After the royal guests departed Olo, all of the gems they had swallowed were retrieved from the chamber pots in their suites. Not only were they clean, they sparkled more brightly, having been tumbled inside the visitors. These stones eventually went into the museum, being unique among the planet’s many gems.
Nothing was found to have been lost from the jewels after they had been smelled, tasted, ingested, tumbled and excreted. Flash read in the book that these rock eaters shared in the spirit of the stones. Perhaps those who don’t understand simply do not possess the particular receptors necessary to interface with them in the same way. Everyone is different.
The new wing featured an exhibit celebrating Olo’s pumpkins, which came in a vast array of colors and shapes. Most were grown for food, of course, but some were prized for their decorative qualities. They looked like bells and lanterns. Some appeared to have faces, not from carving, but natural countenances in a wide variety of expressions. Among these, some had the ability to talk. On Earth, this would be disconcerting, but then, buckets and metallic spheres aren’t usually known for intelligence on Earth, either. They didn’t eat the talking pumpkins. These more animated types interpreted the exhibit. No one worked for money on Olo, they just fulfilled their roles by being who they already were, doing what they would do anyway.
In the same way, the pages and other support personnel in the castle weren’t obligated to be there, or help out. They just did what they wanted to do, and that often involved assisting someone, or cleaning something.
Some Ololians love to cook. Others prefer to eat. It all works out. No one would judge anyone who preferred to lay in bed all day, but we’ve already gone over that.
You could drink a glass of pumpkin wine, and be welcomed into Mr. Pumpkinhead’s dreams.
Remember when I said the wine on Olo wouldn’t make you drunk? Well, if you imbibed Sylvia’s spaghetti squash wine, you would get pretty loopy. Still, everyone was welcome to try it.
One night, Aino stepped out into her garden and unfurled her wings. Yes, she had gossamer wings, like a butterfly. She usually kept them folded. Walking was her normal way of getting around. Why? I don’t know. Maybe it was that she didn’t want to show off. It wasn’t always the time to fly. It was different for her than it was for Bucket or the whales. They didn’t have legs for walking. She had a choice. On this particular night, Aino saw a bright light across the plain, and was drawn to it. Her wings seemed to have a mind of their own. She couldn’t have stayed on the ground if she tried. It was as though her wings flapped themselves. She found herself aloft, flying out toward the castle. The ground fell away below her. She weaved back and forth, up and down, and even made graceful loops in the cool night air. Her heart swelled as she felt the breeze on her face, and her meandering path led her towards the castle tower. She realized she wasn’t alone. The gift of flight was not uncommon on Olo, but on this night, many who usually walked on the ground found themselves looking down, like stars, from the night sky. Even Flash Meridian had once hovered here by surprise once.
The images on Olo’s surface were visible at night, not in intense color like they were during the day, but their outlines twinkled and shimmered gently as the crystals released absorbed light.
As she neared the tower, the air became busy with others who were also drawn to it. They circled the top of the tower, and the whole sky seemed to ring with laughter and squeals of delight. This was another of Olo’s celebrations. The top floor of the tower, just below the steep roof, was open, a viewing platform with a beacon that burned bright in every direction. Aino landed on the deck, breathless and almost blinded in the intense glow.
She heard a voice.
Aino? When her eyes adjusted, she saw Jewely. His wings were nearly invisible, except for the way they reflected the light. They looked into each others’ eyes. The flurry of activity around them fell away. The commotion just vanished, and they were lost in that intentional, prolonged gaze. They couldn’t hear or see anything in the past. Nothing in the future, because they didn’t exist. This moment was all they had. All there was.
As morning light began to dilute the night, they leapt from the tower.
When Flash had plummeted from the sky onto the tail of the whale, he didn’t have wings to help with his descent. Nor had he realized at first that he was hovering in the air, and he didn’t make a decision to go back down. Still, he was safe in a situation he did not control. All this to say that it was not such a big leap of faith for Aino and Jewely to launch from the tower. Still, it was a thrill. Neither of them normally flew on their own. You’ll recall that Jewely rode the golden whale to the reef like mountains. Flight was reserved for those rare occasions when they had no choice but to fly. It was not a convenience, but a primal impulse.

Full Moon

from the MISTER PUMPKINHEAD tab at the top of this page

A shuffling sound awakened Mr. Pumpkinhead one night. A full moon shone down on the pumpkin patch. He rose to the full height of his vine body and could see something moving near the tomato plants.
The pale light cast deep shadows in the blue air, but it was still too dark to see clearly. He lit the candle in his head, and the beam projected triangular puddles of light from his eyes and nose.

Sylvia, the enchanted spaghetti squash, walked in circles, muttering.
Mr. Pumpkinhead approached her and asked, Is everything ok?
My head is full of noodles, she replied.
I can’t find my way out of the garden.
Where are you going in the middle of the night? he asked.
It’s day! she exclaimed. Look at how bright it is!
It’s a full moon, he reassured, and helped her back to her bed where she fell asleep amongst the other gourds.
Now Mr. Pumpkinhead was wide awake and he was craving macaroni and cheese!