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"Now that& #39;s what I call a #heavyweight."
Pearl didn& #39;t like the way the stranger was leaning on her gate. Or how his eyes were greasing the length of her prize marrow, leaving a trail like a slug.
"What& #39;ll you take for it?"
Ten green fingers curled into budding fists.
#vss365
Pearl didn& #39;t like the way the stranger was leaning on her gate. Or how his eyes were greasing the length of her prize marrow, leaving a trail like a slug.
"What& #39;ll you take for it?"
Ten green fingers curled into budding fists.
#vss365
Three days now. Different faces, same rotten question.
Pearl bit her lips into a polite smile, blinked her embers grey, and met the stranger& #39;s gaze.
"Sorry, not for sale."
"Suit yourself." He shrugged and strolled away, slowly #killing the dusk with each heavy step.
#vss365
Pearl bit her lips into a polite smile, blinked her embers grey, and met the stranger& #39;s gaze.
"Sorry, not for sale."
"Suit yourself." He shrugged and strolled away, slowly #killing the dusk with each heavy step.
#vss365
Pearl loosened her fist, watched night sink into the earthy creases of her palms.
Her heart swelled at the quiet #resurrection in soil, in seeds, in lines of peas, winching skywards.
But some strange unsowing was underway in Dunster, and the marrow looked perturbed.
#vss365
Her heart swelled at the quiet #resurrection in soil, in seeds, in lines of peas, winching skywards.
But some strange unsowing was underway in Dunster, and the marrow looked perturbed.
#vss365
It had started in March, with that odd busker, strumming soft green tunes on a scarred guitar, an upturned trilby at her feet.
Turning a coin in her pocket, Pearl had peered into the hat. It was full of seeds. Fat, thin, pale, dark.
"Please take one." The lady smiled.
#vss365
Turning a coin in her pocket, Pearl had peered into the hat. It was full of seeds. Fat, thin, pale, dark.
"Please take one." The lady smiled.
#vss365
Pearl had chosen a big, flat seed like the white of an eye.
"Good choice." The busker waved away the proffered coin. "Pay me back in kind one day."
"How will I find..."
The lady had turned to new passers-by, flicking through faces like a #ragpicker searching for silk.
#vss365
"Good choice." The busker waved away the proffered coin. "Pay me back in kind one day."
"How will I find..."
The lady had turned to new passers-by, flicking through faces like a #ragpicker searching for silk.
#vss365
"Yes, a good choice."
Pearl patted the marrow. It glistened in the moonlight. A fat whale risen from a sea of summer months and #rainwater.
Before this year she& #39;d barely noticed the little patch of earth outside her cottage. Now, somehow, it felt like her only hope.
#vss365
Pearl patted the marrow. It glistened in the moonlight. A fat whale risen from a sea of summer months and #rainwater.
Before this year she& #39;d barely noticed the little patch of earth outside her cottage. Now, somehow, it felt like her only hope.
#vss365
Mrs Japes was leaning on the kitchen counter, cooking nothing but hard- #baked opinions.
"You should dye that, you know. It ain& #39;t natural, woman your age!"
Pearl rested the mop, brushed a wisp of silver hair from her eyes. "Yes, I know."
"I didn& #39;t tell you to stop!"
#vss365
"You should dye that, you know. It ain& #39;t natural, woman your age!"
Pearl rested the mop, brushed a wisp of silver hair from her eyes. "Yes, I know."
"I didn& #39;t tell you to stop!"
#vss365
Young Japes burst into the kitchen, waving fistfuls of unearthed garden treasure.
"Look, mum!"
"What? Euch! Get away, filthy brat!"
The boy recoiled into a snail shell of anger and stormed off, taking a deliberate, muddy-footed #detour across Pearl& #39;s mopped floor.
#vss365
"Look, mum!"
"What? Euch! Get away, filthy brat!"
The boy recoiled into a snail shell of anger and stormed off, taking a deliberate, muddy-footed #detour across Pearl& #39;s mopped floor.
#vss365
A bright promise of #sapphire sky slammed shut behind the boy. Pearl knelt to clean the mud.
"So, I hear you& #39;re growing a giant marrow?" Mrs Japes sneered. "Makin& #39; a spectacle of yerself!"
"I..."
"How about I take it off yer hands? You owe me for the new mop, anyhow."
#vss365
"So, I hear you& #39;re growing a giant marrow?" Mrs Japes sneered. "Makin& #39; a spectacle of yerself!"
"I..."
"How about I take it off yer hands? You owe me for the new mop, anyhow."
#vss365
"That woman... is... not... getting... my... yargghhh!..."
Pearl crashed backwards into a bramble as the old blue bicycle finally tugged free.
It careered out of the shed, trailing cobwebbed feathers and mouse droppings from its spokes, like a third-rate #dreamcatcher.
#vss365
Pearl crashed backwards into a bramble as the old blue bicycle finally tugged free.
It careered out of the shed, trailing cobwebbed feathers and mouse droppings from its spokes, like a third-rate #dreamcatcher.
#vss365
Pearl didn& #39;t know where to go, but she did know the marrow wasn& #39;t safe in Dunster.
She stroked its taut green skin, flicked her penknife and whispered, "I& #39;m sorry, this is going hurt."
A single, fat #drop of summer oozed from the severed, needle-haired umbilical cord.
#vss365
She stroked its taut green skin, flicked her penknife and whispered, "I& #39;m sorry, this is going hurt."
A single, fat #drop of summer oozed from the severed, needle-haired umbilical cord.
#vss365
The spruced-up Kingfisher barely creaked as Pearl gripped the tangerine handlebars and leant hard on the pedals.
As she overcame the inertia of the marrow in its trailer, a #mandolin-sliced sun slipped thinly through the clouds.
In this pale light, an adventure began.
#vss365
As she overcame the inertia of the marrow in its trailer, a #mandolin-sliced sun slipped thinly through the clouds.
In this pale light, an adventure began.
#vss365
Each spin of the Kingfisher& #39;s wheels unspooled a thread of Pearl& #39;s polyester life.
The deference to people whose secrets she mopped, dusted and put away.
The bright smile she flicked on and off at the front door.
The #longueur of evenings tick-tocking to lonely sleep.
#vss365
The deference to people whose secrets she mopped, dusted and put away.
The bright smile she flicked on and off at the front door.
The #longueur of evenings tick-tocking to lonely sleep.
#vss365
Despite the drag from the marrow, Pearl whirled along the lane. Her breezy delight whisked white foxgloves into approving nods. The edge of town tapered in the Kingfisher& #39;s wake.
Then, in the green #gloaming of an unexpected holloway, she struck a ripple in the road.
#vss365
Then, in the green #gloaming of an unexpected holloway, she struck a ripple in the road.
#vss365
The lane turned #littoral, duning and caving under some unseen tide. The marrow rocked. The Kingfisher wobbled. Pearl tumbled, all limbs and confusion, into a ditch.
She rubbed her nettled arms, then her eyes. "What the...?"
"Run!" A small voice piped. "It& #39;s the wyrm!"
#vss365
She rubbed her nettled arms, then her eyes. "What the...?"
"Run!" A small voice piped. "It& #39;s the wyrm!"
#vss365
Pearl looked left. Right. Up. Finally down. There she found a trembling earthworm who suddenly sneezed and took out a hankie. "Bless me!"
"Did you just say?..."
"Not again!" The worm rolled his eyes. "This scene& #39;s like a #hydrangea. It keeps coming back into fashion."
#vss365
"Did you just say?..."
"Not again!" The worm rolled his eyes. "This scene& #39;s like a #hydrangea. It keeps coming back into fashion."
#vss365
"You& #39;ve really upset her, you know." The worm flushed with a #potvalor of indignation.
Pearl was sure she& #39;d banged her head, but there seemed no harm in asking...
"Upset who?
"The Dunster dragon! You sliced that behemoth off her back!" The worm glared at the marrow.
#vss365
Pearl was sure she& #39;d banged her head, but there seemed no harm in asking...
"Upset who?
"The Dunster dragon! You sliced that behemoth off her back!" The worm glared at the marrow.
#vss365
"Not you too! Why is everyone so obsessed with my marrow?!"
Pearl& #39;s #buckshot of fury sent the worm reeling.
"I... I... Maybe..."
"It was a rhetorical question! And you are just a bang on the head!"
"Says who?"
"Oh, for goodness sake. I& #39;m off. Are you coming?"
#vss365
Pearl& #39;s #buckshot of fury sent the worm reeling.
"I... I... Maybe..."
"It was a rhetorical question! And you are just a bang on the head!"
"Says who?"
"Oh, for goodness sake. I& #39;m off. Are you coming?"
#vss365
Pearl didn& #39;t wait for an answer. She hauled herself out of the #slough, righted the marrow, flung a defiant leg over the Kingfisher, and headed down the holloway.
"I think I& #39;ll stay here," the worm muttered to her departing back. "I& #39;ve got this runner bean to guard."
#vss365
"I think I& #39;ll stay here," the worm muttered to her departing back. "I& #39;ve got this runner bean to guard."
#vss365
The holloway fought back. Unlikely corners threw the Kingfisher off-kilter. The lane whipped left and right. Taut #sinews of oak and beech puckered the scaly tarmac.
But Pearl rode on.
"Get a grip, woman, it& #39;s just concussion...And at least the talking worm has gone."
#vss365
But Pearl rode on.
"Get a grip, woman, it& #39;s just concussion...And at least the talking worm has gone."
#vss365
After what felt like days, the end of the savage tunnel blinked an #aurora.
Pearl leaned into a scything rain of leaves, pedalled hard, and burst out into the light.
She gasped, braked, checked the marrow. It was slick with sap, pockmarked by green acorns, but intact.
#vss365
Pearl leaned into a scything rain of leaves, pedalled hard, and burst out into the light.
She gasped, braked, checked the marrow. It was slick with sap, pockmarked by green acorns, but intact.
#vss365
"Excuse me, madam."
Pearl looked up, #languorous with fatigue.
The voice emanated from a blue lampshade, atop a suited figure who was also clutching a bulging suitcase and a pristine Doctor& #39;s bag.
"Could you tell me," the lamp continued, "is this the way to Dunster?"
#vss365
Pearl looked up, #languorous with fatigue.
The voice emanated from a blue lampshade, atop a suited figure who was also clutching a bulging suitcase and a pristine Doctor& #39;s bag.
"Could you tell me," the lamp continued, "is this the way to Dunster?"
#vss365
Pearl glared at the holloway. "Yes, but it may kill you."
The lamp gave a salty chuckle. "Is that so?"
Bag and suitcase hit the ground. An #effervescent smile bubbled up above the blue shade.
"I& #39;m Warwick. Miss...?""
The proffered hand closed on Pearl& #39;s like a clam.
#vss365
The lamp gave a salty chuckle. "Is that so?"
Bag and suitcase hit the ground. An #effervescent smile bubbled up above the blue shade.
"I& #39;m Warwick. Miss...?""
The proffered hand closed on Pearl& #39;s like a clam.
#vss365
Pearl& #39;s default politeness stretched to a thin smile as she withdrew her hand.
"Are you the new Doctor?"
"Indeed I am. But I can& #39;t offer you a #panacea right now."
Warwick nudged his medical bag.
"Someone stole the key."
Pearl mused, why steal the key, not the bag?
#vss365
"Are you the new Doctor?"
"Indeed I am. But I can& #39;t offer you a #panacea right now."
Warwick nudged his medical bag.
"Someone stole the key."
Pearl mused, why steal the key, not the bag?
#vss365
"I wondered that too."
Pearl frowned. "How did you know what I..."
"Ah, thoughts are just less #sapid speech. With practice, you can taste unspoken words."
"So..."
"Shhh!" Warwick dived to the ground and pressed a cowrie ear to the marrow.
"Did you hear that?"
#vss365
Pearl frowned. "How did you know what I..."
"Ah, thoughts are just less #sapid speech. With practice, you can taste unspoken words."
"So..."
"Shhh!" Warwick dived to the ground and pressed a cowrie ear to the marrow.
"Did you hear that?"
#vss365
The Doctor beckoned.
#Inured to enthusiasm by a life of small setbacks, Pearl knelt wearily beside the trailer.
"There! See?" Warwick beamed.
Pearl shook her head.
"Blast! You need a stethoscope. It& #39;s stuck in my bag."
"But what...?"
"I can hear stories, ripening."
#vss365
#Inured to enthusiasm by a life of small setbacks, Pearl knelt wearily beside the trailer.
"There! See?" Warwick beamed.
Pearl shook her head.
"Blast! You need a stethoscope. It& #39;s stuck in my bag."
"But what...?"
"I can hear stories, ripening."
#vss365
"It& #39;s like #ambrosia for the ears!" Dr Warwick smiled as wide as high tide. Do you mind if I...?"
Fishing in his pocket, he drew out a scalpel. "...For scientific purposes."
Pearl snarled to her feet. "I knew it! You& #39;re just like the rest. Get away from my marrow!"
#vss365
Fishing in his pocket, he drew out a scalpel. "...For scientific purposes."
Pearl snarled to her feet. "I knew it! You& #39;re just like the rest. Get away from my marrow!"
#vss365
Once again, Pearl pedalled off in a defensive fury.
Crestfallen, Warwick gathered up his worldly goods. "I only wanted a story of my own."
As he neared the holloway& #39;s #penetralia, the lamp& #39;s loose cable lashed like an electric eel, and a blue glow lit the doctor& #39;s way.
#vss365
Crestfallen, Warwick gathered up his worldly goods. "I only wanted a story of my own."
As he neared the holloway& #39;s #penetralia, the lamp& #39;s loose cable lashed like an electric eel, and a blue glow lit the doctor& #39;s way.
#vss365
"Ear ambrosia!"
The Doctor& #39;s nonsense spittled into the wind.
"Ripening stories!"
As if the trailer was a #carrel and the marrow was swatting for a creative writing class!
Pearl hefted her completely normal, giant vegetable up a hill, then freewheeled into the dusk.
#vss365
The Doctor& #39;s nonsense spittled into the wind.
"Ripening stories!"
As if the trailer was a #carrel and the marrow was swatting for a creative writing class!
Pearl hefted her completely normal, giant vegetable up a hill, then freewheeled into the dusk.
#vss365
The descent was steeper than Pearl expected.
The #zephyr on her cheeks turned snarky, the Kingfisher rattled in alarm, and the marrow swung sideways in a daring attempt to undertake.
Then a dog loped from the hedge.
One final swerve, and Pearl was in another ditch.
#vss365
The #zephyr on her cheeks turned snarky, the Kingfisher rattled in alarm, and the marrow swung sideways in a daring attempt to undertake.
Then a dog loped from the hedge.
One final swerve, and Pearl was in another ditch.
#vss365
Pearl sprawled beneath a blackberried hedge.
Above, the deep, ocean dusk swam with a #benthos of speckled moths and fireflies.
She gazed at two glowing green specimens. Tried to recall how she fell into this sea.
The two flies blinked. A rough tongue smeared her face.
#vss365
Above, the deep, ocean dusk swam with a #benthos of speckled moths and fireflies.
She gazed at two glowing green specimens. Tried to recall how she fell into this sea.
The two flies blinked. A rough tongue smeared her face.
#vss365
The dog& #39;s soft fern eyes, black-patched, were shaded by matching black ears. Grey speckles #constellated on a white muzzle. Its nose was busy speed-reading the encyclopedia of Pearl& #39;s scent.
She frowned and nudged the silky jowls away. "You could& #39;ve smashed my marrow!"
#vss365
She frowned and nudged the silky jowls away. "You could& #39;ve smashed my marrow!"
#vss365
Night was looming, and Pearl did not intend to camp in a hedge.
She righted the Kingfisher, patted the marrow and cycled on, until...
"Drat!"
Her shadow was wearing a pale, dog-shaped #periapt.
A squeal of brakes.
"Shoo! Go home!"
The only reply was a wagging tail.
#vss365
She righted the Kingfisher, patted the marrow and cycled on, until...
"Drat!"
Her shadow was wearing a pale, dog-shaped #periapt.
A squeal of brakes.
"Shoo! Go home!"
The only reply was a wagging tail.
#vss365
Pearl failed to lose the dog on the #submontane spin into Crowcombe.
Pulling up outside the Carew Arms, she shrugged.
"Okay, I give in, but you& #39;ll need a name."
Another long, lean tail wag.
"I& #39;ll call you Husband. That& #39;ll give mother something to stir into her tea."
#vss365
Pulling up outside the Carew Arms, she shrugged.
"Okay, I give in, but you& #39;ll need a name."
Another long, lean tail wag.
"I& #39;ll call you Husband. That& #39;ll give mother something to stir into her tea."
#vss365
Pearl& #39;s arrival sent a ripple through the cosy, mid-week #velleity of the Carew Arms.
"Yes love, we have rooms."
"Good. I& #39;ll fetch my..."
Pearl returned with Husband and the marrow.
"Oh, sorry love, you can& #39;t bring that in here."
"The dog?"
"No, the big courgette."
#vss365
"Yes love, we have rooms."
"Good. I& #39;ll fetch my..."
Pearl returned with Husband and the marrow.
"Oh, sorry love, you can& #39;t bring that in here."
"The dog?"
"No, the big courgette."
#vss365
The marrow looked snug, back in its trailer, blanketed up to its stalk. But would it be safe, alone all night?
"Don& #39;t worry, love. No one in Crowcombe touches vegetables. Not since & #39;him& #39;."
"Him?"
"Yes. #Tellurian chap. Half mud, half mushroom. Barrow full of sprouts."
#vss365
"Don& #39;t worry, love. No one in Crowcombe touches vegetables. Not since & #39;him& #39;."
"Him?"
"Yes. #Tellurian chap. Half mud, half mushroom. Barrow full of sprouts."
#vss365
It turned out half the pub had an alarming tale about the sprouts.
One looked like a dead grandmother, just less #rubiginous.
Another was found lurking in an under stairs cupboard.
And one, honest to goodness, had spelled & #39;we r d00m3d& #39; in fridge magnets over night.
#vss365
One looked like a dead grandmother, just less #rubiginous.
Another was found lurking in an under stairs cupboard.
And one, honest to goodness, had spelled & #39;we r d00m3d& #39; in fridge magnets over night.
#vss365
