The Visitors In The Basement

-->

“Great news. The jumpsuit worked. Mom has forgotten about me spending so much time in the basement.” Dobby enters the basement purring.

“I'm getting tired of all this waiting. I say we take a stand now!” Paige stood up and said while looking at everyone one else in the Writer Lady's basement. Everyone at the table tensed noticeably at her pronouncement. Furnatche hid under the table. Dobby was anxiously looking all around trying to figure out where to go if Paige kept it up.

Aunt Purdy walked around the table and put an arm around her niece. “Paige. Relax. Dobby explained how Writer Lady works to us last week. She has three stories she is currently working on and they are like her “babies”. It is hard to keep up with all of us.

“That's the whole problem if you ask me. She is NOT keeping up with US. Sure she writes the cheezy romance and the story for the the television show but not for us. This is SO boring.”

Peter walks around the far side of the table and stands behind his sister's left shoulder pantomiming her speech starting with an exaggerated, “This is SO boring”, complete with eye roll. Dylan, Furnatche and Dobby all started to relax. Peter's antics were hard to ignore.

“Does anyone else know how long we have been waiting?” It has been over a year since she looked at the first book. She has only written snippets about us ever since. We haven't had anything to do but wait. We haven't eaten, slept, enjoyed any of Aunt Purdy's wonderful cookies, had pillow or water balloon fights, no adventures. None at all!” Paige yelled.

Dylan's giggle could be heard from across the room as he silently mocked both his sister and brother to Furnatche's delight. Furnatche had come out from under the table to a much safer spot across the room and next to Dylan.  The dragon was nervous and rarely relaxed so much around the three year old.

  “Mom doesn't work like other writers. She does things in “sips” or smaller intervals of time."  Dobby pointed out.  "Finishing stories takes a bit longer. She learns more every day.”

“Great,not only are we characters born from the imagination of a slow working writer but she's a beginner too?” Paige wailed. “Can't we just buy her a Big Gulp? Tie her to the chair?”

“Just a minute, Paige. She writes almost every day now, doesn't she Dobby?” Aunt Purdy asked.

“She does.”

“That is wonderful. It used to take weeks for her just to write a couple of pages.”

“Paige you need to spend less time complaining and more time talking to Dobby. If you did you would know that Writer Lady is not a beginner she is a moderate intermediate at least.” Aunt Purdy reproved. Furnatche and Dylan listened closely nodding their heads in agreement along with Peter and Aunt Purdy.

“Would taking a stand really help the situation Aunt Purdy?” Peter asked.

“Considering the fact that we are characters created out of Writer Lady's imagination?  Probably not. In fact, if we did the wrong thing she may decide that we aren't suitable characters for a children's book and destroy us forever.”

“I watch and listen to her all of the time.” Dobby said. “I think the best thing to do is to come up with ideas for the next book. That way she will start thinking about you more than the cheezy romance and that ridiculous fan fiction story. The show will be off the air by the time she finishes with that thing.” Gesturing to everyone in the room. “You get started with the ideas and I'll start working on moving Mom's attention back in your direction.” Dobby leaves to go back upstairs.