Fairyless

By J W Murison

Fairyless isn’t your run of the mill fluffy fairy story, neither is it a weird slasher horror. On the day of the Choosing; when all the children are gathered at kindergarten waiting for the fairies to come; Manu Is as excited as his friends; but when the fairies leave to return to the woods, he is the only child standing without a fairy life’s companion. Fairyless, he is beaten and bullied by his former friends, teachers and fairies alike. He comes to hate fairies and humanity as a whole. At age 17 he gets into a fight with an Orc, and his life changes. Impressed by the Fairyless human’s honesty, Master Joun takes him on as a delivery driver in his Orc delivery service as a delivery driver. Six years later, Manu has a home of his own, a life he never dreamed possible, and in Master Joun and his family, a family of his own that he loves and trusts.
When a terrorist bomb kills the fairy King and most of his family, the three survivors escape through the sewers and come up through Manu’s drainpipes. Despite his hatred for them, Manu is forced to help when the finger of blame is pointed straight at the Orcs, and the people he has come to love and respect.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J W Murison
• Release date: Feb 13, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005867768

J W Murison

I was born in the cottage hospital of Fyvie in Aberdeenshire in 1961. I grew up on various farms in Aberdeenshire until I was eleven and then our family moved to Morayshire. I did not enjoy High School there. I was frequently belted for not being able to do my homework or producing illegible work most teachers couldn’t read or couldn’t be bothered trying to read. As a result of this, I was often shoved into special needs classes where the teacher taught nothing but religion. At the age of fifteen, a month before my sixteenth birthday I joined the British Army. I remember the recruiting sergeant coming out laughing with my test results in his hands and telling me I could not get a trade in the army as my test results were too low. I didn’t care, I wanted to run up and down hills with a gun and blow shit up. Thankfully I was bright enough for that and I joined the infantry. I served a total of seven years under the colours, from the jungles of Central America to the streets of Northern Ireland. My home and family were the men of the 1st Battalion The Gordon Highlanders.When I left the Army I found getting a job extremely difficult at first. My first job was driving a chippy van and my first full-time job was at ICI Powfoot where I made gunpowder. From there I have had many jobs. I have worked in building sites and on the roads. In peat bogs and kitchens washing dishes. I have waited tables and driven furniture removal vans. Picked fruit and vegetables in season and driven Taxis. In essence, I could and would turn my hand to whatever put food on the table and kept a roof over my head.At the age of twenty-five and having been a year unemployed I reached one of the major milestones in my life. Disillusioned and getting desperate I was persuaded to try a part-time course at the college. Of course, I had to pick the one thing that scared me the most, computers. It was to my great surprise that not only was I able to complete the course but I enjoyed it as well. So I signed up for a full year. For the first time in my life, I found that I could communicate with people on the same level. It was a revelation. It was then I began to suspect for the first time that I wasn’t as stupid as I had been led to believe throughout my life to that point. However, the winds of fate picked me up and blew me away before I could take it any farther and it was another twenty-five years before I would return to pick up where I had left off.This of course doesn’t explain my preoccupation with books. The only thing I found I could do really well as a youngster was read. Now as you may suspect by now I have learning difficulties. In fact, I am registered as disabled with learning difficulties. I am dyslexic, have dyscalculia and a few other associated problems. I know some might be frowning right now as many dyslexics have problems reading. I was told when I was assessed that I have a rare form of dyslexia where my reading abilities are probably above the norm; however, my ability to write legibly, grammar, punctuation and numeracy skills are well below average. This of course is reflected in my writing. At first, I had to get friends to edit all of my work. Even then many errors slip past and were often commented on. Once I began to make some money from my novels, I turned to professional proofreaders. The first book I had edited by a professional proofreader was Teardrops in the Night Sky. Now all of the Steven Gordon series has been proofread, and most of my later novels as well. The simple cost of proofreading is the one thing that stops me from doing it with all of my novels. Having a very poor education with few qualifications has always kept me on the breadline where work and pay is concerned. So it’s going to be a little while longer before I actually make any money from my books as the royalties from them will go straight towards having the next one proofread. All of the novels on Smashwords have been proofread by a professional.Some may ask, why not go to a publishing house? Yeah okay, that’s a fair question but I don’t think I'm ready yet. Too many people trying to do the same thing all at the same time. I also don’t like the idea of being told what to write as has happened to many writers I know who are with publishing houses. There are far too many people following the formula for success rather than writing what they love or what they want to write. Publishing houses also follow the trend to keep the money rolling in. I don’t actually care a damn about any of that; I swap genre like my wife swaps outfits getting ready for a day out. To date, I have written Romance, Science Fiction, War and Science Fiction Fantasy Adventures. My short stories also include Horror, Children’s stories and Drama. None of this takes into account my poetry either. I don’t have to write a short synopsis or seek approval from editors either. I just write what the hell I like, when I like. Is it the right or wrong thing to do? I suppose in the end it is just a matter of opinion. For me, it is the right thing. To become a literary giant or a best selling author, then it is probably by far the wrong thing to do.I can see in my mind's eye a few shaking their head and wondering what the hell I’m all about. For me, it’s all about fun. I love the exploration of the mind. Whether my characters are in a romantic bind in some blistering desert or being chased across the universe by the bad guys, I don’t care, I just love the journey. Maybe that is the point of my writing across so many genres. I think to only write in one genre would crush me eventually, I am not the kind of person you can kick into a pigeonhole and leave there. I want to have a wee keek at what's around the corner, climb into the next hole over; have a root about and then move on. Of late I have discovered that some of my readers have also decided to join me on the journey. As I have moved from pigeonhole to pigeonhole, a brave few have begun to follow. It is such a buzz when a reader who normally only reads Romance novels, tells you she read your brutal alien invasion novel and loved it.My books are about the characters, it is they who tell the story. I think it is that character development that helps my readers cross the boundaries with me. I am sometimes surprised by how invested some of my readers become in the characters I write about. Not only surprised but delighted. For seventeen years I sat and scribbled away in A5 jotters or banged away on an old laptop that only had a few hours of battery life. Every now and then I would take an old book out of the cupboard and read it, then shove it away for a few years. Only a select few were privy to those novels and they could never understand why I never sent them to a publisher. I knew there was little hope of a mainstream publisher taking me on, especially considering the extra work my disabilities would bring. So I sat on them for seventeen years; until about seven years ago, when I began another book and stopped to ask myself a question. What the hell was I doing? So with the help of a friend I had a wee website built, but it was a bit of a flop as no one knew me and no one wanted to buy a book from a complete unknown. It was suggested that I put my books on Amazon. I put them on Kindle and was immediately slated for my grammar etc. That discouraged me for a while but then my friends and family began to step into the breach and helped me edit them. The remarks about my grammar and misuse of words have dropped considerably now and more and more people are taking the journey with me.I sincerely hope you have enjoyed reading this and it puts some perspective on myself and my writing. To date, only one of my books is available to order from your local books store or library and that is “Teardrops In The Night Sky”. It is the most popular of my novels and is a simple adventure story that crosses many boundaries. Teenagers to pensioners have written and told me of their delight at reading this novel. For the older generation, it is the type of adventure without foul language and all the heavy sex scenes most modern novels contain. For them, it’s a step back in time to the kind of pure adventure they were brought up with. For the young, it’s something new to explore. It just so happens it's also my mothers favourite novel. Of course, now it has been professionally proofread I am going to have to give her a fresh novel. The rest of my books are all available on Amazon as is Teardrops; in Kindle, paperback and hardback format.J W Murison

Book preview

chapter 1

I was dragged from the abyss to a world of screaming tortured metal. I half launched myself off the couch and cried out in anguish as the noise set off a cracker of a hangover. I stumbled over my shoes in the dark and collided with the wall. My temper began to rise and the flat of my fist smacked on the light. A couple of steps to the kitchen and a backhander to the light switch there. My goal was the flickering red light at the side of the sink. As the lights flickered on, I stabbed the off switch. The screeching of metal wound quickly down into silence.

My bloodshot eyes became fixated on the sink. A thin stream of smoke came from beneath it. I almost hauled the doors off to check. The stream turned to a puff that escaped with joyous abandon into the kitchen. The extractor fans detected the smoke and switched on. I got up and opened the window before the fire alarms went off. There was no fire, thankfully. I looked into the sink and groaned. My expensive garbage disposal system was in pieces.

It had cost me a small fortune. It was still under warranty, but what the hell had set it off? I was still half pished as I tried to make sense of it all. I checked the time; it was only four, and still pitch dark outside. I had come home at twelve, drunk as a skunk. Flaked out on the couch, tossed off my shoes and pulled my thin quilt over myself, then fallen asleep, or maybe passed out. I hadn’t eaten or drunk anything. So what the hell had set it off? I had cleared the dishes before I left. The sink was clean; it was a mystery that was beginning to annoy me. It would have to wait until I was sober and awake in the morning before I would be able to make any sense of it. As I turned away, I heard a strange noise from the sink.

My befuddled mind took me a moment to work out what I was hearing. I went back under the sink and hauled out a pair of gloves. Razor-sharp twisted blades threatened to puncture the thin gloves, but eventually I managed to wrestle the plug free. I even managed to push some of the twisted blades flat. I stood, stupefied, as a slim hand and arm appeared from down the drain. It reached up. With a growl, I hauled off a glove and reached down into the drain. It wasn’t easy as I had big hands. There was a cry as I squeezed the slimy hand and hauled. I deposited the stinking creature on the draining board - then barked a laugh as I noticed the fairy I had rescued from my drain had the tips of her wings missing. What a sorry state. It was crying sheets of tears. I was about to open my mouth when more noise dragged my eyes back to the sink. I was just able to prevent myself from scratching my head with my dirty hands when two more sets of arms were shoved up out of the drain. Mesmerised, I hauled them out one at a time and plonked them down beside the other one. I looked down the plughole.

‘That is all of us.’

I regarded the elder of the three pathetic looking creatures sitting on my draining board. The smell from them made me want to puke. I pulled a pot out and filled it with warm water, put a tiny amount of soap in it, then doused it over the three of their heads. They cried out in unison.

I slammed the pot down beside them. ‘What the fuck are you people doing down my drain?’

Three fairies, two women and one male. The female he clung to was pregnant.

He spat water out. ‘Did you have to do that?’

‘You stink, now answer the question.’

‘I can’t, I’m sorry.’

It was almost too much for my befuddled drink-soaked brain. I leaned in close.

‘You three owe me three hundred quid for a new waste disposal unit. If you don’t pay up, you will be going back down it, am I making myself understood?’

‘Please don’t worry sir. I shall have you reimbursed for the cost of your unit. I promise. It may take me a few days.’

The first one I had hauled up gagged at the stench of my breath. She waved a hand in front of her face. I stepped back and growled at them. Still, he had made a fairy promise; they always kept their promises. Normally.

My thumping head dragged me away from the sink to a cupboard. I pulled out a glass and filled it with water from the fridge dispenser. From a drawer I pulled some Resolve; the best thing I had ever found for a hangover. I let the tablets dissolve and swirled it a bit before downing the lot. I returned to the sink and washed out the glass. They were still sitting there, pathetic and covered in shit.

‘Are you three leaving or whit?’

The male looked up at me. ‘We have nowhere to go at this time.’

I wanted to ask them what the fuck they had been doing down my drain, but a lancing pain drove the thought away. I refilled the pot with hotter water and tossed in a bar of soap.

‘Have a bath; ye stink.’

I left them for a few minutes and searched my airing cupboard. The only thing I could find their size were face cloths. There was a pile I had never used; a gift from my mother on moving into my own home. I grabbed them up and took them through. I tossed them onto the draining board.

‘That is as near as I have to fairy size.’

They stared as though I had shat on their mat. The younger female stood up. Her hands went to her hips.

‘Where is your fairy?’

‘What fucking fairy?’

The look of shock registered on all their faces. She stepped back and did the hand thing.

‘Oh!’

I smirked, ‘Aye lassie, I’m Fairyless. My soul is as black as Hinerson’s Hole. You’ll find no damn fairy here. You are neither wanted nor welcome.’ I pointed to her companions, ‘If that yin there wasnae pregnant, I would be booting your arses out that door. Now, this is all I have, like it or lump it. There is a quilt on the couch, sleep there.’

I walked away and left them to it. Of course, I headed upstairs. Enjoyed a pish, tossed my clothes onto a chair and climbed into bed. I was asleep in minutes.

chapter 2

They were left stunned on the draining board of the sink. The colossus passed through the outside kitchen door and they heard him go up the stairs.

‘Ailsa!’

She turned to regard her brother. ‘Yes?’

‘Help me with Cyrena.’

‘No!’ Cyrena pushed his hand away and got to her feet. ‘You two have been using your magic all day. You are both exhausted. Let us use this water the human has left. I need a bath.’

Her wings buzzed as she flew over to the pot.

‘You two bathe first.’ Callad turned his back to give his sister her dignity. She flew across with difficulty. The two females stripped and helped each other into the pot, then helped each other wash. They used the bar of soap to wash each other’s hair too. Cyrena asked her husband for her bag of dust. He handed it up and she healed Ailsa’s wings.

When Ailsa was clean, she flew out and Callad took her place. Cyrena also healed his wings. They settled down together in the pot.

‘Are we safe?’

He shook his head. ‘I don’t know. We don’t even know where we are.’

‘He never gave us the opportunity to ask.’

He pulled her close to his chest. ‘He never even asked us who we were, just what we were doing down that damn drain.’

‘How strange.’

Ailsa had finished drying her hair and wrapped herself in a facecloth. She decided to join the conversation.

‘He was pretty drunk. Maybe he just couldn’t think straight.’

‘That’s a good point Ailsa, but if he turns against us, I think we are going to have problems. I don’t think I have ever seen a human quite so big. What did you see when you scanned him?’

‘The blackness that surrounds him is solid, not even a sparkle of light. I can’t believe we came up in a house that has no fairies in it.’

‘Maybe the gods are looking out for us.’

She hesitated. ‘How can you come to that conclusion Callad, after today!’

‘It is a new day Ailsa. It was not the gods that tore our family from us. Think though. We do not know who, what or why. If we had come up in a house with fairies, word would soon spread. Those who pursued us would find us quickly.’

‘You may have a point Callad, still, I don’t trust him.’

‘A man who is Fairyless is no doubt used to the distrust of others. We will not provoke him. There is a good chance that he is a bit of a simpleton. Our magic will not work on him either. We need a few days to rest, get clean clothes. Our manipulation of this man must be gentle.’

She snorted, ‘We would be better in the safety of our own kind.’

Callad untangled himself from his wife and stood tall in the pot. He looked over the lip of the pot to where his sister huddled in the facecloth. Tears streamed down his face.

‘I am now the king of the fairy nation. You will obey me.’

She took a deep breath and tears burst from her eyes. She turned towards him and bowed.

‘Yes, Your Highness.’

Chapter 3

I woke with my alarm and carried out my normal daily routine. I’d had a shit, showered and was halfway through a shave when my hand stopped. I suddenly remembered the fairies. I quickly finished my shave and threw on a tracksuit. Dashing down the stairs I found them all asleep on the couch under my quilt. I scratched my head; I had no idea what the hell to do now. I decided to ignore them and closed the door to the kitchen.

Breakfast was four Weetabix with lashings of milk and sugar, then a large mug of coffee. A look out the window told me it was pishing rain. I felt confused. I had never had a fairy, and now I had three. When I was a kid, I went with my mother on the day of the Choosing. Everybody had a fairy, every human had a fairy, except me! Alright, that isn’t totally true, there are others who are Fairyless; most of them reside in prison, but that’s a different story.

I remember that day so well. I was super excited, almost five years old and ready to go to school. All the kids had gathered. I hadn’t noticed the tension in my mother or Kaia, who was her fairy. All I could see was a large cloud of colour moving towards us over the park towards the school ground. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. The sunlight made a hundred tiny rainbows as it cut through their wings. They were all dressed in their best; too many colours to count.

They descended on the children. Fairy dust sparkled in the air as they flitted in and out of them; it was a wonder to behold. They did that thing with their hand and moved on, looking for a child with an aura that matched their own. A child they would stay with for the rest of that person’s life. Fairies lived almost three times as long as humans. They called it their One Life Away. I was surrounded by magic and colour. They began to depart in groups of ten or twenty at a time. Then suddenly they were all gone. The children began to leave with their mothers and new life’s companion. I was surrounded by tears of joy and laughter. Then one little girl pointed.

‘Mummy, that boy doesn’t have a fairy, what’s wrong with him?’

Her mother’s fairy did the thing with the hand and whispered in the mother’s ear.

She reached down and pulled her daughter away.

‘He has a black soul; he will never have a fairy. You are to keep away from him. He is Fairyless.’

It was the first time I had ever heard those words. I looked at my mother. She had tears streaming down her face. Kaia had flown down and wrapped her arms around my neck.

‘You will always be my little boy; I will always be your fairy.’

I was in shock; I barely understood the woman’s words. Looking at my mother’s face I understood one thing. They had known.

‘Why did you take me here?’

The tears had begun to flow freely. She took a handkerchief from her pocket and blew her nose.

‘It is the law Manu; I had no choice.’

That was the first day of the rest of my life. That was the day it had all begun. That was the day I began to grow a chip on my shoulder the height of Ben Nevis. The day I began to hate fairies and people. The day the bullying began, the day the snide remarks and sniggering began. Still, that had been a long time ago. I didn’t care anymore. I had eventually found work, even made friends, but it wasn’t in the world of humans or fairies.

I was watching my time carefully. I emptied the pot of water. The bar of soap was ruined after sitting in water all night. A pile of dirty clothes sat on the draining board. I grabbed the bag I normally washed put my socks in and dumped them into it, then into the washing machine. I set it for the shortest cycle.

From a drawer, I pulled my breath tester. I groaned at the results; I was still over the driving limit. I packed my work clothes into a small rucksack, then slipped on my running shoes. I was reaching for the door when the familiar buzz of fairy wings approached. It was the young female. I noticed her wings had been healed. It was a thought that still amused me a little.

‘What do you want? Your clothes are in the wash. The three of you should be able to open the door if you work together. Get them on and begone.’

She was breathing heavily. ‘Could we possibly impose on you for a few days?’

‘No.’

‘Please, we need somewhere to stay for a few days.’

‘Why?’

‘I can’t say. Please!’ Her face went bright red. ‘If you allow us to stay, I will give you my all.’

She had been wearing the facecloth like a poncho. She lifted it off and let it fall to the floor. She was naked underneath.

I almost howled with laughter. The sound of her bare arse smacking into the palm of my hand was quite loud as I snatched her out of the air and hauled her close to my face.

‘What I have would either split you in two or drown you. As it is still a capital offence to kill a fairy, I will respectfully decline your offer.’ I snatched the facecloth from the floor and poked a finger through the hole. ‘Your bill is getting bigger. That’s a disposal unit and a facecloth you owe me.’

I popped it back over her head and let her go. Her wings buzzed angrily as I walked out the door. I was laughing as I reached the end of the path and laughed halfway to work, running in the rain.

chapter 4

Callad approached his sister. She was buzzing about in front of the door. He followed her with his eyes, wondering if it was wise to intervene.

He cleared his throat. ‘That was quite unwise Ailsa.’

She snapped across the space. ‘Did you hear that?’

‘I did.’

‘Did you hear what he said?’

‘I did.’

‘Oh! How dare he!’

‘Uh!’

‘He refused. I am a fairy princess, the most beautiful fairy in all the kingdoms, and he refused me flat. Like I was nothing.’

Callad didn’t know whether to laugh, scream or cry.

‘Maybe that is a blessing in disguise. He didn’t insist that we leave. That is a gain.’

‘I want to leave.’

A tinkling laugh came from behind. Cyrena appeared, holding her swollen belly.

‘Maybe he is gay.’

Ailsa calmed a little. ‘That has to be it. Still, he doesn’t look very gay. There was no tinge in his aura.’

‘Right now, your nephew requires nourishment, and so does his mother.’ She looked around. ‘Nothing in this home is fairy sized. I will need both your help to raid the fridge.’

They obeyed the wishes of the expectant mother. They were all wearing the facecloths like ponchos. Together they managed to get the fridge door open. There wasn’t much in it. All were surprised by how clean it was. It was blatantly obvious the man was a meat-eater by nature. There was a half-finished punnet of raspberries and strawberries, there was also cream.

Callad looked around the kitchen. ‘There are no dishes. I suspect he won’t take kindly to us making a mess of his table.’

‘There is one on the draining board,’ Cyrena noticed.

‘Let’s get these out first. Cyrena, hold this fridge door open please.’

‘Yes, darling.’

The siblings managed between them to fly the raspberries and the cream to the table. Then they wrestled the clean plate to the table as well. With a little cream spilt into the bowl they dined on the raspberries.

They were soon full. The cleanup was going to be a problem though. Callad was looking around.

‘There is something very strange about this house.’ The two women looked up from their food. They too looked around.

‘I don’t see anything,’ Ailsa ventured.

‘The handles, the cupboards. It all seems large for a human.’

She laughed, ‘How would you know, when were you ever in a human home? He is a big man.’

He scratched the tip of his wing. ‘I suppose.’

A strange noise from outside attracted their attention. ‘You two stay there. I will have a look.’

He flew over to the sink and peered out from behind the net curtains. He could hear the noise but see nothing. It was a full thirty seconds before the perpetrator of the noise appeared. Callad flattened himself against the wall. Fear flowed through his body.

‘Oh … Shit!’

Both women were shocked by his language. Cyrena got up to fly over to him.

He stretched out both hands. ‘Don’t move, stay there. It’s an Orc. We are in the Orc district.’

The two women felt real fear for the first time in their lives.

Chapter 5

The rain was tipping it down as I left the house. I quickly swung into a rhythm. As I reached the end of the street there was a yell. I laughed and waved, but never slowed down. Jorg quickly caught up. He must have still been over the driving limit as well. We sidestepped as a car roared past tooting. It was his father on his way to work.

Jorg looked like he was still suffering. Jorg was my best friend and had been since the day I had knocked him out in a fight. He was a foot taller than I was and even human women found him handsome. He was the spitting image of his father. They were the kind of Orcs that only had small tusks protruding from both jaws. They weren’t poisonous either. Which was a bonus, because the bastard had actually bitten me during that fight.

It had all started on a bright summer’s day. I had not long since turned seventeen. School had finally thrown me out and I was on a fruitless search for a job. I had just been rejected for the umpteenth time in a week and was severely pissed off. As I sat on a park bench drowning my sorrows with a tin of juice, it just so happened that this smug-looking handsome bastard of an Orc was teasing two blond-haired girls from my former school. They had obviously squealed in fear, as they normally did. Their fairies were going frantic, and Jorg was giving them a bit of sarcasm for being a pair of blond-headed idiots. The thing is, I actually agreed with him. However, that day I was in a foul mood and looking for a fight. I found one.

It hadn’t taken much to get him to start swinging. He had battered me to a pulp. As a kid, I had been taught to box by an old Orc who lived in the woods. I was hard and mean, but this Orc was bigger, harder and had a punch like a sledgehammer. He was even bigger than the Orc who had trained me. We squared up and punished each other. I was close to being finished when he left himself open. A single blow knocked him clean out. A sucker punch; a lucky blow if ever there had been. The police and ambulance had arrived soon after. I vaguely remember being strapped to a stretcher.

A few hours later his father had woken me from my slumber. I was in awe. It was obvious who he was. He looked around the room.

‘Where is your fairy?’

‘I don’t have one; I’m Fairyless.’

That surprised him. ‘So, you are the human who knocked out my son.’ He suddenly burst out laughing. ‘You look worse than he does!’

I suddenly felt bad. ‘May I apologise to you and your son, sir. I started the fight.’

‘Why?’

‘I was in a foul mood is all. He was there. That’s about it.’

‘What put you into a bad mood, boy?’

‘Job hunting. Seventh rejection in five days. I’m sorry. I told the police it was all my fault.’

‘I know you took the blame. It made me curious. You even impressed Jorg; he said it was a lucky punch.’

‘A very lucky punch. I was about beat.’

‘You admit that!’

I shrugged, ‘It’s the truth. I’ll no lie to make myself look good.’

‘You must have had some training.’

‘An old Orc that lived down the woods at the back of our place. Made me call him Master Neets.’

‘What are you qualified to do boy?’

‘Nothing. I have never gained a single qualification in my whole life. They don’t grade the Fairyless. They don’t see the point.’

‘You took the tests?’

‘I had to.’

‘Do you have a driver’s licence?’

‘That I have.’

He looked surprised. ‘A full licence?’

‘Yes sir. My father gave me a course for my seventeenth birthday. Thought it might help me get a job. Not so far, though.’

He took out a card and handed it to me. ‘Come here when you have healed a little. I might have something for you.’

Jorg’s father had a parcel delivery service. A week later I started my first job. Six years later I was still there. I was happy. I had made friends.

We ran side by side. Halfway there he had to stop to puke. I howled with laughter at his distress. I wasn’t being cruel; if I wasn’t laughing at him then it would have been him laughing at me.

We arrived at the depot together. Both of us were soaked to the skin, but he was looking a bit healthier. His father was waiting behind the long counter. He dumped a tester in front of both of us. I blew long and hard. He took it from me then showed me the results.

‘Just.’

Jorg failed the test. ‘Go sit down for an hour.’

Jorg cursed his luck. It would mean an hour deducted from his pay. It made my day even brighter.

‘Go get changed Manu.’

‘Yes sir.’

Chapter 6

They slowly got over the shock. The husband and wife clung to each other. To an Orc, a fairy was a delicacy. Spit-roasted over an open fire. Those were the tales they had been brought up with. Despite the fact, there was no evidence of any such thing happening in the last hundred years. But all knew fairies had been going missing in mysterious circumstances in the past few months.

The washing machine going from spin to dry turned their heads and their courage began to return.

‘What do we do now?’ Ailsa asked.

Callad had been thinking it over. ‘You know, this might be a good thing.’

It brought derisive stares from both women.

‘You seriously jest!’

He smiled at his sister. ‘No one is going to look for us here.’

She took a deep breath, then thought about it.

‘You do have a point, but how the hell did we end up here?’

‘We ended up here because the escape exits from the tunnel were blocked. We had no choice. We couldn’t lift any manhole covers either.’

‘No; we flew down stinking tunnels for hours until we found a pipe big enough to take us to the surface. Then we had so swim round that u-bend and were almost killed by a sink.’

‘I know why; it is automated. When we pushed up the plug, it set off the sensor. It is on a label beside the switch.’

‘That doesn’t help our situation any.’

‘At least we know the human didn’t try to kill us.’

Ailsa considered that for a moment, her face flushing a little.

‘Maybe that is one thing, but we can’t trust him.’

‘Right now, we can’t trust anyone.’

‘We need to get in touch with our own kind.’

‘I know Ailsa, but have a little patience. Cyrena is due almost any day now. We need to be patient. Let her have the child before we begin to take any action. Right now, she isn’t fit to run.’

‘I know, and I am also tired.’ She smiled strangely. ‘Maybe you should try to win the heart of the human.’

‘What?’ His mouth dropped open; by the smirk on the face of his sister it was obvious what she meant. ‘Oh no, no thank you.’ Both women burst out laughing.

Chapter 7

I dried myself off with a towel I kept in my locker. I was soaked to the skin, so I stripped naked. Jorg came in grumping about his father. He stripped off too, then looked me up and down.

‘Puny human.’

As humans go, I was broad-shouldered and build like a heavyweight boxer. I was stacked. Jorg wasn’t wrong however; compared to him and those of his clan, I was puny. In every department. They never failed to tease me about it, but I just laughed it off. For a human, I was the complete beast and knew it.

‘Come and look at this Manu.’ He was posing naked in front of the large mirror. For some reason, Orcs just loved to preen and look at themselves. I knew if I didn’t, he would bug me until I did. I walked over. There were similarities between us I suppose. In build, we were both stacked, only he was a foot taller and broader than me. He was also green. We both had long black hair, but I had dark blue eyes, while his were closer to emerald green. My face, hands, neck and arms were tanned, while the rest of me was marble white. The large blue veins I had, running just beneath the surface of my skin, added to the effect of marble.

He struck a pose while I simply shook my head.

‘What do you think Manu?’

‘Oh, you are just so fucking pretty it makes me feel sick.’

‘It should too.’

I walked away shaking my head still and pulled on my coveralls. He posed for almost another five minutes. He came back and sat down beside me.

‘How did you ever knock me out!’

I showed him the bite scars on my arm for the hundredth time.

‘Because when you were biting me like a wee girl, I was punching fuck out of your head.’

‘Sucker punch!’

‘If I had known you then like I know you now, I would have knocked you out in the first round.’

‘Ha! How?’

‘I would have just stuck a full-length mirror in front of you, then