The Gingerbread Curse

By April Marcom

All her life, Falon's grandfather told her the age-old tale of 'The Gingerbread Man'. Even as a teenager, she'd fallen asleep to his favorite bedtime story, a special tradition she knew she'd never outgrow. However, when he makes a dying wish, asking her to visit a secret underground world of magic to rescue the best friend he left behind fifty years ago, the tale begins to come to life.

Setting out with her self-obsessed cousin and a cure for the magicked man with skin like gingerbread, she finds herself tangled within an adventure nothing like the story her grandfather always told.

Once having found the long lost man of her grandfather’s youth, her only hope of ever returning home, or even surviving his world, lies in the talons of a deadly hybrid she scarcely trusts. Together they must face the animals taken from the children's tale and magicked into monsters, a man who can move mountains who is bent on killing them all, and a labyrinth rumored to have never allowed a survivor.

• Language: English
• Publisher: 5 Prince Publishing
• Release date: Feb 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9781631122286

April Marcom

April Marcom works as a substitute teacher of all grades in her local schools, but her true passion is writing. When she's not teaching or creating stories, she's enjoying the country life with her car-obsessed husband and three fabulous children. She also enjoys rainy days, traveling, and her five very rowdy dogs. April grew up a southern bell in Mississippi, but is now a proud Oklahoman.http://aprilmarcom.weebly.com

Book preview

ONE

FALON AND AURORA

November twelfth— a Saturday —two monumental things happened:

Phillip dumped me for Jessica Dunlap, the captain of our high school swim team.

I inherited a strange necklace and storybook in the reading of my grandpa’s will.

Both were completely unexpected.

So I was curled up on my bed inside my colorful polka-dotted comforter for the afternoon, staring at the necklace left in my care and trying to sort out everything.

The piece of jewelry was worthless in comparison to the collection of rare coins my grandfather left Mindy, my step-sister of only a year and two months. She'd gone straight to a pawn shop after the reading of Grandpa’s will and gotten nearly two thousand dollars for half of them. The others would be sold individually online.

I wouldn’t have wanted to trade with her, though.

The morning light filtering into the room flashed against the stainless steel compass hung on the silver chain. It wasn’t very big, though it functioned perfectly, with a colorful dotted face painted on the lid. Gold dusted the surface, making it reminiscent of a gingerbread man. My grandpa’s name, Joseph Snow, had been etched underneath.

A small hourglass also dangled beside it. It had four gold bars running from top to bottom to keep the glass from breaking. The crimson fluid inside was thick, but nearly transparent. And it shimmered beautifully, like liquid rubies.

It was a strange thing for him to leave to me. We’d been so close all my life and I’d never seen it before. But the candy face reminded me so much of my grandfather, it would always be special.

Every night I’d slept over at his house, even as a teenager, he told me the story of The Gingerbread Man.

The book he left me with the necklace—his own written and illustrated version—lay under my bed, untouched. He’d titled it The Gingerbread Curse, promising a twist to the old classic. I wasn’t ready to read through it just yet.

I sat up when my mom opened the door unexpectedly. Sorry about this, Falon, she said quietly.

My eyebrows drew closer together. Sorry for what?

Then I heard it—the terrible, awful, high-pitched barking. Pip Pip was inside the house. That could only mean one thing.

Surpriiiise. Mindy’s gorgeous, and very annoying, cousin Aurora squeezed between my mom and the open door. I saw online that your status changed to single, so I knew you totally needed me. I say you call Angela and we all spend the day at the mall.

Pip Pip leapt onto my bed and pressed his groomed, Yorkie face against the window. A fine mist of doggie snot sprinkled the glass when he sneezed. I flinched at his sudden burst of shrill barking at the leaves blowing through the yard.

I’m going to take some aspirin, my mom grumbled, shutting the door.

Going to the mall was usually the only time I really had fun with Aurora, but not today. Nothing could be fun today.

"I’m not getting out of this bed, I said. Can’t you see the dark storm clouds hanging over my head? I threw my arms against the bed and slid down like I was melting. Just leave me here to wither away."

I rolled to one side when Pip Pip ran across my chest and stuck his wet nose to my cheek so he could sniff my face.

Aurora burst out laughing, making me feel a little better. You’re such a drama queen, Falon, she said, taking my phone from the white wall-mounted desk in the corner beside my closet door. "I’m calling Angela and we’re going to find you a new man who’s ten times hotter than Phillip." She put the phone to her ear.

As awful as I felt, the prospect of getting out to go shopping was starting to sound a lot better than staying in bed all day.

Angela, hey. This is Aurora— she began. Listen, we have to get Falon out of here. Do you feel like hitting the mall?

You know it, I caught Angela’s excited voice. It was loud enough I heard her clearly even though the phone was pressed to Aurora’s ear. My longtime best friend was a bigger fan of Aurora than I was, though she’d agree with me any day of the week that Aurora is way, way, waaaay too vain.

Great. See you in five. Aurora put my phone back on the desk.

She crossed the room and ripped my blanket off. I gasped and hugged my legs to my chest. "You could have warned me you were going to do that; it’s freezing!"

You look kind of pale today, Aurora replied, going to open my closet door. Blue would probably go best with your skin tone.

I sat up and pulled my blanket up to my waist, then started smoothing my milk chocolate colored hair into a high ponytail. We should invite Mindy to go with us.

No, you shouldn’t, Mindy called from the bedroom next to mine.

The interior walls of our old cabin-style home did little to keep sound in or out from surrounding rooms.

You know she only shops at Grungy-Mart and The Trashy Warehouse, Aurora said, not bothering to lower her voice. She tossed me a pair of skinny jeans and a fluffy, baby blue sweater that complimented my figure beautifully.

At least I wasn’t created in some plastic factory, Mindy shouted back.

Aurora rolled her big, blue eyes.

She and Mindy couldn’t stand each other. Aurora was totally full of herself and very condescending, while Mindy didn’t put up with anything from anyone.

On the other hand, I was pretty laid back, and if there’s anyone you’ve got to learn to tolerate, it’s family. I guess I should just be grateful Aurora lives across town, so she’s within the boundaries of a different high school.

Hurry up and change, she commanded. I can’t wait to show off my new Prada handbag. Doesn’t it look great with my perfect tan?

I nodded absently, throwing my grandpa’s necklace over my head without really thinking about it.

I put my tray of steaming stir-fry on the table in front of me, then sank into a food court chair across from Aurora. The warm, garlicky smell floating over from the pizza place behind me was almost enough to make me regret getting Chinese instead of Italian.

So far I’d bought a special hot oil treatment for my hair and a fabulous white jacket with big black buttons and black lace fluffing out at the bottom around my hips. Aurora had bought a pair of strappy, silver rhinestone high heels, and Angela had a new dance videogame she couldn’t wait to get home and play.

The noisy excitement of hundreds of strangers surrounding me had somehow helped me to feel normal again.

Thanks, girls, I said, stopping to smile at them both. I really needed this.

No problem, Aurora replied.

You know I’d live at the mall if it was close enough to walk to from my house. Angela gave Aurora a look of longing. You’re so lucky you have a car.

Aurora shrugged and dug into her Caesar salad. It helped that her parents were totally loaded. Buying her a car for her sixteenth birthday was no big deal for them.

You guys wanna go to my house and dance to my new video game when we’re done shopping? Angela asked before plunging her corndog into her mouth.

That depends on when we’re done, I said. I promised my mom we’d be home in time for dinner. You could come over, though.

Thanks, but— She took a huge drink of her Dr. Pepper. My dad’s just as excited about this new game as I am. He’s making pizza for supper and we’re gonna be dancing until we can’t keep our eyes open anymore.

I nodded, thinking how fortunate she was. It’s not that I would have traded my mom for anything, but for years, I hoped she might hook up with Angela’s dad. They were both single. My younger self always thought that was all it took for two adults to fall in love and settle down.

I learned quickly that they also needed to have something—anything—in common. My mom’s too serious, an old librarian type, and Angela’s dad doesn’t have a serious bone in his body. He’s kind of like a giant kid.

Angela sat up straight suddenly, staring past me at someone. We need to leave.

I started to turn my head to see what she looking at, but she grabbed my arm and turned it so my hand swung right into my stir-fry. Gross! Why’d you do that? I grabbed Aurora’s handful of napkins and started wiping sauce off my fingers.

"So… that’s the bimbo he dumped you for? Aurora said, looking even more disgusted than me. OMG. Her hair’s so frizzy. And her hips are huge. What was he thinking?"

I knew I shouldn’t look. My head turned of its own accord. And there he was, sitting as close to Jessica as he possibly could. They were sharing a banana split like we used to do.

I drew in a loud breath as I turned back to Angela. Her I told you so look was so easy to read.

Phillip had a reputation. No girl ever made it past four weeks with him before he got tired of her. So Angela warned me in the beginning.

Everyone always says they’ll never fall for him. But then he starts paying you all his attention, and his stunning charcoal eyes take over your heart. There’s absolutely no escaping after that.

I’d made it four and a half weeks and thought it was a miracle. I was the lucky one. It was really real. Until that morning.

Aurora stood up.

Don’t. I stared at her desperately, positive she was about to do something humiliating.

She gave me a wink. Trust me. Then she walked away.

I turned so my back was one hundred percent to her. What’s she doing? I asked Angela.

"Well—she’s not headed for Phillip—sheeee’s—she’s walking up to the hottest guy I’ve ever seen—He looks happy to see her. I’m pretty sure they know each other—He’s looking at Phillip. Now he’s looking this way—He’s coming this way—"

I glanced behind me in time to see a tall Calvin Klein model-looking guy walk into Phillip’s arm as he passed him, drawing his attention. The stranger’s eyes locked with mine. I could feel Phillip watching him.

I’ll be seeing him in my dreams tonight, Angela muttered.

My cheeks burned. I imagined steam wafting behind this unbelievable hottie. The closer he got, the harder it was to breathe.

Then he was standing right in front of me, leaning forward to kiss my cheek. I’m here to make your ex-boyfriend pay, he said, taking my hand and drawing me out of my seat. He smiled and leaned closer to my ear, like he was going to say something romantic, as we walked toward Phillip. I go to school with Aurora. We’ve just got to make sure your ex sees us together, then I’ll leave you alone.

I stared at him, star struck, not wanting him to leave me alone at all.

As we passed Phillip, I turned to see the look on his face. He stared at me with one eyebrow raised, his lips only partially opened. He was trying to play it cool, but I could see the surprise on his face. It felt good. I wrapped my free hand around the hottie’s arm and leaned against him, smiling smugly at Phillip.

At that moment in time, Aurora was my favorite person on earth.

TWO

THE GINGERBREAD CURSE

Usually when Aurora came over for dinner, all I could think about was how uncomfortable she and Mindy made everyone with all their nasty glares. Our dining room was small and windowless, offering no distractions.

Gloom resumed its place inside my chest on this night, however. Even though I was still coursing with the awesomeness of the show Aurora’s mall hottie and I put on, Phillip had dumped me for someone else. My grandpa was dead. Nothing could change that.

Have you had a chance to read through Grandpa’s story yet, Falon? my mom asked me when I stood to take my plate to the kitchen sink.

She’d been completely overcome with the loss of my grandfather. He was her father-in-law, but when my dad left us behind for some great business venture in London a few years ago, my grandfather stepped in and took wonderful care of us both. He was as much her father as hers had ever been. Even the money, once meant for his son that he’d left to her, wasn’t enough to soften the blow.

I understood how she felt, of course. He lost a leg in some hiking accident he’d never liked talking about before I was born, and still succeeded at being the most wonderful father and grandfather in the world.

Not yet, I answered guiltily.

Well— Her eyes were already looking damp. Would you mind too much if I took a look at it?

My stepfather reached over for her hand and stared at me. He wouldn’t get involved in matters between my mom and I—I’d always loved that about him—but the look he gave me pleaded on her behalf.

My stomach churned uncomfortably. I wanted to be the first to look at it, but I was so scared of what awful pain it might unleash. I’ll read it tonight, I promised, pushing in my chair.

My mom took her glasses off to wipe at one eye. No, honey, I don’t want to pressure you if you’re not ready. I’d just like to see his own interpretation of his favorite fairytale.

It’s alright, mom. I disappeared into the kitchen, thinking more of how much I hated to share my first reading with Aurora than anything else.

What are you so afraid of? Aurora asked, looking up at me from her phone.

I’d been sitting on my bed for several minutes, just staring at the front cover of my grandpa’s book, while she sat at my desk playing Toy Blast with Pip Pip in her lap. A human-looking man with hair and skin like gingerbread gazed back with defeated, imploring eyes, like he was begging me for something. It wasn’t the same playful guy I’d always grown up hearing about.

I shrugged my shoulders, not wanting to talk about it. Besides the pain I feared, it felt like as long as