73. No Hard Feelings

A week later I was  at Job’s Library. I looked out a window and saw that nouveau riche Curmudgeon Finn had built himself a mansion next to the librarian’s cottage and was nodding off on an amethyst and gold designer deck chair while he awaited his breakfast, to be served on a silver platter. After that, he would shuffle off to bed  and sleep till noon, like he did on all his off days. Working for the Jealous Merrow had made him a very wealthy man and reading the Financial Fairy Times helped him triple what he earned.

I waved at him and went to choose a book. Then I sat next to another window. What I didn’t know was that someone was observing me just as I had been observing Finn.

                                 

It was not long before I heard someone knocking on the window I sat next to. I saw that one of the Leafies was doing the knocking.

“Open the window and let me in! I’ve been looking for you!”

I opened the window and the Leafy sprang onto my table.

“I’m Vincentius, in case you don’t know. But you can call me Vinny.”

I nodded and said I did know.

“So this is your haunt. Books are scary. I always feel like I’m going to be trapped by their leaves and pressed flat somewhere between the covers.”

“Not if you shout in time,” I said. “What can I do for you?”

                            

“I haven’t seen you for a while. Not been by the forest lately, eh?”

                             

 “Not since the Cucullati scandals.”

After Alpin had shouted murder, and myself being unable to speak, with my mouth and tongue hideously swollen, a raging mob of neighbors gathered to storm the bunker and lynch the hooded geniuses. Fortunately, I still could write and when Michael read what I scribbled on a page of a little notebook I always carry with me, saying they were innocent, this didn’t happen.

“I haven’t seen any of the Cucullati either. What became of them?”

“They were ready to move to another forest but Nauta persuaded them to stay. He explained how it was all a misunderstanding. They are not monsters. They’re just mad about science. All they want is to investigate without being bothered. But they are not giving out any more free food to avoid being sued.”

“Another good thing that goes,” sighed Vinny. “And the poisoner? I mean, your girlfriend?

“Oh, her apples had never done anyone harm before, quite the contrary. They were marvellously good for everyone. You didn’t need to have an apple a day, just one a year. She was so upset by what happened to me that she swore to discover what had gone wrong and remedy it.”

I explained that I would still get to see her now and then so she could test her apples on me.

“I wanted to be her paramour but I guess I’ve ended up being her guinea pig,” I said, smiling so as not to sound too tragic.

And then I drew a little black velvet case from my pocket to show what was in it to Vinny.

                                   

 I had kept the rest of the apple that had affected me and had it covered with enamel, and the part where there had been the bit I bit off  studded with yellow topaz stones by my mum’s jeweler. I was going to give it to Rosina to prove I had no hard feelings. She could wear it like a brooch if she chose to have no hard feelings too.

 

“Very generous of you,” said Vinny. “Very generous. It’s very difficult to be romantic among scientists, but you should know what you are getting into if anyone does. You’re a sophisticated kid, and that’s why I need your help.”

He wanted to know if I still lived in a big city. He needed to visit a big city but had heard they were very dangerous places. He could not go alone because he had never been in one and as a woodland creature might not survive the trip. Would I be his guide?

“Anytime you like,” I said. “But which city do you want to go to?”

Vinny smiled.

“One where I can play the little clover lottery game.”