Get the Girl (pt 2)

A Modern-Day Fairy Tale

This is part 2. For part 1, click here. Do not click here.

Well, I have no idea where I am, and I have no idea where I am going. Technically speaking then, I am not really lost. And in that case, any direction will suffice, I guess. She walked out into the bustling streets of a cheerful town all lit up by Christmas lights and covered in colourful decorations. What she was looking for, was someone that looked like they were in the know. Maybe a local, an elderly person, a traveller?

While looking at all the wonderfully decorated shop fronts, she forgot to look where she was going and bumped into an odd-looking young man dressed in a red suit and resembling something of a doll ventriloquists use. “I’m awfully sorry, sir, but now that I have your attention, do you perhaps know where the town of Glenwich is? You see, I need to get to … uhm … my grandpa. And I am totally lost. I think I got off at the wrong station.”

He tried something of smile, but it was pretty hard with all the make-up he was wearing, and it made him look like he was about to eat her. She took a step back and then a very kind and soothing voice said to her, “Well, you are right there. Glenwich is one stop in that direction. I am sorry to say that you will never be on time to catch the last train.” In the distance a train whistle could be heard. “Aaaaaand, its gone. See. You have already missed it.”

“Oh deary me. How will I ever get there? I have come all this way with this present I got specially for him. This is all not going according to plan.” She started pouting, pulled a long face and even managed to squeeze out a lonesome tear.

“Don’t cry little miss. I have an idea. My grandpa Ernest lives just around the corner. I am sure he wouldn’t mind taking you there in his car if we ask him nicely. If we are really lucky, he may even fix you a nice steaming cup of chocolate before we go. What do you say to that?” He should not have smiled. Other than that, his speech was music to her ears.

“Drive you to Glenwich? Are you two out of your minds?” Grandpa Ernest did not seem all to happy. “It is Christmas eve tonight.” He took the hot chocolate from the stove and poured it into two mugs. “I don’t even know you name, little miss sunshine.” Handing her the mug, he looked at her questioningly. “Well?”

“Thank you, sir.”

“That is an odd name for a girl.” The other mug was handed to his grandson, who was supressing a stifle. “What kind of parents come up with a stupid name like that?”

“My name is Rosie, sir. I have no idea about my parents. I was raised by aunt and uncle who live in the next town.”

“First you tell me this, then you tell me that. Kids these days don’t know who they are anymore.” While he was talking and listening to her, he was putting on his shoes, which gave her some kind of hope he was going to bring her after all. “Well, let’s not dilly, let’s not dally. Drink up. We need to be going before the storm gets here. Darren, get that make-up off your face, will you. It scares the bejeebies out of me and I am sure you gave all the townsfolks nightmares. What in tarnation are you even supposed to be?”

“I’m a nutcracker.”

“You’re nuts. That’s what you are.” The grandson went into the bathroom to wipe his face clean. “And put on some decent clothes, I don’t want to be seen with you wearing that. People will think I am driving around lunatics.”

When everybody was ready to go, they went to the garage where incredibly old car was waiting for them under a thick layer of dust. “It’s an oldie but a goodie,” Grandpa Ernest said with a big smile on his face.

“Does it still work?” Rosie asked a bit doubtful.

“Don’t you worry about that, little girl. Old Betsy has never let me down.” The three of them got into the car and drove off. It had no roof, no seatbelts and it must have been out of blinker fluid because Grandpa Ernest stuck out his hand at every turn. Then Rosie spotted two strange characters dressed in raincoats and they saw her. She had the feeling that these were the guys who were after her. They were pointing at her as they drove by and then started running after the car. “Can’t we go any faster?” she asked nervously.

“We are going as fast as we can. The speed of light has not yet been invented, you know.” Luckily, they were going faster than the two men could run. In the rearview mirror she could see them panting as the followed the car with their eyes. A sigh of relief as she realised that she was out of harm’s way. Now she would surely be there before the bad guys would.

Soon they were out of town and on their way to Glenwich. “You are lucky I am in such a good mood,” Grandpa Ernest said, “it must be the Christmas spirit.” Rosie did not reply, for if this was his good mood, she did not want to see him in a bad mood. “Never mind him, Rosie, he just being a little sourpuss. He would rather spend Christmas alone sulking,” Darren gave her a friendly smile. Without his nutcracker make-up, he actually looked kind of cute, and his smile was a lot nicer this way.

The road was a little bumpy, but she was glad to be in the car. In the distance she could see Glenwich. “Do you know where Regent Street is?” She asked.

“I am not a walking talking map, you know. But yes, I do know. Is that where your grandpa lives?”

“Yes, I have the address right here. How long before we get there?”

“Oh, give or take an hour. I can already smell it. If you’d like, you could take a short nap. I will wake you as soon as we are there.”

No reply came, she was already fast asleep.

To be continued.

Based on the writing prompt from writingpromptpal.