Taking Steps

“Yes Paige what steps?” Aunt Purdy asks. Aunt Purdy looked at her niece and nephews with her “Don't Mess With Me” face. Three pair of eyes widened.

Peter leans in close to his twin sister. “Okay Paige what steps? Hurry up...” Paige opens her notebook searching for a reference to show her brother. “The Rights and Responsibilities of the Creative Author” doesn't say anything about what kinds of steps. Just that the characters can take steps. Aunt Purdy shot down all of my ideas.” Paige whispers.

Dylan standing next to his brother and sister searches the room closely looking the for steps—any steps. “There. They are steps.” Dylan says running over to the steps that lead into the laundry room. Peter and Paige look up to see their little brother pointing to the steps. “Those steps are part of the house, we have no way to remove them.” Paige says.

“Nice try Dylan.” Peter says keeping the small boy's spirits up.

Dylan continues his search. Pointing to a step stool in a dark corner of the kitchen. “What about those steps? Let's take them. That will teach her.”

Peter looks at the step stool and looks around the kitchen. “Why not? If it doesn't work we can try something else.”

“What kind of punishment is taking her stool away going to be?” Paige whispers in frustration still studying her notebook.

Peter looks at Writer Lady, then looks around the kitchen. “The cabinets go all the way up to the ceiling and Writer Lady is of average height. She would have trouble reaching her cooking stuff. If she can't reach her stuff, she won't want to cook. She would have more time to write about us. Isn't that what we want? For her to focus on us? It shouldn't matter how we get there.” Peter explains to Paige. “It's also nicer than duct taping her to a chair in front of the computer. Aunt Purdy won't object this way. We can do it right now while Aunt Purdy and Writer Lady are talking.”

“You're right.” Paige agrees, excited that they get to take action. Paige closes her notebook and the children quickly walk towards the darkest corner of the kitchen.

“It's so dark,” Dylan says.

“Dusty too.” Peter adds.

“Don't eat anything.” Paige says looking at her brothers. All three children look over at Aunt Purdy and Furnatche who are both contentedly munching on cookies.

“Keep heading for the stool. The number of lives we save may be infinite.” Paige instructs.

They had entered the dark corner and were reaching for the stool when TP appeared wearing an apron that reads “Kitchen God” and holding a large cooking spoon. Okay...it was a teaspoon but faeries are little so the spoon looked really big. The faerie was floating above the seat of the stool looking down at the children with disapproval. TP waved his spoon and a sign appeared across the stool. “Do Not Touch. This Means You.”

“Get the stool.” Paige tells Peter.

“The sign says not to.” Peter answers.

“So.”

“So...this is a magical creature. He could probably kill us.”

Paige rolls her eyes at Peter. “Fine.” She reaches out for the stool.

“NO!” bellows loudly around the children making the floor rumble as the faeries spoon slaps her firmly on her hand.

The children back away a step and look over to see what their Aunt is going to do. Furnatche, Aunt Purdy and Writer Lady are waking up Dobby. Furnatche giving Dobby a big wet kiss with his tongue soaking the cat.

“How did they not hear that?” Paige asks.

“Magic.” Dylan says.

Tinkletoes enters the kitchen from behind the stool. “Hello TP. You need me to take your steps.”

“Yes please. Silly children. TP's steps are a 'No no.' The faerie giggles.

Tinkletoes picks up the step stool and says to the kids, “Don't mess with faeries. They can kick your butt.” Turning to leave the way he came the children could see brightly glowing boot and spoon prints all over the large soldier's back.