The Adventures of Lando Erif :: The Day the Twins were Abducted (Pt. Three)

I'm not entirely sure what to title this, whether it's 'The day my history book took a flight - part three' or if that's just too repetitive already. In the end I've decided to shake it up a little and give it another title and header image because it's just fun. :P

This week I did a bit of an experiment with a third person section from Titus's point of view. It was a lot harder to get into his head, after being used to Lando's head, but it wasn't too bad I don't think.

I'm really enjoying this actually - but more about that after the story, or I'll end up spoiling it all for you.

:: Part One ::
:: Part Two ::

[warning: half of this chapter/installment/thing was written after midnight so the quality and sanity of the contents is debatable]

[other warning: it's also short -SORRY- because it kind of finished off nicely at the end. Or not nicely. Whatever.]

Titus chewed on the end of his pencil.

Nervousness was tingling down his arms and had been ever since his mum had gotten a call from Lando to ask them over. Sure, it was fine and not that strange.

But still…

Thomas yawned widely, watching the houses go past out the window. Titus leant against him from the car seat next to him, craning to see. The houses and apartments were starting to look familiar and he settled back again after a moment, cracking his knuckles.

“You think you’re ready for whatever something Lando’s springing on us this time?”

Thomas shrugged. “Probably not, if I really think about it. I mean…what’s the deal with this anyway? Mum gets a call from Lando inviting us around for the afternoon? It just seems a little weird.”

“Same.” Titus scratched his ear, looking up as the car started to slow. His nerves were itching to know what Lando was up to this time and he hardly waited for his mum to stop the car before unclipping his seat belt and pushing out of the car over Thomas, his twin tumbling out behind him a moment later.

“Alright boys.” His mum rounded the car and shot a glance at them both. “Please try not to break anything?”

“Okay mum,” Thomas stretched a grin.

“Sure thing.” Titus shoved his hands into his pockets. “Best behaviour.”

She looked between them both for a moment and then nodded. “Good.” Leading the way, she headed down the short driveway to the front door, pushing the doorbell button and then rapping her knuckles on the door just to make sure.

Titus fiddled with the pencil in his pocket as he waited, Thomas hopping from one foot to the other in his impatience. Finally the door opened and Titus half stepped forward, hoping to see Lando. Nope. Just his mum.

She shot him a smile and then hugged his mum. “So great to see you again.” She pushed open the door, beckoning her inside. “Come on in.”

He pulled his hand out of his pocket, waving slightly. “Nice to see you again.”

Thomas mimicked his movement beside him.

Lando’s mum smiled at them again. “You boys can go around the side if you like. I think Lando’s there. He was doing something in the back corner that he didn’t seem to want me to see.” For a moment a slight frown touched her brows.

“Thanks!” Thomas said enthusiastically, turning and starting to jog to the corner of the building.

Titus grinned and Lando’s mum one last time, gave his own mum a reassuring glance and then ran after his twin. Thomas paused to wait for him before slipping around the corner and moving along the narrow gap between the fence and the wall.

Halfway to the other side, he stopped, Titus almost crashing into him from behind.

“Whoa, watch it—”

“Ti.” Thomas prodded his arm. “Toadstools.”

Titus followed his gaze to see a row of red toadstools across the sparsely grassed path in front of them. “Oh nice. Come on, let’s find Lando.” He stepped around Thomas and kept walking.

And walked straight into something invisible.

Stumbling back a pace, he stared. “What the—?”

Thomas grabbed his arm to steady him. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know…I’m sure I just crashed into something.” He squinted at nothing in particular, unable to see anything.

Talk about weird.

Stepping forward again, he reached out a hand in front of himself, feeling through the air. Nothing. He went to step forward again, only to smash against the barrier again. He toppled backward but Thomas caught him, grunting.

“Something is really wrong.” Titus pressed his hand against his throbbing forehead.

Thomas turned around, his fingers wrapping around Titus’s arm a moment later. “Um, Ti…”

“Yeah?” He twisted, only to stop short. A quick glance both ways showed him what they’d done.

A ring of toadstools surrounded them closely, their red caps almost seeming to glow.

“Not good,” Thomas mumbled, turning in a circle to check for gaps.

No chance.

They’d stepped right into a trap.

His heart rate quickened, and Titus stepped forward pushing against the barrier without result. “Nonono this isn’t cool. This isn’t cool at all.”

“Lando!” Thomas yelled, but his voice echoed back as if they were in a tiny room with walls all around.

Which they were, near enough.

“Help!” Titus yelped, grabbing the base of one of the toadstools and yanking on it, hoping to pull it out and break the circle.

Something hit him hard across the cheek and he fell back with a stifled cry, pain stinging. Everything blurred slightly around him and for a moment he thought he was blacking out. Then Thomas wobbled and fell to his knees, almost sprawling on top of him.

Vague outlines of figures circled the ring of toadstools, moving closer with shuffling steps. Titus tried to yelp and yell for Lando again, hoping that maybe he would hear anyway, but he couldn’t manage to get a sound from his throat.

Come to think of it, he couldn’t breathe either.

He choked, his heart lurching against his ribs, everything swirling almost painfully around him. He should’ve noticed the magic ring…should’ve seen it before walking straight into some trap.

Whatever Lando had needed them for, he would have to do alone. The house wall was fading from beside them, a nauseous feeling flipping in his stomach. Titus pushed up onto his elbow for a moment then a flick of something —that looked uncommonly like a sparkling fairy wand— and light flashed above him and he passed out.

- - -

Let's just say that I'm really enjoying giving a weird twist to some of the fairy stories that I used to adore when I was a cute little girl. I remember one specific one that I really liked which involved magic fairy rings of mushrooms and being whisked off to fairyland.
So basically, that's what this chapter is about.

Only it's not a little girl out strawberry hunting in a mystical forest. It's two boys in the middle of a coastal Sydney city suburb ducking down the side of the house to get into the backyard. And they're not being whisked away to oversee a romantic wedding of the prince and princess.

Hahaha...not likely.

*evil laughter*


And if the ending part was weird...I'm blaming it on the fact that I was writing it...after midnight. Sorry if it doesn't make any sense. I tried. xD


Is the story still staying interesting?
(despite the possible post-midnight-faults)
Did you read many fairy stories when you were little?