Polly Meets the Kreechers (And Other Tales in Verse and Rhyme)

By David E Reid and Courtney C Hilbig

Stories in verse and rhyme targeted for tweens, but designed to keep adults amused as well. Eight stories of Polly that will appeal to fans of The Addams Family or The Munsters. Four tales of the Land of Fae that should appeal to anyone with a sense of whimsy - or red hair. Most 'Polly' and 'Fae' tales are 5 or more pages long, so they have time

• Language: English
• Publisher: David Reid
• Release date: May 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9781777128531

Book preview

Polly

Polly is a little girl who doesn't quite fit in with her peers at school - but that's not to say that she doesn't have her share of good friends.

Polly Meets the Kreechers

Polly was inverted.

- Yes, I think that that’s the word -

Quiet and quite timid

Or at least that’s what I’d heard.

On the night I met her

- A cold, dry Hallowe’en -

I saw her at the Kreechers’ House,

At Witches' Lane Thirteen.

She was at their front gate

Too scared to ring their bell

- And the things that happened next

Embarrass me now to tell.

I had a couple meaner friends.

- The rest just followed on,

Not wanting to look kind or weak.

(It’s how some tweeners bond.)

We ringed around young Polly

And we teased her. We were bad.

We called her little baby

'Til at last we made her mad.

She set her jaw and did the thing

Our own moms had forbid.

She walked into the Kreechers’ yard

While my gang ran and hid.

She knocked upon their moldy door

Which opened with a creak

As the guys and I did spy

And from the bushes peeked.

All our smiles were stripped away

When Polly walked inside.

- We thought that we had killed her dead

And all our giggles died.

As the door behind her closed,

We glimpsed a thing of dread

That - if we hadn’t been so proud -

We’d all have turned and fled.

We heard the door-latch sliding home,

Poor Polly now within.

A haunting howl then pierced the night,

Goose-bump-ling all our skins.

We whispered in our hiding place

Not knowing what to do.

We soon were pointing fingers as

The accusations grew.

But then a fresh sound broke the night,

A creak we’d heard before.

There was Polly still alive

And walking out the door!

The nightmare thing was speaking,

"Please, do you come again.

We don’t get many visitors.

...And next time bring your friends."

Then it looked straight at us.

Its red eyes chilled our marrow.

My friends and I did finally fly

Just like a flock of sparrows.

So, we don’t mess with Polly

Or-call her baby anymore

'Cause she’s pals with creatures

There behind the moldy door.

Polly Does Show and Tell

Polly was a quiet girl

Who seldom said two words

And, when she did, she talked so low

That no one ever heard.

But Polly was perceptive and

Was clearly no one’s fool.

All her teachers knew this and

She jumped two grades at school.

Polly, being clever,

Had no trouble with the change

- Except that all the other kids

Thought her a little strange.

Younger, small and quiet,

She had trouble making friends,

But her teacher noticed this;

'Twas something he could mend.

He’d arrange to break the ice.

Friendships would then gel.

He’d declare a special day

Of glorious Show and Tell.

Polly would stand up in class

And tell the kids about

Some little curiosity

And that would thaw things out.

Teacher soon announced his plan

- That very afternoon.

He told the kids to get prepared.

Tomorrow’d be here soon.

Teacher looked quite forward

To this day of idle ease

Where he’d just sit and listen as

He sipped a cup of tea.

The kids were less inspired,

But they took it with bright grins.

None caught on 'twas Teacher’s plan

To welcome Polly in.

But, Polly, she was petrified

To think of standing there

In front of all her classmates,

Afraid that they’d all stare.

She knew she’d nothing worthy

To impress these older kids,

So, on her way from school that day,

She did a thing forbid.

...Forbidden to the other kids,

But not to Polly. See?

(She had a very trusting mom

Who thought kids should be free.)

Polly walked to Witches’ Lane,

Up to the Kreechers’ house

And knocked upon their moldy door.

She hoped they’d help her out.

The Kreechers were a different clan.

They had a few odd quirks,

But they adored young Polly.

Yes, they’d help her with her work.

---

Polly tossed and turned that night.

She’d barely got to sleep

When the school bus stopped outside.

The friendly driver beeped.

Polly raced out of the door

And to the bus she flew

To find herself in class again

Before she even knew.

Teacher said, "Miss Polly,

Would you care to start us off?"

Polly spoke some words unheard

(Because they were so soft.)

But Polly did as she was asked

And took her 'ppointed place

Where she could see the kids all stare

Straight at her blushing face.

Polly soon began to speak,

Not loud enough to hear.

Some big kid shouted, Louder! then

Some others joined the jeer.

Teacher just ignored them

As he fiddled with his phone.

Polly saw he’d be no help.

In this, she'd be alone.

So, she just continued

As the room grew more unruled.

She reached within her backpack for

Her bag of Dust of Ghouls.

A few kids started watching,

Though most just carried on

As Polly started chanting

A strange, uncanny song.

When Polly scribed a pentagram,

A darkness filled the room.

A few more kids grew quiet with

A growing sense of doom.

Polly went on chanting

As reality soon blurred.

It didn’t seem to matter now

No human heard her words.

A figure started forming

In the five-point on the floor.

Now all the kids were silent,

Not jeering any more.

In brimstone strongly scented,

The classroom smelled like fear.

Then the screaming started when

The cloven hooves appeared.

The kids were running riot

As they bolted for the door

To flee the evil demon

Now standing on the floor.

Show and Tell was finished.

Polly ended her low song,

Then in a loud, clear, ringing voice,

She shouted out, Be gone!

The sun shone in the windows.

The imp had disappeared.

The kids all looked at Polly and

They gave a big-old cheer.

Teacher looked up from his phone

And scanned around the room

'Til he got to Polly, then,

All done now?