Gnomes of Suburbia Read Online Free Page B

asking her. Her own mouth was opening and closing without any sound making its way out.
    "Harby? Is that you?” A frantic nod from the gnome and she felt her butt hit the floor hard as her knees buckled. Abby simply stared at her creation come to life.
    Harbinger took a few steps closer and then stuck his hand out to her. She looked at him for quite a while, then took his diminutive appendage in her hand. She shook it and a bright smile crossed his face under his beard.
    He jumped up and threw his tiny arms around her neck. She hugged him back, absorbing the warmth that was emanating from his small body.
    The hug lasted just long enough to start making her uncomfortable. “Okay, Harby. That's enough.” He smiled and nodded as he stepped back. She moved to push herself back to her feet and stopped. She stared at the little bugger that she had just released and he grinned back, unrepentant.
    The damned gnome had unhooked her bra.
    "Xander, did you just see Harbinger come to life?” She felt she had to ask the only other human in the room if she was hallucinating.
    "Yes, I did indeed. In fact, he is currently trying to strip your ballerina, Ruffles, was it?” He gestured toward her workroom and she darted forward to stop Harby from tinkering with the delicate composition of the repaired tutu.
    "Harby. Knock it off. Go comb your beard or something.” She picked him up and moved him out of the workroom, this time she closed the room behind her to protect the other inhabitants from his busy fingers. Hopefully he couldn't reach the doorknob to get back in. She really needed a moment to sit.
    Shaking as the enormity of what had just happened hit her, she moved to have a seat on the couch. Her head hung down between her knees as she tried to absorb the fact that one of her sculptures was trying to climb into her cupboard.
    "How could that happen? How is that even possible?” She shook her head and kept it down.
    "Well, he absorbed your magic and it animated him. It really is not that complicated."
    Horror covered her features, she could feel her skin pale. “What do you mean absorbed my magic ? I don't have any magic."
    "I beg to differ. You are a Nexus and by your very existence magic will enter the world.” He seemed formal, as if his declaration was some kind of judgement, handing down a sentence that she wasn't going to be able to dodge.
    "What the hell is a Nexus? And why are you talking like you know what's going on? I don't even know what's going on.” The high-toned shriek that she heard could not possibly have come out of her mouth, but the sore bits of her throat let her know that she owned the scream.
    "I would tell you to calm down, but this is exactly what I am referring to.” He gestured to the workroom door that now had light knocking on the other side. She heard more than one little arm hammering at it and closed her eyes.
    "This can't be happening. Magic doesn't exist and gnomes don't come to life.” She repeated it both out loud and in her head, but it didn't stop Xander from opening the door and letting out her gnome companions.
    She was immediately swarmed by the crowd of tiny creatures who all wanted to give her a hug. Her heart was pounding, but the calm hugs of the gnomes stilled her frantic mind. A cuddle with Ruffles, a snuggle and a mussing of her hair from Mitsy, who also helped Bitsy up onto the couch so he could wrap his little arms around as far as he could. Skint was the only hug she had to debate returning. What had possessed her to make a nude gnome? Everything she touched was naked flesh.
    "How are they doing this?” She turned her head to ask Xander and her gaze ran smack into his smiling eyes.
    "They aren't. You are. Your fear or excitement or adrenaline is causing you to release magic. I can feel it spilling out every time you move.” He took one of her kitchen chairs and put it in front of her so that they would have direct eye contact. “I am here to help you get control of your