Come morning, school held even fewer pupils, yet even more tedium. Karen flinched as she peered into the hall, then darted back on the balls of her feet.
“Huh- sis, what’s u-” Oliver’s query was cut off by her hand on his mouth, and finger to her own lips.
“Here’s the deal. We both skive, we both have a fun day, and we both say nothing. Mom and Pa can’t give us in trouble if they never know.” She whispered, pulling him towards the doors outside.
“Wh- what about the teachers?” The boy hissed back, prying her hand away, “You’re being weird.”
That, she couldn’t deny. She wasn’t one to truant. But the old line in the sand was washed away entirely, by waves of the lake and serpentine scales. What was weird in a world where there was a chance she could fly? The world was so much more than school.
“Noone’s keeping track- too many people are off for the teachers to check.” Karen argued, trying to convince herself as she grabbed their coats, “Come on, as long as Matheson doesn’t see us, we’re safe.”
Ollie wavered at the door, dark brows creased. “Mom would flip out. You’re not just setting me up to snitch on?”
“A day of absolute boredom is not worth pranking you, knucklehead.” She shrugged on her light jacket, and held out his, “Just don’t get in trouble, don’t do anything crazy, go play with… I dunno, Jeff or whatever.”
“Who’s Jeff? Noone’s even called Jeff, that’s an old man name,” Ollie grabbed the coat as he scoffed.
“Well I don’t know what your gremlin buddies are called.”
“Liar- are you going to Maddies? Can I come watch a movie?”
“Nope, girl stuff.” She lied, gave him a hug, then spun him around and gave a push. “Off you trot.”
For the sake of appearances she made for the Carpenters until she was out of sight, before curving through town. Maddie hadn’t answered any texts, so she wouldn’t be her target.
Logan on the other hand, had promised her flight. She’d rolled over in the night, feeling the idea go from a subtle possibility, to a glorious opportunity. The chance to freely go wherever, to flip through the air without ever bowing to gravity, had filled her dreams with clouds that now seemed to lie over Ranelk and its surroundings. The mist was thick, and she trusted it to keep her concealed rather than Ollie’s insane ‘ninja-run’. The true key to stealth was simply confidence, and the outskirts of Ranelk were normally quiet anyway.
That said, there was a surprising number of morning deliveries, great trucks of construction equipment and supplies that scared her off the road with their rumbling roars. With the dappled pines bristling through low fog, the mountain slopes reminded her of a gigantic monstrous pelt, engine growls like its breath. They did at least drive past the junction she had gathered to be Logan’s lane, a long track through the trees, and he could hardly live far since he’d been soaking wet when they parted. Flight was probably just around the corner, and her eyes picked out a sturdy timber lodge through the dense trunks.
The growling rumble of a truck behind made Karen dart to the road’s edge. Yet it didn’t pass, and instead another grumbling purr made her turn. A wolf or bear would be bad news.
This creature however was worse news.
Blood red scales shielded a squat sinuous beast between the tight towering trees. The reptilian muzzle was crowned with stubby horns over sun bright eyes, four sets of heavy talons flattened fallen needles, and two unfurling fans revealed bat-like wings on the monster's back.
“Ah. A dragon.” Karen numbly heard herself murmur, “Are you nice?”
A thrumming snarl broke from her other side like a cracking whip. There was another there, a dragon as big as a wolf with spinach green scales, a forked tongue flicking between monstrous fangs. Behind it, the lodge beckoned. Civilization. Safety.
She kicked stones up to her right, then burst left as their eyes followed the gravel. The trees were her best hope and she danced amongst them as the green monster unleashed another hideous roar. But they had wings; they were wide creatures and, while the road was clear ground, the forests confines would slow them. Karen on the other wove elegantly between the trunks, ducked branches, and leapt over a fallen log before risking a glance back.
The dragons could fold their wings tight to their forms. They scuttled quick behind, a repulsive reptilian run, and she scrambled up a slope, turning her eyes forwards. Were there any good climbing trees? Maybe, but nothing she felt she could evade winged lizards on; help was her best bet!
The house loomed like a great triangle as she broke the treeline, all thick logs and sturdy windows. The yard around it was scattered with tools, and a pickup truck was parked under the upper balcony, with a small girl beside that.
“Aaaaaah! Scary dragons!” screamed the child, eyes wide, hands cupped around her mouth.
“Move- hide, they’re coming!” Karen stumbled as she hesitated. The front door was on the left, but the child was on the right, failing to take a single step! She wanted help, she wasn’t meant to be the help, but-
But she staggered and charged towards the girl.
A green blur beat her from the trees. Talons unfurled, then slammed down on the girl, and scarlet mist exploded around the monster. Karen screamed as she moved, vision suddenly red around the monster as her feet carried her forwards.
A sixteen year old Idahoan against a small arsenal of scales, wings, fangs, claws, and probably fire.
That sounded ridiculous even to herself. She could push Ollie around, but she had no claws, no talons, no weapons. She wasn’t strong.
But she was quick.
Her knees bent, before she leapt at the emerald beast, and planted her feet down hard on the spine between the wings. A hiss-squeak of pain rewarded her, and just as quick she vaulted onto the pickup’s bed. From there she found the cars roof, breathed in, and leapt upwards with all her might.
A red monster lurked below, ready to snap at her legs, but Karen’s arms slammed into the railings of the lodge’s balcony. The impact forced the air from her lungs, her fingers scrabbled, legs kicked. Left, then right, no time to stop, she swung them around, hooked a foot over the railing, and rolled over. Her momentum slammed her hard into the door, and she scrabbled it open, whirled around and slammed it hard, clicking the lock.
It was hard to stop. She staggered back, eyes following every motion of the trees outside the windows. Yet as loud as the growling was, no claws hooked up over the balcony, no scales appeared, there was no flutter of wingbeats. Did their wings even work? Or did they have another way in?
The temporary reprieve let her double over, panting. A thick chemical scent, like glue mixed with smoke, wrinkled her nose, and tinny blues music became audible over the heartbeat in her ears. She searched for the source, and found herself on a well sanded internal balcony over the lodge’s central chaotic room. Rich leather sofas were shoved against a wall to make space for plastic crates and cardboard boxes, a couple of antlers hung on a wall and a morbid stash of taxidermy prey watched from one one corner. She almost fancied a dead pigeon blinked at her through the dense smoke billowing through a lower door.
Smoke?
“Uh, hello? I think dragons might be burning down your house!” She staggered down the stairs, and was rewarded by a tall familiar figure hobbling through the smoky door. “Logan is th- you’re not Logan.”
Despite that, the familiar man gave a sense of deja vu- he looked as Logan might given another decade or two. Big like a basketball player, lean with muscle and his skin well bronzed by sun. Long straight hair was tied back into a knot over frameless glasses and tired grey eyes.
His mouth twisted into a faint smile as they settled on her, and his voice was low and dry, as if mildly hoarse, “No, no Miss Thomson, I am not Logan. Congratulations on your powers of insight.”
“Do I kno- uh, really sorry for breaking in, but there’s dragons outside! I’m serious!” She snapped.
The man limped over to a couch and picked up a long shape from it, a sapphire blue snake with small clawed limbs, smoke fuming from its horned head. “Dragons? Oh no.”
Karen retreated back up a stair, “They’re yours?”
“No. Do you take coffee or hot chocolate?” He mused, hung the blue dragon around his neck and considered her frazzled state, “Maybe not coffee. You are safe Miss Thomson, this is Logan’s home. Take a seat.”
“Oh oh, so you’re his...uncle Max?” She asked slowly as the man turned and limped to a counter, turning a kettle on, “Wait, listen! They killed a kid! A little chinese girl outside, the green one just, like, it annihilated her into a bloody mist! They’re not safe!”
“Matt. The girl is fine, she does that.” The adult grunted.
“What? Turns into mist?”
“And tricks people.” He glanced at a heavy cast on his right foot, “If you’re not going to sit, do you mind opening the front door?”
“Are you sure? Matt?”
“Well it’s short for Matchitehew but I prefer Matt.” The man wiped his glasses with a wry smile, “You’re not scared are you, Miss Thomson?”
Scared? Her heart was still fast, frame tense. But she gritted her teeth. Don’t show weakness. She wasn’t a scared little girl. And so she strode over, forced her fingers to turn the lock, and recoiled at two scaly creatures standing on the porch.
Yet the dragons didn’t move, their eyes flicked over her, then towards Matt. With a grunt the red one lay down like a cat, while the other jostled it, stamping as both released a peculiar stream of hisses, grunts and growls that was returned by the blue steaming wyrm.
“No, that was rude.” Matt suddenly turned like a teacher, “Miss Thomson here is a friend of Logan’s. And that nice Miss Carpenter….. no, you didn’t hurt her, but she could have fallen off the building because of you…. No, you’re not defending me, I have it under control. You’re just causing mischief with Jess.”
Karen frowned as she followed the exchange of English and growls, “Are you- are you talking with them?”
“Yes. I am a Mage, Miss Thomson. I understand dragons, but they do understand you, and they really should know better.” He chided, and carefully shuffled over with two steaming mugs. “Meet Hect-uh, Hex, and Nessie. And Shen. They are dragon hatchlings which I have been granted the….. great honour of overseeing. And they both apologise profusely for scaring you. They were trying to protect our new house.”
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The red one bobbed its head and lay down, while the green one shook its horned skull, hissing back venomously.
“And Nessie is so sorry she’d be deeply honoured if you would decorate her as you see fit at any stage, she loves to be covered in pink bows.” He translated, prompting a further reptilian tirade. The red one- Hex- added a few growls of his own, only for the green to turn her fury on him, and suddenly lunge, tackling and throwing the other off the porch. Within seconds they were a whirlwind of scales, claws and beating wings, tumbling over one another, jaws snapping at one another's necks.
“So… is that what Logan meant when he said you had some wild kids?” Karen nervously sat on the nearest chair, accepting the hot chocolate to sip.
“Yes. Hex is probably nine, Nessie is supposedly eight, and Shen here is definitely six.” He brushed the blue’s scales, and the creature stirred, dunking its snout into the other mug to lap up brown warmth. “They are all sapient, but they are still children so they don’t really count. They like stupid games. My apologies.”
She took another long draught, then considered the maelstrom of scales and hissing. Despite the violence, she could see no blood or cuts. The beasts- the Mystics- must be play-fighting, like how she’d fought Caleb at that age all too often. But if they weren’t playing?
Karen shuddered and focussed on enjoying the hot chocolate for a long moment. “Is Logan home? He promised me he’d try some magic, if that’s alright?”
“Off and out already, helping new arrivals. But if you want to find him- uh Jess? Can you help Miss Thomson find the field?” He called out the open doorway.
A pitter patter of small claws came from the porch, before the little olive skinned girl peered in the doorway, dark eyes glittering with amusement and a bright yellow dress now adorning her, “Yup! Hi Mrs Thomson!”
“Uh, Karen. Not missus.” She tilted her head, the girl seemed without injury, or footwear, “You’re magic too?”
“I’m not a mage, I can’t do anything like Logan can!” She tilted her head cherubically, “Come on old lady!”
Matt shared a long exhausted gaze with Karen, set down the blue dragon and turned to limp back towards a room full of pipes and chemical equipment. She was clearly dismissed, and so she drained the last dregs and cautiously stepped out into the morning once more. No claws laid into her, if anything she seemed to be ignored in favour of wrestling.
“Hey, Nessie- sorry for jumping off you,” She called half-heartedly, and flinched as the hatchling glowered in her direction from where the red one had it pinned.
“It was amazing, you’re super fast! And you thought I died!” Jess cheered and ran right by the creatures, arms out like an airplane.
“So that was all a joke? You’re as bad as Ollie.” Karen groaned and kept a safer distance as she followed, down a narrower path and onto a new road.
“Hmm, you caught me by surprise- would ‘AAAA, DRAGONS’ sound better?” The child-thing squealed, “Or maybe just fall and faint?”
“You know, I think longer is better,” Karen lied, glaring at the mischief, “More like, ‘Oh no I’m so surprised at the existence of the supernatural I can’t move.’ That’s basically what I said yesterday, super genuine.”
“Supernatural is a good word. It has super in it.” Jess considered gravely, then suddenly dove towards the trees, “Oh, there’s someone ahead, let’s surprise them!”
“Ooooor how about we don’t?” Karen murmured, stamping over a branch to snap it as she yelled. “OI! WATCH OUT, JUMP SCARE!”
The figure in a heavy jacket turned, and she recoiled slightly at the familiar face. Caleb was her year, her neighbour, a big beefy boy built for football. Messy mousy curls frame a square jaw, startled eyes and a slight blush.
“Wha- oh hey K-Karen,” He stammered, clutching a notepad protectively in massive hands. “Uh- what? Who’s g-going to jump me?”
“The little kid,” She went to point, but the girl was gone. “Dammit. She keeps vanishing, stupid minx, she turns into mist or… something.”
“Huh.” He stared at her uncertainly.
“Oh. Right- look, this’ll sound crazy, but…” She hesitated. It was weird seeing Caleb skipping too, though he hadn’t been at school all week, “Look, you know all that fantasy stuff? Dragons, mermaids, ghosts, magic?”
“Yeah?”
“All real. That’s what this… ridiculous panic stuff’s been about.” Karen grimaced, it sounded so awkward in her words, “Anyway, d’you know anything about people moving onto a field around here?”
Caleb cocked his head slowly, and nodded, as if piecing things together. “Yeah, it’s down this path, the old caravan site….. Ah. Right. Yeah. Should’ve guessed.”
“Guessed what? You saw something?”
“You’re magic right?” Caleb ventured, cheeks blushing slightly, “Like… uh, an angel? Or a fairy?”
“Haha, no, I’m not that short!” She snapped at his weird tone. “You’re just massive. And maybe don’t accuse people of being mystics, it’s kinda rude.”
“Ahh, sorry. I meant it as a… nevermind.” He drooped abashedly, “You just seemed confident. Like an expert.”
“Nah, I found out yesterday. There’s a new kid who knows aaaaall about it, bug him. His uncle said he was helping at this camp place.” Karen chewed her lip, “Maybe strangers is fine, but… don’t question species of people you know, kay?”
“Sure. I’m human, by the way…. What’s the mist kid you mentioned?”
“A menace. Dunno. Ghost or something? She’d probably just waiting for us to drop our guards, then she’ll- oooh.”
Any worries about mischiefs vanished as she beheld the sight of the site. It had been here for awhile, so the location wasn’t a shock. Normally it was old and overgrown as a campsite however, housing maybe three or four trailers, campervans or caravans. That number had soared easily into the double digits. Porta-cabins, diggers, scaffolding and industry hummed like a beehive, even assembling some small houses.
That wasn’t what drew her eyes.
It was the mystics. There were dozens. Humans made up only a third or so of the workforce. Huge shaggy shapes, seven feet tall, hefted boxes and poles; squat big nosed brutes were working on burying pipes between the caravans; a massive mole appeared to be digging up the ditches for them; a flame-orange eagle tied wires to a high pole; a scaled panther beast slumbered on a roof; leafy haired girls played with a cloven hoofed boy and she spied Jess rushing over to them.
And those were only what she could see, Karen realised as her eyes swept over the apparently human figures. Burly hardhat wearing workmen, tired ladies in headdresses, even the old man in the wheelchair could feasibly be a Mystic in disguise. How many were there?
“Welcome to the Ranelk Mystic Camp, or something like that, noone told me the proper name,” Caleb noted her bemused face, fingers drumming on his sketchbook, “Apparently we’re the magic place for the state. Some government scheme. Keeps all… this…. Pretty remote away from cities, y’know?”
“I guess I do.” Karen muttered. Maddie had been one thing, but she had rather assumed mystics would all be human or human like- this variety though, the feral dragons and whatever strange thing Jess was, completely blew her away. “Watch out for that little chinese girl- oh and the guy I’m looking for is taller than you, skinny, long black hair.”
Caleb sighed, “Sure, though we might have to ask someo-”
“Oi!” that someone broke their reverie as a woman stomped forwards. Woman rather undersold her though- she loomed as tall as Matt, broader than Pa, and boasted grey skin and six thick arms from her shoulders. The face was strict, green eyes fierce, yet she still dressed sensibly with a high visibility vest over her body warmer, helmet over wild locks, and heavy steel-toed boots. “Caleb, I told you- no coming up here to gawk! These people are not a freak show for your amusement!”
“Loud and clear Exi, I remember!” Caleb raised hands placatingly, “See, no camera this time. I just thought, I’m off school, I could offer to help out if you needed a… uh… hand?”
Karen snorted, then winced as she noticed the giant was in fact missing one hand, a stump ending in a prosthetic hook with a clipboard, “Sorry about him, I’m just looking for Logan. You know him?”
One thumb jerked back towards the chaos, “He’s bugging Diana. You’re serious? We’re falling behind, so no messing up.” Exi jolted a hand forwards to Caleb, “You, help carry pipes with the goblins, from that truck to those areas. And you, little lady… hmm, see if anyone needs a coffee, get them to them.”
“Excuse me!?” Karen fumed, “I can help just as much as Caleb can, I’m not weak, you two are just massiv-”
“Fine, shut up,” A huge grey hand cut her off, “Go help move boxes then, don’t break anything or you’ll pay for it, kid. Well, go, get moving!”
Exi dismissed them with thunderous claps, before turning to begin berating the giant mole thing, and Karen flashed a triumphant smile as she hurried past. Something disguised as a little old lady, or a real one, enlisted her help in carrying boxes into a caravan, and Karen did three runs before realising she’d gotten sidetracked. She wanted to fly, not help! But the little gran did promise baking, so she elected to finish aiding before searching with the aid of a nature bar.
* * * * *
Caleb had managed to locate the boy before her, and she found them carrying either end of a long pipe across the camp in progress, the beefier boy grinning broadly.
“Aha, still around- hey Karen, did you know this guy’s a-”
“Yeah, a wizard, I know!” She came alongside eagerly, slightly amused at how much Logan looked with the weight, “Found you! Finally.”
“Not wizard. Mage,” Logan grunted as he struggled to place the other end down, “Secondly- what do you mean finally? It’s barely noon.”
“Yeah, and I’ve gotten chased by your pet dragons, tricked by a ghost girl and spent ages moving stuff trying to get you. To fly, remember?” Karen demanded and narrowed her eyes, “Or was that just empty talk?”
“Oh. Well sorry to break you out of your tunnel vision, but you’re not my number one priority Karen.” Logan dusted his hands off, and Caleb gave an odd sigh of relief, “Also, the dragons aren’t pets. That’s… don’t let them hear that word.”
“You’ve got dragons? Dude, that’s awesome,” Caleb pulled out his notebook, “And how do people fly? Can you enchant Karen?”
“Not superman fly, but yeah.” Logan grumbled, “And I do kinda owe her.”
“There’s no kinda about it. Your last demonstration had me lose my legs and regrow them.” Karen added, omitting Maddie.
“Because you didn’t liste- are you writing all this down bud?”
“Yeah. Ton of fake news out there. Figured I’d investigate myself and put a proper explanation in the school paper.” Caleb explained, “Nothing too specific, but just about magic existing and all. Plenty of people still think it’s fake.”
“Alright, that’s nice, but we don’t have a school paper.” Karen commented.
“Well, we can. Or a pamphlet at least. C’mon, it’s fun. What would be a good name?”
“Well alliteration is always awesome, so… Ranelk Runner? Write? Raven?” Logan pondered, patting his hands clean.
“Or, y’know, just Ranelk High News,” Karen suggested, and smirked as he wrote it down, “Anyway, what’s so complicated about getting me to fly?”
“The bit where I make you fly.” The mage spread his hands, “Look, you know what’s kept my family in business? Veil. Shapeshifting stuff to human. There might be levitation rites out there, but I know how to turn stuff into other stuff. So I’d need to turn you into… say, a bug, or bat or bird.”
“No superman flight? Right. Well, I’d prefer a bird if I get a choice.”
“Fair. But consider- bird’s have their whole life to learn to fly. You’d have a couple of hours, if that. And any injuries- or death- stick. Break a wing? There goes your arm. Smash off the ground?” He mimed a finger across his throat. “So I gotta make a potion that comes with instincts, to know how to fly off the bat…. Dude, maybe don’t make this an article.”
“Yeah, I was searching for him first. You have to book your own interview.” Karen teased, “Reckon you can do that though, Logan? That… I’m psyched, it sounds awesome.”
Logan sighed, “Is she always this pushy?”
“Uh, n-no comment.” Caleb smiled nervously as he bent low to lift another pipe. “But yeah, I’ll leave this out and… ask you stuff some less busy time?”
“Alright. Sounds good, man.” He bent to lift another pipe, “Aaaaand, yeah, it’s a challenge, but my uncle’s a pro at mental magic. Can try it for the weekend. Just don’t bug anyone around here, you can get back to school.”
“Me, bug people? I’m helping- move it beanpole,” She scampered around to grab the pipe and strained to heave it up. “See. Tell him, Caleb.”
“No, you’re chill. But can you help hold it up higher before I break my back?” He chuckled from the other end, and let her struggle with the front end back towards the mole trench where a water system was being installed. Exi soon noticed and shooed Karen away from heavy lifting, sending her back to help new arrivals settle and transport objects.
It was tiresome work, but miles better than another boring day at school. Even if the lifting and carrying was tedious, the company and sheer variety of mystics was overwhelming and engrossing. Each van was a new species, a new encounter, a new citizen. More than one asked of her true nature, and flattered her for being a helpful welcoming human. Caleb was even more intrigued and soon joined her, recognizing names of various myths and legends- Bugganes and Centaurs, Satyrs and Dryads, Phoenix and Gegenees all sounded like nonsense words to her but he nodded with an amusing familiarity.
It was afternoon before she recognised anyone else- or rather, she was recognized.
“Ah, Syliva released you from purgatory, eh Karen?” The voice was loud, sweet and cheerful as hot cocoa. Much like the man. Hugh Carpenter looked like a young Father Christmas- a short jolly man with thick glasses and a flapping duffel coat. His blonde hair was slick, gait bouncy and excitable.
It was hard to picture his portly frame as naga. It was also hard to picture him as mayor, though he’d held the post for seven years. He was just Maddie’s dad.
“Heya Hugh- you know anything about this?” She gestured playfully to the chaos and construction. “New neighbours.”
“Oh, yes, it’s just super-duper, though a little disruptive as all starts are! Apologies, but everything’s coming together- thanks so much for lending a hand, probably better here, hmm?”
“Exi’s a hard taskmaster- uh, but don’t… tell my folks. Please? I kinda didn’t get permission… quite yet. They don’t know.” She swallowed for emphasis, “About any of this.”
“Karen. Favour for a favour hmm? I gotta get another bundle from the car, and you’re a strong gal!” He clapped her on the shoulder, beamed and strode towards a black SUV. “Always good to help others, you know? Especially volunteering to help out.”
“Yeah. Sure. Is that why they’re all here? You’re helping them?” She wondered, following to the trunk of the car.
“Oh yes, this country can be like an awful jigsaw puzzle sometimes, where people can’t quite find their place. I mean look at the panhandle, absolutely madness, I say. These people are people. They need somewhere to live openly, the government wants them out of the cities, and our humble valley can provide that and more.” He blustered, piling a box of folders into her hands.
“But… Maddie can’t?” Karen dropped her voice, “Live openly? That’s not fair!”
The mayor paused, quiet. Careful. His mint-green eyes flicked around, and he grabbed another folder to set on the box.
“The world’s not fair. Hakuna motata, and all that.” Hugh’s voice was mellow, eyes cold, “We’ve talked it over. Sure, maybe a fresh start somewhere would be just lovely- move to hawaii, enjoy the sea, that’d swell. But round here, we can help people. Our people.”
“That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? But, tricky as things are, keeping the secret helps people more. You might’ve noticed, but people don’t exactly react fondly to the truth. Or snakes.”
“Uh-huh… yeah, I kinda… stamped on her tail,” The teenager flushed, adjusting her grip on the sagging boxes. “I panicked. I’m sorry. Is Maddie okay?”
“Grounded for the moment- Ah da da, that’s the rule.” He waved a pudgy finger, “She slipped up, she’s got to be responsible- if I slip up I’ll be mega-grounded, promise. And you can try not to kick the next thing that scares you, hmm?”
“Yeah. Sure.” Karen grunted, deciding not to mention she’d jumped on a dragon already today. “But what about M-”
“That’s a secret. Like your extra-curricular activities here.” Mayor Carpenter smiled bleakly. “We can cover for each other, right? Maddie loves you like a sister, so don’t mess things for her, don’t mention it to anyone. Things are messy enough, and there’s a lot needing done.”
He wasn’t who he seemed. Karen suppressed a shudder. Was this the same man who’d ran on ‘Who’s the Mayor? Hugh’s the Mayor?’, who lived for dad jokes, who’d driven her home from school? Was any of that real, or just camouflage for a snake blending in amongst humans?
“I already promised Maddie. Don’t worry Mr Carpenter,” She breathed, then tilted her head, “Is pretty please really mayoral language?”
“If it works it works! It never hurts to be polite,” He was all charm and cocoa again, and set a final file into the folder, “Take those to the office alright? You’re a star!”
“Yeah- okay Hugh?” Karen nodded, and took off across the camp, struggling with the pile of paperwork she’d been given. She was out of sight of the car before she realised she didn’t know where the office was.
A screech like a banshee set her nerves aflame, and Karen yelped, spinning and dropping the folders in a startled heap.
“GOT YOU BACK!” Jess, the child menace cheered, before running off in terror as the teenager set to chasing her. Despite the anger, chaos and confusion, Karen found a fierce grin creeping across her lips.