Welcome back for a special Saturday post!

This story from guest writer Leslie Rohman started on Tuesday, continued on Thursday, and finishes today, so if you’re just checking in, start the story here, continue here, and then read today’s post.

Otherwise, enjoy the end of our adventure with Thonk, Sunshine, and the Piffians!

Sunshine’s Edge Part 3 of 3

Thonk was sleeping lightly tonight in case the fairy decided to cause any more trouble, he would be prepared. What he would do if he encountered the little brute, he still didn’t know. At first the shaking seemed to him like some part of the daydream he’d been having. He was remembering the last time he stomped hard enough to make people fall over.

But then he realized the floor of his cave beneath him was really moving. His nest of gold was tinkling and jumping like popcorn in a kettle just before they explode into all their fluffy goodness. He jumped up and ran as fast as was possible round and round, up and up. Out into the night he flung himself, not even noticing his dizziness for once.

The sight before him was enough to make his blood boil. Fire! That little devil had set fire to the corn fields! And then he saw her. She was coming his way. She would pay.

He shot like an arrow straight towards the fairy, planning to incinerate her before she got close enough to do any harm to him. But the little bugger was faster than he anticipated and before he even had time to suck in a breath, she was upon him.

But then all Thonk knew was the craziest tickling sensation in his right ear. And a high pitched screaming coming from inside his own head. “NO! NO! NO! Ring the gong, get the people up, NO, NO, NO, not fast enough! “

Thonk covered his ears with both claws and spun around as he tried to make this crazy noise stop and also see where the fairy had gone. As he spun, his tail smacked the gong. But he just kept whipping round. Where was the fairy? She was going to get him! Images of boils underneath his scales or his teeth falling out flashed through his mind. Every time he whipped around, his tail smacked the gong.

Thonk bellowed in frustration as the screechy voice in his head wouldn’t stop.

“Too late! Wait, What? Where am I?  Gah! AHH! EEEEW!” It shrieked.

“Stop! Stop screechin’!” Thonk shouted. And still not seeing the fairy he crashed into the violently rolling ground, just as the groggy but scared Piffians started emerging from their homes.

“You can HEAR me???” The screechy voice screeched and Thonk smacked his head on the ground to try and get it to stop. “WHOA! Listen to me, you have to get the people out of here now! This earthquake is gonna bring down some of the mountain. Hurry! RIGHT NOW!” The screechy voice talked so fast Thonk almost couldn’t understand it.

“Why are you screechin’ inside my head? Who are you? And where did that blasted fairy go?” He still crouched on the ground, both claws over his ears.

“No time! The people are going to die! Please hurry!!”

The thought of his people in danger was enough to get him up off the ground. And then a light went off in his head as he realized it had to be the fairy who was screaming at him.

“MOVE!” he roared to the people who were staring at him like he’d gone crazy. They were trying desperately to hold on to anything to keep from falling down. Ah! Another light bulb. The fires in the field were to get the people moving and out of harm’s way!

“FIRE! East cornfield!” Thonk shouted. And then the people moved as only those can who know what it’s like to have your whole existence depending on the beloved crops they grow. Even with the heavily rolling ground and buildings starting to collapse, the people grabbed water buckets and raced off towards the river first and then towards the field that was in danger.  Thonk knew everyone would help, men, women and children. He had no fear of anyone being left inside.

““““““““““

Sunshine was totally grossed out by her current surroundings. This dragon’s ear had more wax in it than the birdbath at the tree house had water! She was stuck up to her wings, and couldn’t move at all. Being inside his head as he sat on the shaking ground was also starting to make her seasick. But she was just trying to concentrate on the job at hand and then she could figure out how to get out.

She couldn’t believe he could hear her! “Are they all out? The earthquake is still getting worse. Oh! The mountain! Are you still sitting below it? The top half was about to slide this way!”

“Gar! Stop wigglin’ in there, that tickles!” The dragon roared back at her. “And slow down, can’t understand a thing you’re sayin.”

Sunshine tried to slow herself, but this crazy beast had to get out of the way. He was big, but the top half of this mountain would crush even him. “The Mountain’s coming down! Please move!!”

She felt him swing his head round to see behind him. “My gold! My cave!” He boomed as he took off.

“We can dig for it later! Please don’t go in there!”

This stopped him short, “We? You…. you would help me? Aren’t you in my ear to torment me and make my nose bleed or somethin’ like that?”

Ah, blasted dragon’s stories! She knew she’d stopped him long enough already though as she heard and felt the crashing and bouncing of the rocks as they slipped from their resting places.

“NOOOOOOOOO!” Thonk wailed and let loose a torrent of flame that Sunshine could feel even from inside his ear. She had no idea a dragon could breath fire for so long, he just kept going and going!

Huh, the wax surrounding her was getting softer. He was melting his own earwax! Just a little bit more. Yes! She was free! And the earthquake was just about ended also.

Sunshine’s wings were still coated which made flying out of the question. She started crawling her way out. This got his attention. The fire stopped and he shook his head back and forth like a dog with a bone.

“Hold on, Sir Dragon, I’m almost out.” She felt a shiver run up his whole body as she exited and clambered to the top of his head. She hoped that this was still close enough for him to hear her.

She sat on his nose, looking into his left eye. “Can you still hear me?”

He just nodded, his eyes wide with fear. “Good, then yes of course, I’ll help you get to your gold. All you think you know is so far from the truth. But first, are the townspeople safe?” He loved these people, that much was clear. Even with his mountain home collapsed on top of his precious treasure, a mere mention of the Piffians took his full attention.

Thonk spun around and flapped swiftly towards the smoking cornfield.  As he flew, Sunshine climbed up and over to where she could hide behind a spike on top of his head, she didn’t want to frighten the people any further than they already were and she told him as much. He landed nearest to the town mayor.

“Did everyone get out?” Thonk queried.

“All but old Walter. He always did sleep like a rock and was too deaf to even hear the gong….” The mayor hung his head.

“Ahhh, a kinder man, I never knew. He’ll be sore missed. Looks like we have some replantin’ and buildin’ to see to.”

“Yes, at least it’s early in the season and it’s warm enough, people can sleep outdoors without freezing.” The mayor was a great planner and thinker, perfectly suited to his job. Seeing this made Sunshine feel a little better. She was heartbroken for these people.

“Now the sun’s comin’ up I better go see about what’s left of the mountain. I’ll be back soon to help.” Thonk said as he flew away. “Now I think you, little missy, have some explainin’ to do.”

The End

Blessings,

Jennifer

P.S. Hope you enjoyed this week’s story. Tuesday will start us on a new adventure, one in which you, the reader, get to have a say in how the story plays out. So check back for details!