The Story book thread

when Caroline arrived home from work.

The wind touched down upon the shingles of the house while the gaslights fluttered in a copper haze.

"Is that you, Caroline?" her husband called from his study.

Caroline paused, worried at this sudden, unexpected kindness. He only ever did this when he'd done something he knew she'd hate. It wasn't a good omen.

'What has he done now?' she thought to herself, going back to times past when he had been caught having an affair with his young secretary Jenna

"Come in here, quickly" he called. Apprehensively, she walked to the open study door and took a deep breath before entering.

"Here, I've poured us both a Brandy", he said, "we're going to need it". Caroline was shocked! Her husband, Sherman, had been sober for nearly three years.

"I'll get straight to the point," Sherman quavered, spilling a little brandy on the coffee table. "I went down into the toolshed yesterday. There was...a baby there."

'A baby!!!' Caroline excalimed. How on earth did that get there I wonder??

"I don't know, but at least she is alive and healthy. Nicolas is caring for her now. Thank God I found her when I did.", Sherman sighed, then added reluctantly, "I have to tell you something, Caroline. The aspen trees in the witch's grove have been charred again."

Caroline paused, slowly poured a large glass of brandy, and drank it down in ten seconds flat.

Then she fainted.

In the morning, Caroline woke up in her bed with a blood pressure cuff around her arm and Dr. Florence checking her pulse. She groaned, looked around to make sure her husband was not in the room and said to the doctor, "Sarah...

"Hush, my dear. You seem to have had a shock and you need to rest," the doctor said. He placed a warm, caring hand on her forehead as he smiled at her.

"Yes, but what about Sarah... and the baby... and... and..." Caroline stammered, "th-the... w-witch's grove?"

"The grove is no more. It is been cleared by Master Sorn and his underlings it seems; Master Sorn decided it was up to him to confront this problem and thus he did. Do not worry, Dear." Said she.

Sherman burst into the room, out of breath from running up the stairs, "The baby...", he panted with a horrified look on his face, "she sprouted wings!"

"Aye!" Said Dr. Florence "Are the wings of flesh or are they of protoplasm? This is the most important question to ask yourself, Sir."

"Doctor, please, I'm not a biologist. Hurry, come look for yourself. Caroline, are you feeling better? Can you come with us? You really should not be left alone." "Yes", she said, pulling on her robe as she followed them out the door and down the stairs.

And it did not take long for the group to discover the matter to be worse than they had feared; The baby had not only grown stately wings woven from flesh and scar, its eyes shown with the light of the purple-brown snake nests of old, the venom of ages of neglect filtering through its simpering glare. It spoke one word:

"Mother?"

'She thinks you're her mother Caroline' said Sherman. 'What?? me a mother!!' excalimed Caroline 'Is this some kind of a joke Sherman?' 'No my dear' he replied.

"Me a mother? I would never birth such a curiosity, and had I, it should look smarter-- its wings would not dangle like a bat's or a-- a bloody fallen angel's. It would not stand humped over like this-- it would stand rigid as a gaslight and its height would be in proportion to its girth! " Said She "No, Sherman, I protest. This is is not child, it is a-- a monster. Worse than a monster I should say." Caroline folded her arms and looked at the ceilings. "And, besides this, it does not even have my nose--it has no nose at all!"

(I should point out Mattyd that the post should only consist of a maximum 3 lines. I'll let you off this time though because you've given it a good twist there).

'It might not look like you Caroline' said the doctor 'but evidently this child has been sent to you by another entity for you to look after and cherish'. It could be a test to mankind. You should be honoured my friend.

"A test to mankind?" Said She "Then this should be your test, Sir. Throw this beast into the furnace at once and bring me a proper child."

[Sorry Janine, I did not catch the 3 line max thing either. oops!]

Caroline took a deep breath and composed herself. She wondered why Sherman had been in the toolshed yesterday and whatever happened to Jenna? "Sherman, you burn the beast."

[Sorry Janine, I did not catch the 3 line max thing either. oops!]

I forgive you too.

'Ok sweetheart' replies Sherman taking some petrol and firelighters over to it. 'Are you sure this is what you want?' he asks. 'Yes' replied Caroline. With that Sherman begins to pour the fuel over the beast and lights one of the firelighters.

As the beast is burning Sherman begins to chant 'beast brought to us by another entity be happy in heaven or return to your own planet. We are unable to help you here!!! be gone with you!'

[oops my post went through out of line - changing it...]

Caroline had not expected this sign of Sherman's love for her. "Wait!" she screamed, "Douse out the flames!" The winged baby beast-thing screamed "MOTHER!!!"

And it certainly did not burn well; whatever realms this child came from flames were its natural cradle and heat its nanny. It turned and grimaced at "Mother" while the fire turned to ice and fell to its feet.