A light, warm breeze rustled through the long grass around Finn. He brushed a rogue blade away from his face and focused on the task at hand. Sticking his tongue out, he very carefully applied two small curved lines above Mr. Fudge’s eyes with some charcoal. That’s better, he thought. Finn held up his handiwork with a smile. Mr. Fudge looked good!

Finn sighed and fell back in the warm grass. The sun felt warm on his skin as he began to doze  to the sound of buzzing bees and cooing doves. Mr. Fudge sat quietly on his chest, happy with his new eyebrows. He could hear his Ma singing offkey near the front of the burrow, and the THUNK of Benn Fink’s axe as he cut firewood. Finn had already finished sweeping the kitchen and put all of his clothes away so he rolled over onto his belly and watched his fellow gnomes down the road puttering around their own homes. 

Mr. Vim Vargus two doors down tended to his roses. He hoped they would win at the Midsummer Fair next month. Mrs. Billy Bo three doors down was hitching up ole’ Misty to the wagon to go visit her son Willy Bo in Sproutton. Willy Bo just had his first baby. Hmm, he thought, it feels like the ground is shaking.

Finn stopped his musing to place his hand flat on the ground. He could feel the trembling of the earth and knew that a wagon must be on its way. He shivered. Looking up at the sky, dark gray clouds moved quickly over the sun and the day darkened. The low rumble grew louder and Finn backed up towards the house, Mr. Fudge firmly clutched in his hands. “Ma?” Finn hollered over his shoulder, “Ma?”

He could see a black pony with a white star on its forehead beside a white pony with brown splotches across its face pulling a large wagon behind them. Finn did not recognize the ponies, nor the wagon. He kept his eyes on the wagon as he continued his retreat towards the house calling, “Ma?” The sky continued to darken and thunder cracked overhead. The wagon trundled past Mrs.Billy Bo’s house, and she waved. A big hand stretched out and waved back slowly. The ponies plodded closer. They passed Mr. Vim Vargus’ burrow next. He raised his hand with a smile and a “Hallo!”. The large hand emerged from behind the ponies again and waved slowly back, and this time Finn caught sight of a small hand that shot outside beside it, waving  enthusiastically. 

Finn was right at the door now, and he looked down at Mr. Fudge. “Who do you think it is?” he asked. Mr. Fudge didn’t answer.

“Why those are our new neighbours, Finny.” Ma Fobb finally appeared with an armful of wood. She shuffled the wood in her hands so she could wave at the wagon that had parked just down the hill from them. “We should go say hello!”

His eyes widened as a stocky gnome jumped down from the wagon and started unhitching the ponies. A smaller figure bounced down after him. Finn shook his head. “I think I have some laundry to fold Ma …” he backed against the door, “I can meet them some other time.”

Ma Fobb frowned at him before she said, “You finished all of your laundry folding this morning, Fenn Finneous, so don’t try to use that as an excuse now! Come on, we can be quick.”

A molten ball of trepidation roiled in his stomach as Ma grabbed his hand and pulled him in the direction of the new gnome family. There was a crunch crunch crunch of dirt rapidly approaching them, and Benn Fink popped up beside them. Finn sighed with relief.

Benn Fink winked.

It was a very short walk to Miss Lyla Lillian’s old house where the new neighbours were moving in. Not enough time to figure out what to say. Not enough time to assess these strangers for possible dangers. A fat raindrop fell on his nose and the thunder rumbled closer now. Ma Fobb raised a hand to the strangers and offered a “Hello!”. Finn felt hot. He felt heat creep up his neck, across his cheeks and behind his ears.

The strangers turned around.

The big one had broad shoulders; long, dark hair tied in a bun, and a full, neatly trimmed beard. His nose was modest yet shapely. He wore a simple homespun tunic over royal blue pants with the most sparkly gold-thread belt Finn had ever laid eyes on. He had bright blue eyes and a great smile on his face.

Finn jumped as the smaller one popped up in front of his face and made a grab for Mr. Fudge. Thunder cracked and more fat droplets fell around them. Finn hugged Mr. Fudge protectively to his chest and glared at this impudent stranger. He had bright yellow pants with a crimson tunic. Finn touched his own chest self-consciously as he saw the beautiful emerald on a chain around the stranger’s neck. The stranger was also a whole half an inch taller than he was and he had a prominent, bulbous nose. Finn’s cheeks flushed when he saw a beautiful cloth doll in the stranger’s right hand dressed in a dazzling lime green skirt and dark purple jacket that looked like real leather. She had radiant, sunshine yellow hair and a great big smile. Then Finn looked back at Mr. Fudge cradled in his hands, picking at the frayed edges of his blue jerkin and seeing the faded yellow of the feather in his cap.

The big stranger put his hand on the smaller one’s shoulder and stretched out a hand to Ma Fobb. “Hallo there. You must be Missus Fobb. My name is Caleb Cass Caden Kalebia Cadell and this is my son Calton Cannedia Canton Cabb Cadell. I go by Cass and you can call him Cal. Just moving from Sproutton … better market for cloth merchants here.”

Ma Fobb shook his hand heartily. “Nice to meet you Cass and Cal. These are my boys Fenn Finneous and Benn Fink. It’ll be nice to have another child on the hill.”

Finn glared darkly at Cal from under his mother’s arm. He felt stiff all over and his stomach boiled. He wrapped both arms protectively around Mr. Fudge and took a step back. Benn Fink placed an arm around Finn’s shoulder and gently squeezed it.

Cal jumped forward again, his lush dark cowlick bouncing with his movements. “Wanna go play? Whatcha got there, Finn? Can I have it? ”

Finn recoiled as this stranger stood almost nose to nose with him and curled his body away from the boy so he could not reach Mr. Fudge. “No,” was all Finn said.

“Huh? What was that Fenn Finn? Whatcha got there, I want to see!” The boy reached his arms around Finn, scrabbling and grasping for Mr. Fudge.

“Oh Cal dear, Mr. Fudge is a special doll. Maybe you two can go inside and Finny can show him to you properly.” Ma Fobb said.

“Cal, get back here. Does the boy look like he wants to play right now?”

Finn wiggled this way and that, trying desperately to protect Mr. Fudge from these strange, prying hands. 

“I just want to see, dad. Why can’t I see the doll?”

The head of Cal’s doll smacked Finn in the face as Cal tried to reach for Mr. Fudge. The kid did not mean to hit him, Finn knew that, but still he started shaking. He said again, “No. Leave me alone.”

“Oh dear, look at this weather.” Ma Fobb commented as the rain fell heavier and faster. “Why don’t we all head inside and we can schedule a playdate once you’ve settled in?”

Cass said, “That sounds wonderful, Missus Fobb. Come on Cal, we need to unload the wagon before everything is soaked.”

Finn quivered and shook. He had completely curled himself around Mr. Fudge.

“We are playing Dad. I just want to see his doll…” Cal said, wrestling with Finn’s back. 

His right hand grazed the top of Mr. Fudge’s hat and Finn cried out. Thunder cracked overhead and a bright slash of lightning darted across the sky. Faster than a blink, Finn threw back his shoulders and elbowed Cal in the stomach. Finn was hot and shaking; his stomach was full of fiery knots. Finn yelled, “Don’t touch my doll! I don’t wanna play with you!” 

Finn turned on his heel as fast as he could. His hot tears mingled with the fast-falling rain and he tucked Mr. Fudge inside his jacket to protect him. He heard Ma Fobb apologize profusely and Benn Fink telling Cal to take slow, deep breaths. Why weren’t they coming after him? His own family, betraying him in his moment of need. For strangers at that. These doll-snatching, family-stealing strangers that wouldn’t leave him alone.

He stopped long enough just to open the front door to his house and dive inside. He stoked the fire to help him dry off, wrapped Ma Fobb’s warmest blanket around his shoulders, and watched grimly out the water-streaked window down the hill where his family helped Cass and Cal unload the wagon. Finn looked at Mr. Fudge who sat comfortably on the desk with a prime view, “I hate these neighbours Mr. Fudge. I want them gone.”

Water whirled down the windows distorting the figures of Ma Fobb and Benn Fink. Finn blinked through blurry, tear-filled eyes. The sky was so dark it was almost black.The pounding of the rain thundered through their hollow and the thunder shook their hill. He sniffed as he watched the blurry figures of Ma Fobb and Benn Fink dash from the Cadell’s house to the wagon, unloading as fast as they could. Cass quickly unhooked the ponies, dashing to get them into the stable.

Then he saw something else. He saw a thing. Well, he saw a shadow. Cass’s shadow, but larger. It didn’t move with him. Finn gasped.

“Whatcha lookin’ at, Fenn Finn?”

Finn knocked his knees off the underside of the desk as he jumped. Mr. Fudge had moved from where Finn had left him and pushed his straw face against the window. Rubbing his knee Finn said, “The new neighbours are mean, Mr. Fudge.”

Mr. Fudge’s face made little crunchy noises as he switched angles to look out the window. “Huh, they don’t look mean, Fenn Finn. Did they act mean?”

Finn was fixated on Cass’ shadow, which seemed to have grown long talons. He looked in panic at Mr. Fudge. “Do you see that?”

He raised one of his eyebrows high into his forehead and doubled his efforts to peer out the window from Finn’s perspective. “I see Ma and Benn Fink and a big gnome and a little gnome.”

Finn groaned, leaning back from the window. “The big one is Cass and the little one, Cal. What about the shadow?”

“Goodness me!” Mr. Fudge cried. “That is not a shadow!” he leaned conspiratorially toward Finn. “That is a Behmeyra from the Deep Dark. It’ll eat you as soon as look at you. They attach themselves to unwitting creatures and attack their neighbours.” He shook his head. “I’ve not seen one before.”

Finn’s teeth chattered.

“Oh look!” Mr. Fudge pointed. “The little one has a Behmeyra too!” he squirmed. “No wonder they look so wealthy and beautifully dressed. It’s from the riches of all the dead families they absorbed.” Mr. Fudge took his hat off his head and bowed deeply to the scene unfolding.

Finn looked on too, seeing Cal’s beautiful hair flatten with the onslaught of rain. His clothes were soaked, his shoes must be squelchy, and his face looked pained. A flash of lightning illuminated the scene and as the thunder crashed Cal jumped higher than the wagon itself. He stood still then, his arms full of a large rug, and Finn thought he saw him shiver. Funny, when the sky filled with lightning, neither Cal nor Cass had long-taloned shadows. And if Finn did not know better, he’d say that Cal looked scared. 

“Funny things, Behmeyras.” Mr. Fudge said, “They always seem to attach themselves to nice people … but Fenn Finn you said these ones were mean?”

Finn crossed his arms. “Cal jumped on me. He wouldn’t listen.”

“And of course that must have been uncomfortable, Fenn Finn. I know you like to use your words.”

Finn trembled again. “He kept jumping on me.”

Mr. Fudge drew himself up to his full height. “Well that is not okay for old friends or new friends. That must have been tough, Fenn Finn. So what did you do?”

“I, -” Finn sucked in air, whispering, “I hit him in the belly.”

“Oh,” Mr. Fudge sagged his shoulders. It looked like he had wilted. “That is not nice either. What do you think, Fenn Finn?”

Finn blushed and his fingers tightened around the blanket warming his shoulders. He tucked his shoulders into his ears and said, “I didn’t mean to hurt him Mr. Fudge. I just wanted him to stop.” He blinked back hot tears. “But it doesn’t matter now. He hates me.”

Mr. Fudge widened his eyes to the point that his monocle fell off his face. He bent to pick it up before bouncing over to the family sofa, and grabbing another blanket and wrapped himself up in it.  “Oh dear me! Hates you? He said that? Surely the fellow did not mean hate? Perhaps dislike?”

He shook his head miserably. “No. He hates me. I know it. He never wants to see me again.”

“Whoa hold on there with that pity parade Fenn Finn! Did this Cal fellow tell you he never wants to see you again?”

“He didn’t have to, Mr. Fudge. I can tell. I know.”

Mr. Fudge looked at Finn with a bemused smile before standing up. “Righto Fenn Finn. We best get packing.”

Finn did not even try to cover his shock. “Pack? Where are we going Mr. Fudge?”

“Must be away from here my fine friend. Can’t live beside Behmeyra-infested neighbours that hate us. We can bring Ma and Benn Fink if you like.”

“I don’t want to move Mr. Fudge.”

Mr. Fudge shrugged and stared deeply into his eyes. “Well what are we to do Fenn Finn? We can’t carry on like this.”

“Mr. Fudge,” Finn began thoughtfully, “could it be possible that they aren’t carrying Behmeyras?”

Mr. Fudge shrugged with a knowing smile. He cocked his head and said, “Could be. What do you think, Fenn Finn?”

Finn bit his lip and looked out the window. Ma and Benn Fink were sopping wet. Mr. Cass and Cal did not look any better. Thunder cracked overhead and Cal flinched.. 

“New people make me nervous, Mr. Fudge. They fill my belly with butterflies and I can’t get them out. Maybe Cal was scared too.”

Mr. Fudge rubbed his chin and waggled his new eyebrows. “That’s a mighty thought, Fenn Finn. A bellyful of butterflies can make a gnome do strange things.”

Finn looked at Mr. Fudge with big eyes, “Mr. Fudge, you don’t think that they are mean people with Behmeyras, do you?’

Mr. Fudge patted Finn’s shoulder and shook his head. “Dear Fenn Finn, I think you know the answer.”

Finn nodded quietly, “Thanks, Mr. Fudge.”

He looked back outside to see that the wagon was almost empty. He looked at the warm hearth with all the freshly cut wood, and back at the party of sodden warriors down the hill. And back to Mr. Fudge.

“I know what to do, Mr. Fudge, will you help me?”

“Of course I jolly well will Fenn Finn! Just point me in the right direction!”

Mr. Fudge and Finn took a whole ten minutes to prepare and put jackets on. Then Finn picked up three umbrellas, took a deep breath, and strode off down the hill. The grounds were slippery and muddy, and the wind pushed him this way and that. Finn wished it had taken more time to get to the Cadell’s burrow so he could think of what to say. Before he knew it, he stood shivering by the wagon while the four of them carried in the last load. Ma Fobb spotted him first, eyebrows raised with a warning on her lips.

Finn blushed, though he was sure she couldn’t see that in the darkness. His belly tightened with nervousness, but when he made eye contact with Benn Fink he gulped and marched over to Cal. The kid was shivering, hands empty now, staring at him warily.

Finn stretched out an umbrella tentatively, “Here, to keep the rain off of your face.” He bit his tongue until Cal took it from him and unfurled it with a nod of thanks. “I wanted to apologize for hitting you. I am sorry. That was not very nice.”

His chest ached as he held his breath. Finn tried coaching himself to breath in, but he waited instead. His belly was flip-flopping and he felt bile rise into his throat with each passing second. Finally, after what felt like ages, Cal said, “Thank you, Finn. I am sorry for jumping on you.”

The next words tumbled out of his mouth before he could order them sensibly. Finn looked from Cal, to Cass, to Ma, to Benn Fink. “I-heated-soup-and-made-cocoa, would-you-like-some-soup-and-cocoa-at-our-burrow?”

Benn Fink stifled a chuckle and Ma Fobb smiled at him, looking at Cass. Finn gulped again and nervously stammered, “Once you’ve changed of course. I brought umbrellas so you don’t get wet again.”

Cass crouched in front of Finn and looked him up and down. “That’s mighty nice of you Fenn Finneous. What do you think, Cal?”

“I’d like to warm up very much, Da.”

Cass smiled and held out a hand. “Then it’s a deal, Fenn Finneous. We’ll just get changed and come right over.”

Finn smiled nervously and handed another umbrella to Cass before gesturing for Ma and Benn Fink to come under his. As they walked home, Ma Fobb said, “I’m very proud of you Finny. That was a very nice thing to do.”

“I think he might have been nervous.” Finn said.

“Who was nervous, Fenn Finn?” Benn Fink asked.

“Cal.” Finn said, “I think he was nervous like I was and went too big.”

“Quite possibly.” Ma Fobb replied, shaking herself off before going inside. 

“Or he has a Behmerya.” Finn added as an afterthought. 

Ma Fobb snorted. “Well, I’m proud that you apologized, Finny. And I am downright pleased that I do not have to cook.”

Finn swelled just a little. “Thanks Ma. I am going to wait by the door for our guests.”

Finn waited anxiously by the door while Ma Fobb and Benn Fink got changed. When Finn turned around they’d already served themselves hot cocoa and soup and pulled chairs close to the fire. Finn smiled then as he heard the knock on the door and opened it. 

Finn’s lucky guests were ushered inside and sat near the fire. Finn himself served them soup and hot cocoa. His watchful eye assured that they did not want for anything. Then, after dinner, he took a deep breath and sat beside Cal. 

“I wanted to introduce you to Mr. Fudge.” Shakily, he produced him from his sweater pocket, “He likes big adventures.”

Cal got close, but did not reach for him this time. “Mr. Fudge looks cool.” He said, before drawing something green out of his own pocket, “this is Daisy. She is my best friend.”

Finn looked timidly at Cal, and then at Mr. Fudge, “Would you like to play together?”

Cal perked up, “Really, you mean it?”

Finn smiled. “Yes I do.”

~ The End ~