Hamish X Goes to Providence Rhode Island Read Free Page A

between the two combatants, placing a hand on each of their foreheads and holding them at arm’s length from each other. “I understood ya fine, little fella, but here’s the thing: I don’t take kindly ta people pokin’ a bow and arrow in my face.”
    The man called Xnasos looked at the bow in his hands and smiled sheepishly. “I’m sorry about that. We can’t be too careful. One can’t be too sure these days.” He suddenly frowned fiercely. “Who are you calling little? I’m the tallest person around.”
    â€œI’m just as tall as you are,” the one called Xnasha said. “Almost all of us are taller than you.”
    â€œYou’re wearing shoes with very thick soles,” Xnasos scoffed, waving a gnarled hand dismissively. “In sandals, it’s no contest.”
    â€œI still think she’s taller …,” someone in the back pointed out.
    Xnasos gritted his teeth and ignored the comment. Turning to Mimi, he announced once again: “You’re trespassing! Leave at once or else.” The whole group shook their weapons in what they thought was a menacing way, but it ended up looking rather silly. Eventually, the strangers realized that they weren’t impressing Mimi and so they stopped, shuffling their feet restlessly.
    â€œNow what?” Xnasha asked sarcastically.

    Xnasos cut her off with a slash of his hand. “Enough!” The little man turned to Mimi and pointed up into her face. “You are trespassing!”
    Swift as an enraged donkey, 13 Mimi grabbed the finger. “It’s rude ta point,” she snarled, gently twisting the finger backwards.
    â€œOw!” yelped Xnasos. “Ow! Ow! Ow!”
    â€œYou don’t seem ta git it, so I’ll say it slow,” Mimi growled. “We ain’t trespassin’. We came here ’cause we …” Mimi shrugged and let go of the finger. “’Cause we ain’t got nowhere else ta go.”
    The strangers stared at Mimi as if she were crazy. They stepped back out of reach of the wild-haired girl.
    Mimi decided to state the refugees’ case. “Well, uh … Xnasos, my name is Mimi. And this here’s Mr. Kipling and we … that is, all of us … just escaped from the destruction of the Hollow Mountain. And well, we ended up here …”
    Mimi’s declaration brought a hush to the group of small folk. As if for the first time, they looked past her to take in the crowd of children standing in the shadows behind Mr. Kipling and Mrs. Francis.
    â€œLook!” the one called Xnasha said in an awed whisper. “They’re children.” Hushed debate erupted among the party. They spoke in a hissing, gulping language that Mimi couldn’t understand. She watched with growing impatienceas the one claiming to be the spokesman argued with his sister and several other of his followers. Finally, he turned back to Mimi. Xnasos stared at the tall girl, his eyes cold and calculating.
    â€œYou’re still trespassing. Get lost.”
    The crowd of strangers jeered their agreement. They shook their weapons and banged their staves on the stone floor.
    Mimi suddenly felt annoyed with these bizarre people who were being so disrespectful. She had already had a long day.
    â€œYou look here, pipsqueaks!” Mimi’s sharp voice silenced the strangers. They blinked their huge pale eyes at her. “I ain’t got time fer all these shenanigans. I’ve had a bad day.” She stepped closer to the spokesman and towered over the group. “I’ve been shot at, scorched, shocked, and beaten. I’ve been chased outta the only home I ever had. I lost one best friend to a pack o’ Grey Agents and the other to I don’t know what!” At the mention of Grey Agents, Mimi thought she saw a flicker of fear in their eyes. “I fell down a hole and ended up here, and I ain’t got the patience left ta