Bad Timing
“What’s the meaning of this? I can’t have this kind of disorder going on.”
Chronos held onto his robe as Gaia’s temper threatened to whip it off his body. The gale-force winds strengthened as she awaited his answer.
“I’ve been gone for a week,” Chronos said, stumbling in an effort to stay upright. “What happened?”
“That volcano in Iceland – the one with the unpronounceable name – has opened a time vortex beneath it. My flora is mixing into unlikely combinations and the seeds are sprouting over Europe. If the sheep eat it…”
“I’ll get right on it.” Chronos backed away from her wrath and left in a hurry, stopping only long enough to collect Death on the way.
“I guess we left at a bad time?” Death peered down through the volcano, the spinning maelstrom far below mesmerizing him as it churned.
“Apparently.” Chronos dropped a grain of sand down the funnel and the vortex closed.
“That was easy. What was Gaia so mad about?”
“This was the simple part.” Chronos wiped the ash from his brow. “The real trouble is over in Ireland. The present-day flora mixed with some prehistoric flora.”
“Oh…you mean like the time—”
“I don’t even want to think about it.” Chronos felt a sudden chill, even standing in a base of lava.
“Cheer up, my friend.” Death dropped his jaw in a smile. “It can’t be that bad. We’ll just pop over and have a look around.”
The field in Galway looked peaceful, a gentle rain misting the unusual hybrid grass. Not a sheep in sight.
“I wonder where they all are?” Chronos scanned the horizon but didn’t see any animals at all. “We’ll have to walk over to the next valley. Maybe they didn’t eat this grass after all.”
Death turned toward the gentle slope and fell flat on his skull.
“I think I found your missing sheep,” he said, picking blades of grass out of his eye sockets.
Chronos patted the air with his hands and felt wads of cotton fluff.
“Oh no, they’re invisible. Gaia’s going to have my head.”
“Cheer up, my friend.” Death shuffled around the hidden obstacles to put his arm around his distraught sidekick. “It’s still better than the time you turned the goats into satyrs.”
“Not really.” Chronos gave a shrug, looking morosely at the empty field. “At least you could see them.”
You are the mistress of the cliff hanger are you not. A week to read more of this delightful romp is toooooo long. Sheep are sneaky and treacherous even when visible.
I agree, EC. Laura knows how to tease her readers.
Sheep cause so much trouble, EC.
Sorry about the weekly tease. Someday I’ll have enough of these stories to gather into a book.
Invisible sheep, “wads of cotton fluff,” are still better than the vampire sheep Elephant’s Child had to ground into mulch for her garden. But Chronos is right: satyrs are always good to see — doing what they do. Oh, my, I believe one is knocking at my door this very moment. Good timing for me! Volcanic eruptions opening time vortices — I’ll buy that.
But sheep are so sneaky, Ron! You are in peril if you lose track of them. Can you imagine what they might have done to EC’s garden if invisible? At least Satyrs are up front about their intentions.
I absolutely love your visual. Falling on his skull and pulling blades of grass from his eye socket. You are a gifted writer.
Thanks, Ciara! I learned a few anatomy terms writing these as well.
Invisible wool makes for invisible clothes. Wait, that could be a good thing!
We could design a line of clothes for the Emperor, Alex!
Hmm.. so bleating without a source. Sounds like a lot of media I watch and read….
As always, fun story Laura.
It does sound like modern-day media, Julie.
The predators will be confused though.
That could be a good thing, Diane…unless the wolves become invisible too.
Loved it…would like to see more!
Thanks, Tammy! The boys are here every Friday.
I loved the way the volcano tied into flora from another time and how it affected the sheep. Great stuff, Laura!
Next time you hear invisible bleating you’ll know why, Mary.
I agree with EC, your cliffhangers are killers! I don’t want to wait another week to find out what happens next. Poor Chronos, he can’t get a break.
Chronos seems to thrive on confusion, Julie.
Oh, cool! They’re gonna get into a lot of trouble over this one, I’m sure.
They are the trouble brothers, Carol.
You won a book today at my site, Laura.
Woohoo! Thank you, Diane!
So, are the invisible sheep’s poop also invisible? Death might want to watch his step.
I hadn’t thought of that, Jay…he might want to watch where he’s going.