The Adventures of Lando Erif :: The Day My History Book Took a Flight (Pt. One)

Sometimes my brain is weird.

Me yesterday morning: Hey I should do something about my story for tomorrow... Nah.
Afternoon: Nuh-uh.
11 at night: I DON'T NEED IT UNTIL TOMORROW.
This morning: Oh...I should've done that yesterday. I guess I'll just edit up one of my stories that I'd already written.
Brain: NO ACTUALLY WRITE SOMETHING COMPLETELY NEW.
Me: ...well okay then.

So today you get my completely random story that I whipped up this morning/afternoon. Emphasis on the completely random. I have no idea where it came from. (I mean, just take a look at the title??)

Originally it was inspired by the prompt/request from my brothers. Vaguely. Very loosely inspired, but inspired nonetheless. So thank you, Samuel and Joshua. Hope you enjoy (and be very careful next time you open your history books).

Here we go with a day in the life of Lando. Featuring Lando sitting on the roof, chasing his dad's dirty sock through the house, and running in circles in general. All because of a certain flying history book.

History is one of my favourite subjects.

Except for one day when it didn’t go so well.

I sat at the carport roof, yawning and jiggling my knees as I slammed my science book shut. Yes, I was on the roof but Mum wasn’t home so why not? Besides, everything is so much more interesting when it’s done on the roof. Reaching for the maths book, I stifled another yawn, chewing on the end of the pen and shifting to let one leg dangle down off the edge of the roof.

In case you wondered, I’m not afraid of heights. Surprise surprise.

Maths on the other hand…

Blinking at the page of unanswered questions in front of me, I huffed a breath through my teeth. Sometimes even sitting on the roof didn’t make maths fun. I stared at it for approximately twenty seconds before I noticed something weird.

My history book wobbled.

Probably the wind. History books don’t wobble by themselves.

I switched my glare onto the maths again, scribbling an answer to the easiest looking question.

Another movement from the corner of my eye and I gave up, shoving the maths book to the side and flipping my history open.

That’s all I did.

I wasn’t my fault that things escalated from there.

The book ripped from my hands, flying up into the air. I yelled and jolted back, making a grab for it and missing by a breath. My history swerved and dived down at me and I ducked, sprawling flat as it swooped and crash-landed on the edge of the roof.

Silence.

Picking myself up onto my hands and knees, I shuffled forward, slowly reaching out for the book. Just before my fingers brushed, it lurched into the air again and I swung a desperate snatch, missing again and overbalancing. The book spiraled down to the ground below. I teetered for a moment, almost following it, before steadying and running to the car port pole, shimmying down.

At the bottom, I stopped short in shock.

My history book flopped to the side, revealing a bundle of fluff crouched on the driveway. It shivered and then stretched two wings wide, black edging along the feathers. Wait…fluffy and feathers? I took a step closer and it exploded into the air, tufts of white dropping from it.

It looked like some sort of rabbit-bird hybrid. Only with a tail?

Only one option. Fantasy creature on the loose.

I ran for it, grabbing at its tail, managing to snatch hold for a moment before it jerked free, swerving toward the house door. At the last moment I realised I’d left the door not quite latched and half yelled a useless, “No, don’t—!”

It slipped through the gap and disappeared.

No, no. Not cool.

I sprinted forward, crashing through the sliding screen door and slamming it shut behind. Of course it bounced open again. I paused, glancing around desperately and ducking as a book went flying over my head.

The white rabbit-bird skidded past along the tiled floor, claws scraping loudly. I dived for it, landing on my face and missing completely. Rolling to my knees, I grabbed the book off the floor, straightening the creases out of the pages and slapping it onto the table before ducking again as a crash sounded from the kitchen.

Scrambling across the room, I tripped into the kitchen, falling over a pile of cooking trays and catching myself on my hands and knees. The creature alighted on the desk, claws clicking on the smooth surface. I looked up at it, not daring to move in case it launched away again.

Mum was not going to be happy if she came home to find the house trashed.

The rabbit-bird curled its non-rabbit-or-bird tail around a glass of water, it’s eyes meeting mine.

“Oh no…” I gulped hard. “Oh no, no, no. Please—” Risking the chance, I lunged for the creature.

It dodged, sending the water splashing over me and dropping the glass onto the tiled floor. I grabbed desperately and managed to catch the glass just before it hit the floor.

Ninja Lando.

I stared at the glass for a moment before straightening and setting it on the bench again and scanning around for the creature that had started all the mess. There was no sign of it for a few moments but a thud from the direction of the bedrooms pushed me into a run again. I leapt over the scattered pile of trays and dashed down the hall.

Mum and Dad’s bedroom door was open and I felt a groan building in the back of my throat. What now? Shoving through, I only just ducked in time to avoid being knocked out by a hairbrush. The rabbit-bird whizzed in circles around the room, one of Dad’s socks firmly over its head.

“Don’t smash into the—”

The window shuddered under the impact of the creature flying straight into it.

“—Window.”

I vaulted across the bed, pausing and waiting for it to fly within reach. Just a little bit closer…Another pass and it smashed into the cupboards and swerved close to me. I grabbed at it, my fingers closing around something soft. It jerked, but I didn’t let go, the force dragging me off balance and I fell across the bed.

Holding Dad’s sock in my hand.

And yes. It was a dirty sock. 

The creature flew out through the open door at about the same moment as I realised what I was holding and threw it hurriedly across the room, only just missing the rabbit-bird.

I really needed to work on my aim.

My sad lot of life is having no hand eye coordination.

Staggering to my feet, I stumbled down the hallway, following the sounds of destruction. Mum was not going to be happy. I had to get this thing caught and then clean up everything. Glass shattered from the kitchen and I groaned, breaking into a run again.

Skidding to a stop, almost slipping on the tiles, I shoved my dripping hair out of my eyes and gaped. Trays scattered across the floor, the fruit bowl upturned and the contents rolling gently across the tiles, and the light glinting off shattered glass shards from what used to be Mum’s cup.

Add ‘new glass’ to the list of mother’s day gifts.

A white blur streaked toward me and I jumped for it, fingers brushing through feathers just too late. It flapped out the door, perched on the outdoor deck railing for a moment and looking back at me for a moment. I dropped the black tipped feather to the floor glaring at the creature. I could swear that it smirked before launching off and going for the road.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Mum said to stay put while she was gone but…this counted as an emergency.

I dashed through the door, pausing a moment to close it very deliberately. No more flying back into the house for that rabbit-bird. Turning, I vaulted over the handrail and landed running.

- - -

As I said. Lots of running in circles.

Hopefully it was amusing running in circles though.

And I totally didn't stare at my maths for approximately twenty seconds before giving up and moving on to write this. 

Tooootally.

(cough cough)


Was this good enough to excuse ignoring maths temporarily?
(YES. EVERYONE, SAY YES. xD)
Have you ever done school on the roof?
(you totally should *nods*)