“The only thing Granny Stannard can't abide, more than precocious children, is religion. You're lucky she didn't just change you into frogs!”
“Even so,” said Josh. “The Pied Piper? Really? How could she not suspect that?”
“Oh,” sighed the young man, “I'd like to think it was my personable good looks and charm, but I suspect it was the infestation of rats and mice that had her attention.”
“Yes, but the Pied Piper?” said Ben. “How did you get her to leave, anyway?”
“Oh,” sighed the young man. “I suppose you could say, she was burning to leave, and the rodents and I precipitated it. I thought she was being a little hot-headed, myself.” The young man grinned.
Ben looked at the rats and mice around their feet. “What are you going to do with this lot?” he asked.
“Well, I think they deserve a few days off,” said the young man. “Why don't you,” he said, addressing the rodents, “spend a couple of days at Grandma's?” There was a twittering and squeaking and then the rats and mice headed back to the cottage. “That'll save demolishing it,” muttered the young man.
Ben and Josh stared, amazement written on their faces. “How did you do that? It's like they... obey you, or something,” Ben said.
“Oh,” said the young man, tucking his flute away, “it's just a gift.” He sauntered off, following the rodents.
“Strange bloke, your mate,” said Ben to the double-glazing salesman, as the young man disappeared from sight.
“My mate?” replied the salesman. “I thought he was with you.”
A few days later, all that was left of Grandma Stannard's cottage was a few mouldy pieces of gingerbread, a rusting kitchen range and fireplace, and some extremely fat pigeons who had joined the feast. The rats and mice had disappeared and Ben, Josh, the double-glazing salesman and the two children never saw them or the young man again. However, curiously, the neighbouring town later reported an infestation of rats and mice that it had been unable to get rid of. The town council is currently considering a quote from a pest control company, P. Piper Ltd.
The End
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Tracey has also published
Finding Richard
The Angel in Towerhouse Wood
Growned
(a free book)
Never Put Your Hand in a Crocodiles Jaws
&
Discovering the Wolf
(a free short story)
You can contact Tracey at
[email protected] https://twitter.com/traceygb1
https://www.facebook.com/traceygb1
and see more, occasional work, and what she can only call "stuff" at
https://traceygb1.blogspot.co.uk/
Thank you
2016
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