My Fairy Godmonster

My Fairy
Godmonster

by

Denice Hughes Lewis

Copyright 2010 Denice Hughes Lewis

Smashwords Edition

Discover these titles by Denice Hughes Lewis
at:

http://www.denicehugheslewis.com

Dragon Cloud

Hye-Jynx: Quest One

This book is for all who believe in the magic
of life.

Special thanks to my family for their
editing, proofreading, cover art, unfailing support and
inspiration.

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of this author.

Chapter 1: No Turn Around

The rays of the summer sun streak through the
dark forest like sheets of iridescent gold. Dancer’s hooves barely
touch the ground as we race through the trees. I’m flying, hardly
able to breathe. We ride as one. My horse’s strength and power
ripple under me.

BOOM.

Black clouds and blinding chrome flash in
front of us. Dancer stops dead. I fly off his back past a blurred
vision of metallic wings.

My butt hits the ground. “Owww.”

I’m on my feet the minute I hear his
terrified whinny. Visions of cougar and bear flash through my mind.
Chills crash down my spine.

Dancer gallops for home.

“Wait! Come back!” I yell. He’s gone. I don’t
want to turn around to see what scared Dancer enough to leave me
behind. But I do.

Too terrified to scream, I stare into huge,
yellow cat eyes shining from the mist. My heart pounds in my chest.
The blood drains to my toes. I try to run, but my legs collapse
like wet noodles. Something grabs me by the back of my shirt.

“Let go!” I yell and fall backward.

The mist disappears. I can’t stop shaking. A
female monster smiles at me, tiny fangs brilliant white against her
creamy mocha skin. She is six-feet of lean muscle. Her face - a
cross between a fox and a cat, yet oddly human. Orange hair spikes
above pointy ears. Bright yellow boots with five-inch heels fit
over a slinky red jumpsuit.

I jump up and run. Hear the crack of a whip.
A heavy weight hits me from behind, grinding me into the ground. I
can’t move. Heartbeats slam in my throat. I gasp for breath. Warm
slime drips on my head.

Suddenly, an alarm blares. My eyes pop open.
Kong slobbers on my face, pinning me to my bed. He’s my dog, a
hundred-and-forty-pound bullmastiff. I weigh a hundred pounds when
I’m wet. I want to hug him in relief, but I can’t move or breathe.
Bells clang in my head.

“
Get - off,” I
gasp.

The dog heaves himself off the bed. His tail
whacks the clock against the wall. Relief.

I suck in air, my heart still hammering my
ribcage. Chills wiggle up my spine like speeding worms. I blink to
be sure I’m really in my bedroom. Somehow the ugly, rose wallpaper
comforts me. I calm down, unaware that a real nightmare is
barreling toward me.

Life should give you warning road signs, so
you are prepared when your heart starts breaking an inch at a
time.

Chapter 2: Be Prepared To Change Lanes

I drag out of bed. Scrounge around for the
clock. It’s dead, frozen at 6:00 a.m. The first day of summer
vacation and I still have to get up for ranch chores.

“Winifred, breakfast,” yells Dad from
downstairs.

How many Winifred’s do you know? Yeah,
thought so. Dad named me after my mother. She died when I was born.
I looked Winifred up in a baby name book once. It means ‘friend of
peace.’ Not. With my red hair and temper? I wonder if it fit Mom? I
think I miss her, but it’s hard to know what it’s like to have a
mother.

My best friend, Jacinda Adoncia Belita
Garcia, says I should live with her awhile. Then I’d know about
mothers. But Jac, that’s what I call her, has five sisters and six
brothers.

Her mom doesn’t need another kid hanging
around.

Dad and I raise and train a Latin American
breed of horse called Los Caballos de Paso Fino, the ‘horse with
the fine step.’ The Conquistadors used them for conquering South
America. Our ranch, Smith’s Paso Finos, is cool. Forests and
snowcapped mountains in Oregon surround us. I try not to think
about the mountains, ‘cause they are extinct volcanoes. School is
twenty miles away in a small resort town called Sisters.

Lots of tourists and artists.

Dad and I make a great team. I help with the
ranch, feed the horses, muck out the stable and do the cooking and
housework in our two-story farmhouse. It’s old, but freshly painted
outside. I like the way the white columns and trim contrast with
the deep green of the house.

The stable and barn are newly refurbished. We
have a hundred and thirty acres of fenced pasture and forest
wilderness.

Dad trains our horses, except mine, takes
care of the pastures, the barn and runs the business. Paso Fino is
a popular breed of horse. These special horses have a natural,
extra gait for a smooth ride. Very cool.

Being fifteen is not cool. I’m okay as long
as I don’t look in a mirror. My freckles are not cute. Or using
sunscreen all the time so my face doesn’t match my red hair. Plain
is a nice word to describe me. The boys at school whisper ‘ugly’
behind my back. They know if I hear it, my face turns red and they
think that’s really funny. Boys are jerks. I steer clear of all of
them.

I pull on jeans and a long-sleeved shirt.

Kong barks and turns the handle on my bedroom
door. Since his head reaches up four-and-a-half feet, it’s easy for
him. He shoves through the door.

The smell of frying bacon filters up the
stairs. I hurry down, my stomach grumbling.

“Morning, Win,” says Dad. “Happy Vacation.
Thought I’d cook for you, to celebrate.”

I smile and kiss his cheek.

“Thanks, Dad. Do I dare?”

He smiles. “Who taught you to cook, Miss
Smarty Pants?”

I tease him, “Guess you can’t really mess up
bacon and eggs.”

Dad heaps a plate of dog food for Kong and
sits it on the floor. It’s gone in ten seconds. Even I can’t eat
that fast.

After breakfast, Dad and I watch a DVD about
a stallion for sale. Dad uses Kong as a footrest. The dog sleeps a
lot because he’s thirteen.

Dad admires the horse. “Look at that
stallion’s footwork.”

“Great confirmation,” I say. “I think he
would complement our mare’s bloodlines. Are you going to buy
him?”

“I want to. What do you think?”

I’m proud that Dad values my opinion. We have
researched stallions for weeks. “I like him best.”

Dad says, “Me, too. I’ll work on the finances
and see if we can swing it.”

The telephone rings and I answer it.

“Hi, Win. How’s my favorite sister?” asks my
brother, David.

“Ha, ha,” I say, without smiling.

I’m David’s only sister. He’s seven years
older and in New York getting his post-graduate degree in landscape
architecture. A genius, he was admitted to Cornell University when
he was sixteen. I used to talk to him for hours on the phone. Not
anymore. He hasn’t been home in a year.

“What’s new in your life?” David asks.

“School’s out.” I frown, not knowing what
else to say.

“You’re talkative. Dad home?”

“Hold on.” I give Dad the phone.

“Hi, Son. What’s up?”

I watch Dad’s face ‘cause he isn’t talking,
just smiling.

“Congratulations!” Dad jumps up, waving the
phone. “Win, David’s getting married.”

“What?” My voice sounds funny. Like it’s
coming from a dry well. David hasn’t even told us he has a
girlfriend. How stupid is that?

Dad’s voice filters into my brain. “Sounds
like that took some fancy talking. No, it’s the perfect place.
Don’t do that. We have room. How many? Hold the phone.”

Dad turns to me. “David wants the wedding
here. Are you willing to house six guests?”

“Where will they sleep?”

Dad replies, “David’s fiancée can have his
room. I’ll move to my office in the stable and her parents can have
my room. We’ll put cots in the study for David, his best man and
his brother. The little girl can share your room. What do you
think?”

Like I’m gonna’ tell him I don’t want anyone
in my house. Dad and me, that’s how I like it. “I don’t know,” I
murmur.

His smile falters. “Don’t you want David to
have the wedding he’s dreamed of?”

“Boys don’t care that much.”

“David does. It’s been quite a task to get
his fiancée’s mother to agree to come here.”

Uh-oh. Not good. “Dad, maybe they should have
it there.”

“We can’t leave the ranch now, not with two
pregnant mares due to deliver the end of next month. Having the
wedding here is a good solution.” He looks in my face. “Come on,
Win. It’ll be fun.”

“Are you going to delegate chores or is it my
job to do everything?”

”Don’t be silly. We’ll all pitch in.”

What an optimist. Dad spends so much time
with the horses, he doesn’t have a clue that people are way
different.

I look at his strained face. “Okay.”

Dad smiles at me. “We’re on, David. I can’t
wait to meet your fiancée.”

Dad writes in the tablet on his lap while he
listens to David.

I itch and twitch. Not a good sign.

“Got it,” he said finally. “When are you due
home? Win and I will be ready. Take care, David. Love you.”

“When’s he coming?”

“In a week.”

“Who else is coming?” I ask.

“David is bringing his best man, John, and
his younger brother, Scott. A few days after that, his fiancée, her
parents and sister will fly into Salem and rent a car. They’ll be
here for a month.”

“A MONTH.” I yell, jumping up. “I thought you
meant a day or two. Call David back and cancel the whole
thing.”

“I will not.”

“We can’t have six extra people here for
thirty days.”

“Sure we can.”

“Dad, you don’t understand. Strangers can’t
live together for a whole month.”

“Why not?” he asks. “We’ll be related
soon.”

“Dad, get real. All families have problems
and we don’t know these people.”

“I think the adults can handle it.”

I stare at Dad and wonder what planet he came
from. “We only have two bathrooms.”

“There’s another one in the stable.”

“You gonna’ send the parents out there?”

“That’s enough, Winifred.” Dad stares at me
like I’m a stranger.

I look away, knots forming in my stomach.

“Maybe you’ve had your way too much,” he adds
thoughtfully.

“Dad, we don’t know how to plan a wedding.
What about the cost?”

He continues cheerfully, “The bride’s parents
are responsible for the wedding. They live in Boston. Staying here
will make it easier for them to plan the wedding.”

I plead, “You don’t know anything about
them.”

Dad paces the floor, frowning. Kong squishes
under the coffee table.

“It’s time you grow up, Winifred. Life
changes. It can’t always be just you and me. I’ve been selfish not
to expose you to different experiences.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “I do lots
of things.”

“For the ranch,” he says. “I’m talking about
socializing with others. David’s new in-laws will be an extended
part of our family. I’ve always felt bad because you had no
grandparents or other relatives as you grew up. Think about it.
You’ll be gaining something you’ve never had, sisters.”

“
Sisters?” My mind starts
spinning.

“Daria is younger than you are.”

Cold shivers streak down my spine. “Who’s
Daria?”

Dad looks at his notes. “Claire’s younger
sister. She’s seven.”

I blink in confusion. “Who’s Claire?”

“David’s fiancée,” answers Dad.

Fiancée. A sharp pain twists through my
chest. I haven’t seen David forever and he’s getting married.

“I’d better get busy,” says Dad. “I wonder
what David’s plans are for the garden.”

“Garden?” I fight to hold down my breakfast.
Spasms clench my stomach.

“Yeah, didn’t I tell you? David wants the
wedding in the garden.”

I jump up and get in his face. “No.”

He stares at me in shock. “Why not?”

I don’t answer him.

“What’s the matter with you?” he asks. “David
designed it when he was seven. He has every right to get married in
the garden. You should be happy for him.”