the inside of your castle's walls!"
I turned to leave and Lord Licorice quickly grabbed me before I could react. He pulled me close and said, "I don't think so, LePie."
I was beginning to think that he was going to kill me rather than let me go back to the camp. Instead, he dropped me and pulled out some sort of wand. He waved it at me and I closed my eyes. That's when I felt the magic hit me. It felt like I dropped a couple of feet onto something soft and squishy. I opened my eyes and found myself staring at a beautiful woman.
"Wh-where am I?" I managed to stutter.
She extended her hand and I took it. As she helped me to my feet she said, "You are aboard the Queen Frostine, sailing on the Ice Cream Sea."
I looked out and saw several other Ice Cream Floatships sailing with the Queen Frostine. Somehow, I'd been transported a couple of hundred miles to the Ice Cream Sea.
- Ap LePie - Joel McHale
- Plumpy - Patton Oswald
- Lord Licorice - Jeremy Irons
- Princess Lolly - Cherize Theron (sp?)
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It took some time for the tribes to agree, but they finally did and the combined kingdom and tribe forces assembled outside of the woods. It took a couple of hours, but once we were all assembled, I led everyone back towards the Peanut Brittle Patches.
Princess Lolly, Circu S'Peanut and Lemo N'Drop walked with me. I said, "Gramma Nutt has promised to lead us through the patches so that we don't have to chop any of them down. I promised her that we wouldn't do anything to harm them. Can you spread the word among the troops?"
The three of them nodded and spread the word. About an hour later we arrived at the edge of the patches, and, as promised, Gramma Nutt was there waiting for us. The four of us walked over to her and I said, "It's good to see you, Gramma Nutt. I've shared our agreement with the forces here."
Gramma Nutt glanced around as we approached and gestured for us to be quiet. She came in close and whispered, "Lord Licorice has sent spies into the patches, following you, Mr. LePie. A dozen or so Swedish Fishmen are now wandering in circles through the patches."
I smiled at her. "I don't know how you do it, Gramma Nutt, but I'm glad you're on our side."
She glared at me and said, "Let's get this straight, bucko; I'm not on your side. I'm on my side." She pointed her finger at Princess Lolly. "I want an agreement signed after all this is over that says your kingdom will build a new road that goes around the patches instead of through it!"
Princess Lolly glanced over at me and I slyly nodded. She said, "Of course, Gramma Nutt! I don't know why we never did that before!"
Gramma Nutt grunted and without another word she turned and headed into the patches.
Princess Lolly and I shrugged at each other and followed her.
To this day, I don't know how we did it, but we managed to get through the patches in just over an hour without losing anyone. We emerged from the patches and the commanders set about counting their troops. I turned to Gramma Nutt and thanked her for her help. She grunted and said, "If I don't get what I want from your kingdom, no one will ever get through the patches again. Don't you mistake me, Ap LePie, I don't intend on killing anyone. It's just that everyone who enters will find themselves leaving the same side of the patches that they entered after a couple of hours of walking. Understand?"
I nodded and said, "Princess Lolly will make sure that a new road is built."
She shrugged and nodded then turned and walked into the patches.
I turned and found Princess Lolly and the Gummy Bear chiefs. After another moment or two we had the army moving on its way again.
It wasn't long before we had Licorice Castle in sight. Everything looked much as it had before I left. Colonel Crunch must have seen us coming as he was coming out to meet us. When he got in speaking range, he said, "Please tell me that the bears are here as allies and not guiding a defeated army home?"
I thought about teasing him about it, but I thought better of it. Instead, I said, "We've asked them to help us convince the Lord of the error in his ways and they've agreed."
Colonel Crunch nodded and smiled. He said, "Good. We'll array them in the front flanks with the siege ladders that we've been making." He glanced up at the sky, judging the time. I noticed that it was getting dark. "We won't have time to properly set up our lines tonight, so the bears can camp wherever they like that is behind the front line. Princess Lolly, your troops can camp with mine."
We all agreed on Colonel Crunch's plan and set things into motion. When everything was moving, Colonel Crunch said, "Princess, Ap, let me show you the preparations we've been making."
The princess and I followed him to a large tent in the center of the camp. Inside the tent was a large table with a map and figures on it. Upon closer inspection, I saw that the map was of the castle and surrounding area. The figures on the table represented some number of troops. There were three giant-shaped ones and a dozen or so smaller pieces.
Colonel Crunch pointed to the table and said, "Sergeant Ers and I have come up with a plan to attack the castle. I knew how many troops you had, but I didn't know that you'd be bringing reinforcements with you. We'll have to redraw up the plan, but I think that the basics will remain the same."
Suddenly, a soldier ran into the tent and up to the colonel and saluted and waited. Colonel Crunch barked out, "Report!"
"Sir! The drawbridge has lowered and Lord Licorice is waving a white flag. I think that he wants to parley, sir," the soldier said quickly.
Crunch looked over to me and Princess Lolly. She looked at me. I said, "I think that I should go alone. I don't want either of you where Licorice can easily get them." I chuckled and said, "I'm not that valuable of a hostage."
I walked out of the tent, then the camp. I could see Licorice waiting for me at the gate to the castle. When I got to the edge of the drawbridge, I stopped. We weren't in speaking range so we just glared at each other for a few moments. Finally, he shook his head and chuckled. He confidently walked over to me and said, "You are one stubborn man, Ap LePie."
"What do you want, Licorice? The army and I are preparing to storm your castle," I retorted.
The smirk disappeared from his face. He growled, "This castle isn't going down that easily, LePie. Even with your pet Gummy Bears."
It was my turn to growl as I said, "I disagree, Licorice. I'll see you soon, Licorice. On the inside of your castle's walls!"
I turned to leave and Lord Licorice quickly grabbed me before I could react. He pulled me close and said, "I don't think so, LePie."
I was beginning to think that he was going to kill me rather than let me go back to the camp. Instead, he dropped me and pulled out some sort of wand. He waved it at me and I closed my eyes. That's when I felt the magic hit me. It felt like I dropped a couple of feet onto something soft and squishy. I opened my eyes and found myself staring at a beautiful woman.
"Wh-where am I?" I managed to stutter.
She extended her hand and I took it. As she helped me to my feet she said, "You are aboard the Queen Frostine, sailing on the Ice Cream Sea."
I looked out and saw several other Ice Cream Floatships sailing with the Queen Frostine. Somehow, I'd been transported a couple of hundred miles to the Ice Cream Sea.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Story a Week 38 - Candy Land 5
I wrote this story last week at the same time that I wrote the last one. Actually, they were meant to be the same story, but it had gotten too long. I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving. My family did.
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Without saying another word, the bears pushed me forward. Orange walked in front and the yellow one behind me as they led me through the woods. About fifteen minutes later, the led me to the edge of a clearing. I looked into the clearing and saw a palisade built from the trunks of the Lollypop trees. I asked, "The Cookie Patrol is in that makeshift fort?"
The two bears nodded. Orange said, "You better go out with a white flag. Whenever one of our bears leaves the protection of the woods, he comes back with an arrow embedded in his body." The two bears laughed. "Of course, that doesn't hurt us much."
I looked and saw several puncture wounds on both the bears. I took my hanky from my pocket and held it up as I walked out of the woods. No arrows flew in my direction, but after I came within a dozen yards of the palisade, I heard, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"
I yelled back, "Uh, my name is Ap LePie and I've come from the Candy Land Kingdom. I need to speak to Princess Lolly."
I faintly heard the sound of voices on the top of the palisade, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. After a moment or two, the same voice called out. "Come to the gate."
I turned to look back at the woods, but couldn't see the bears anymore. I walked around the wall until I found the gate. It was open just a crack. One the other side was Princess Lolly. "Mr. LePie. What do you want?"
I could tell that she remembered me. Even so, she didn't seem happy to see me. I replied, "We need to talk about your father and why you're here."
She made a frustrated sound and growled, "I'm here because these bears know where my father is. I was hoping to quickly beat them as they weren't terribly organized, but there are just too many of them."
Her comments made me quite confused. I said, "I don't know where you got your information from, Princess, but the bears are innocent. Lord Licorice is the one responsible for making your father disappear."
She stared at me blankly for a moment. "They can't be. I got a ransom letter from them the same day he disappeared."
I didn't know where the letter might have come from, but I had some ideas. I said, "Well, princess, I don't know what to say about that, but I do know quite a bit about the situation. I have Colonel Crunch's garrison besieging Licorice Castle while he waits for your army. The Gumdrop Giants are helping, for now, but they aren't comfortable with the situation. I think that your royal presence might convince them that the alliance with us is worth fighting for."
She replied, "But what about the bears? We've been fighting them for a couple of days now and I don't think that they're just going to let us go back through their woods."
I knew that she was right. The bears were very unhappy about what had transpired the last few days. I gave it some serious thought for a moment, and then inspiration hit. "Well, your majesty, if you'd be willing to come with me to the edge of the woods, I think that we can work something out."
She looked at me doubtfully and said, "You're going to have to give me more than that, Mr. LePie. I think that those bears are just as likely to shoot me unarmed as they are to look at me right now."
I glanced back over my shoulder at the woods and said, "Tell you what. How about I bring a couple of them, unarmed mind you, to the clearing and you come out too. We can have some peace talks out there in the open where everyone can see."
She gave the matter some thought and finally nodded. I turned and walked to the edge of the woods and saw an orange and yellow bear waiting there for me. "Are you the same bears that brought me here?" I asked.
They laughed at me for a couple of moments. The orange one said, "I like you, Ap LePie. My name is Circu S'Peanut and this is Lemo N'Drop. We're two of the cheiftans of the Lollypop Gummy Bear Tribes. What did your princess say?"
"I've arranged for her to meet us in the clearing to discuss terms of peace," I said. "If you don't mind coming unarmed, of course."
They nodded and proceeded to leave their weapons on the ground and followed me out into the clearing. Princess Lolly left the fort a moment later, also unarmed. We met in the middle of the clearing. When introductions were complete, I said, "Now that we're all here, I'd like to fill you all in on what's been going on around Candy Land."
I told them my tale all the way from my office to that very moment standing there with them. Afterwards, I said, "So, my idea is to form an alliance between the Lollypop Gummy Bear Tribes and Candy Land Kingdom to defeat Lord Licorice."
Princess Lolly nodded right away and said, "I think that sounds like a fabulous idea! The Candy Land Kingdom agrees."
The two bears looked at each other. Circu shook his head and said, "We certainly empathize with the situation that your kingdom is dealing with, but we don't think that we will help you. Helping you would put many of our tribesmen into danger needlessly."
I quickly responded, "It may seem like that now, sure, but you both don't know the troubles that the Candy Land Kingdom has been internally facing the last few years. If Lord Licorice has his way and succeeds in toppling the legitimate King and his family, he won't stop there. The kingdom is running out of viable farmland and the Lord knows it. Before he started his little coup, he had been urging the king to expand the frontier. To widen the kingdom's borders. Do you know where those borders lie today, Circu?"
Circu and Lemo looked thoughtful. Circu said, "We don't have a formal border with the kingdom because we haven't much needed one, but the Peanut Brittle Patches would be it, pretty much."
Lemo nodded and added, "Yes, and if you push the border much this way, you're getting into the Lollypop Woods."
Circu and Lemo looked at each other again and Lemo nodded to Circu. Circu turned to me and said, "We'll have to discuss this with the rest of the tribes, of course, but I think that we'll agree to help you. Afterwards, though, we'll want to formalize a border and such in a treaty."
Princess Lolly agreed and the two bears went on their way. She turned to me and said, "Thank you, Mr. LePie. I think that you just saved the kingdom."
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Without saying another word, the bears pushed me forward. Orange walked in front and the yellow one behind me as they led me through the woods. About fifteen minutes later, the led me to the edge of a clearing. I looked into the clearing and saw a palisade built from the trunks of the Lollypop trees. I asked, "The Cookie Patrol is in that makeshift fort?"
The two bears nodded. Orange said, "You better go out with a white flag. Whenever one of our bears leaves the protection of the woods, he comes back with an arrow embedded in his body." The two bears laughed. "Of course, that doesn't hurt us much."
I looked and saw several puncture wounds on both the bears. I took my hanky from my pocket and held it up as I walked out of the woods. No arrows flew in my direction, but after I came within a dozen yards of the palisade, I heard, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"
I yelled back, "Uh, my name is Ap LePie and I've come from the Candy Land Kingdom. I need to speak to Princess Lolly."
I faintly heard the sound of voices on the top of the palisade, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. After a moment or two, the same voice called out. "Come to the gate."
I turned to look back at the woods, but couldn't see the bears anymore. I walked around the wall until I found the gate. It was open just a crack. One the other side was Princess Lolly. "Mr. LePie. What do you want?"
I could tell that she remembered me. Even so, she didn't seem happy to see me. I replied, "We need to talk about your father and why you're here."
She made a frustrated sound and growled, "I'm here because these bears know where my father is. I was hoping to quickly beat them as they weren't terribly organized, but there are just too many of them."
Her comments made me quite confused. I said, "I don't know where you got your information from, Princess, but the bears are innocent. Lord Licorice is the one responsible for making your father disappear."
She stared at me blankly for a moment. "They can't be. I got a ransom letter from them the same day he disappeared."
I didn't know where the letter might have come from, but I had some ideas. I said, "Well, princess, I don't know what to say about that, but I do know quite a bit about the situation. I have Colonel Crunch's garrison besieging Licorice Castle while he waits for your army. The Gumdrop Giants are helping, for now, but they aren't comfortable with the situation. I think that your royal presence might convince them that the alliance with us is worth fighting for."
She replied, "But what about the bears? We've been fighting them for a couple of days now and I don't think that they're just going to let us go back through their woods."
I knew that she was right. The bears were very unhappy about what had transpired the last few days. I gave it some serious thought for a moment, and then inspiration hit. "Well, your majesty, if you'd be willing to come with me to the edge of the woods, I think that we can work something out."
She looked at me doubtfully and said, "You're going to have to give me more than that, Mr. LePie. I think that those bears are just as likely to shoot me unarmed as they are to look at me right now."
I glanced back over my shoulder at the woods and said, "Tell you what. How about I bring a couple of them, unarmed mind you, to the clearing and you come out too. We can have some peace talks out there in the open where everyone can see."
She gave the matter some thought and finally nodded. I turned and walked to the edge of the woods and saw an orange and yellow bear waiting there for me. "Are you the same bears that brought me here?" I asked.
They laughed at me for a couple of moments. The orange one said, "I like you, Ap LePie. My name is Circu S'Peanut and this is Lemo N'Drop. We're two of the cheiftans of the Lollypop Gummy Bear Tribes. What did your princess say?"
"I've arranged for her to meet us in the clearing to discuss terms of peace," I said. "If you don't mind coming unarmed, of course."
They nodded and proceeded to leave their weapons on the ground and followed me out into the clearing. Princess Lolly left the fort a moment later, also unarmed. We met in the middle of the clearing. When introductions were complete, I said, "Now that we're all here, I'd like to fill you all in on what's been going on around Candy Land."
I told them my tale all the way from my office to that very moment standing there with them. Afterwards, I said, "So, my idea is to form an alliance between the Lollypop Gummy Bear Tribes and Candy Land Kingdom to defeat Lord Licorice."
Princess Lolly nodded right away and said, "I think that sounds like a fabulous idea! The Candy Land Kingdom agrees."
The two bears looked at each other. Circu shook his head and said, "We certainly empathize with the situation that your kingdom is dealing with, but we don't think that we will help you. Helping you would put many of our tribesmen into danger needlessly."
I quickly responded, "It may seem like that now, sure, but you both don't know the troubles that the Candy Land Kingdom has been internally facing the last few years. If Lord Licorice has his way and succeeds in toppling the legitimate King and his family, he won't stop there. The kingdom is running out of viable farmland and the Lord knows it. Before he started his little coup, he had been urging the king to expand the frontier. To widen the kingdom's borders. Do you know where those borders lie today, Circu?"
Circu and Lemo looked thoughtful. Circu said, "We don't have a formal border with the kingdom because we haven't much needed one, but the Peanut Brittle Patches would be it, pretty much."
Lemo nodded and added, "Yes, and if you push the border much this way, you're getting into the Lollypop Woods."
Circu and Lemo looked at each other again and Lemo nodded to Circu. Circu turned to me and said, "We'll have to discuss this with the rest of the tribes, of course, but I think that we'll agree to help you. Afterwards, though, we'll want to formalize a border and such in a treaty."
Princess Lolly agreed and the two bears went on their way. She turned to me and said, "Thank you, Mr. LePie. I think that you just saved the kingdom."
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