The Great Fury Read Online Free Page A

walk. She smiled and had warm brown eyes.
    â€œHi!” a masculine voice to his right said in squeaky tones.
    Oengus turned his head and winced in pain. Then he tried not to make a face. There was a very ugly little man sitting up in the bed to his right.
    â€œHi, I’m called Puca Beag,” the little man continued in his squeaky voice. “My friends call me Puca.”
    â€œHi,” Oengus said without enthusiasm.
    Opposite he could see an empty bed. In the corner opposite there was the fourth bed with screens around it. He could see the legs of the bed had wheels but little else.
    â€œYou’re uncle took bad,” Beag said, indicating with a long finger to the bed surrounded by screens.
    â€œQuiet Beag!” the woman in green instructed. She shone a torch into Oengus’s eyes, each in turn.
    â€œYou’ll do,” she said in Gaelic.
    â€œGura mile maith agat,” Oengus replied, a thousand thanks.
    â€œHungry?” she asked with a smile.
    â€œAre you a nurse?”
    â€œFor you yes,” she said, and added, “Are you hungry?”
    Oengus frowned as it hurt to nod his head.
    â€œStill sore, it was a nasty knock,” the nurse said with a reproachful look towards Beag.
    â€œIt wasn’t my fault,” Beag protested. “His uncle hit me with a rock and opened the portal. We all fell down. And Oengus got a knock on the head. It was a pure accident.”
    Oengus wondered who had given his name to the ugly little man. And the man’s name was Beag, which is the Gaelic for small. Oengus let his eyes twinkle. At least the name was appropriate.
    â€œWhy does he believe you think it was his fault?” Oengus asked the nurse.
    â€œPuca’s can shape shift to any shape,” she said. As she spoke she turned to Beag.
    â€œBeag why did you not shape shift into a feather?”
    â€œDidn’t think of that,” Beag admitted.
    The nurse inspected Beag’s head. He had a large bruise. She shone her torch into his eyes.
    â€œOut!” she said, “You’re faking it Beag.”
    â€œCan’t I have breakfast?” Beag pleaded. As he spoke the bruise vanished.
    â€œAfter breakfast you are out of here Beag,” the nurse said agreeably.
    â€œWhat time is it?” Oengus asked realizing they were talking of breakfast.
    â€œAbout midnight,” the nurse replied. “Oengus would you like breakfast, dinner or tea?”
    â€œSure, but I’m not hungry we had chicken sandwiches just a while ago.”
    â€œFull Irish,” Beag asked, adding, “Bacon, Boxty bread, black and white pudding and mushrooms with two fried eggs and tea and toast with butter and jam and porridge with honey and milk to start.”
    â€œSounds good,” Oengus said. “I’ll go with that. Breakfast for me.”
    â€œOr salmon freshly caught?” the nurse offered, feeling obliged to give a healthy choice.
    â€œFull Irish is fine please, nurse,” Oengus replied.
    â€œMe too,” Beag added.
    Another nurse came out from behind the screens at the fourth bed.
    â€œHow is my uncle?” Oengus asked.
    â€œHe’ll live. Better make it three breakfasts,” she added to the first nurse.
    â€œWhen the spell kicks in he’ll be starving,” she added.
    â€œSpell?” Oengus asked.
    â€œMedicine,” the first nurse said with a glance at the second.
    â€œHe favors coffee,” Oengus added.
    â€œNo problem,” the second nurse said and both nurses left the room.
    â€œStrange type of nurse’s uniform?” Oengus commented.
    â€œThey are elves. They wear elfin clothes,” Beag explained. “But don’t let that fool you, medically speaking they know their onions,” Beag added reassuringly.
    Oengus shook his head in disbelief and then regretted it as the pain hit. He looked at Beag. Such a dwarfish man and probably a nut case? He wondered.
    There was a groan from behind