Six of One: A Collection of Short Fantasy

By M.A. Kropp

Six of One: A Collection of Short Fantasy by M.A. Kropp is a set of six short stories, set in varied worlds of magic and mayhem. Included are:

A Girl, An Elf, and a Shoe- An elf causes a mix-up the day before the big race
With Pen In Hand- A wizardly writer creates his own audience
Impish- An apprentice sorcerer lets the imp out of the bag- or box
Where Angels Tread- What if Heaven and Hell are more like The Sopranos than Seraphim? A noir style story in two parts, where a vital piece of Heavenly equipment goes missing.
Siren Song- A young accountant has an encounter with a mermaid and her companion and must think quickly to save his father
Peepers- A young man visiting from the city finds the nighttime song of some tiny frogs irresistible

• Language: English
• Publisher: M.A. Kropp
• Release date: Oct 8, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301831395

M.A. Kropp

M.A. Kropp is a writer and blogger. She writes fantasy and urban fantasy, with the occasional foray into science fiction. She has always loved myths and magic, fairy tales and folklore. She enjoys taking bits and pieces of folk tales and myths and braiding them together into a new idea. Sometimes, she bends the edges of the myth to push or pull it in a new direction. People are the linchpin of it all. She enjoys creating characters that come to life and may become friends (or enemies!) of yours. Most of all, she tries to tell a good story that all readers can enjoy.She also blogs several times a week at makropp.com. When not writing she is often found serving as Chief Scorekeeper for International Chili Society chili competitions, where she cooked competitively for a number of years. She has also been accused of reading anything and everything that comes in front of her eyes: books, old newspapers, cereal boxes, and, yes, even the instruction manuals that come with things. Most of all she enjoys eating good food, drinking good wine and other spirits, and spending time with good people. She is married, has three grown daughters, four awesome grandchildren, one dog, and three cats. She lives in southern NY.

Book preview

Six of One:

A Collection of Short Fantasy

by

M.A. Kropp

Cover Design: Kream of the Crop Techworks

Copyright 2013 M.A. Kropp

Smashwords Edition

License Notes

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Table of Contents

A Girl, an Elf, and a Shoe

With Pen in Hand

Impish

Where Angels Tread

I: On A Scale Of...

II: Balancing the Scales

Siren Song

Peepers

About the Author

Connect With Me

A Girl, an Elf, and a Shoe

Charly sat sipping a glass of lemonade on the sun porch. It was a brutally hot day, and even the cold lemonade didn’t help. Beads of sweat rolled down her back just sitting still. Maybe it would be a bit cooler in the garden, under the big, old trees that shaded the gravel paths. Charly got up, tucked a few damp tendrils of blond hair behind her ears, and stepped off the porch onto the garden path.

It was no cooler in the garden. Charly walked slowly along the path, the heat pressing down like a weight on her shoulders. She headed for a stone bench under an ancient oak tree. As she sat down, enjoying for a moment the feel of the cool stone on her legs, she noticed a flash of white tucked under the bench. Charly reached down and pulled the object out. It was a running shoe, bright white with pink trim.

My running shoe? Charly said, not aware she spoke aloud. What the heck is it doing out here? And where is the other one? She turned the shoe over in her hand, confused. The last time she had seen the shoes, they were side by side in her closet, waiting for Saturday’s charity race.

I know where your shoe is, came a singsong voice behind her. Charly whirled around on the bench, but saw no one.

Who’s there? Charly called. Is that you, Tommy? She wouldn’t put it past her little brother to pull a stunt like this. He loved his practical jokes, even if no one else seemed to appreciate them.

Get out here right now, or I’m getting Dad!

He’d never find me! The voice came again. It didn’t sound like Tommy: this voice had a light, almost musical lilt, not the squeaky pitch of a ten-year-old boy. Charly got up, turned around, looked behind the tree and under the bench, but she still didn’t see anyone. Hands on her hips, she stood for a moment in frustration.

All right, she laughed, tipping her head up to look for the person she was sure was hiding up in the oak branches. Come on down. It’s too hot to play games. Who are you? The only response she got was a shower of tinkling laughter.

Right in front of her face, and she can’t see me! The voice taunted Charly. She stamped her foot in exasperation. The heat was making her short-tempered.

Look, whoever you are, Charly snapped. This is my family’s property, and if you don’t come out here right now, I’m calling the police! She was normally very easy going, but she was a bit vexed at being teased on such a hot day, and she wanted whoever was responsible to know it.

I don’t have to pay attention to your police! A tiny movement on a forked branch at eye level caught Charly’s eyes, and she saw a flash of color. She stepped closer to the tree and looked closely at the branch. Standing on the rough wood of the branch was a tiny person! No bigger than a robin or a blue jay, it wore green hose, a green doublet belted in brown leather over an open throated cream colored shirt with billowing sleeves, and soft green boots. Chin length bright red hair surrounded a round face with clear blue eyes. Charly stared for a long moment. The little person stared back, a grin splitting its face and showing even white teeth.

What the heck are you? Charly asked. The little person laughed again.

I’m an elf, of course, came the reply.

Heh, Charly snorted. Tommy should be here. He loves stories about elves and fairies. But I thought elves were tall? Like, taller than humans. The little person shrugged.

Not all of them, obviously, the elf responded. Of course, some elves are tall, blond and yummy. And so dashing with a bow and arrow. The elf smiled, and a far away, dreamy look crossed its face. Charly shook her head.

Okaaaay, Charly said. Uh, do you have name? The elf returned its gaze to Charly.

Everything has a name. Charly rolled her eyes. This game was getting old fast.

So, what’s yours? Charly asked. Mine’s Charly

Charly? Did your parents want a boy? Charly looked at the elf in amazement.

No! It’s short for Charlotte. The elf shrugged again.

Still think they wanted a boy. Oh, and you can call me Eiranda. It’s not my real name, but it will do.

Well, I’m pleased to meet you, Eiranda. Now, what about my running shoe? The elf shrugged.

What about it?

You said you knew where it was, Charly reminded her. The elf looked thoughtful for a few seconds.

Did I? Hmmmmmmmmm. No, I don’t think I’m going to tell you.

You have to! Charly cried. I’m running in a big charity race on Saturday. That’s tomorrow, and I need two good running shoes to do it. Charly leaned over the bench. My Dad is the mayor. You don’t want me to bring him out here, do you?

He’s not my mayor, Eiranda said. Elves don’t answer to human mayors. Or even presidents.

Well, who do you answer to? How do I get my shoe back?

The elf beckoned Charly closer. When she stepped around the bench to the tree, the elf leaped onto her shoulder. Charly jumped at the unexpected movement.

Take me with you, Eiranda said. I promise you’ll get your shoe back before the race. Charly pleaded, begged, threatened and cajoled, to no avail. In the end, she let the elf ride her shoulder back to the house. Once there, Eiranda slid down Charly’s arm to the hall table, jumped to the floor, and scampered off.

Better not let the cat see you, Charly muttered. I’ll never get my shoe back if that happens.

She decided not to mention the elf to anyone that evening. Her father was in a bad mood after a city council meeting that afternoon, her mother would have laughed and said something about her too active imagination, and Tommy would be an insufferable pest. Charly thought it best not to bring up elves and missing shoes this particular evening.

After dinner, Charly helped clean up the dishes, and went upstairs to her room. She wanted to make sure she had everything ready for the race in the morning, and get a good night’s rest. She slid the single running shoe into her gym bag with a sigh. It would be a long race with only one shoe.

Saturday dawned bright and clear, with the heat of the previous day broken. Charly