Painting by Janice Nabors Raiteri

The Wishing Map is a full-length fantasy that is being posted episodically at this site. To read the previous episode click here. To read the entire novel, begin here.

In an attempt to break free from the childlike naims (gnomes) who’d chosen him as their new Storysmith, Zack pushed them beyond what they could comprehend, and unintentionally sparked an armed conflict!

Cries of dismay exploded from the Root Naims. Within seconds they were throwing rocks, bark, tree branches, anything they could put their hands on. This was matched by a shower of objects from the Leaf Naims. Because the field was so wide, these rudimentary missiles failed to make it to the opposite side and fell instead on the heads of the children who’d been acting out the stories. Many dropped, bruised and lacerated, to the ground. Their parents screamed and scrambled to drag them out of harm’s way.

Then Bulgy led his followers onto the field. In their hands were bludgeons, lances, bows & arrows. Zack suddenly realized where they’d been going when he saw them earlier, and why their cloaks had looked so bulky: they’d raided the heartwood armories and stashed the weapons under their garments! They were looking for an opportunity, and I provided it!

“I order you to stop!” he shouted. Instantly, the violence ceased. Then he dropped his greatcoat to the ground. The Root Naims saw him dressed in a Root Naim tunic, proudly emblazoned with a red root patch. And the Leaf Naims saw him in a Leaf Naim tunic with a bold blue leaf patch!

Both sides began to cheer, “Hey-fah for Master Zaggyzim!” And for one brief moment neither side stopped to wonder why the other was cheering. Zack knew his ruse could not last: at his request, Mistress Stickpin had secretly stitched half a Leaf Naim tunic and half a Root Naim tunic together so that, seen from either side, he would appear to be wearing a whole tunic of one type or the other, but seen from the front or the rear…

All twenty thousand naims were deliriously proud of their Master Zaggyzim, but none was as proud as little Bud, who’d slipped away from his parents, Noddie and Sniggle, and was now running out onto the field. “Uncle Zaggy!”

Uncle Zaggy heard and, without thinking, turned to scoop him up.

In a trice, he realized what he’d done. The crowd’s rapture died like a bug against a windshield. And then a single voice cried out,

“Zaggyzim speaks ne’er traith!” It was Lyffwin.

“Ne’re traith!” Leaf and Root Naims alike shouted. The accusation was directed at both Zack and the opposing side of the field because both believed the other had been in on the deception! A hail of stones and branches followed, this time accompanied by arrows from Lyffwin and Bulgy’s makeshift militias.

One arrow—the size of a knitting needle—struck Zack in the neck. It hurt like crazy. “Ow! Dang! Ow!”

Zack’s cry was followed by a high shriek. He felt a thud against his leg and looked down to see little Bud crumpling, an arrow through his knee.

“Oh, God! Oh, Uol!” Zack shouted.

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Thoughts: Is there any clearer sign of a world gone mad than a suffering child?

To read the next episode, click here.