A Gnome’s Place

An unexpected short.

I never intended to write something today. But, as I am at the mercy of the muses, this one threw itself at me like a mud pie to the face.

So, without further ado, I bring you this short piece (technically a flash fiction, perhaps?) for your reading enjoyment.

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Penny raised her head at Gerard’s huff.

“Papa, whatever is the matter?”

His face squelched together, his eyes narrowing. “That good for nothin’-“ he grumbled.

He grasped his pointed hat, wringing it between his fingers, and stomped with a heavy step out of the garden and down the cobbled road, stopping at the fence line of the Percival house.

“Not again.” Penny ran to catch up, nearly ripping her skirts on the thorns of a rose bush.

“Jaxon Percival! I’ve about had enough of you,” Gerard yelled. “Come out here right now!”

A small little gnome, smaller than most, peeked his head around the corner of the hedge, his own cerulean hat shaking with the fright he felt.

Gerard loomed over him, widening an eye. “You’ve been at it again, haven’t you. I’ve told you once, I’ll tell ya a hundred times. Stay out of me garden!”

“I’m sorry, Gerard, I just-“

“You just what?”

“Well, you have the best carrots on Fluxington Street, and I do love carrots.”

After a tense moment, Gerard straightened up, twiddling the end of his white beard through his fingertips, glaring down the bridge of his nose. “The best, you say?”

“The very best, sir.”

Gerard sat back on his heels, sliding his thumbs under his suspenders and softening his tone. “Well now, I don’t mind sharin’ what I got. But I don’t like you sneakin’ round me garden at all hours of the night. If you be needin’ somethin’, you’ll do right to ask first.”

“Yes s-,” Jaxon cleared his throat, “Yes, sir.”

With an affirmative nod, Gerard replaced his hat snuggly and marched back to his garden.

Jaxon turned to Penny with a nervous chuckle. She shook her head, grinning. “That won’t work forever, you know.”

“I know.” He took her in his embrace, giving her a kiss. “But I’ll take what I can get.” Penny’s flushed cheeks raised with a smile.

“Penny!” Gerard’s boisterous voice echoed through every garden wall, causing the both of them to jump.

They each sighed in unison. “I better be off,” she said.

Reluctantly, they released and Penny strolled away, Jaxon’s gaze pining until she disappeared.

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