Chapter 3

Amy was breathing hard, staring at where the water-orb once was. Her mind and conscience was telling her two different things and she couldn’t grasp it all.

He’s an elf…no he’s not! Those are only in fairy tales. Yes he is, didn’t you just see that water-thing? He’s an elf, no he’s not,and yes he is…everyone knows elves aren’t real, those are complete myths and fairy-tales that people with big imaginations create…and yet why are they in so many stories? What if I were in a fairytale? That water magic was real, and she wasn’t sleeping…

Amy hardly noticed the Amicus-guy going toward the door to leave. "Wait!" she exclaimed, and he turned about curiously. "Wait," she said, "do you have any place to stay?" After he’d done that water-thing she didn’t feel like just letting him walk off.

"Yes, I do. I just need to find out how to get back to my world."

"Well I can’t help you with that, but would you like to stay here?" Why was she doing this? Letting the goofball sleep in her apartment? Maybe he’s an elf, but he could be a thief elf.

"I won’t sleep, if that’s what you mean. I’ve heard the stories, citizens getting murdered in their sleep. Or maybe I’ll never wake up. That’s it,I’ll never wake up. That’s your plan, yes it is!"

No, it wasn’t. Other-world creatures are so suspicious. "No, I’m not a murderer and I’m not a spell-caster thingy. I’ll go to sleep too, you see?"

"You’re lying. I’m not going to sleep until you do."

"And I’m not going to sleep until you do, so there!"

Amy’s cat stepped onto the sceneat that moment, jumping up onto the counter. Amicus was startled, but Amy took it to mean that he didn’t like cats. "It’s just my cat.... But you must think he brings bad luck or something?"

"Cats!? Bad luck!?" Said Amicus in a scoffing voice, and then he stroked the cat, and started whispering something in its ear, "There is nothing unlucky about this fine feline! Is that what you humans really think!?"

****

Amy never went to sleep, she and Amicus stayed up all night arguing. When they finished arguing about sleeping, they argued about the whistling teapot. Amicus claimed that it was the spirit of the water screaming to get let out of the teapot, getting madder so that the kettle shook and steam poured out around it. Amy claimed that the water got hot.

"Yes," Amicus said, "We make water get hot in my world too. But must you trap it and get it so mad?"

"If I don’t trap it, it will spill all over the place."

"Oh, yes. I almost forgot. You don’t use magic to heat your tea. But let him out of the pot,anyway—look how mad he is now!

Amicus got so mad at Amy for not letting the water-ghost out of the teakettle that he grabbed itup and smashed it with amazing strength against the countertop.

"There!" he exclaimed, "That should teach you to mind me! I shall heat your tea from now on!"

Then they argued about the computer, on which Amy checked e-mails when she got tired about the teakettle. Amicus claimed that it must be a magic mirror, with spirits captured inside it showing pictures. Amy said that it was the miracle of electronics. As she argued with Amicus she wondered how to answer the question from her mom "What’s been going on over there?" Amicus was going on, but how could she just tell them "I’m housing an elf in my apartment until he can get back to his own world." She considered "I’m housing a goofball until he recovers," but her mom wouldn’t like her housing a goofball of any sort—elf or human or dog for that matter.

"Are you finished yet?" Amicus snapped. Amy looked at her watch. Five thirty.

"Yes, I’m finished," she said, signing out of her e-mail account, "its morning, you realize?"

"Morning?"

"The sun is coming up," she said as though talking to a baby.

"Already? Oh well, your world must turn faster than ours. Our nights are much longer than this."

"Aha. Well, what do you want to do today?"

"What does that mean? Must we do something?"

"Um…do you want to go somewhere?"

"I traveled most of yesterday, and I don’t feel much like traveling any more, unless it’s traveling back to my world."

"Sorry, it’s not happening. I have absolutely no clue of how to get you back to your world. You sure you don’t have like transportation magic or something?"

"What?"

"Can you use your magic to get back to your home?"

"No. My brother does I suppose, how else would I get here? I was more accustomed to using water; my brother was more interested in worlds. What about you?"

"Um…"

"Oh, I forgot. You earthlings don’t use magic, or think its fake or something. But it’s real, and you must be very careful with it."

Amy sighed, looking into his face. He still seemed surreal, as though he were the dream…

"You still doubt me," he said. It wasn’t a question, it was a statement. Amy just sighed.

"Why do you doubt yourself?"

"I don’t doubt myself, I doubt you. I still wonder if Kate was right, a goofball with a silly story…"

"Humans," he scoffed. He bent his fingers backwards in thought. "You just don’t believe the truth."

Amy looked at him, and made her decision. "I believe you," she said.

He looked up at her, moving only his eyes. He stared into her face, and Amy got the uncomfortable feeling that he was reading her mind. There was a long uncomfortable pause. "Yes," he said slowly, finally, "yes, you believe. And now, you must help me get back to my home."

Amy smiled, and knew what she would tell her parents. She liked Amicus, as any human would like an elf if they met one. She would tell them that she had met a guy who needed help, and she was going to do it.

****

"So you met someone?" her mom asked later when she called. Amicus thought Amy strange for talking to a plastic box that wasn’t even saying anything. He wandered into a backroom, where he found another such box and he picked it up and listened into their conversation.

"Well, yea, not like you think though,mom," said Amy’s voice. Amicus was shocked. "His name is Amicus. He was…kind of lost. I suppose he’s…" She paused, "probably about thirty or so."

"I am four hundred and eighty-four years of age if you are referring to me," said Amicus. Both Amy and her mom were surprised, and thought Amicus rude for listening in on them.

"An old man," said Amy quickly.

"I am but a child," Amicus replied, shocked.

"A really old man. It is not like you think mom; I’m just helping him out a bit."

"Who is this you are talking to, Miss Amy?" Amicus demanded, appearing not to realize that her mom was listening. This Amicus was rude and out of his mind.

"Amicus, get offthe phone," Amy demanded.

"Who are you to order me around? I am Amicus Grunebaum, Father of All, Master of the World, Keeper of the Winds, Knight of the Waters, Protector of all Animals, Master of Light, and rightful heir to the throne. I demand that you end the conversation on this thing."

"Wow," said Amy’s mom.

"Amicus, you are not king here, and you can’t tell me what to do," Amy snapped.

"Yes I can, andI will!"

"Amy, who are you living with…?"

"Amicus, hang up the phone!"

There was a loud bang as Amicus slammed the phone back in its place.

"Sorry mom," she said, "Amicus just thinks he’s the president of the world or something."

"Is he right in his mind?"

"Yes he’s fine,he’s just...half asleep right now. He’ll be alright in no time. I’m just helping him, this is a temporary arrangement."

"Alright honey, just be careful."

When Amy hung up, she swiveled around to see a sword in Amicus’ hand. "How dare you tell me what to do!" he growled, holding up the sword threateningly, "I am Amicus Grunebaum, Father of all…"

"But not here!" Amy protested.

"I am everywhere. In the future, you must learn to respect me. I shall be living with you until I find a way back to my world. I am the king, and you must treat me as such." He sheathed his sword, and the sword was lost in the folds of his cloak. "Now," he said, "I must know your age."

Amy made a face. "In our world, it’s not a very nice thing to ask. In your world, I would still be ababy."

"How old is that?" he pressed, as thoughhe didn’t hear her.

"Eighteen years…"

"Eighteen? No, you’re not!"

"Thank you."

"That wasn’t meant as a compliment."

"It is where I come from, and I suggest you get used to it."

"I meant…"

"Oh, well. Say, why we don’t get you some really…earth-style clothing?"

"Why? Aren’t these sufficient enough?"

"No, not here. No one wears that stuff unless they’re acting in a play or movie or something."

"What’s that?"

Amy didn’t even bother. Now that she believed in this elf and all,she didn’t know how she would survive in the real world, which is earth.