Story - A day in the life of Horace Bunce

Post date: Sep 04, 2019 7:44:21 AM

By Acorne Oakley 

Hiya!

I've come back with some news

All of you folks probably know Bodo Bunce..

He be the Second Shirriff here in Michel Delving

Ya know him cause he probably recruited most of ya ta be bounders..

but this news is not about him....

this is about his cousin ...Horace Bunce

Here is...                A Day in the Life of Horace Bunce

As the smoke cleared, Horace Bunce stood all alone surrounded by dead and bleeding goblin corpses

He whistled for his pony and swung himself astride in a flash

His faithful pony , Mirabella, zigzaged across the meadow with arrows zinging through the air  on either side

Horace swore that the goblin king would not escape him this time!

The moon shone through the clouds of this damp gloaming as Horace drew his mighty sword and ...

gave a terrible roar which sent a nearby rabbit scampering down into his hole of a home.

"HORACE!  what is all this screaming about?", called his mum who was down by the fence in front of their burrow.

Suddenly Horace woke up and looked around at the peaceful meadow...

there was their ol' milk cow grazing peacefully just a few feet from where he had fallen asleep.

He shook himself awake...

and looked to see a real rabbit just leaping into a hole right in the middle of some clover

Scattered among the clover were many tiny lumps which looked like raisins...

but he knew better than to eat anything that came out of the back of a scared rabbit

" Horace, go and gather some carrots for the stew I be making," his mum called out.

Horace stood up & dusted himself off,

picked up the mighty sword which actually looked more like a well-whittled stick,

and headed off to the wild carrot patch down by the watering-hole.

When Horace got close, he saw the familiar green tops sticking up out of the ground.

He began running across the meadow grabbing the tops and revealing their long orange roots which he stuffed into his pockets.

By the time he got close to the watering-hole his pockets were overflowing with the sweet orange goodness.

Horace almost turned back to take the carrots back for the stew when....

What was that in the water?

Some kind of strange creature was bent over drinking from the water

A large rosy-white animal with long legs...

who suddenly noticed the small hobbit lad and raised its head revealing a very long neck!

Horace, being a brave lad, went closer..

and the tall bird said, " Leave me alone! I taste terrible!"

Horace was amazed cause he had never seen any bird talk before this.

"Did you talk?"

The bird's broad bill  parted and he replied, "Of course, I dont want to be eaten"

Horace let out a whoop and ran back to get his mum and show her this strange bird

"Mum!   Mum!   you must come right away and see!   I found a bird that can talk!"

"Oh Horace!  another daydream?   did you remember the carrots?"

"Yes  here they are, " Horace said as he turned his pockets inside out letting the carrots fall out on the floor.

"Come with me, Mum     This is truly a talking bird!"

Not quite convinced, his mum followed him back to the watering-hole...

and there was the peaceful meadow with the old watering hole...

But no sign of a bird...

definitely not a talking one!

Horace's mum looked at her son's face..

Ready to scold him again

Horace had such a look of disappointment that she changed her mind.

Instead she put her arms around him and hugged him

"Horace I believe you saw a bird...

even if it's gone now"

"Now let us go back and I'll finish that stew you like"

Horace smiled cause it feels so good ta have someone believe ya ....

even if they dont see it with their own eyes

        --to be continued--

This story was told by Miss Acorne at the Night of the Muses on August 28th. If you want to hear more, then visit the Night of the Muses on Sept 4th and hear the story "Another Day in the Life of Horace Bunce".