I am very excited to share with you the very first Adventures of Finn and Mr. Fudge story. If you would like a little primer, reminder to check out this teaser post here.

I will not spend much time giving you a lead in as I think the story speaks for itself. All I will say is that I am using these as an exercise to work on evoking emotion and expressing key ideas in a more simple story line. I hope it brightens your day, I had so much fun writing it.

The Thing Under the Bed

The Adventures of Finn and Mr. Fudge

By C. E. WAGG

“Tell me about your drawing, Finn darling.” Ma Fobb asked, pulling up a chair behind him.

He had used watercolours made from the local plants that Benn Fink processed. It showed a beautiful round door on the side of a large hill with a bunch of smaller circular doors sticking out of the smaller hills surrounding. There were three stick figures standing around the door on the large hill. He beamed at his mother, tugging on her long, dark braided hair. 

Gesturing to all of the little hills at the bottom of his drawing, he said, “This is our town, Fungiville. These are each of our fellow gnomes’ homes.” Then he pointed at the smiling stick figure with long braids and purple armour on the left. It had a large, beautiful bulbous nose. “This is you, mom. I made sure to make your armour your favourite colour.” Then he moved to the bearded stick figure on the right. It wore dark green pants and an ochre-yellow shirt. It’s nose was a little pointy, but very handsome. “This is Benn Fink. I gave him a book because he is studying so hard for the bard academy.”

Ma Fobb nodded warmly at him. Leaning over the picture, she pointed at the small stick figure in the middle with a toothy smile. It’s black hair stood on end and its nose was small and round. The figure had brown patchwork pants and a burnt orange shirt.

He puffed out his chest and smiled. “That’s me!”

“I love it!” Ma Fobb exclaimed, ruffling his hair. “Now, go wash up for bed my love.”

Finn washed his fingers and his toes,  brushed his teeth and cleaned his nose. He put on his favourite green and purple dragon pajamas, and skipped into his bedroom.

“Into bed Finny.” Ma lifted the covers and gently tucked him in. She had not put the candle on the bedside table tonight, but kept it in her hand. The flame sent shadow monsters chasing each other across his walls, turning the pile of discarded clothes into a terrifying beast with bristling hair and onyx eyes. Finn’s eyes widened with wakefulness, but with Ma there the monsters could obviously do no harm. She was Chief Basher in Fungiville’s safety patrol, nothing ever got past her.

Still, the shadows kept dancing. It looked like the monster by the laundry had started creeping towards him and there was something trying to slink its way out of the closet. Not to mention that thing lurking just to the side of his school desk. Ma Fobb kissed him gently on the head with a, “Goodnight Finny, darling” before blowing out the candle and setting it down on his nightstand.

He mumbled ‘love you’ after her as his eyes wearily shut, the familiar smell of smoke curling its way across his nose. He could hear his brother Benn Fink in the room beside him shuffling through papers. It was study time, after all. Ma had moved back toward the living room and he heard the schink schink of stone on metal. A warrior’s work was never done, of course.

Finn pictured himself in the resplendent armour of Ma Fobb, swinging a great battleaxe with surety. One day he would go off on great adventures, defending Fungiville just like Ma Fobb, spreading the greatness of the Fobb name across all five burrows, and seeing so many great things. He would start by wandering down the Great Road, marching to the nearby town of Sproutton. Finn would march into Gnomes’ Fine Beards Shop and demand their finest beard oil. Once he had a beard.

Finn felt his head slowly fall to one side, and that was it. He was asleep.

Finn breathed in the scent of fresh sap from the trees as he plodded down the Great Road. He happily patted his spiky black hair and twirled his magnificent beard, one that rivaled his Uncle Norman’s. He followed the path toward Sproutton, anxiously awaiting his father’s face at the sight of his new armour. He looked dashing. Gnomely, in its grandest sense. Finn puffed out his chest. He was quite stately at his three and three quarters feet tall, a whole quarter foot taller than Benn Fink.

The bushes just in front of him rustled. Raising an eyebrow, he toted his big war axe and exclaimed, “Who goes there! Who challenges the great Fenn Finn?”

The offending bushes stilled, and Finn nodded in satisfaction. “Good. That’s what I thought.”

“Whas’ that?”  A large voice asked, shaking the trees around the bush. “Whas’ that?”

Finn took a step back, holding the axe high. He mustered his courage and said, “How dare you challenge the great Fenn Finn. I suggest you stay where you are, and let me pass.”

“Whos’ that?” A second deeper voice asked from behind him and Finn felt an icy shiver run down his neck. A tree cracked as the thing stepped forward from the forest cover.

As Finn began to turn, the voice in front of him materialized into a gargantuan orge, larger than any seen in the five burrows. It’s belly looked like it had eaten its cauldron; it had a small, ugly button nose with a larger wart, and its sharp fangs jutted upwards over lips. Finn’s body began to shake, but he stood tall. Then the ground shook behind him and a second ogre jumped out of the brush. Finn started once more, “I said who dare challen–  agh!”

His stomach sailed out of his mouth as the ogre’s large fist closed around his legs and the next thing he knew he was upside down. The ogre’s hand smelled of warm cheese and unwashed feet. The blood rushed to his head and he blinked. A warrior must act quickly, he thought. He mustered Ma Fobb’s battlecry and swung at the ogre’s hand with all his might.

“Argh!” The ogre roared as the axe buried itself into its meaty finger. The next thing Finn knew he was falling. His stomach was flopping this way and that, falling, falling, falling, but never hitting the ground.

Then there was a loud THUMP and he sat straight up, eyes wide with terror. He caught himself mid-yell and gathered his fluffy blankets around him. They were warm, at least, but the closet monster appeared to have advanced across the room. He heard the loud THUMP again and threw the blankets over his head. Icy tingles traveled down the back of his neck, goosebumps aching on his arms. The thump was coming from under his bed.

Finn jumped as his door creaked open, shaking under his blankets. “Fenn Finn?” Benn Fink called softly, advancing across the room, “You okay buddy?”

Finn took long, gulping breaths, nodding his head under the blankets. Slowly, he pulled the blankets off his head and offered his brother a weak smile. “Yes Benn Fink, just a dream. Nothing to worry about,” he lied, casting his eyes about the room to assess the advancing shadows. He stopped his teeth chattering as best he could.

Benn Fink nodded knowingly, “Sure, Finn.” He paused for a moment and said, “I’ll be right back.” 

As soon as his brother left, Finn’s whole body started to shiver. As he listened to Benn Fink rummaging around the neighbouring room, Finn took a few long, deep breaths to calm himself before his brother re-entered. When he did, Finn did his best to appear like he had just woken from the most marvelous of naps. 

Benn Fink came right up and sat on the bed beside him holding a small straw doll. It had two arms and two legs, just like gnomes do. It had a spiffy blue jerkin with a patch of red underneath and deep purple pants. Someone had drawn a smiling face with a monocle on it and on it’s head sat a black tophat with a yellow feather stuck in the band. Benn Fink held it out to Finn, “I know you don’t need it, but it would make me feel safer knowing you protected him. Mr. Fudge has spent many years protecting me from strange things … I thought you two might get along.”

Finn was glad that his room was so dark, that way Benn Fink wouldn’t see how relieved he was. Instead he said, “I can watch Mr. Fudge for you, if you need me too. I know you don’t have much time with all of your studying.”

His brother nodded gravely, the outline of his head pushing some of the stranger shadows away. “I appreciate that, Fenn Finn. I trust no one more.” Benn Fink bent over and pecked his brother on the cheek. “Sleep well buddy. If Mr. Fudge gets scared … he sometimes does, and you need help talking to him, just give me a call. I’ll be here in a jiff.”

With that, Benn Fink squeezed Finn on the shoulder and left the room, the shadows elongating as the door closed shut. Finn gulped, holding on tightly to the little straw doll as he shrunk back down under the covers. “It’s okay, Mr. Fudge, I’ll … I’ll protect you.”

It took some time, but Finn’s eyelids began to droop once more, and with Mr. Fudge tucked against his chest, he fell asleep.

He was standing on a floor in the largest room he had ever seen. Trees hung upside down from the rafters and the fire on the hearth was larger than his house! Finn wandered across the wooden floor, walking around enormous clay vessels. There were long branches across the floor here, with orange logs and bushy trees dispersed between them. Finn sniffed and inspected these odd plants as they seemed very familiar, but he just couldn’t put his finger on it. 

Funny, how familiar something can look, but you just cannot place it. He lazily walked across this floor, kicking crumbly rocks as he went. He followed these rocks to a large crumbly cliff. It was bigger than anything he’d seen around Fungiville, and it smelled … delicious. Guiltily, he walked right up to this odd, beige coloured cliff and sniffed. Odd. If he didn’t know better, he would say that this was bread. Finn shoved his hand into the cliff, expecting resistance, and instead pulled away a small fluffy cloud. He took a bite, and was absolutely thrilled at the fresh, flavourful taste.

And then the floor shook. He heard a “HEY!” rumble through the space, followed by thunderous pounding that shook the bread and the clay and the trees. Finn fell to his knees, hands outstretched as pounding continued to shake the floor.

A giant appeared, a large creature with one eye and crooked teeth. It approached him and Finn realized that he wasn’t on the floor, it was a table. He began to run, dodging between dishes and food as the giant’s hands tried to catch him. “Geroff that!” The giant howled, scattering the plants and the dishes. “Geroff my table you varmint!”

THUNK! The giant’s hand hit the table, hard. It fell just behind him on his left. He dodged behind the bread. THUNK! THUNK! Finn dove off the table, falling down, down, down.

He stood over his knees huffing and puffing when he heard someone, “Well hello there Fenn Finn, what’s got you bothered?”

As Finn looked up, he rubbed his eyes. Before him stood a gallant gnome, the tallest he’d ever seen! He wore a royal blue jerkin with a red undershirt and deep purple pants. His yellow feather flicked this way and that, as if there were a breeze and he twirled his monocle around his hand. Finn rubbed his eyes again, “Mr. Fudge? Is that you?”

“Yes indeed, m’lad. I do enjoy a rowdy dream jaunt. Shall we have another?”

Finn shook his head furiously. 

“But dreams have our best adventures! Sleep is our sweetest treat!”

Finn shook his head again. “I’m not having good dreams tonight, Mr. Fudge.”

Mr. Fudge widened his eyes and Finn imagined that he might have raised his eyebrows if he had any. He made a note to draw some on later. “Well what’s bothering you, m’lad? Maybe if we tackle that, you will get some sleep!”

Finn blushed before standing up tall. “I am a Fobb, and Fobbs are the best sleepers around.”

Mr. Fudge shrugged. “Sounds good, Fenn Finn. Let’s have a crack at the old snooze then, shall we?”

The boy nodded, arms crossed, and started off into the darkness. The next thing they both knew, they were in a deep, dark place. Somewhere, water fell with a constant drip drip against the rocks. Mr. Fudge’s outline was barely visible beside him. “You sure know how to pick them, don’t ya lad?” Mr. Fudge asked quietly as they plodded forward. It was so quiet. They listened to the drip drip and crept forward. Perhaps a stroll in the dark would not be so bad.

A rat ran by and Mr. Fudge jumped into Finn’s arms, it’s tiny claws scratching against the rock. 

“Hey!” Finn whispered indignantly. “Watch it!”

The tall gnome brushed his hand against his arm sheepishly. “I’m sorry, Fenn Finn. Sometimes I get scared.”

Finn paused, even as a loud scrabbling noise started in their direction. “You get scared too?

“Of course I do. We all do. And that’s okay.”

Finn looked at Mr. Fudge, at least where he thought he might be. He thought about telling him, and then shook his head. Instead he said. “Let’s keep going forward, Mr. Fudge. I am sure we will find a way out.” 

So they walked. The scrabbling noise seemed a little louder. Then they speedwalked. The ground began to shake and the scrabbling noise sounded more like something sharp scraping across the rocky floor. Finn grabbed Mr. Fudge and pulled him down what he thought might be a larger tunnel.

This was his mistake.

Even in the darkness, they could see it’s big red eyes in front of them. It had a frightening yowl. It was so big that it kept bashing into the walls as it tried to run forwards. The whole tunnel shook. “Run Mr. Fudge, run!”

They ran as fast as their legs could carry them, but the Thing caught up. Finn screamed as the Thing’s claws tightened around his chest, and Mr. Fudge grabbed his hand pulling him back toward the ground. This was Finn’s least favourite game of tug-of-war. 

Suddenly, a bright light filled the space and Finn dropped to the ground, hiding behind Mr. Fudge. 

Mr. Fudge held the light up high, revealing a creature with the head of a lion, the talons of a bird, and the tail of a scorpion. “Ahoy there! I’d appreciate not being eaten tonight, if it’s all the same to you!” He sounded for a moment like Ma Fobb.

The Thing chuffed at Mr. Fudge, narrowing its big eyes. “Eaten?” it growled, “Eaten? I thought you’d come to steal my cubs.”

Finn’s heart slowed ever-so-slightly, “We got lost, ma’am. I am just trying to get some sleep.”

Smoke funneled out her nose. “You are not here for my babies?” she paused, “Then I will help you.” She puffed and puffed until the tunnel filled with sweet smelling smoke. “Sweet dreams, night travelers.”

Their eyelids drooped and the cave faded away. When Finn and Mr. Fudge opened their eyes this time, they swore that they must still be shut. “Mr. Fudge?” Finn whispered hesitantly.

“I’m here Finn.” Called Mr. Fudge, holding out his hand. “We are on some sort of bridge.”

Finn stamped the ground, his heart fluttering. “I think it’s stone, Mr. Fudge.”

Mr. Fudge held on tight to Finn’s hand as he bent to inspect it. “Indeed you are right, dear boy. I hazard to say that this is not a sprightly dream yet. What’s got you bothered, Fenn Finn?”

Then the noises started. The unmistakable sound of falling rocks. But not of rocks falling on their own accord. The sound one might hear if one was climbing some rocks, and the rocks were becoming dislodged and bouncing down the side of a cliff. “Hmm,” Mr. Fudge thought aloud, “stretch yourself out, m’lad, keep hold of my hand, and tell me if you can feel an edge.”

Finn gulped and nodded. He shuffled his foot as far it could go and rebalanced himself. Then he did it again until Mr. Fudge and Finn’s arms were stretched as far as they might go.

If he hadn’t been holding Mr. Fudge, he might have fallen over the edge.

“I found the edge, Mr. Fudge.”

Mr. Fudge’s hand pulled him back in. “Me too.”

The sound of claws against rock was getting louder and coming from all sides. Together, Finn and Mr. Fudge peered over the side. At first it was just darkness, but as their eyes adjusted they saw hundreds of little yellow eyes staring back at them, the first few sets crawling up the side of the bridge.

Mr. Fudge hugged him close and looked at him, “What’s bothering you, Fenn Finn?”

Finn glanced around, terrified. He shook his head and said nothing. The noises intensified, with more yellow eyes behind them on the bridge. They were surrounded. 

Mr. Fudge threw Finn onto his back and took off toward an edge. “You don’t have to do this alone, Fenn Finn!” He pushed several of the creatures out of the way and spread out his arms. Finn thought surely they would fall, but instead they flew. Mr. Fudge’s arms had sprouted hundreds of tiny yellow feathers and they sailed away from the bridge. 

As they flew, Finn spotted a distant speck of light. Mr. Fudge navigated them towards it, and Finn realized that they were in another cave! The light grew stronger and stronger until suddenly they burst out into the daylight. Mr. Fudge flew them away from that place, over a river and landed near a little pond. The birds chirruped pleasantly as he lowered Finn to the ground.

He smiled at Finn, his monocled eye much more magnified than the other and said, “What’s got you bothered, Fenn Finn?”

The loud THUNK! resurfaced tenfold. Finn jumped awake, curling up around Mr. Fudge. It was definitely under the bed. Finn squeezed his eyes shut. It was nothing. It was nothing. When the rustling started he held his breath, heart about to jump out of his chest. Then he looked down at Mr. Fudge. His drawn-on face seemed to ask, “What’s got you bothered, Fenn Finn?”

Finn felt sick, he wilted momentarily before furrowing his eyebrows and holding Mr. Fudge tightly. He could hear the soft rustling of paper next door. “Benn Fink?” he whispered, his voice sounding loud to his ears. Nothing happened. Finn cleared his throat and raised his voice just a little, he didn’t want the Thing to pop out. “Benn Fink?”

The paper rustling stopped and he felt relief as his door opened and Benn Fink rushed across the room. His bed creaked as Benn Fink sat on the bed. “What is it, Fenn Finn?”

He felt so small. Finn sniffed and tears fell on his cheeks. “I am scared. I think something is under my bed.”

His brother reached out and squeezed his hand. “That is no trivial matter, Fenn Finn. We will handle this together. But we will need some help.” Benn Fink cleared his throat and yelled, “Ma Fobb, can you bring a candle? We need to roust a bed monster.” Down the hall, the schicking of metal against stone stopped and he could hear the gentle plodding of his mother’s footsteps.

Finn shrunk. Benn Fink stood and nudged him. “We do this as a team, Fenn Finn.”

There Ma Fobb stood, candles in hand looking like a conquering warrior. Her voice was soft. “We’ve got a monster under the bed, Benn Fink?”

“Aye Ma.”

She nodded tersely, passing a candle to Benn Fink and circling to the other side of the bed. Ma Fobb brushed her hand against Finn’s cheek and gestured pointedly at Benn Fink. “Okay Finny, you stand by your brother on that side, and we will surprise the Thing. Ready?” Finn jumped down, holding onto Benn Fink’s hand. “One.” He felt sick. “Two.” His arms were shaking. “Three!” He dove down beside Benn Fink and stared under the bed.

To his deep surprise, he saw a landscape of missing socks, the odd Knights and Giants comic, and Ma Fobb’s face. She was smiling gently at him when a loud THUNK! came from one of the floorboards, and it actually started to lift.

Finn yelped and backed up. Ma Fobb said. “Benn Fink, help me move this bed.” 

Finn watched as his mother and brother calmly moved the bed to one side. Benn Fink looked at him reassuringly. They placed their candles just out of harm’s way and Ma Fobb stuck a dagger into the loose floorboard, wrenching it up. She placed it to one side and lowered her head and the candle in the gap. And then, she started to laugh.

Curious, Finn edged closer. Benn Fink raised an eyebrow and smiled, “What is it Ma?”

Ma Fobb reached a spare arm into the gap in the floorboards and pulled out a small mewling dragon, barely the size of her palm. It was green-gray and blue, and very chubby. “Toodles had pups!” She paused, “I do wish she’d stop getting under the floorboards though. Fenn Finn, good job on finding them. I’ll pull them out tonight and make sure they are cared for in the morning. Benn Fink, can Finny stay with you tonight?”

His brother smiled at him. “We can check under my bed too. Just in case.”

~THE END~