The Kingdom

Chapter 10

Jack was extremely annoyed. He was carrying a bleeding friend, he hadan obnoxious dog-thing nipping at his heels, and now he had a hoardof pixies following him. They chattered back and forth, their wingsbeating a throbbing buzzing sound that rang in Jack's head. Hethought of the bells at his old school that would go off when theyhad to switch classes. Rubbing his face with one hand, carrying adead weight with his other, Jack fumbled over rocks and branches,roots and plants. He didn't know when the Armageddon of the Pixieshad started, but he was more than ready for it to be over.

He had yet to find a river, let alone a stream, and his shirt stuckto his back.

"So anyway, he said that if I really liked him I would give upshopping at the kingdom, and I was like, as if. I told him to pack upbefore I kicked him." The blue haired pixie chattered on, her highvoice like nails like a chalkboard to Jack.
"Really? Wasn'the like, upset? Did you guys get into a screaming match?" The greenhaired pixie's voice was just slightly deeper and less irritating,but not by much.

"No, they probably got into a fist fight!" A third pixie, withpurple hair, chimed in, not wanting to be left out of theconversation.

Just as Jack was about to implode, one of the louder pixies nearlyscreamed, making Jack cringe and shy away. "Are we not going tohelp the humans? It would be the courteous thing to do." She hadstraw blind hair, and it stuck out in every direction, like atumbleweed. She was further back, almost drifting away from thegroup. Her wings were slightly crumpled, her bare feet swinging infront of her as she flew.

Curious, Jack tilted his head and listened to the muttering of thebrightly colored, winged parasites. "Why should we help them? Whatdo we get in return, besides a scowl from the giant lumbering baboon.Look, he is even watching us."

Jack had turned his head to silently watch them argue, and nowturned away, frowning half-heartedly. He could take all the help hecould get. Don seemed to be getting heavier and heavier the fartherthey walked, and Horace was chasing a butterfly.

Jack waited, straining to hear the whispered fight behind him, butapparently the pixies did have volume control. Don was staring up athim foggily, his eyes far away. Jack ad hastily wrapped his leg, inhopes of finding a nearby creek to rest at again. There were riversand ponds all through the forest, yet when Jack needed them, hecouldn't find them.

Stiffening when someone tapped him on the shoulder, Jack lookedover his shoulder at the hovering blond pixie that had spoken upbefore. She looked hesitant, but determined.

Gulping, she said strongly, "We saw that your friend was hurt,and we were wondering if we could heal him. For a price." Shesmiled, showing small, sharp teeth. They reminded Jack of a piranha.

Nodding, "Of course. What is it." Keeping a straight face, armstightening around Don, Jack waited. The pixie tapped her chin with agrin on her face, seeming to consider. After a pause, her face lit upand she said in an excited whisper, " We'll heal his leg for apiece of your mind. Your memories."

Scowling, horrified, Jack was speechless. He stared at her,grimacing when she started to slowly flutter towards him. "It's notwhat you think. You would still have the memory, but it would beduller and it would be completely distant to you. Like watchingsomething on television, only with the sound turned down. Youwouldn't be able to remember the smells or hear the sound. Youwouldn't be able to feel anything and taste nothing. But it would beworth it, to save your friend..."

The pixie looked pleased that she had made the offer and driftedfurther away, her glossy, wide orange eyes waiting for his answer.Jack stood still, going over all the facts, at least the ones she hadoffered to tell him. Scratching his grimy hair, Jack stiffly noddedtowards the eager pixie. "Could I chose the memory? Does it make adifference which one you take?"

The pixie shrugged, her small wings folding as she fluttered to theground. Jack had to sit down and cross his legs in order to be eyelevel to her. Don was placed carefully next to him, his leg elevated.Horace was gone somewhere, chasing the pretty butterfly that hadcaught his attention. "It doesn't matter. Just pick one and tell uswhat it is." The blond pixie walked closer to Jack almost touchinghis leg.

Jack thought of all his experiences, his parents, his time atschool, his first job, his uncle. He thought about the first time hisuncle had taken him fishing and how they had laughed until they werecrying. Nodding, Jack told the pixie. "My uncle took me fishingonce, when I was still in the kingdom. We didn't catch any fish, butwe had a fun time."

The pixie watched him, nose scrunched and eyes narrowed. "Whysuch a happy one, though? Wouldn't you want to get rid of a memorywhere you were embarrassed or sad?"

Jack shrugged. "It's just the one that I don't need, nor want."Humming, Blondie, as Jack now thought of her, flapped her glossywings and flew right up to Jack's face. She hovered by his nose andstared into his eyes. A tingling formed behind his eyes and aheadache slowly started to become apparent. He rubbed the side of hisface as the color faded in front of his eyes, the chirping of birdsquieting, the smell of Don's hot, salty blood dulled.

Jack closed his eyes, sucked in a breath and waited as the poundingin his head got worse. He almost fainted when he felt somethingtugging at the back of his mind, and he had a horrible image of theancient Egyptians using a hook to pull out the brains of someone theyknew, someone they loved, and placing the gray tissue in a jar.

He trembled as the pulling got worse, and then suddenly, it wasgone. One second he was in agonizing pain, the next it had justdisappeared. His senses came back to him in a sudden rush, like atsunami engulfing a helpless victim. He squinted his eyes against theblinding sunlight and used his arms to hold him up as he looked atBlondie. She was grinning toothily at him as she nibbled on agray-pink, fleshy substance. It reminded Jack of Jello. It was breathing and shuddering.

Gagging, Jack shook his head and looked hopefully at Don, but he wasout cold. His leg was healed though, the angry red "bite marks"closed and scabbing over. His ankle didn't seem swollen, nor broken.Blondie nodded, a thoughtful expression adorning her face.

"Yeah, we took the time out to mend his ankle too, since yourmemory was so vibrant. Thanks, by the way."

Jack stared as the other, louder pixies huddled around Blondie andtook small chunks of the quivering meat. He wanted to puke, but hehad to know. "Is that... my memory? It doesn't look like I thoughtit would." His throat was scratchy and dry, and he hoped that thepixies would be nice enough to lead them to water.

"Well, yes and no. The jelly thing is just a way of holding yourmemory, like a bowl. It's actually a mixture of crushed frog legs andmonkey tongue, but the memory gives it an extra spice." Jack made aface of disgust as Blondie slurped at the concoction. He sighed as hestood up and was almost tackled to the ground by Horace. His tongueswooped out and lapped at Jack's face, his tail wagging so fast Jackcould barely see it.

Jack patted his head and stooped over to pick up Don. He was mumbling in his sleep, too softly for Jack to hear. Shifting Don sohe could see where he was walking, Jack waved at the pixies, who weretoo entranced in the brain-jelly to notice his departure. But one ofthem did. Blondie flew hurriedly after them, her portion of Jack'smemories tucked safely away in a pouch on her hip. She flutteredquietly behind them, curious.