Ticket to Faerie Read Online Free

and sneakers from her pack. After a moment's
consideration, she took out her jeans as well. She just couldn't bring
herself to wear Converse sneakers with a skirt. After she put the
jeans on under her skirt and tied her sneakers, she stuffed the flip
flops in the pack and hoisted it onto her back.
    "You may as well put the pack in there, too. I don't think I'll
notice the difference." Max stepped forward and the cart lurched
after him.
    Alyssa wedged her pack between the jug and the side of the
cart. Without the heavy items slowing her down, she kept up a brisk
pace. Even so, although the sun still blazed in a pristine blue sky, she
needed to dig her hoodie out of the pack and pull it over her head.
She noticed patches of ice in the fields on either side and, as the
shadows grew longer, snow covered portions of the road and mud
mucked up the rest of it. Why me? How do I end up somewhere
that it snows in the middle of August?
    She finally took pity on the shivering mouse and stuffed her
into the fleece pocket across her belly. Only Max didn't seem
concerned about the weather, although the mud and snow made it
difficult for him to pull the cart.
    "I thought Faerie would be more fun, romantic even." Alyssa
pulled the hood over her head. "I mean where's Prince Charming?
And, I haven't seen a single fairy."
    Lilse stuck her head out of one side of Alyssa's pocket. "You
didn't ask for a ticket to visit Prince Charming, love. You asked for a
ticket to see Giserella."
    "You mean, if I'd told the ticket lady I wanted to meet Prince
Charming, I could be lolling around in some castle right now instead
of trudging about through the snow?" Why the hell didn't I think of
that earlier ?
    "Well, yes, love, although Prince Charming isn't one to allow
visitors to loll about."
    "And, you wouldn't have the magic to help your
grandmother." Max wagged his tail.
    Assuming the vile concoction Giserella poured into that jug
actually works.
    "Well, I suppose if I have to choose between meeting Prince
Charming and helping Grandma..." C'mon, no way Prince
Charming'd have any interest in me anyway .
    Max yelped and Alyssa rushed to his side. He lifted his left
front paw and she saw blood dripping from it. A large metal shard
protruded from the pad.
    This is so totally lame. What else will I have to put up
with ? Aloud, she said: "Poor baby, let me get that out of there."
Blood gushed when she pulled the metal out. She grabbed his paw in
one hand and squeezed, while reaching for her pack with the other.
When she got the zipper open, she dug around until she found her
cotton bikini briefs. She wrapped them around Max's paw, tying the
pink fabric over the top.
    Geez, now I'm using my underwear to bandage my dog. I
should have stayed home . "Can you walk?"
    "Not if I have to pull the cart."
    Alyssa unfastened the cart poles from Max's harness and he
limped off on three paws. She stood between the poles, lifted them,
and followed. Despite the mud, pulling the cart beat lugging the
heavy jug on her shoulder. Of course, she could just abandon it and
concentrate on finding her way home. For all she knew that wicked
little Giserella had filled the jug with icky stuff that wouldn't do
anything to help Grandma. But, Alyssa had given up her MP3 player
and the Pink Floyd t-shirt Dad had given her, plus an
opportunity to meet Prince Charming and see real fairies. At least if
she brought home something that helped Grandma, Dad might buy
her a new MP3 player and let her get her belly button pierced.
    "Max, do you know how much farther?"
    "How much farther tonight, or until we get to the coach
stop?"
    Alyssa sighed. "Tonight, I guess." She didn't want to know
how much longer she would be stuck here.
    "Well, I don't think we'll find an inn on this road. We'll have
to look for some kind of shelter."
    Alyssa shivered. When the sun set, even if she huddled with
Max all night, she didn't think she could survive in this cold. A tear
crept down her cheek. I think I liked it