The Nutcracker and Licorice: Part One (special preview)

“I’m going to get into the palace.” I toss the hook over and it snags at the top of the gate. Tugging on it a few times, I see that it is secure. 

“You shouldn’t!” The girl gasps. “The whole place is cursed!”

“Cursed, you say?” I lay the grown lining over my shoulder. “How is it cursed?”

The girls look frightened as they glance to one another. “The queen is evil, and she wants everyone to be as miserable as she is.”

“I see,” I start to climb the chain. “Well then, that is exactly why I need to break in.” Once I am half way up, I set my feet into the swirlies and curlies of the design within the gate. I toss the fabric over then hold back onto the chain. 

“It’s guarded by monsters!” The second girl yells in alarm. “They will turn you to wood and burn you in the fire!” She points to the clouds of smoke that swirl around and around the towers. 

“I’m not afraid of turning to wood!” I lift up my pants to show the girls my wooden leg. “I already am.” I climb to the top of the gate and staddle the fabric. Pulling up the chain, I move it to the other side so I can climb down.

“You’ll never come out!” The girls cry.

I climb down and land on the other side. “Once I am in, there will be no reason to come out again.” I wave to them. “Thank you for all your help today.” I face the palace, looking up at the dark towers surrounded by thick smoke and fog. 

Once I am inside, I do not plan to leave until I find what I am looking for. I make my way up the path to the front stairs, reaching for the front door. Something slimy drops on my hands from above. It’s glossy and tacky, the color of it is pitch black. 

“Ew,” I pull my hands back and more drips down from above. I crane my neck up to see there is something above me on the ceiling. It snarls low as the black ooze drips from its mouth.

“Hello!” I wave to it. “Can I come in?”

The creature howls, bounding off the ceiling to the door and then at me. I stumble backwards, nearly falling off the stairs until the creature grabs the front of my clothes. 

The creature’s head is surrounded by a round cage that clasps in a spiked collar around its neck. Their hulking body looks like winding, black, glossy vines. Their hands are huge with fingers that seem longer than my forearms.

“My name is Phiphi!” I say brightly. “What’s yours?”

The creature roars in my face, bearing its monstrous teeth behind the cage. The top half of their face is covered by a mask, but the two eyes glow bright white from behind. The bottom half seems just like an open maw, drooling that black slime from behind their teeth.

“I can’t pronounce that, I’m so sorry, I don’t want to be rude.” I pat their hand holding me. “Could you pull me forward? I’m afraid I’ll fall if you let me go.”

The monster yanks me and slams my back against the door. “Who are you?” He bellows with a voice that gurgles and reverberates like a sludgy drain. 

“That really hurt!” I whine, grasping both my tiny hands around his wrist. “I told you, my name is Phiphi!”

The monster gets close up to my face, enough that the cage presses against my forehead. “Why did you break in?” He snarls.