“That’s it,” Kim said curtly. “That’s all I’m going to say.”
Brendan was frustrated. “I need to know more. You expect me to follow you and not ask questions?”
“That would be ideal, yes.”
“Well, tough beans! Why do you call Humans People of Metal?”
“It’s like this. Our people, your people, Fair Folk, we like to go with the flow. We bend nature rather than break it. We manipulate the natural forces that exist within the Earth. Does that make sense?”
Brendan thought about it. “I think so.”
“Humans, the People of Metal, they break things. They force things. They cut things up to make them fit their plan.”
“You make the Humans sound… I don’t know… cruel.”
“It’s their nature. They can’t change it. It’s programmed into them,” Kim said.
“Still, why ‘People of Metal’?”
“Ah, okay! The thing is, things went along just fine for thousands and thousands of years,” Kim explained as they hiked along. “Humans and Fair Folk co-existed. They had respect for our ways and we could stay out of theirs. It was a big world. Sadly, things changed when the Humans found a way of taking the bones of the Earth and turning them to their will. They learned to dig the metal from the Earth. They made more and more effective tools to carve her flesh and each other’s. Their mastery of metal made them masters of the Earth, and they drove us into hiding. Iron and steel are hurtful to us. When they realized this, there could be no more cooperation between our people. They became the People of Metal, and we faded into legend.”
Brendan felt a powerful stab of sadness. Her description of Humans made him ashamed. “Hey, not all of them are bad. My mum and dad recycle. They go to the Earth Day celebrations. They really worry about the environment.”
“Maybe they do and maybe they don’t.” Kim looked somewhat skeptical. “I’m not saying that some Humans aren’t good. There are good and bad in the world of the Fair Folk, too: hence Orcadia. And we’ve learned to adapt. We live alongside Humans and slip through the cracks. Though they can be destructive, Humans are fascinating, vibrant, and imaginative. And now, some seem to understand that they can’t continue to destroy the Earth and expect Her to provide for them. We just hope it’s not too late. There are those who think that one day we may be able to reach a compromise and share the world like we used to do. Some think that you might be a big part of that.” She stopped talking for a moment and sniffed the air. Satisfied, she said, “Anyway, we have more important things to take care of right now.”
“Like what?”
“Like I think we went the wrong way.”
They turned a corner and found themselves facing a blank wall.
“Oh no.” Brendan could suddenly feel the ominous weight of the city, the tons of rock suspended precariously above them. His chest constricted and his breath came in gasps. “I don’t want to die here. I can’t breathe!”
Kim slapped him on the back. “Come on, Brendan. You have to pull it together. We just have to retrace our steps. We passed a few tunnels on either side. We’ll try each one.”
“Go back? Toward those Kobold things? Are you nuts?”
“Well, we can’t sit here while you bawl like a little girl. We have to keep moving.”
“I’m not bawling like a little girl,” Brendan snapped. “If we keep moving we’re just going to get more lost.” He stood up and tried to control his breathing. He couldn’t panic. He had to keep calm or he was lost. “I wish someone would show us the way,” he said aloud.
“Careful!” Kim grabbed his arm. As if in answer to his call, a fluttering filled the small chamber where they stood. Kim groaned. “Too late.”
Out of the tunnel they’d come from, a small splotch of blackness stuttered into their midst. Brendan’s eyes went wide in horror.
“Oh great,” he moaned. “It’s a bat! I hate bats. Cover your hair.”
“Well, that’s a fine how-do-you-do!” said a tiny voice. “I’m not a bat and I have no interest in your hair.”
Brendan stared at Kim. “Did you say that?”
The creature swooped at Brendan’s head and lashed out with a tiny foot, catching him on the tip of the nose. “No, you giant fool. I said it. And I meant it. I’m liking you less and less by the minute.”
Brendan uncovered his eyes and stared at the tiny winged creature hovering in front of his face. It was the size of a bat, no bigger than his hand. It had the wings of a bat, leathery and translucent. It had ears like a bat, long and wide, thin as parchment, and they swivelled in the thatch of black hair covering its head. It had the body and face of a man. Its big black eyes bulged out, their gaze focused on Brendan. The long, pointy nose sniffed the air. “Listen, Skreet didn’t come here to be insulted, you know. Skreet was summoned. Who summoned Skreet?” He sneered and brushed his hands against his little leather jacket. He wore small motorcycle boots complete with rows of silver buckles.
“Summoned? I didn’t summon anyone,” Brendan said, trying to keep a safe distance between himself and the creature.
“He doesn’t know… he isn’t initiated yet. He’s been living outside among the Humans,” Kim said.
Skreet’s face became devious. “He doesn’t know the rules? He’s a total green? Oh, this is excellent. Delightful!”
Kim groaned. “Be careful, Brendan. You have to be very careful when you make this bargain. Skreet will hold you to the exact letter.”
Brendan’s nose stung from the blow he’d received a moment earlier. “What bargain? What are you talking about?”
Skreet flitted close to Brendan’s ear, rubbing his tiny hands together. “you summoned me. You said, ‘I wish someone would show us the way.’ When a Fair Folk speaks such words with sincere intent, a Summoning occurs. So”-he flitted once around Brendan’s head and stopped, hovering before the confused boy’s face, hands spread in invitation-“you summoned me! Now we bargain.”
Brendan looked to Kim for guidance. She sighed. “You can summon a Lesser Faerie…” 65
“Lesser Faerie? Lesser Faerie! How insulting!” Skreet squeaked indignantly.
“What would you prefer? Midget Sprite?” Kim said caustically.
“We prefer to call ourselves Diminutives, for your information,” Skreet said with a tiny sniff of disdain.
Kim rolled her eyes and continued, “Lesser Faeries can be summoned to perform tasks, but you must strike a bargain with them.”
“What kind of bargain?” Brendan asked, warily eyeing the tiny flapping person.
“You have to give something in exchange for their service,” Kim explained. “But you have to be careful! If you leave any loophole, they will try to trick you.”
Skreet’s face took on a wounded cast. “Don’t malign me, you giant spoilsport!” He puffed out his chest. “I’m honest as the day is long. I’ve never once cheated on a deal. Never once.” He flitted over and lighted on Brendan’s shoulder. “So, my fine young lad, what is your desire? Tell me! Tell me! I am eager to serve.”
“Show us the way out of here,” Brendan blurted. Kim frowned so he added, “To the lake! The way out to the lake!”
Kim shook her head ruefully. Skreet was delighted, however. “Fine! Perfect! Excellent! Grand! A noble task easily executed for a person of my vast capacity.” He grinned slyly. “I know the Undertown like the back of my wing. Hee-hee. Now, what is the payment?”
Brendan grimaced. He dug his hands into the pockets of his soiled blazer. In his right pocket, his hand closed around something metallic. He pulled his hand out and opened his palm to reveal his braces.
Skreet flitted in and sniffed the metal bands. “Bah! No thanks. Silver they are not.”
Brendan dug in his left pocket and felt a thin flat packet that crinkled in his hand. He pulled the packet out of his pocket and held it up. Gum. Sugarless spearmint gum. “I have this?”
Skreet’s eyes bugged out even farther. “Is that what I think it is?” He licked his lips.
“If you think it’s gum, then yes.”
Skreet’s face lit up. He spun and corkscrewed through the air in a circuit around Brendan’s head like a tiny comet. “Oh! Bliss! Joy and bliss again. Gum! Sweet gum! Lovely, chewy gum! This suits Skreet to the tips of his wings! The bargain is struck!”
Brendan heaved a sigh of relief. “Great,” he said. His grin vanished when he saw Kim’s sour face. “What?
