Sequel: Angel ›
The Blank Book
Fire
After a little bit they saw the river up ahead with the curve; the lighting-struck yew within it. There was a ford where they crossed. Tre was a parrot right now.
"We sure are staying in for awhile this time, eh?" Billie said.
"We sure are staying in for awhile this time, eh?" Tre repeated, mimicking him but using his voice.
"Shut up, Tre," Billie said.
"Shut up, Tre."
"I'm serious."
"I'm serious," Tre said preppily, still using Billie Joe's voice.
"Don't make me."
"Don't make me."
"Tre," Billie held his palm upward and a flame appeared, hovering right above the skin, "I'm not afraid to hurl this at you."
"Tre," Tre picked up a rock off the ground and transformed it into a blob of green slimy stuff which stuck to his talons, though looked like if he chucked it correctly, it would be dislodged, "I'm not afraid to hurl this at you."
Billie narrowed his eyes. "You wouldn't."
"You wouldn't."
Billie threw the fireball at then made a small wall of fire as Tre hurled the chunk of slime at him. Tre changed into a fly and the fireball missed him and landed on the ground yards away. Meanwhile, the slime ball made it through the wall of fire and hit Billie square in the face.
Tre changed back into a parrot and grinned. "I made it fireproof in case you did something like that."
Billie disgustedly wiped his face with his hand. "What even is this stuff?"
"Snot," Tre answered simply.
Billie Joe gagged and started frantically scraping it off his face. He shook his snot-covered hands and a few flecks got on his horse who snorted.
"Poor little horsey, you have stupid, mean old Billie Joe riding you," Tre said, flying over to the horse.
Billie paused from his cleaning off to sniff the air. "I smell something burning."
"Not again," Mike muttered to himself.
"But it doesn't smell good this time, so it's not me that's on fire," Tre said.
Suddenly it dawned on Billie what it was. "Shit! It's the fireball I threw!"
The horses started to toss their heads nervously and Mike's reared. He didn't seem fazed by it. His horse started to crab-step, but he steadied it. He got off and handed the reins over to Billie. He went over to the fire that had started on the grass and stomped it out as though it was no big deal. When it was all out, he walked calmly back to his horse and took the reins back from Billie. He silently got on and got his horse going at a cantor.
Billie was starting to get worried by his best friend's behavior. Pretty soon they stopped to rest and eat lunch which was mac-and-cheese with cokes, courtesy of Tre.
"I hope we go back soon," Billie said, "I'm starting to get worried by how long we've stayed here."
And as if his words were magic, they had the familiar sensation they had had three times before already.
"We sure are staying in for awhile this time, eh?" Billie said.
"We sure are staying in for awhile this time, eh?" Tre repeated, mimicking him but using his voice.
"Shut up, Tre," Billie said.
"Shut up, Tre."
"I'm serious."
"I'm serious," Tre said preppily, still using Billie Joe's voice.
"Don't make me."
"Don't make me."
"Tre," Billie held his palm upward and a flame appeared, hovering right above the skin, "I'm not afraid to hurl this at you."
"Tre," Tre picked up a rock off the ground and transformed it into a blob of green slimy stuff which stuck to his talons, though looked like if he chucked it correctly, it would be dislodged, "I'm not afraid to hurl this at you."
Billie narrowed his eyes. "You wouldn't."
"You wouldn't."
Billie threw the fireball at then made a small wall of fire as Tre hurled the chunk of slime at him. Tre changed into a fly and the fireball missed him and landed on the ground yards away. Meanwhile, the slime ball made it through the wall of fire and hit Billie square in the face.
Tre changed back into a parrot and grinned. "I made it fireproof in case you did something like that."
Billie disgustedly wiped his face with his hand. "What even is this stuff?"
"Snot," Tre answered simply.
Billie Joe gagged and started frantically scraping it off his face. He shook his snot-covered hands and a few flecks got on his horse who snorted.
"Poor little horsey, you have stupid, mean old Billie Joe riding you," Tre said, flying over to the horse.
Billie paused from his cleaning off to sniff the air. "I smell something burning."
"Not again," Mike muttered to himself.
"But it doesn't smell good this time, so it's not me that's on fire," Tre said.
Suddenly it dawned on Billie what it was. "Shit! It's the fireball I threw!"
The horses started to toss their heads nervously and Mike's reared. He didn't seem fazed by it. His horse started to crab-step, but he steadied it. He got off and handed the reins over to Billie. He went over to the fire that had started on the grass and stomped it out as though it was no big deal. When it was all out, he walked calmly back to his horse and took the reins back from Billie. He silently got on and got his horse going at a cantor.
Billie was starting to get worried by his best friend's behavior. Pretty soon they stopped to rest and eat lunch which was mac-and-cheese with cokes, courtesy of Tre.
"I hope we go back soon," Billie said, "I'm starting to get worried by how long we've stayed here."
And as if his words were magic, they had the familiar sensation they had had three times before already.