A Faerie Tale

By Lee Robbins

Emerging from a car crash of a relationship, Rebecca, with her son Jack, relocate to the countryside. Their new home is a beautiful cottage which adjoins a wild, enchanted woodland, and is a haven for peace and reflection. Also living amongst the trees, the flora and the fauna, ancient creatures of legend and myth lurk, watching and waiting for the right moment to make their presence known...

'A Faerie Tale,' is a fusion of fantasy and folklore, blended with contemporary issues such as motherhood, relationships, addictions, mental health and learning disabilities. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lee Robbins
• Release date: Mar 24, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393813484

Lee Robbins

Robbins dwells and writes his craft within the city of Stoke-on-Trent. A peddler of tales which blend the genres of the occult, paranormal and mystery, his prose is bold and challenges social etiquette and sensibilities. A must read for those seeking brave and adventurous supernatural stories with a hint of gore.

Book preview

Slow Down.

He finished his drink. One for the road? Nathan asked. Ignoring Melody’s, d’ya think that’s a good idea, you’re driving, he was already at the bar and ordering two more double Jameson’s. Returning to their table, he gave her ‘that’ smile, knowing she wasn’t happy.

Cheers, he said, clinking her glass, then taking a sip. Melody though, as he suspected, wasn’t impressed.

I’ll be fine, honest, he said. Remember why we’re here? Then he gave her the ‘eyes,’ like those owned by sad puppies and children on charity adverts.  Melody gave a quick, shallow nod, unconvinced. Anyway, it’s only my second drink, he lied. He’d had a pint whilst waiting for Mel to arrive. To be honest, I need it, you understand that?"

Yeah, yeah, but you know, be careful. She put her glass down. Actually, we should leave these and go, her tone letting him know of her disappointment. Drink-driving she couldn’t condone, even if this was the first time, and only by a small margin, but...trying to reason his unreasonable behaviour, and failing, it was her turn to give Nat a ‘look.’

She puckered her lips and stared into the middle distance; this her normal face of disapproval, and the face she wore when he was leaving her, to return to them.

It was a face she hadn’t worn in the spring of drunken giggles and fumbling lust. She understood then, she promised herself and Nat, that their ‘thing,’ was just fun and games. But like all good games, theirs had become addictive, with that, ‘just one more go,’ craving. Now she wanted him all the time, and all to herself.

I’m fine, and I know, I know, he said. Raising his hands and knotting them in prayer, he continued. It’s not what I normally do, you know that, right, he lied again. Right?

I know. I do, but...never again eh? It’s dangerous, she said. Remember, it’s also my life in your hands.

Never again. I promise. He took a drink then crossed himself like a devout Catholic, which he wasn’t.

No need for the sarcasm. Don’t be a knob, she said.  But with a smile and a wink later, she’d caved into an uneasy peace with him, not wanting to ruin the evening but certainly not happy.

Nathan’s drinking was dreading the thought of going home to Rebecca and Jack, then dropping the bombshell he was leaving. It shook him more than the confident face he wore for Mel. The drinks were a crutch to the inevitable, and whatever false courage they imbued, he’d gladly take.

Melody did understand, or she tried to, as best as she could. She was 14 years Nat’s junior; single, no kids, and without a career. Being a receptionist at the Health Centre was a job, a mundane, low paying job, and definitely not a future she wanted to own longer than she had to.

Nathan had a much busier, fulfilling life. He was a self-employed IT consultant and good at it, earned well, but travelled a lot; wherever the work took him. Then there was Rebecca, his partner, who had been in his life for the past six years, along with Jack, their son. Well, technically Rebecca’s son, but Nathan had come into his life just after the kid’s first birthday. He was for all intents and purpose, Jack’s father, as Jack never knew his biological dad...and neither did Rebecca.

She had been the victim of a gang rape. A rape so violent and vicious, it had made the news; briefly elbowing vacuous celebrities, and fame whores from the column inches and daytime television.

Bludgeoned from behind and drifting in and out of consciousness during the attack, she couldn’t provide descriptions of the attackers. Hazy recollections of more than one hooded attacker, not enough for any arrests and prosecutions. Nobody held accountable for her degradations, adding salt to the gash in her heart and soul, parts of which hadn’t healed, but were replaced with a child-shaped scar. A child should be a blessing, not a wound, and definitely not a curse.

Only Rebecca had kept these less than motherly feelings deeply hidden from Nathan. She couldn’t bear for him to judge her, and no doubt he would, with his hints at wanting to start a family.

She had tried her best to be a good mum to Jack, researching what good mums did. She’d read plenty of ‘mother and child,’ material online, and downloaded a few books and tried hard to relate to what was written. But these were manuals and guidelines written for a child born out of love, not hate. How can you love another when you have enough self-hatred and loathing for two?

The horror of Rebecca’s nightmare, made Melody gag when Nat retold it, here in the pub over drinks, and to cry alone, whilst watching the grim news reports online. A strange curiosity had made her search, but what she found had her wishing she hadn’t. Rebecca didn’t deserve that. No woman did.

It took Nat a month into their relationship to tell her about the vile attack, and to mention Jack and his difficulties. He needed to exorcise his own demons to Mel, to prove why he needed to have her, and leave his old life behind. He needed the validations that he wasn’t a bad guy, he’d tried to be a hero, but sadly he’d failed. The cross of supporting Rebecca’s emotions and Jack’s ‘issues,’ were weighing too heavy now. He needed to live, not just to exist.

He explained of his desire to father his own child, with Rebecca vehemently against the idea, but refusing to say categorically why, but promised to think about it. For weeks after, she’d refuse him sex, or any kind of sexual gratification as a punishment, he believed. This need to have a child and being refused the opportunity, particularly emasculating, making him doubt his worthiness as a man, and stealing his potential to be a father to his own child.

He’d done ok with Jack, hadn’t he? His doubt was tangible, and he didn’t like this. Rebecca had gotten under his skin, scratching his ego when she refused him at least the chance of trying. But he’d have the last laugh whilst she could drown her sorrows as per usual. She was to blame for his love and fidelity waning, not him. He didn’t resent his face in the mirror, and he always slept ok at night, especially when Melody shared the bed with him.

Home life; or ‘no life,’ as Nat called it, was becoming all work, no play for Nathan. Sex life, love life, life itself, had gone missing from his and Rebecca’s partnership. It had gone past the point of miracles a while back, and if he was honest, he hadn’t tried to resurrect it. This was the time the lovely Melody had entered his life and bed. Her young skin and eager-to-please touch, pumping the middle aged blood of Nathan, energising his spirit, and raising his flaccid sex life.

Once upon a time in the early days of falling in love, he was her rock, Rebecca had said. Her knight in shining armour and protector. Her reason to try to be normal. He had thrived on this, her need for him to be there, and how she missed him so much when he wasn’t. That was until these last six months, when the hunger to be a father to his own child, overtook his need to be a rock to an ageing nihilist. She was running out of time. Couldn’t she hear her biological clock ticking? Couldn’t she see he was drifting from her? Maybe she could and simply didn’t care?

It was in this lull that fate and serendipity were listening to his thoughts, when his path collided with that of Melody. Youthful, fertile, Melody. She was keen on fun and sex, and also receptive to the idea of having kids; once Rebecca and Jack weren’t in Nathan’s life anymore. She wasn’t going to be the plaything for Nathan, no, she’d seen what damage that had caused in her mother’s life.

Now he’d become Rebecca’s man of rust; corroded by her trauma, and Jack’s condition. He was tired, feeling old and even spiteful towards them. He’d outgrown them. Not like his relationship with Melody, which he’d grown into; giving his jaded life a spit-shine polish.

Melody thought it was weird, awkward; even wrong, to call her and Nat a ‘relationship,’ not until things were properly settled. Wrong against her, not Rebecca. Rebecca didn’t deserve him, or know how to keep a man happy, but she did. If nothing else, she had learned a thing or three from her mother’s lifestyle and choices. Not until Nathan had gone home and given Rebecca the bad news, packed his stuff, and was living with her, could they be in a relationship. As of now, she was just the other woman, much like her mum had been, but unlike her, she knew she wasn’t going to live that kind of second class life forever, and so did Nathan.

She knew and expected to take flak from those caught in the ensuing shit-storm of his and her relationship. They’d point at her, being a much younger ‘piece of skirt,’ than Rebecca. It was that young slut who’d turned his middle-aged head and life upside down. It would have nothing to do with Rebecca, it couldn’t be her, she could hear the sanctimonious, village gossip now. Ah, the hypocrites she thought. Though like a coin, there were always two sides to a story. Nathan had given her the ‘heads-up side,’ of his and she knew the truth.

Shaking these thoughts away and taking sips of the whiskey, she dreamed back to happier times in this pub, whilst Nathan excused himself and went to the restroom.

These were her memories of that summer night—a favourite recall—one she replayed day and night, when Nat went back to her.

It was here, in ‘The Robin Hood,’ they’d first met, just over 7 months ago. Nathan and John, a teacher from the school IT department he was contracted to upgrade, were on a night out.

It was an 80’s theme night and the pub was packed to bursting when they met. Wanting to claim the flyer’s promise of a free drink to those who came in fancy dress, Nathan resurrected George Michael from his ‘Wham’ days, and John dressed as Michael Jackson. He really looked the part; wearing a red wind breaker he’d got from a charity shop, and a spangled white glove, (made by the intern from the Art department). B+ for effort, he’d told Nathan, flashing the glove. But i’d give her a definite ‘A’ for the hand jobs, he grinned like a kid. Nathan simply smirked.

Melody arrived alone, and was dressed as Cher; replete with big hair and dark makeup, matching skinny black jeans and tee, and completed with a shiny, black leather jacket.

It was in the crush at the bar where they actually met, competing for the attention of Adam Ant, (Callum the landlord), who was ‘Prince Charming,’ to the wave of punters, and Cindi Lauper, (Jackie, Callum’s wife), who was cool under pressure, time-after-time.

Nathan got the eye of Lauper, and ordered for himself and Jackson a pint of lager with whiskey chasers. It was here, crushed shoulder-to-shoulder, that he noticed Mel. Impossible not too really. Instinctively asking her what she wanted to drink; she had a double Jameson’s, the same as she was drinking now.

It was in that split second of eye contact when she knew she had to have him. What was it about Nathan that night? She really wasn’t sure, but, but...anyway, Nat made no apologies to Jackson that night, abandoning him at the bar, forgetting him, like he was yesterday’s news, and instead lead her by the hand to exactly where they are sitting tonight.

And that was it. Flirting becoming sparks setting a fire, words and intimacy consuming them both, burning a trail to where they were this evening: Finalising plans for a new life together.

Tonight’s drinks were a celebration of freedom, of living a future in love, and breaking hearts of those that weren’t in their romantic ‘D-Day’. There were always casualties in love and war, this a cliché, mum had told her only a few weeks back, but she didn’t need to; Mel remembers her upbringing all too well. She remembers her mum’s affairs and after that, the countless stepdads. Some of those with less than fatherly intent towards a young Melody, though she never told her Mum. She wouldn’t believe her anyway...she had tried hinting once, but...

Right then, Nathan said, breaking her memories. Leave the drinks, you’re right. Back from the restroom where he’d given his face a splash of cold water, and what she’d said, some thought. We’ll go eh?

Yeah, we’ll go. I’m tired, drained of it all. I just want tonight to come and go, she said, sighing as she got up. Nathan gathered her to him, smothering her with a bear hug. It’ll be fine, I promise, he kissed the top of her head. It’s going have to be. Saying thanks and goodnight to the bar staff, they left.

Cool air slapped their faces. Cosy and glowing from the drinks and warmth of the pub, smacked out of them before the door could shut behind. Bloody hell, its gone cold, Nathan said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, whilst she hooked her arm around his waist. Quickly they got to his car, opened the doors and got in. Let’s get some warmth in here, he said, turning the ignition. Warm air circulated after a minute, then he angled the dashboard vents to toast their faces.

Are you going to be ok driving? You look a little flushed, Melody asked, concerned at his reddening face.

Yeah, yeah, he checked himself in the rear-view mirror, it’s a bit too hot now. He adjusted the vents. Putting the car in gear, he pulled off the carpark and headed towards Melody’s home. She only lived minutes away, a flat above ‘Hathaway’s Dentist Practice,’ on the outskirts of town, which she’d lived in since leaving home.

Soon there, she leaned over to him, kissed his cheek, then got out, telling him to stay in the car. Love you, they exchanged, as she shut the door.

As she got to the stairwell leading up to her flat, she turned back and waved at Nathan, who blew a kiss back. Waiting until she was safe inside, he then set off for home.

He lived in a large bungalow the next town down, a better part of the Shire. A twenty minute drive, down a couple of country lanes, and that was home for now. In the morning he’d be looking for alternative accommodation, which was inevitable, and only fair. She could have the bungalow. Well, for the immediate future, but then he’d sell. It was his property after all, but he’d give her half of the proceeds, that was more than fair. He had loved them, he had; they were so...so different to what he’d had in his life before. He could never believe how much he liked being a father, it was an eye-opener which had made him view his life differently, for this, he owed them. Rebecca was unique. Broken but...he’d never met anyone like her before. And that was good. She was in love with and grateful to him, or so it seemed. This doting, childish kind of love was addictive at first, appealing to his vanity, but now it had gotten stale. Life was too tiring with her inconsistent behaviour.

And then there was Jack. He smiled at his name. He was just as much an enigma and broken as his mum was. But he couldn’t be blamed for his idiosyncrasies. He was born this way, though still as much care as he felt for him, the boy was difficult to love; again, much like his mother.

He dropped the window a touch, drawing in a fresh-air boost, and blowing his thoughts away. He’d not had much drink at all, not by his standards, but he knew he was over the limit. He didn’t understand all the fuss, it wasn’t his first rodeo, and he’d always gotten home in one piece each and every time. It was just a little secret he kept from Mel and Rebecca. As for getting caught by the police? Well, they rarely patrolled his area or this stretch of the road. It was Melody’s town, which got their blue lights flashing. It was a much