Fall 2025 - Somewhere Beyond the Sea - Part 5 - pages 131 - 163

Somewhere Beyond the Sea, part five.

A line of vehicles waited next to the train platform. A small bus for the hotel, a few shiny rental cars filled with vacationers picking up friends and family. Those who exited the train did so with unrestrained excitement, their sun hats large and colorful, removing their shoes and digging their toes in the white sand around the platform. Parents and grandparents helped children with their plastic buckets and shovels, trying to get them to hold still.

"You've got a spot of jam on your forehead. How on earth did you do that?"

David, Arthur, and Lionus were the last to exit the train. Arthur carrying David's suitcase. He stepped off the train first into warm sunlight, looking for the familiar sight of Helen's old truck. Lionus followed, standing next to him, face turned up toward the sky.

"Ah," he said. "Much better now. David, if you'll..."

David. They turned to find David still on the train, standing on the last step, hands gripping the railings on either side of him. One leg was raised as if he were about to take another step, but he didn't lower it.

"All right," Lionus asked.

"I'm working my way up to it," David muttered. "Give me a second."

It took at least four minutes, but eventually David lowered the ice-blocked foot to the ground. It immediately began to sizzle, steam rising up around the ice.

"Uh-oh," David said.

"It's all right," Lionus said. "You don't have to worry. We're almost..."

David jumped off the step, landing on the platform with a heavy thunk. The ice beneath his feet sizzled once again, beads of water forming a small puddle on the cement.

"There," he said proudly. "I knew I could do it. Also, I think I'm shrinking. It's almost as if ice melts in heat. But that's crazy, right? Almost like bringing a yeti to an island. At least my sunglasses make me look cool."

He went to the edge of the platform, crouching down and watching a small crab moving rocks from one pile to another.

"Quiet," Lionus murmured. "Shy, barely talks at all."

Arthur bumped Lionus's shoulder with his own. "Any regrets?"

"Oh, many, I expect, but none that have to do with him. The children are going to adore him."

Lionus shivered despite the summer heat. "That's what worries me. Lucy's going to love him," he sighed, undoubtedly imagining explosions or blood splatter on the walls. "I'm already losing my hair as it is."

Before Arthur could respond, an old truck with white wall tires pulled up next to the platform. The door creaked open, and the mayor of Marcus grinned at them as she rounded the front of the truck.

"Well, well, well," she said cheerfully. "Look what we have here."

David lifted his head and a wide smile blossomed. "Helen," he yelled, standing up and running toward her. He didn't bother with the steps, launching himself off the platform. He hit the ground hard, the ice block shattering and dropping him half a foot in height. The coat tangled around him, but he managed to stay upright as Helen spread her arms wide. He jumped the last few feet, crashing into her, spinning him in a circle.

Helen laughed as David babbled about the train, the birds, the ocean. She set him down, winking at Lionus and Arthur as they walked down the steps.

"And then I got to give the man our tickets and he used this little machine to punch a hole in them to show we were allowed on the train." He beamed at Helen. "No one could tell me to get off because I had the right."

"You absolutely did," Helen said. "I'm so pleased to hear you enjoyed your trip. And just look at you. I swear you've grown since the last time I saw you."

"Half an inch," David said proudly, puffing out his little chest. "Maybe even 3/4."

"I'm impressed," Helen said. She lifted her head. "Lionus, Arthur, welcome home. To say you were missed is an understatement." She raised a hand as Lionus started to speak. "And yes, the house still stands and no one is missing any limbs or eyes."

"Fingers?" Lionus asked.

"Toes."

"All present and accounted for," Helen said. "Talia did want me to remind you that if you did not in fact buy her a present, you should get back on the train and not come back until you have."

Lionus grinned. "I bet she did."

Squeezing into the truck proved to be a tight fit, but they made it work. Helen behind the steering wheel, Arthur next to her, his long legs bent up almost to his chest. Lionus sat beside him, and David took up the remainder of the bench seat. Face plastered against the window, rattling off everything he saw, mixed with questions he didn't seem to want the answers to.

"Look, there's an umbrella. It's so big. What's that? Are they sledding on sand hills? I don't know how you do that. How do you? Why is the ocean so huge? Do you think there are monsters in it? I bet there are. With big teeth and glowing red eyes which glow and..."

"Oh my freaking God, what are those heathens eating?"

"Snow cones. Ice with flavored syrup as a topping," Lionus said.

David turned toward him with wide eyes. "They ruined ice. The most perfect thing in all the world." He bared his teeth. "I'll kill them. I'll kill them all. Haha, just kidding." Then under his breath, mostly.

"No snow cones, then," Arthur said, noted.

They pulled into the village, turning onto the main road that led toward the docks. The sidewalks were packed with people, some in swim clothes, others in shorts and flowery skirts, shirts. They stopped in front of store windows, looking at colorful pottery, mosaics created from sea glass, square blocks of freshly-made fudge. Kids dug through bins of saltwater taffy, skin pink and crusty from the sun and surf. Others sat at tables in front of restaurants that sold fresh seafood, sipping from clear drinks with sprigs of mint floating on top.

Arthur was about to ask what David thought when the yeti stiffened, back straight, shoulders rigid.

"How?" he said, sounding stunned.

"What is it?" Lionus asked.

"Those people," he said.

There, Arthur followed his gaze as the truck came to a stop at one of two traffic lights in all of Marcias. There, standing on the corner, was a family. Two burly women, hands clasped between them, three children, all appearing under the age of 10. Each of them, children included, had a single large eye in the center of their forehead.

"Cyclops," Helen said. "I had a chance to meet them yesterday."

The light changed and she drove through the intersection, the truck rumbling around them. "Lovely family," she continued. "Heard about our little town from some friends and decided to see it for themselves."

David turned toward her slowly. "But they're just walking around like everybody else."

"Why shouldn't they?" Helen asked, not unkindly. "They are entitled to go on vacation, same as anyone."

David shook his head. "That's not what I meant. They're here and no one's yelling at them to cover up and hide. No one's telling them they don't belong."

"Because they do," Lionus said. "This place is different, David. It's unlike anywhere else you've been. Why, a few weeks ago, we had a lovely family of dryads come to the village. Tree people, wouldn't you know?" They came and toured the island, wanting to see what Fee had grown in her time there.

"The forest sprite?" David asked.

"Yes," Lionus said with a chuckle. "Never seen Fee so excited. She tried to act aloof, but we could all see she was proud. People wanted to come and see her trees, especially being as important as Dryads." He cleared his throat. "But we don't... we won't have you thinking it's always been like this."

"He's right," Helen said, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel. "A year ago, Marcias was no different from anywhere else. A wash in propaganda and people either too afraid to speak up or who actually believed what they were being told, myself included."

"But you're not like that anymore," David said.

"Oh, no, I'm not." She glanced shily at Lionus and Arthur. "You could say I had my bubble popped. I'm grateful for it because as mayor, I want Marcus to be a place for all, no matter who you are."

Some people didn't like it. "Oh, would you look at that? Seems as if the new owner of the ice cream parlor has changed the sign, but I reminded them that there was a great wide world out there, and I invited them to go see it."

"I think you told Norman to take a long walk off a short pier," Lionus reminded her, though in much more colorful language.

"And I regret nothing," Helen said. "Good riddance to bad rubbish. We're building something, David."

"The more people, magical and not, who hear that this town will welcome them with open arms, the better off we'll all be," Arthur said.

"I dream of such a place," he thought as they drove toward the sea.

"How do we get there?" David asked as she came to a stop near a long dock stretching out onto the water. In the distance, the island rose, the trees thick and reaching toward the sky. Arthur felt the pull of it, knowing who and what waited them. Though it had only been three days, it was the longest he'd been away since coming back. He itched to feel the sand beneath his feet, the cacophonous sound of a house filled with wild youth.

"Could take the ferry," Lionus said. "I'm sure Merurl would be delighted to see us."

"That's one way of putting it," Helen said. "But no, no fairy. Why inflict Merurl on someone if we don't have to? I figure we could give David a different sort of experience in traveling to the island."

And with that, she gunned the engine. Lionus gripped Arthur's hand tightly. "I was afraid you were going to say that."

"What are we doing?" David asked. "How are we?"

The truck shot forward, jumping a small curb. Arthur nearly biting his tongue. David shrieked and for a moment Arthur thought he was afraid. But before he could tell him he had nothing to fear, David raised his fists above his head, pumping the air.

"Yes!" he cried, leaning forward as far as his seat belt would allow, putting his hands flat on the dashboard. "Into the water! This is so awesome!"

They hit the dock, the wood rattling under the tires, causing them all to jump to their seats. Jump in their seats. David's head nearly hit the roof. As the end of the dock approached, Helen picked up speed, the engine wheezing painfully. David raised his arms again as if he were on a roller coaster approaching the first drop.

"I love being alive!" David bellowed with unrestrained glee as the truck launched off the edge of the dock. A moment of weightlessness, all their rears lifting from the seats. Instead of being swallowed up by the sea, the truck landed with a jarring crash on a hard surface that crackled against the tires. Arthur looked over to find both David and Lionus with their eyes squeezed shut. Lionus opened his first. "I'll never get used to that."

"Did we die?" David asked, eyes still firmly closed. "I don't feel dead, but I don't know what that's supposed to feel like."

"You're not," Arthur said. "Look."

David opened his eyes, first the left, then the right, and gasped at the long yellowish-white road that stretched out before them, crusty, but solid. Helen turned the windshield wipers on as seawater splashed against the windows.

"What is it?" David asked.

"That's my lady Zoe," Helen said, the pride evident. "Who you'll meet soon enough. She's an island sprite. Took the salt from the ocean and made a road for you."

"Why?"

"Because she wanted to," Arthur said. How strange the feeling of longing was when the object of such desires was right there in front of him, the island and all that came with it. "It's her way of welcoming you home."

"Home," David whispered and laughed as he rolled down the window, leaning his head out. His closed his he closed his eyes, hair trailing behind him as the sea splashed his face. David grew quieter as salt gave way to sand. The island alive with bird song in the swaying trees. Eyes wide, he watched everything passing them by, though he didn't speak, not until they crested the hill and the house appeared before them.

"This is where you live?" he asked, sounding unsure.

"It is," Arthur said as Helen pulled the truck to a stop. "Right on cue, the front door opened and Zoe appeared."

"That lady has wings," David whispered excitedly as Zoe hopped from the top step, fluttering down to the ground. "That's so cool."

Zoe opened Helen's door, helping her lady out. Helen stood on at the tops tips of her toes, kissing Zoe with a loud smack. Zoe brushing a lock of Helen's hair off her forehead. Arthur stepped out, pulling himself to his full height, stretching his arms above his head. His back cracked deliciously, and he turned to see Lionus helping David out of the truck.

"Do I need my coat?" David asked him.

"Do you want it?" Lionus asked. "You don't have to wear it if you'd prefer not to."

"I can be naked."

"Seriously?"

"Uh," Lionus said. "I don't... Are you naked?"

"And Zoe asked, arching an eyebrow at Arthur."

"He's perfect," Arthur said, dropping his voice as Lionus tried to tell David that it wasn't necessarily considered nudity, but if it made him happy, he could do whatever he wanted. "Where are the others?"

"I thought... I thought would have thought that uh expected. The children were all gathered at the front windows, hands and faces against glass. I told them to stay inside so we didn't overwhelm David."

"Zoe said they've been bouncing off the walls all morning, literally. Remember when Lucy said he accidentally reversed gravity?"

"Let me guess," Arthur said, "it wasn't an accident."

"It was not."

David, for his part, seemed to revel in his perceived victory of acceptable nudity. He stomped around, arms raised, claws extended, growling and snarling.

"And that," he said as they rounded the front of the truck, "is how a yeti greets a new place he's never been before."

"Truly," Lionus asked, glancing up and smiling at Zoe before looking back at David. "What a fascinating custom! Do you think I could try?"

Suddenly, Lionus leaned forward, fingers crooked like claws, uh, lips pulled back over square teeth, and he let out a surprisingly ferocious growl. It was quite good, better than Arthur expected. David was just as impressed.

"Holy wow," he breathed. "Are there such things as hairless yetis? I've never met one, but you've got enough insulation to survive harsh winter, so maybe."

Lionus patted his sloping stomach. "My thoughts exactly. We'll have to do it again, and you can teach me how to be a better yeti."

"David, this is Joey Zoe Chapel White. This is her island you stand upon, and it is with her blessing that you are here."

David turned around and just like that, the boy giving Yeti lessons disappeared, replaced by shyness, knuckles popping, a funny little half-smile filled [snorts] with nerves rather than happiness. He looked at the ground, the claws on the tips of his toes digging into the soil.

"Hello," he mumbled.

"David," Zoe said warmly, her translucent wings catching sunlight, leaving fractured rainbows on the ground behind her. "We've been waiting to meet you for a long time."

David lifted his head in surprise. "You have?" Without looking, he grabbed Lionus's hand, holding it tightly. Lionus winced, but didn't try to pull away.

"Yes," she said. "I was so very happy that you decided to give us a chance. Would you like to meet the children?"

David hesitated. "Can... can Lionus and Arthur stay here, too?" "I can do it on my own," he added quickly. "But I think having them will be better."

"Of course," Lionus said. "I doubt I could break your grip even if I wanted to. You are very strong."

"I know," David said. "Pretty much the strongest ever."

When Zoe disappeared back into the house and the children had moved away from the window, David tugged on Lionus's hand, pulling him down.

"What is it?" Lionus asked.

"Nothing," David said stiffly. "Just reminding you. I'm here."

"As if we could forget," Arthur said. "I apologize in advance about the noise."

As if to prove his point, the door burst open and a stream of children poured out. All of them speaking at once with Chanty leading the charge. The sounds of home, Arthur thought as Chanty leapt the entirety of the steps landing perfectly and bowed, his eyes bouncing on their stalks. The rest of the children gathered around Chanty, each of them including S, with Theodore perched on his shoulder, looking as if they were doing their level best to keep from running directly at them. Lucy started to do just that, but Theodore lowered his tail, wrapping it around Lucy's arm, holding him back.

"Oh, come on," Lucy said with a groan. "They're right there."

"We do what we planned," S said. "Who's got it?"

"I do," V said, pushing her way from the back. In her hands, she held what looked to be a roll of paper with something written upon it in glittering letters. With S's help, she unfolded it, revealing a long banner that stretched across the front of the children. Each of them holding part of it up. Aside from Theodore, who rested his head on Sals on Sals, eyes blinking slowly as he studied David. He made a strange sound, not unlike the hoot of an owl, then turned up at the end.

"There's no such thing as too much glitter," Chanty told him, "except if you eat it."

The banner was torn in places, and perhaps Theodore was right in that there might have been a tad too much glitter. Arthur could only imagine the mess left behind. But in the end, none of that mattered because here and now, six extraordinary children held up a sign that read, "Welcome home, David." Each letter was written in a different hand, as if the children had all taken turns. In the top right corner, a smiley face with fangs and devil horns, partially hidden behind Lionus. David peered around him, making a gulping noise when he found all the kids watching him. He ducked behind Lionus again.

Considering his options, Arthur made a decision and hoped it was the right one. Looking back at the children, he called, "Thodor, would you mind coming here for a moment?"

Theodore didn't hesitate, spreading his wings and lifting up from S's shoulder. He crossed the distance in short order, landing on Arthur's, wrapping his long neck around Arthur's front. His reptilian eyes blinked slowly, and he chirped, a low, muttering thing that sounded like grumbling.

"I'm sure it was an accident," Arthur said, stroking his tail. "After all, you didn't know that when you sneezed, you'd light the table on fire. No one was hurt."

Theodore shook his head, followed by a stream of short, pointed clicks. Lionus snorted. "Then it was good Chanty was there to ink all over the fire and put it out."

David once again made his existence known, leaning around Lionus, eyes wide as he stared up at Theodore. "You can talk to him?" he asked breathlessly.

"Of course," Lionus said. "We all can. It takes a bit to get the hang of it, but if I can learn, you can, too." He is what's known as receptively bilingual, meaning he has his own language and can understand what we say, but doesn't speak the same way.

"Like this?" David asked. He stepped out from behind Lionus, arms raised, claws sliding out half an inch. Beginning to growl and snarl, he stomped around them. Theodore's talons dug into Arthur's shoulder as he wiggled from side to side.

"Oh dear," Lionus said gravely. "David, what you just said could be interpreted in two different ways, depending on inflection. You either asked Theodore to be your friend or you challenged him to a duel on a Wednesday evening using only bananas and a feather boa as weapons."

"I did what?" David cried.

"But but it's Wednesday now and the sun is going to be getting setting soon. And here we are without a banana or a feather boa in sight," Arthur said, shaking his head. "However, I think Theodore will agree that having a new friend is better than dueling someone."

Theodore, for his part, said that he would like to do both if that were possible, explaining that he'd never been in a duel before. When Arthur reminded him that they did not in fact have any available bananas, Theodore turned his head toward the others still gathered in front of the house and asked a question.

"Bananas?" Lucy called, brow furrowed. "Hold on," his lifted hand, face scrunched in concentration. A second later, he held a bushel of yellow fruit in his hands. "Hooray! I did things!"

Talus leaned over to inspect. "Those are plantains, not bananas."

"Crap," Lucy muttered. "Stupid plantains always looking like bananas." He threw them up in the air and the fruit winked out of existence.

"What the what?" David said. "You have magic banana powers."

"Yes," S said, eyes alike with mirth. "That's exactly right. Lucy has magic banana powers. He's a magic banana boy."

Fee agreed. "can't really do much aside from making sure we have our daily intake of fiber, which helps us poop," Chanty added.

Lucy's eyes filled with malevolent red. "I am not a magic banana boy. I do not care about your poops. I am Lucifer. The red in his eyes grew, and the sun seemed to dim as if a heavy cloud had passed in front of it. I am the snake in the garden, the personification of dark temptation. I am the night and all my enemies will bow before me or perish." He cackled evily, but seeing as how he was only seven, evil was perhaps a bit of a misnomer. It was more of a squeaky giggle, followed by the stomping of feet.

"You are such a drama queen," Talia muttered. And just like that, the sun's rays burst around them, causing them all to blink. Before Arthur could admonish Lucy for dimming the sun again, David blurted, "Are you really going to fight Jesus in hand-to-hand combat in the final battle for all our souls? Or is that just something someone made up?"

For the first time since Arthur could remember, perhaps the first time ever, Lucy was speechless, his mouth hanging open, the red in his eyes fading until all that was left was green. He sputtered nonsensically, and Arthur knew he needed to step in before Lucy recovered. Whatever he might say probably wouldn't help. Lucy beat him to it. He relaxed, cool as ice.

"Yeah, probably," he said as if it were the easiest thing in the world. "I know karate, so it won't be a fair fight. What's he going to do? Make more fish and bread?" He pressed his hands against his cheeks, eyes wide. "Oh, Jesus, no. Anything but gasp. Are you turning water into wine? Curse you, street magician."

"Back 10 minutes and we're already blaspheming," Lionus said as Helen and Zoe laughed, trying to keep each other upright. "It's good to be home."

"He's not going to fight Jesus," Talia said. "Last night, Lucy stubbed his toe and cried until Zoe kissed it. So, all Jesus has to do is wait for that and the fight is over."

"It was gushing blood," Lucy retorted. "We almost had to amputate."

But then, Zoe said, "She already promised Lionus we had all of our toes still."

"I never get to do anything fun."

"He's not going to fight Jesus," Lionus told David. "Some people make up stories to frighten others. Nothing more than a flight of fancy."

"Can I say something now?" Chanty demanded. "I've been politely waiting my turn."

"Go ahead," Arthur said.

"Hi," Chanty said, waving a tentacle at David. Then he said, "that's it. You may continue."

"That is Chanty," Lionus told David. "He's a bellhop, one of the best there is."

"Hi, Chanty," David mumbled. "He knows my name," Chanty whispered excitedly.

"Next to him is Talia," Arthur said. "She's our resident expert in all things garden related." Talia waved at him. "I like burying things, like seeds and people who cross me."

"Then there's Fee," Lionus said. "A forest sprite responsible for many of the trees you saw on our trip."

"Hi, David," she said, her wings shimmering in the sunlight. "Do you like the sign?"

David nodded tightly. "No one's ever made something like that for me before."

"We make them all the time," Fee said. "Next time you can help us if you want."

"And last, but certainly not least," Arthur said. "S, one of the most gifted writers I've ever had the pleasure of reading."

Smiled a little roguishly. "He likes to talk us up. You'll get used to it. Welcome, David. It feels like we've been waiting to meet you forever."

David stepped away from Lionus, dropping his hand. He approached the children, looking up when Theodore's shadow blocked the sun for a brief moment. The wyvern landing once more on S's shoulder.

"You've been waiting to meet me," David asked, stopping a few feet away.

"Yep," Chanty said. "We've never met a yeti before. I knew you'd be tall. Also, I really like your hair."

"Thanks," David said, tugging a thick strand. "It can get heavy if it's not taken care of."

"We got you," S said. "Zoe does special stuff for my hair. So, I bet we can figure yours out, too." Talia stroked her beard. "And I have oils that'll make it soft if you want."

"There. Now that that's out of the way, on to something just as important. Presents."

"Talia," Arthur said, "would you like to try that again?"

She sighed. "Hi. Hello. How are you?"

"Better now."

"Me too." She said now about those presents.

"In due time," Arthur said. "First, we have a guest, and we are not rude to guests."

She arched an eyebrow, tugging the end of her beard. "Can we take David inside and show him the house? Notice how I'm being polite and welcoming and not asking about presents again. Isn't that nice of me?"

"You are a saint," Arthur said. "If that's all right with David, you may save the surprise until after we've all come in."

"Surprise?" David asked, looking around wildly. "What surprise?"

"Can I touch your arm?" Chanty asked.

David flinched. "What?"

"I want to grab your arm and lead you where to go," Chanty explained. "But some people don't like that."

"Oh," David said. "I... I guess."

A lime green tentacle snaked around David's wrist. Chanty tugging him up the steps, the rest of the children hurrying after them.

"Come on, we'll show you where we hide things we don't want Lionus or Arthur to know about. Upstairs hall closet with the secret cubby hole in the back," Lionus asked Arthur after the children disappeared inside the house. "Either that or the one box in the attic they think they're so secretive about." [clears throat] "They're not very subtle, are they? And so focused on a new guest that we don't even merit a hug. Your children need to learn their manners."

"Oh, they're my children when you don't get a hug. But as soon as one of them threatens disembowelment, you're pleased as punch."

"What are you two mattering on about?" Zoe asked, appearing in front of them with her arm around Helen's. They took turns kissing each other's cheeks. Seemed serious. Then, without waiting for an answer, she said, "What's that on your finger?"

Helen said, "His finger? Did he hurt?"

"What?" Arthur held up his hand, the ring snug, waited, a presence he could not deny. "Oh, this. I barely remembered it was even there."

"Liar," Lionus mumbled as he blushed.

"You didn't," Zoe said with an uncharacteristic of squeal. She rushed forward, snatching Arthur's hand and bringing the ring an inch from her face. When she looked up at him again, her eyes were watery. She glanced from Arthur to Lionus, then back again. "Is this real?"

"It is," Lionus said. "It may seem a bit fast, but..."

"Silly man," Helen said, her hands clasped under her chin, her smile so wide Arthur was surprised her face didn't split in half. "There's no such thing as a bit fast when you know it's right." She slapped Lionus's pain playfully on the arm. "You sneak. Why did you..."

"We have a problem, I think." They all turned toward the house. Fee stood at the porch, a funny expression on her face. Arthur took a step for toward her.

"What is it?"

Fee shrugged. "Did you know that yetis and cats are mortal enemies?"

Collapy stood on the bottom step that led to the second floor, back arched, hair standing on end from tip to tail, which extended in a rigid line behind her. Eyes narrowed, hissing as loud as a leaking steam pipe. Colliaped the movement of the yeti standing before her. said. Yeti growled in response, claws extended as he paced back and forth. His eyes, his lips rippled with every snarl, pulled back over his fearsome fangs, toenails clicking on the floor. David paced back and forth, never looking away from Colli. The others stood off to the side, gazes bouncing between the cat and the yeti. Lucy was near the front, watching with great interest.

"I wouldn't try and pet her if I were you," he said with far too much glee. "She'll probably rip your throat out."

"What on earth is going on here?" Lionus asked, causing all the children to jump. David whirled around, claws receding as he adopted the demeanor of one who had absolutely not been caught doing something they probably shouldn't. Colli immediately dropped the act, meowing at Lionus. She hopped off the step, gave David a wide berth, and then wound her way between Lionus's legs, the picture of innocence.

"Yes, yes," Lionus said, reaching down to scratch behind her right ear. "I'm happy to see you, too." He stood upright.

"David," David scowled at him. "You didn't tell me you had a cat."

"Is that an issue?" Arthur asked. "Are you allergic, or do you?"

"I'm not allergic. Cats are food."

"Cats are most certainly not food," Lionus said sternly. "Especially this cat."

"Lionus gets upset when we try and eat Colliapy," Talia explained as the others nodded around her. Arthur cleared his throat. "Also, eating cats is wrong," Talia added. More nodding.

"Much better," Arthur said. "And they're right, David. Colli is as much a part of this family as anyone else, and we do not eat family members."

"Except when they're pine cones," Chanty said with a whis with a wisdom beyond his ears.

"Exactly," Lionus said. "Except when they're..."

"Wait, what?"

"I wasn't going to eat her," David said. "I was just trying to make her go near my mouth."

"I knew he'd be a perfect fit," Helen whispered to Zoe.

"New house rule," Arthur announced. "No one can eat anyone without their permission. Both spoken aloud and written down in a binding contract. Since Collip is unable to write given her lack of opposable thumbs, unfortunately, she is not on offer."

"David?" Lionus asked, "can you abide by this rule?"

David glared at Collia, who had apparently decided his existence did not matter to her in the least, as she turned away from him, sat down, and began to clean herself with her paw.

"Yeah, yeah, no eating cats. Splendid," Arthur said, clapping his hands. "Perhaps now would be the right time to show David his surprise."

"What surprise?" David asked, momentarily forgetting that he had almost lost a war against a most capable feline.

"We'll show you," S said, Theodore, watching from his shoulder, head cocked. "But you have to close your eyes first."

David looked at each of them in turn. Quick glances that swept the entryway. For a moment, David thought it was too much, too soon. But then David took a step, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes like this. Trust, Arthur knew, was a treasure effortlessly stolen, often without rhyme or reason. And this particular treasure was a fragile thing, a piece of thin glass, easily broken. But here was David, surrounded by strangers in an unfamiliar place, attempting to pick up his pieces and put them back into a recognizable shape. Whatever else he was, David's bravery in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, proved yet again what Arthur had always believed. Magic existed in many forms, some extraordinary, some simple acts of goodwill and trust, small though they might be.

"Perfect," the said, "we'll help you walk to where you need to go, and I promise we won't make you bump into anything."

"Okay," David whispered, flinching when Talia took his hand, leading him farther into the house. The other children followed along closely. S and Theodore bringing up the rear, pointing out obstacles in the way. Lucy running ahead of them to move a chair so Talia and David would have a clear path.

"We'll go see about supper," Zoe said. Such a funny little thing, showing a boy his new room. And yet Arthur was as excited as the children were. Perhaps it was because he remembered how he'd felt the first time coming to the island, scared out of his mind, unsure about everything. If he'd been extended a welcoming hand instead of a raised fist, how might things have turned out differently? Would he even be where he was now?

They found the children in the alleyway or in the hallway off the sitting room, gathered in front of a door that had not existed last year. It stood sturdy in its frame, painted a soft blue with an iron door knob. Affixed to the middle of the door, a wooden sign with a single word carved into it. David.

"Okay," Talia said, still holding David's hand. "We're going to count backwards from three, and then you can open your eyes. Ready?"

Three. As the others joined in on the countdown, Lionus and Arthur included. Colliap decided she was bored with them and trotted down the hall, twitching tail as she disappeared around the corner.

Two, one. David opened his eyes, blinking rapidly. He stared up at the sight sight before him and said, "You named a door after me."

"That's exactly right," S said with solemn a solemn nod. "Surprise! You're welcome."

"Oh, thank you. I've never had anyone name a door after me before." He smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes, which were once again wary.

"Why don't you open the door?" Arthur suggested. "I have a feeling there's a little more behind it that might help allay any confusion."

David bit the side of his cheek before nodding. He reached toward the door knob slowly, carefully as if he thought it had explode. When it did not in fact explode, he relaxed slightly and twisted the door knob. The door opened slight silently, a wave of ice-cold air washing over them, revealing a set of stairs that descended into darkness. Except it wasn't completely dark, was it? No, because the ceiling shone with an eel light. Wavy swirls of green and blue, gold and violet. It had taken time and much effort to get it exactly right. Glow-in-the-dark paint, studying photographs, trying to match it as best they could. Before Arthur could wonder if David recognized it for what it was, the yeti said, "Is that... is that the Aurora Borealis?"

"Yeah," Sal said, leaning over so he and Theodore could see the fruits of their labor. "Arthur got us a book with pictures of it after we asked what else we could do. We used it as a template to make it look as realistic as possible. All of this is new, the door, the paint, the stairs. We've spent the last couple of months working on it."

"Where do the stairs go?" David asked.

"You should find out," Lionus said. "There should be a switch just inside the here. Hold on."

The children moved as he reached through the door. A moment later, warm light shone down on the stairs. The Aurori Aurora Borealis dimming.

"It's cold," David whispered, taking a step toward the stairs.

"Let's go!" Lucy crowed and grabbed David's hand, pulling him down the stairs. The others thundered after them. Lionus and Arthur included. There was a time when coming down to this place would have been nearly impossible. A grim reminder of a past that could not be changed. In all the years since his return to the island, and before they'd learned of David, Arthur had entered the cellar only once, when Lionus had discovered the truth, one of Arthur's greatest secrets. But even then, he'd felt the firm grip of panic squeezing his throat, his breath coming out in soft whistles. He'd pushed [snorts] beyond it by sheer for force of will, entering the cellar after a man who too was more than he seemed. When Helen had brought David to their attention, he'd immediately thought of the cellar and wondered if it could be turned into a place of dreams rather than nightmares, make something new out of something old. And while it couldn't and ultimately didn't erase the past, the idea of renovating the cellar into a room for David didn't give him as much pause as he'd expected. He hadn't known what that meant exactly. The old adage of time heals all wounds ringing in his ears. But that wasn't quite true, was it? The passage of time might dull the edges, but it wasn't a cure all. No, it would take more than that. So much more. Like this. He shivered as he stood with Lionus in the doorway. His breath a warm fog that streamed from his mouth with every exhalation. Lionus crowded against him, muttering that he was thankful Arthur burned warmer than humans. As they looked on, the children did the same, watching as David moved slowly around the room, taking everything in. The walls had been painted a soft shade of teal, so much like ice, that it felt as if they were standing at top an iceberg drifting through the sea. Any tick marks had been sanded down and painted over. No evidence left that they'd been there at all. Near the ceiling, four vents, one on each wall, blew frozen air from an industrial air conditioning unit that had been installed at the back of the house. The temperature was set right at freezing, as Arthur had read that yetis preferred to sleep in the cold. And speaking of sleeping, against the right wall, a queen-sized bed with fluffy pillows and a white comforter, the corner pulled back an invitation. To the left of the bed, a chest of drawers sat beside an old oak wardrobe. The doors open, empty hangers dangling from a metal bar. On the opposite wall, another set of stairs lit up by sunlight streaming in through the window of the newly installed seal cellar door. Each door had a circular window in it, port holes to allow daylight to enter in late afternoon as the sun began its descent.

"What is this?" David whispered, standing stock still in the middle of the room, his toes digging into the oval rug Helen had brought over from her personal storage.

"This is your room," Talia said. "We all have our own. We tried to guess what you'd like, but we didn't want to do too much in case you wanted to change anything."

"It's okay if you do," Chanty said, black teeth chattering. "You can do whatever you want with it. We won't be mad."

"Except if you make me paint again," Lucy said. "Then I'll be very mad," he cocked his head. "Unless we use blood. That would be all right, I think."

"I don't understand," David said, sounding rather helpless. "What do you mean my room?"

Fee frowned. "It's yours. All of this."

David turned away from them, head bowed. When he spoke, his voice was small, quiet, barely above a whisper. "I've never had my own room before." Then his shoulders began to shake as he sniffled. And a moment later, the most remarkable thing happened. Arthur wasn't sure what he was witnessing. At first, an ice cube, rectangular, about 2 in long, fell to the floor and shattered. Bits of ice spreading along the floor. It was followed by another and then another and then another. And it was then that Arthur remembered something he should have never forgotten in the first place. No matter how much research he did, it wasn't thick tomes that would teach him what he needed to know. At least not fully. Firsthand experience was just as, if not more, important than anything he could read about. Because the yeti known as David was crying. But instead of tears, ice cubes fell from his eyes, falling to the floor with delicate plinks. Lionus, obviously alarmed, started toward David, only to have S shake his head.

"Let us handle it, okay?" he said in a low voice as more ice cubes fell to the floor. "It' be better coming from us." He didn't have a didn't have to say the rest. "Because you don't know what it's like. We do."

"Of course," Lionus said. "I have complete faith in you without artifice, without pandering."

S turned his head toward Theodore. "What do you think, bud? We got this."

Theodore clicked disagreement. "I think so, too," Said. He looked at the other children. "Give us a second."

"All right. I don't like it when people cry," Chanty whispered. Theodore chirped twice in quick succession, followed by three long growls.

"Theodore's right," Talia said as she glanced at Lionus. "Happy tears aren't sad tears, even if they look the same."

S and Theodore moved toward David quietly, the yeti trying to keep his sniffles from being too loud. They stopped next to him, looking down.

"Hey," S said easily. "Big day."

"Yeah. Yeah," David replied horsely. "Big day." Another ice cube fell to the floor. "And I'm not crying. I just... I have something in my eye. I don't know where the ice cubes are coming from."

S shrugged, Theodore rising up and down. "Sure, but it's okay if you were crying. I did when I first got here."

David wiped his eyes with his arm. "You did?"

"Oh, yeah," Said it was overwhelming. Not in a bad way, but it's hard to tell the difference when you're in the middle of it. I didn't know where I was, who these other people were making promises I'd heard before, if they were going to be nice to me, or if they were going to hurt you."

David whispered. S smiled tightly. "So, I cried the first night. The second night, the third. I cried because I was nervous and I didn't want to mess anything up. Because I couldn't believe this place was real, that I would get to stay. I'd never had that before. I also cried because I was scared."

"You were scared?" David asked, looking up at S and Theodore with wet eyes. "But you don't look like you'd be scared of anything."

Theodore chirped, tongue snaking out between his lips. S nodded. "Yeah, what he said. No one here is going to make fun of you. Not when we've all been there."

S hesitated a moment, and Arthur saw a familiar indecision cross his face. His shoulders began to hunch as he turned in on himself. Arthur was about to interrupt when S shook his head and pulled himself upright. Theodore spread his wings. Next to him, Lionus whispered, "You got this."

Said, "You don't know us and we don't know you, but things are good here."

"I've heard that before," David said.

"Yeah," S said, "I bet you have. Difference is it's true here. You don't have to trust anything I'm saying." He laughed. "Hell, I wouldn't if I were you, but you'll believe soon enough."

David stared up at S and Theodore. He turned his head to look at the rest of them, starting with Lucy, who wiggled his fingers in a wave, and ending on Arthur, who smiled. David then took in the rest of the room. The late afternoon sunlight dappling the floor, the clean walls, the bed, the wardrobe, the drawers, even the rug.

"Can I decorate however I want?"

"You can," Arthur said. "This is your space, David. Make it look however you wish."

David nodded and took in his new room in wonder.

It was a little past midnight when the bedroom door creaked open. Lionus grumbling as a smalish garden gnome climbed into the bed, settling in between them and smacking her lips. 10 minutes later, the door opened again and a forest sprite made her way in. She lay next to Arthur, her head on his pillow. Four minutes after that, the closet door opened and a devilish voice cried, "You're having a sleepover and you didn't invite me? Oh my heck. What is wrong with all of you?" Lionus grunted as a little boy jumped on top of him, all knees and elbows. It wasn't long before a green blob appeared. Flattening himself until he was as thin as a piece of paper. He spread himself on top of them, eye stalks resting on Arthur's chest. It wasn't unpleasant. It felt as if they lay under a blanket made of non-sticky jam. Of course, that meant no one wanted to be left out, and two more figures appeared, one tall, wearing ratty sleep shorts and a tank top, the other blinked sleepily with reptilian eyes. The tall boy stretched out next to a welcoming cat along the width of the bed, which was big enough to keep his feet from dangling off the edge. The wyvern lay on top of him, head curled against his body. The cat licked the boy's cheek once and closed his eyes. Arthur was on the cusp of sleep, warm and smothered, a quiet smile on his face when Talia shot up next to him and yelled, "We didn't get our presents." Lionus groaned, burying his face in the pillow. "It's time for quiet."

"Arthur!" Chanty whispered. "Arthur, are you sleeping?"

"No, Chanty."

"Fun. Neither am I. Can I ask you a question?"

"Yes, Chanty."

"Oh, good. Thank you. Why do you have a ring on your finger?"

No one got much sleep after that.

Chapter [snorts] 8.

Two days later, a Friday morning just after 10, Arthur sat in his office, towers of books leaning precariously around him. Before him, paperwork, everything Jason and Byron had on David, though it didn't amount to much. His schooling records not too far behind where they were on Marcus, thankfully. and a couple of notes about how inquisitive he was after he got over his initial reticence. To be fair, Arthur hadn't expected more given that David had been moved in secrecy. But it was the old newspaper clipping that captured Arthur's attention. Near the back attached to a picture of David, blurry, the boy looking frightened, the article was short and without much detail. Three big game hunters were facing charges after stalking a family of magical creatures for days through a for frozen tundra. Given that it was illegal

To hunt beings capable of humanlike thought, so named in the We Care Law passed two decades before in a close vote, the hunters were facing a prison term of up to three years and fines totaling a,000 pounds. Their crime: They had killed two adult yetis.

Arthur closed the file, tapping his fingers against the folder. "Is that about me?" David asked a few minutes later, arriving in Arthur's office right on time. He slumped into the chair on the other side of the desk, arms folded across his chest, his thick hair sleeker than usual. Talia had given him some of her beard soaps, as she was of the mind that everyone with body hair should have only the very best.

"It is," Arthur said. "It's one of the reasons I invited you here today. I could make assumptions based upon what I've read, but in my experience, files such as this don't always paint a full picture. I'd rather hear it directly from the source."

"Me," David said, sounding as if he'd rather be anywhere but where he was.

"Precisely," Arthur said, sitting back in his chair. "Yesterday was your first full day here. How did it go?"

David shrugged. Arthur wasn't to be deterred. "The children took you on a tour of the house. Did you see anything you have questions about?"

David shook his head. "Good," Arthur said. "Should anything arise, ask."

David sank lower in his seat to the point where only his head lay back against the back of the chair, resting at a sharp angle. Not a puddle, but it could easily go that direction.

"Up, please," Arthur said, wanting to test him just a little. "Posture is important. We do not slump in chairs."

"David muttered under his breath as he pushed himself back up, glaring at Arthur. Once he was using the chair for its intended purpose, he said, "No one cares about how I sit in a chair."

"I do," Arthur said. "Thank you."

"Now about," "I'm not stupid, you know."

Arthur tilted his head in acknowledgement. "The thought has never crossed my mind."

David opened the papers on Arthur's desk with disdain. "Whatever it says in there, it's not my fault. I tried to do school stuff, but a fierce glower. Whatever."

"Ah," Arthur thought. "You are a bit behind where we currently are, but," he said as David opened his mouth. "That's to be expected. You have been in upheaval for so long now. Of course, it would be difficult to keep up with your schooling."

"Be helped," David mumbled.

"They were good at it. I can tell," Arthur said. "Byron included some wonderful notes about your work with them. They wrote how intelligent you are, but that you can sometimes get overwhelmed if given too many tasks. Is that a fair assessment?"

David shrugged again. Arthur changed tac. "Tomorrow's Saturday. Have the other children told you what happens on Saturdays?"

"It proved to be so popular we decided to make it a weekly thing unless something else comes up." David perked up at that before adopting a scowl. "Maybe wonderful. It's something I look forward to, especially when I'm kept in the dark about what the day will entail. I find that the surprise is almost as good as the adventure itself."

"Speaking of knowing," David was watching his every move. Arthur made a show of opening a drawer and pulling out a small desk calendar showing the months of June and July. "I make it a point to keep track of our days. I've learned that having a set schedule keep helps keep expectations clear. I'm sure you've seen a similar calendar in the kitchen."

"I guess good," Arthur said. "It's there for you to look at so you know what to expect for each week and where you need to be. We're currently on a short break from our studies, but we'll resume next week. In addition, this schedule also shows what chores you will be responsible for during that week."

"Chores?" David moaned. "Is that why you have so many kids? Free child labor."

"That's certainly one way of looking at it," Arthur said. "Though I prefer to think of it as everyone contributing to our continued success. You won't be assigned chores during our your first week here, but we'll see about adding you next week."

"Yay," he muttered. "All for me. Gee, you shouldn't have."

Arthur chuckled. "Not a fan of rules, I see. That's to be expected. Going someplace new can be taxing given that you need to learn about the home, the people, the ins and outs. It can take time to get used to how things are done. No one is expecting perfection from you, David. Not only is that unfair to you, it might set a level of expectation that's impossible to achieve." He smiled. "Why don't we start with a question? What do you want to be when you grow up?"

"A monster," David said promptly.

"Fascinating," Arthur said. "I'd like to hear more about this if you're comfortable with sharing."

David stared at him in disbelief. "Why aren't you scared or mad?"

"Because I have no reason to be. At least not currently. I'll let you know should the that change. Continue if you please."

David hesitated, eyeing him wearily. "Everyone thinks monsters are bad and made of nightmares and stuff like that. They say they're scared of us and that they don't like to be scared, but then they pay like so much money to go to films with monsters or haunted houses where things scream and jump out at them. They get scared on purpose. Why would they do that?"

"An extraordinary conundrum," Arthur agreed.

"I think it's because people like to be scared," David said. "The same way they like to be happy. So long as you don't hurt anyone or eat them, why can't you scare them?"

"A fair question," Arthur said. "I suppose it depends upon intent and consent. Are you scaring them for them or are you doing it for yourself?"

"Both," David said. "And if they already think I'm a monster, why shouldn't I show them how monstrous I can be? Given them, give them what they really want." His eyes gleamed as he rubbed his hands together.

"You don't have to be that way," Arthur said. "Not if you don't want to. What some people consider a monster isn't what others."

David shot up in his chair, a fierce glower settling on his face. He gripped the arms of the chair, claws dimpling the leather. "I knew it. You're just like everyone else, trying to change me into something I don't want to be. What's wrong with wanting to be a monster? It's what we are."

He was right, of course, even though it was contrary to what Arthur had taught the other children. David was right in his own way. At the very least, he was speaking his truth. And would it really be in his best interest to try to take that away from him? But if Arthur didn't, how would that affect the other children?

"There's nothing wrong with what doing what you like," Arthur said carefully, "so long as it doesn't bring harm to others. He paused, considering the word monster has many connotations, but it seems to me as if you have decided upon an interesting definition on your own. Here's a thought. What if we work together to figure out what is required to be a monster as you see it?"

David relaxed slightly, though his distrust was still evident. "What do you mean?"

Arthur looked through the pages before him, finding David's schooling records. "In my experience, fear can come from many places, not just things that go bump in the night. Take for example an accountant. What do you think their biggest fear is? Give me your best shot at tailoring an experience that would frighten someone in such a position."

David eyed him suspiciously. "This isn't like a test. You're not going to get mad no matter what I say."

Arthur chuckled. "You have my word."

David stared at him for a long moment before nodding. He tilted his head back toward the ceiling. "Um, I guess that No, wait. That won't work. I got it. Instead of a spreadsheet, I give them a box of disorganized receipts and tell them they have four hours to make sense of it, or I'll roar so loud the office shakes."

Once again, the mind of a child knocked Arthur flat. How could anyone think they were capable of harm?

"Wonderful," Arthur said. "I appreciate how descriptive that was. Might I offer an alternative?"

David frowned. "Does it involve scaring him?"

"It does," Arthur said. "Instead of roaring, what if you became so good at maths that you were able to scare the accountant by doing all the calculations on your own, thus rendering his skill set obsolete? Nothing screams fear like the dread of becoming redundant."

David gaped at him. "But then, of course, you will need to growl at him to prove your point."

"I can do that." Of course he could. In the few days Arthur had known him, he could see David wanted to try, wanted to succeed, but it would take time. Nothing was more important than David feeling comfortable.

"You can," Arthur asked. "Wonderful. I've always believed that the more we know, the better we can understand the wider world around us. It's why we take your schooling very seriously. The more we can prepare you, the better off you'll be. It'll help you learn all sorts of things up to including better ways to scare people."

"Whoa," David said. "I never thought about school like that. I guess that wouldn't be so bad." His brow furrowed. "Hold on a second. Did you Did you just trick me into wanting to go to school?"

"I did," Arthur said. "And funnily enough, I don't feel badly about it in the slightest."

"I'm on to you," David said, pointing a blunt finger at him. "I see right through you."

"Delightful," Arthur said. "Given that transparency is paramount, I prefer not to be opaque. And now I must apologize for what? For not listening as well as I should have. This is the second time you've said you wanted to be a monster. And instead of listening to what you were saying, I told you that you didn't have to be something you obviously like. That was unfair of me and I apologize without reservation."

David blinked. "Oh, that's okay."

Arthur shook his head. "It's not. I should have heard you better than I did. So, there is no misunderstanding. I shall say this here, David. In this place, you can be whoever you want to be. A monster. I will do my best to make sure you have everything you require to see it through. What if you find yourself enamored with cheese and wish to become a promager? I will make that happen. An actor? I don't know how much more I could teach you, as you've already proven adept at staging plays on your own, but I will attend every performance, and I will be the first to rise in what I imagine will be a thundering standing ovation."

"Why?" David asked, wiping his nose as he sniffled, little ice crystals forming at the corners of his eyes. "Why would you do that?"

David leaned forward over his desk. "Because you deserve it, David. That being said, I need your help. You do?" David asked. "What can I do?"

"Ah, I'm so glad you asked," Darthur said. "Why don't we start with something simple? We will meet three times a week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On Fridays, like today, I will give you a special mission, one that you can take the weekend to perform. Is that something you might be capable of?"

"A mission?" David asked eagerly sitting up in his chair. "Like I'm a spy."

"Exactly like a spy," Arthur said. "If a spy's job is to find out one interesting thing about each of the people in the house, a talent they have or something they said that you find appealing. Then next week you can share with me what you've learned."

David nodded. "Got it. You want me to spy on everyone, find out their secrets, report back to you so you can use what I learned against them. diabolical."

"That's not what I meant. Though I do love your uh where your mind goes. No, this isn't about finding out secrets, but learning about the people you live with. There is a difference, David. Much like there's a difference between right and wrong. But I think you know that given that even though you want to be a monster, you understand that scaring people isn't the same as hurting them. So just like talk to them," Arthur beamed.

"Exactly. And while the prospect might be scary in and of itself, I think someone as strong and fearsome as a yeti should have no problem seeing it through. What do you think?"

"I can do it," Arthur said, sounding resolute.

"I know you can," Arthur said. "Now, since tomorrow is Saturday, I will give you a brief yet comprehensive outline of Adventures past so that you may have a better grasp on what potentially lifealtering and/or life-threatening event you will be participating in. But worry not, we haven't yet lost a single child, so I'm sure you'll be fine."