73. A Bone to Pick With Her
“These fairies could be anywhere in this crazy castle,” thought Rosella aloud as she forced open crate after crate, barrel
after barrel, careful not to break a nail. So far, all she was coming across were strange packaged items. They were
nondescript items for the most part. It was beginning to seem like this was some sort of shipment that never got
shipped. Most of the barrels’ and crates’ contents were packed with straw padding. The good-natured princess could
not overcome one nagging thought. What if Lolotte was planning on shipping Genesta’s fairies to a far off evil land?
Based on that sinister theory, Rosella stepped up to the final unopened crate. This one was shorter than the rest, but
long and rectangular in shape.
Using a metal wedge she found in the corner, she forced open the lid with a few groans. The nails were holding this lid
tight, but her skinny arms would prove some use yet. After a big of elbow grease, the nails yielded their slots and up
came the lid a little bit. Pulling her skirt up a bit, Rosella crouched down on her knees to peer inside the final crate. It
was dark inside, and the difficult to tell what was inside. Squinting her big blue eyes, Rosella edged closer to the
opening looking for fairies. The princess did not find any fairies, but something inside the mysterious crate found her.
Out sprang skeletal arms with vengeful surprise, one two three four! A fistful of blonde hair, the neckline of her delicate
dress, a slender arm, and the top of her skirt slit, snatched up in a bony fist. She begged, pleaded, kicked, scratched,
squirmed, and fought with all her girlish might. But the skeletal arms still dragged her screaming into the crate and down
slammed the lid with a cloud of dust in the air.
The room went quiet, and nobody knows what became of poor princess Rosella. Though the crate was clearly marked
at the bottom: Contents: The Deadfall, Ship to Ooga Booga Land. Handle with care…
-The End
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