The Never-Ending Story Part 7

     The trio skipped merrily onward.  Soon the skip slowed to a walk; one can't skip forever.  They never grew bored on this long journey, because they could always talk about how excited they were to get to the Great Wal-Mart of Pause.
     Their pleasant conversations were soon interrupted by a strange sound.  A rumbling sound.  Whatever it was was close by, which made the three companions nervous.
     "Oops.  'Scuse me."
     A voice to their left spoke, making them all jump.  Mr. Steel stood protectively in front of the others, being the most invulnerable of them all.  He squared his shoulders and spoke with an assertive tone.
     "Who are you?  And what is your business?"  Since he knew this wood top to bottom, Mr. Steel knew better than anybody that the forest was home to some less-than-friendly creatures.
     The party concerned hesitated to give an answer.
     "Who are you?  Show yourself!"
     There was a rustle in the bushes, and out stepped a huge, majestic lion.  His limbs were sinewy and the tawny fur that covered them shone.  The mane on his head reached down to his shoulders and half-way under his belly. 
     Renae quickly ducked behind Mr. Steel; of the three of them, she had the most to fear from a lion. 
     "Feah not, lonely travelahs," said the lion, smiling a smile that was reassuring, although it did show a number of sharp teeth.  He spoke with a Brooklyn accent. 
     "I should be a bit moah hospitable; it ain't often dat I see travelahs, especially on 'dis road.  You'll have to excuse me.  That horrible sound youse heahd was my stomach.  I'm terribly 'ungry."
     At this, Mr. Steel clenched his fists, and Renae clutched the shoulders of the steel man in front of her, trembling.  Sensing her fear, the lion addressed her.
     "My deah, please don't worry, I 'appen to be a vegetarian."
     Renae peeked out from behind Mr. Steel.  The lion's eyes were kind, which helped Renae to bolster her courage.
     "Why are you so hungry?" she asked.  "Why not eat something?"
     Drooping his ears, the lion replied, "You 'ave no idear how difficult it is to find a veggie-burger in da' woods.  What I really want is porridge, but I 'aven't got any."
     "No porridge?" asked the trio in unison.
     "No porridge." affirmed the lion.  He sighed longingly.
     Mr. Steel inspected the lion up and down.  He seemed genuine, and not at all like the other beasts he had encountered in the wood.
     "Have you considered traveling to the Great Wal-Mart of Pause?" inquired Mr. Steel.  "They'll have what you'd like.  In fact you could travel with us if you'd wish."
     The lion pricked up his ears.
     "Do youse reahlly mean it?  I'd love ta'!  As long as it's all right wid' da' liddle lady, heah."
     Renae couldn't resist the lion's sweet smile. 
     "Of course," she said.  "Do you have a name?"
     "Howard," he replied.  The way he pronounced 'Howard' sounded like 'Howahd'.  "I'm Howard Lee Lion.  Pleased ta meet yas."
     On they went down the Red-Brick Road, out of the Big woods.  As they traveled, a large department store came into view: the Great Wal-Mart of Pause!

The (Perhaps) Never-Ending Story Part 6

     All was silent in the Big Wood except for the occasional rustling of a small animal and the footsteps of Renae and Scarecrow crunching of fallen twigs and leaves.  Although sunlight filtered through the tall trees perfectly well, the trees themselves were large and foreboding, making Renae grateful she was with a companion. 
     They hadn't been walking long when Renae saw something shining through the branches. 
     "What is that, Scarecrow?" she inquired, gesturing at the object.  The straw-man, musing, squinted his eyes at the glimmer. 
     "Hmm.  These woods may be odd, but I don't know of any trees that shine.  Let's go have a look."
     As they approached it, Renae realized what it was.  It was a metal woodsman. 
     "Oh Scarecrow, look!  It's a man made of tin!  He looks stuck.  Is he rusted?"  The man was standing up, apparently frozen in place. 
     "Perhaps.  Does he have an oil-can close by?" asked Scarecrow.  Before he had a chance to look for one, the man suddenly spoke.
     "What's all the noise about?  I don't mean to seem rude, but I am trying to relax."  He crossed his arms and turned his head to them, clearly able to move quite well. 
     "Oh, sorry Mr. Tin-man," replied Renae.  "We thought you'd rusted solid and were trying to find an oil-can to help you." 
     The man opened his mouth to speak, then, realizing what she had said, closed it again in surprise.  He put his hands on his metal hips and looked offended.
     "Tin?  Rusted?  I shall have you know, young miss, that I am, in fact, stainless steel!  And therefore, I cannot rust.  If you like to know, I was sleeping.  My joints lock and I can sleep standing up."
     Renae wasn't sure what to say next to make amends, so she changed the subject.  "Why did you need to relax?  Are you stressed or something?"
     The steel man started to massage his temples as he answered.  "As a matter of fact, yes, I am very stressed.  Do you see all these trees?  It is my job as the only woodsman of the Big Wood to know every tree in the forest, and it is ever so hard!  That's why I was trying to clear my head with a nap."
     "Well," asked the scarecrow, "do you have to memorize them?  Couldn't you keep track of them some other way?" 
     "I certainly would, if there were some other way to keep track of them.  But you see, I haven't got a chart."
     "No chart?" said Renae and Scarecrow in unison.
     "No chart." The steel man confirmed sadly.  "And a chart would be most helpful, too.  To have all the trees laid out right in front of my eyes and not all jumbled around in my head."
     The scarecrow gently nudged Renae in the ribs.  "Don't you think that the Great Wal-Mart of Pause would have a chart?"
     Renae's face lit up.  "Why yes!  Yes, I'm sure that they would!"
     Turning to the steel man, Scarecrow asked,  "Would you like to come to the Great Wal-Mart of Pause with us?  They will most certainly have what you're looking for."
     The steel man beamed brightly.  "You would really let me join you?"
     "Why, of course!"
     "My most gracious thanks," replied the steel man.  "Let us be off at once . . . er . . . I'm sorry, I don't even know your names."
     "I'm Renae, and this is Scarecrow.  What may we call you?"
     "Well, let's see . . . I do believe that 'Stainless Steel Man' is a bit of a mouthful, so I think 'Mr. Steel' will do just fine."
     "So," said the scarecrow.  "Shall we go?"
     At this, Renae belted a melody at the top of her lungs, "Were of to see the Wal-Mart, the wonderful Wal-Mart of Paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaause!"
     Scarecrow and Mr. Steel simply stared at her.  Finally, one of them asked her why she was singing.  Bashfully, Renae told them that it felt natural in the circumstance.  They informed her that it was, in fact, not a musical.
     So they skipped down the Red Brick road, through the Big Wood, and did not sing.




     Hello all!  I hope you are enjoying my story.  If you have any ideas for who Renae could meet next, please tell me.  Keep in mind that I might not use your idea, and please don't get hurt feelings if I don't.  It might just mean that it's time to start a never-ending story of your own.  If you do have ideas, please let them be from famous/classic books or plays.
     Thanks!
     Wanna-be Author, Meghan

DON'T SCROLL DOWN until you read the first part of this post!

I hadn't planned on carving a pumpkin this year because of the slimy pumpkin guts that stick to your skin and make you itch; I don't typically like messy stuff.  However, we found a really neat site with all these great carving templates and I found one that I just couldn't resist (being the Disney lover that I am).

Can you tell who it is yet?

              If you couldn't before, now can you tell?

He was supposed to be smiling.  Oh well.