Jenny's Summer Ch. 01

Maybe I was having a stroke? But the elves were very good at sensing serious illnesses in humans and their diagnoses were always very specific. One of them would have simply told me I was about to have a stroke instead of this 'there is something wrong around you' spookiness.

I remained on the landing for a few minutes, collecting myself. I did need a vacation from this place and I knew exactly where I was going to go.

IV

I returned to the library to retrieve the atlas. The room was dark and musty and I could feel goosebumps rising on my bare arms again, despite the fact that the temperature was quite comfortable. There was no one else present that I could see, but I still felt as if eyes were watching me from one of the many shadowy recesses. I forced myself to calm. In a place with elves and other faerie creatures about, I was worried about someone watching me? This was getting ridiculous.

I walked through the dimly lit room, heading for the desk where I had been reading earlier. As I approached the desk I thought I saw a faint greenish tinge to the little lighting there was, but it faded quickly. The thought occurred to me that perhaps Amy or Zoe was beginning to pull pranks as they explored what it meant to be faeries.

I snatched up the atlas and then remembered that I had best put the other books back on the proper shelves. There was no librarian who would do the work for me. A sudden and loud creaking noise down one of the aisles made me freeze in place. I bit my lip, leaned over and peered down along the bookshelves, but I could see no sign of movement and the darkness and shadow concealed much of the aisle.

"Amy or Zoe or whoever that is, I don't think this is very playful. In fact, I find this rather upsetting," I called out. I had the strong sense that someone was immediately to my right. I quickly turned to look, but I was still alone in the library.

"I think I'll just put these other books back a little later," I said loudly to no one. Clutching the atlas to my chest I quickly left the library. Once outside, I closed the door behind me and took a deep breath. Now what the hell was that all about? I really needed to get away for a few weeks.

I started as I heard a creaking noise, as if someone were walking across the floor of the library directly to the door I was leaning against. Each noise matched the timing of a footprint in my imagination. Or did it? I stood ready to open the door suddenly and surprise whoever had been trying to frighten me. Amy or Zoe was in for a...well, a spanking could be considered appropriate and I wouldn't mind spanking their bottoms until they were pleasantly pink, but the two were dedicated heterosexuals. The volume of the footfalls on the other side of the door increased and then suddenly stopped. I thought I could hear breathing.

Then something went thump against the door. I jumped away from the door as I felt the impact. Damn those girls and their faerie ways! They knew I was still here, waiting for them. I threw open the door in a fury and there was no-one there. The library was still empty of humans and faeries. My skin crawled and I slammed the door shut. I forced myself to breathe and I was ready to pee my pants. What the Hell was going on?

Rationally, I decided I was just being foolish and that I had better find Holly and Douglas and talk to them about Breeleigh's strange behaviour. I strode swiftly down the hall leading from the library, deathly afraid that I might hear the library door open behind me.

V

I found Doug, Santa Claus that is, in his personal library. It was on the third floor and contained the famous list in book form, well more like encyclopaedia form, in shelves all along the walls. There were several tables scattered about the chamber and a number of chairs for each table. The room also contained a magic crystal ball that was kept covered by a silk cloth. Doug had on jeans and an old, black t-shirt with the image of a red, five-pointed star inside a red circle. He had told me before that it was a shirt from an old rock concert, but I had always wondered what kind of music he was in to that would use a symbol of black magic so prominently. Still, it couldn't have been that sinister, as he was Santa.

"Hi, Jenny. Are you looking for me or Holly?" he asked me with a welcoming smile on his face. Doug had always been a perfect gentleman, even when I had once tried to seduce him and he turned me down. That was well before I knew that Holly and he were interested in each other. I never would have propositioned him if I'd known that Holly liked him; I respected Holly and hoped she thought of me as a friend.

"I'm looking for both of you, actually. It's kind of important." Doug went to the stairs leading to Santa's private rooms and called Holly. A few seconds later I heard her steps as she came down the carpeted stairs wearing her green outfit that looked to be mostly made of still-living leaves. It was faerie made and I swear that those elves can do almost anything with their magic. Holly had her auburn hair in a ponytail. She was very pretty and the smile she sent my way was part smirk. She had once confided in me that whenever she saw me the memory of the aphrodisiac bubble bath popped into her head.

"Jenny has something to tell us, honey." They kissed and then both turned to me and waited.

"Well, it's going to sound a little strange. I was in the library and I found an atlas compiled by a faerie." I set the atlas down on a vacant table. I opened it to some of the pages that had caught my attention and waved the two of them over to a better vantage. "The faeries are very nature-oriented and supposedly have been all over the Earth, but I've found a few regions where they have no knowledge whatsoever. It roused my curiosity and I asked Breeleigh about it. She was very evasive in her answers and she made some odd comments about something being wrong around me. It was all very spooky and mysterious."

"I'll get one of the others to ask Breeleigh and Puckrin to come up here," said Holly. "This does seem very strange."

We waited quietly as Holly left the room and then quickly returned. Dug offered to get me something to drink, but I wasn't thirsty. Breeleigh and Puckrin walked in a minute or two later. The two elves said hello while their eyes moved around the room uncertainly.

"I'm sorry I summoned the two of you, but there does seem to be a little mystery going on that we want to get cleared up. Are you both well today?" asked Doug.

"Well, I'm a little tired. Doug, you know how insatiable these women can be..." Breeleigh smacked him on the shoulder. "We're doing fine. What's the problem?"

Doug glanced at Holly and received a 'don't you dare' look. "Jenny was in the library and found something odd," said Doug, ignoring Puckrin's jest.

The two elves stared at me alertly. "You didn't touch the mad Arab's book, did you Jenny?" asked Puckrin.

"I didn't even see it," I lied to get them back on topic, "I noticed something in this atlas." I pointed out the blank spaces on the various maps inside the book.

"There is nothing there," said Breeleigh.

"Yes. But shouldn't there be? You faeries have been all over the world, you've told us that. Why would this atlas contain information on platypuses in Australia, giant squids at the bottom of the ocean, sasquatches in the Rocky Mountains but have blank spaces here in Africa, here just south of this sea..."

"Hudson's Bay," corrected Doug. "Look, there are more of these blank spaces around the world."

"Thirteen in total and there is nothing elsewhere in the book about these blank spaces. It's as if this faerie author knew absolutely nothing about these regions, but almost everything about everywhere else on the planet. But how could he know nothing about it? He never travelled there or met another faerie who went there or was wiling to go there for him?"

"There is nothing there," said Puckrin.

I shook my head and looked at Holly and Doug. They were staring intently at the two elves. Breeleigh and Puckrin were innocently staring back at the three of us. Holly spoke up. "Look Bree, there is information about the middle of Lake Superior. Now what is so interesting to a faerie about the middle of Lake Superior?"

"Oh, to some faeries it is a fascinating place," said Breeleigh, suddenly animated. Puckrin nodded in agreement. "Weather faeries love it for the weather and waves. There are things everywhere to interest us faeries."

"But not here," I said pointing to one of the blank areas.

"There is nothing there," responded Breeleigh.

"There is something wrong around you, Jenny." Puckrin's sudden and tangential statement gave me goosebumps.

Breeleigh turned to face him. "You see it, too? Something tells me you've been in that library too much for your own good, girl. You should never have touched that book by the mad Arab."

"Arrrgggh!" I threw my hands over my face in frustration. Holly put a comforting arm around my shoulder and Doug walked the two elves to the door and ushered them out politely, thanking them for their help.

"Well, there is definitely something strange going on," said Doug as he walked back to the two of us.

Holly gawked at him. "You are kidding, right? We're at the North Pole with elves, faeries, Russian submariners and a dozen sexy, young women who were brought up here to sexually satisfy Santa Clause. You think there is something strange going on?"

"You know what I mean," he chided her. "Stop teasing me. Have you ever known either of those two to act like that?"

Holly became serious. "No. Jenny, it was good that you brought this to our attention. They were obsessed with three things and I've only ever seen Bree obsessed with one thing." Doug lifted a finger to make a point and opened his mouth. "Don't say it, love," she cautioned him, while watching him out of the corner of her eye.

"They keep saying 'there is nothing there', 'there is something wrong around you' and they keep asking me about some book written by a mad Arab. What is going on?" I asked. This was way beyond my mental abilities and the creepy feelings I'd been having most of the day and the sudden headaches weren't helping.

Holly tapped her lips with her forefinger. "Let's work backwards. Did you read the book they seem worried about?"

"No. I briefly looked through the thing, but it was very weird and...well, profane and it seemed to be in code. There were images in there that made me blush. It didn't look to be written in Arabic." Holly and Doug both gave me looks of disbelief. "I swear that I didn't read it. I couldn't read it."

Doug chuckled. "Can you read Arabic, Jenny? Would you even recognize it?"

"I'm not stupid. It's that writing with the lines on top of the words, that sort of curly writing. Would either of you be able to read Arabic?" I asked defensively and a little hurt.

Holly put her arm around me again. "We don't think that you are stupid. Well not any more stupid than either of us, dear. But sometimes you play that simple southern girl routine and with the accent it is tempting to believe you might not be able to recognize Arabic." She winked at me and began fanning herself with an imaginary fan. "Besides most of the men here see you as 'oh mah, it is so hot he-ar that I must unbutton my blouse and expose my heavin' bosom before my poor haht begins palpitatin'. I'm afraid it is a curse that beautiful women from the south, like you, must bare."

I chuckled. "I don't actually sound like that, do I?"

Doug stood up for his gender. "Holly is exaggerating-somewhat. I don't think you are stupid, but I was just asking you a simple question. Don't you think you overreacted a little?"

"Maybe, but it still doesn't explain why they are so worried about this creepy, old, leather bound book," I pointed out.

"What was it called?" Holly asked.

"I don't know. It might have been Greek. Something about the dead, I think."

"Let's forget that book for now," suggested Doug. "They were concerned about you having read it and you have clearly said that you didn't read it. What did they mean about there being something wrong around you?"

"How are you feeling, Jenny?" asked Holly.

I thought about it. "I am having a recurring headache and sometimes it is pretty severe. I keep having the feeling that I'm being watched. I'm feeling a little sad because I broke up with Sergei recently. And Vicky is interested in Sergei and I gave her permission to go after him and I feel a little uncomfortable about that."

Ever quick, Holly suggested: "You still have feelings for both of them, don't you?" I nodded. "This is a tough time for you, Jenny. I know you've been isolating yourself recently. Maybe you need a vacation."

"But I'm not working. Why would I need a vacation?"

Doug took one of my hands in his. "Jenny, you've been through a lot beginning with meeting Santa on Christmas Eve. Unlike the other women that my predecessor brought up here, you have-needs that aren't easily satisfied here. I think everyone but you and Maddy are heterosexual. Maddy is a bisexual who can be happy with either gender and so she has been content to spend her time with Vladislav. You are different and have different needs. Maybe you need a break from all of us. You'll always be welcomed back. Holly and I hope that you think of this place as your home."

These are rare people, I thought. They know the worst about me, that I'm very different than they are, yet they always treat me with kindness and love. I started to tear up. "Thank you, both of you. I would love to come back. This place is the best home I've known. Though, lately I have been thinking about leaving."

"Where would you go?" pressed Holly.

I pointed at one of the uncharted areas in the atlas, the one Doug had said was just south of Hudson's Bay. "I want to solve the third mystery. It looks remote so I'll be able to do some camping again. I-" I bit my lip and lowered my head, "I packed my hunting rifle when Santa brought me here and I could do a little hunting there. I used to hunt with my dad, before he passed away."

"I'm not comfortable with this," stated Doug. Was he angry about my rifle being on the premises? I suppose it was a little silly to bring it with me to the North Pole.

"She'll be fine." Holly turned to me. "You may not be able to use your rifle. It could be out of season for hunting or you may need a special permit for carrying a rifle." She turned back to Doug. "Both Bree and Puckrin said there was nothing there, so it has to be safe. They would have warned us if there was something dangerous there. Maybe there are just places in the world where faeries and faerie magic cannot exist." Doug grudgingly nodded his acceptance.

I should have had more faith in Doug's intuition than in Holly's logic.

VI

I packed up my things the next day and Doug flew me down to Hearne, Yukon. We landed the sleigh in the town square in broad daylight. Children rushed forward, calling to him, and he waved at them and asked them to be good and greeted each of them by name. A few minutes later, I watched him take off and then I went in to O'Hallihan's Supplies.

Mary and her husband, Sam, greeted me warmly, although they looked a little perturbed that Doug hadn't come in to say hello. Mary was shorter than I and a little rounder, as you would expect with her having two kids. Sam was over six feet tall and fairly stocky. He had a simple face, but I wasn't fooled by that. I couldn't see Mary marrying anyone less capable than she was.

"So what can we do for you, sweetie?" asked Mary.

"Well, I'm going on a trip." I pulled out a map of the Canadian province of Quebec and pointed to the spot I wanted to go. "I need to get there. Doug and Holly supplied me with some Canadian money. I have some changes of clothes and some personal items. I also have a hunting rifle and some ammunition. Do I have to register my rifle or something?"

"It would probably be a good idea," said Sam rubbing his chin. "I don't hunt myself, so I don't know what the laws are concerning that. Jenny, you took a gun with you to the North Pole?"

The question made me realize yet again just how silly that had been. "Well, I didn't know how far north I was being taken. Is Phil in town? Maybe I can just clear everything through him."

"I'm afraid Phil left on sabbatical. He's been gone almost a month. It was very mysterious. He didn't tell anyone here, not even me," explained Mary. "Every time Phil was in town he stopped by here and asked if you had come back, Jenny. As for the rifle, you probably should go to an RCMP detachment in Whitehorse."

"Oh." I was surprised to learn that I felt sad about not seeing Phil. He and I had gone to the local bar, had a few drinks and danced a lot. We were together for about five hours and seemed to enjoy each other's company. But he didn't make a pass at me even once. He didn't try to hug me, kiss me or feel me up. He had noticed I was staring at the waitress' tits as she bent over our table while she was serving us. I had assumed that he thought I was a lesbian and gave up on the idea of trying to lay me. But why had he been asking about me then?

Sam broke me out of my reverie. "I'll go and stop Angus from taking off. He can fly you out of here and get you started on your trip." Sam left hurriedly.

"So, Mary, I'll need to know what supplies I'll need for this trip and how to get there."

Mary and Sam were a big help. They had me fitted for a good camping trip, well fed and on Angus' helicopter within an hour. Angus was pleasant enough and I was surprised to hear him ask about Holly and Doug. So we chatted during the long flight about how the two were doing and the goings on at the North Pole. By the time the flight ended my throat was dry and I had promised to remind Doug that Angus would love to visit the North Pole some time. I think Angus' enthusiasm about visiting had less to do with seeing his old friend and more to do with some crazy idea that we women walked around all day in lingerie. I could have corrected his crazy idea but I didn't, as I enjoyed his attempts to covertly glance at my boobs and legs.

Once we landed in another small Yukon town, Angus pointed me to the bus station and, after getting my paperwork cleared with the local Royal Canadian Mounted Police (I was an ambassador from the North Pole!), I boarded a bus heading for Edmonton, Alberta. It was a long road trip and I slept for quite a bit of it. Once in Edmonton I got directions and took a taxi ride to the airport that was inexplicably very, very far from the city itself. This is such a strange country.

I was a little worried about getting my rifle aboard the airplane, but once I was identified a tall, handsome RCMP officer graciously escorted me to a first class waiting area. There was no one around, despite a large number of plush seats, benches and even a few sofas. I glanced at the officer.

"So are you trying to get me alone?" I suggested.

"No, ma'am! I can stand guard outside the door if you wish." He looked very embarrassed. I'd heard rumours that Canadians were all polite and proper, but I'd lived with Holly and Vicky long enough to know that the stereotype was sheer nonsense. This policeman certainly looked all polite and proper, though.

"You know, I'm not a madam. I'm a miss. And I'd really like the company of a big, strapping, young man like yourself."

He glanced at the door nervously. I guess he was wondering what I had in mind and felt a little out of his league with a lusty ambassador-an ambassadoress? I decided to play it gently and see how far he was willing to go. My flight was not for another three hours!

"Sorry. I'd like to unwind a little and there doesn't seem to be any way to do that in this airport while I am waiting for my flight. It was a long bus ride to get to Edmonton. Is there any way I can get some food?" I sat on one of the sofas and tried to look less desperately horny than I was.