Conway's Curse Read Free

isn’t like he did it on purpose.” Tion looked at the man, who was once again suitably abashed. “Look at him, Kail. He’s sorry, see?” Tion turned Kail by the shoulder to face him. He winked, and the man’s eyes first widened and then flashed. Yep. That was a twinkle after all.
     
    “I’m sorry. Kail, was it? I’m sorry I sat on your father’s stick.”
     
    Kail nodded, mollified. “Just don’t do it again.”
     
    Tion rolled his eyes and wrinkled his nose. They really needed to find a stream.
     
    “Say, mister. What’s your name, anyway?”
     
    “No, it’s Conway, but that’s pretty close.”
     
    “Um, yeah.” Tion shook his head. “Do you think you can give us a ride to the nearest stream? Kail and I would be very grateful.” He scratched the side of his nose barely in time to cover his pinching it between his fingers when Kail turned to stare at him.
     
    “Are you nuts? He’s an oaf!”
     
    “He’s an oaf with very long legs, and quite frankly, my friend, you need a bath.”
     
    A faint green spark glowed behind Kail’s eyes, then flared when he stuck his hands in his pockets. A look of irritation marched across his visage, slapping at sparks, and he produced something red and squishy from his left side. “Fine. We’ll ride the oaf, but I’m not driving,” he said. Kail moved as if to toss the dripping berry, but paused, and after only a moment’s consideration, shoved the lint-covered pulp in his mouth.
     
    Tion turned to Conway. “What about it?
     
    Conway bent his head and stared at his hands. “Gee, fellas. I don’t know.”
     
    “And why not?” Kail demanded. “It’s not like we’re heavy enough that an oaf like you would even notice.”
     
    “Kail…,” Tion warned. “Let me handle this.” He stepped forward, putting himself between the green-fired temper of his partner and the reluctance of the human. He opened his mouth to speak, but Conway stopped him.
     
    “Believe me, guys. I’d be happy to give you a lift, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.” Conway leaned down, shifting his gaze from side to side as though he might be overheard, and whispered, “You’re not safe with me.”
     
    The rush of air as Conway sighed with the admission knocked Tion backward. Kail barely caught hold of his pack before Tion dragged him down, and they both landed on their butts in a tangle of arms, legs, and sticks.
     
    Conway drew back, horrified. “See? Your friend is right. I am an oaf.”
     
    “Nonsense,” Tion replied, extricating himself from Kail’s smelly embrace. “It could have happened to anybody.”
     
    Conway shook his head. “No. You don’t understand. I’m cursed.”
     

     

2
     

     
    “So, tell me about this curse.” Tion sat on Conway’s left shoulder with a lock of the man’s straight brown hair clutched in his fist.
     
    When the two sprites finally talked Conway into giving them a lift, they had each started out on opposite shoulders, but when it became apparent that the man’s rather frightening habit of wandering off the road was due primarily to his eyes watering at Kail’s aromatic proximity, Kail had reluctantly agreed to move south, glaring at his partner and his conveyance in turns as he scrambled into the man’s right shirt pocket and finally fell asleep.
     
    Conway shrugged, which nearly knocked Tion from his perch. “Sorry,” he said as he helped Tion regain his composure. “I can’t help it. I’m cursed with bad luck.”
     
    “You humans have such peculiar notions. Everybody has bad luck and good luck. It’s just a part of life.”
     
    Conway shook his head vigorously, and if Tion hadn’t let go of the man’s hair, he would have gone flying into the air. He hastily grabbed Conway’s shirt instead.
     
    “That’s what everybody says, but still.” Conway patted his shirt pocket and drew his hand back quickly as sleepy curses and green fire singed his fingers. “Look what happened to your friend,” he