“Just a couple more seconds, please,” Simon begged, struggling to steal more looks out into the warmth of daylight.
“Get back in here!” Fef tugged at his wrist, her back to the wooden walls of their tree. As he resisted, she sighed. This was why she hated going up here. Firstly, climbing the ladder of roots wasn’t her cup of tea, and to top it all off, her only friend wouldn’t shut up about these stupid humans! That’s all he ever talked about anymore. It was dangerous enough, building this secret passage, and using that old doorknob they found to create a door, but going outside? That was where she drew the line. And what about the last time they went out, the time the humans made that dancing red flower and left it there? One step too close, and Fef’s forehead was scarred with a black mark that crescent-mooned down to her cheek.
That couldn’t happen again, it just couldn’t. Simon’s adventurous side would definitely get him hurt. She was the only one who could protect him.
“Look at what happened to me! Those humans are crazy!” She argued, persisting with another tug. If she let go, she would be alone forever.
“Come on, Fef, that was one time!”
Under her breath, Fef grumbled, “One time too many,” but Simon had good ears, which was realized too late. She had to recover and reinstate her argument. “We’re nymphs, Simon,” she griped, pulling at him as hard as she can, “we’re not meant to be out there!”
When he looked back at her, his eyes were swollen. “You may not be,” He wrenched away from her, “but I am.” The door swung wide open, and Fef watched Simon run out into the crisp, flowery air, his olive tunic being the last thing she saw of him.
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