Once Upon A Time: A Story for the Fireside Rug

"Exactly how am I like a frog?"

"Toad."

"Eh?"

"Randy toad I said. Although…"

"What?"

"Hang on, we met when I was playing with a ball."

"Eh?"

"Just shut up. Listen. We met down the gym, right? And I didn't want you at first…"

"What? You never told me that!"

"But Cowley made me keep my promise. And you chased me, and connived your way into my bed…"

"Didn't take much persuasion."

"And then I realised you were a handsome prince…"

"What 'ave you been reading?"

Bodie flourished his book with a grin and fluttered his lashes. "Fairy tales, sweetie…"

---

Once Upon A Time: Way Through The Forest

"A path 'e said. This is a rabbit trail."

"It's the right way, Doyle."

"Yeah but the right way where?"

Bodie pauses, glances around at the dapple of sun and the way the shade slides across them both. "The right way here." He turns and looks at Doyle.

"Bo-die…"

"What?" He advances. Doyle finds he's backed into a tree bole, shadows dim around them.

"Bo-die…"

But there is bark rough against his legs, and skin smooth against his face, and whispers of breath across his ear. The forest is wild, the forest is deep…

"My, what big…" he says helplessly.

---

Once Upon A Time: Days

"This isn't a fairy tale."

"No," said Doyle.

"There's no happily ever after."

"No," said Doyle.

Bodie slid his hand lower, pressed harder. "I may be tall dark and beautiful, but I'm not your handsome prince."

Doyle shook his head. "And there is very definitely no one coming to rescue you."

"Now," Bodie said. "Tell us. Where did you plant the bomb?"

The man between them closed his eyes against the pain, against the bullet in his leg, the thumb at his jugular, the sight of his tormentors. After a moment he choked out an address.

He found himself alone.

-- THE END --

July 2006