Everything was falling apart. It had me significantly upset. I gave my garden tree stump a swift kick to show my anger at the current events. The sun was shining in mockery of this poor day that I should have stayed in bed for. Nothing in the entire world could be worse than this.

"Hey, Bog, buddy," Droillo said.

Well, nothing except my neighbor showing up to pester me.

"It's too early for you to venture over here from your burrow. You should return." I continued to stare at my latest disaster.

"I've been awake for a while, but I laid in bed and stared at the ceiling until I thought enough time had happened that you'd be okay with a visit."

"There is never enough time that could elapse for that," I grumbled.

Droillo put his arm around me. "You seem extra sad today. I know just the thing that will turn that around."

I shoved his arm off. "You returning to your burrow?"

"No, I know my burrow is a very nice place to be. But I thought we could go see the fairy migration. They are beautiful when they light up the night. Rainbows." He spread his hands out, making an air bow.

"Why would I want to go see a bunch of fairies who have no sense to fortify their houses enough to stay put for all the seasons? I personally think they just want an excuse to vacation for an entire season."

"That's a lovely sentiment, Bog. You have a beautiful way of seeing the world."

I shook my head at his denseness. "I haven't time to put up with your rubbish today. I have a catastrophe of epic portions I am dealing with."

"You're upset Zinnia hasn't visited us in four days. I am too."

I growled, annoyed that he brought up the true reason for my foul mood. "That school keeps her too busy, turning her into a proper elf. All I ever wanted was that for her, but now I regret it. Her being a proper elf takes her from me."

Droillo leaned his face in close. "Are you crying? Oh, Bog, come here." He spread his arms wide to hug me.

"Don't you dare close your arms around me! I wasn't crying. I think a raindrop landed on my cheek."

He scanned the sky. "It's all blue."

"Sometimes it rains without clouds!" I snapped.

He tapped his chin. "I didn't know that. You're the smartest guy I know. I love that about you. If Zinnia in school is not your catastrophe, what is?"

I took a deep breath, tempted to kick the stump again. "My lettuce heads are wilting. It's a terrible thing. I pour my love into them, and they have the nerve to reject that. The only ones worth loving are my worm sons, Lark, and Zinnia. I should know this by now."

"You forgot me."

I grunted. "I'm going to have to go to the market and buy some fertilizer."

"You want me to come with you?"

"No." I started back to my house.

"We could watch the fairies on the way home."

"I told you I don't want to watch the fairies. They are impractical creatures with no sense."

"But they are pretty. You don't need sense to be beautiful," he said.

"Zinnia has both. I'd rather spend my evenings with her. I need to make it back in case she decides to show up tonight. I can't miss her. It could be days before she comes back again."

Droillo scratched his head. "I guess that makes sense. If I had to choose between Zinnia and fairies, I'd choose Zin every time."

"That's no contest at all." I pointed at the porch. "You wait here while I collect my things. I don't need you knocking things over again."

He cowered slightly. "Sorry about knocking your prized carrots into the fireplace."

"They would have rotted by now anyway, which is why you are forgiven, but you must stay outside."

He dangled his legs off my porch. "I'll just be sitting here watching the wind make friends with the trees."

I rolled my eyes and went inside to gather all I would need for the day trip. I packed a satchel and sighed at the dining room chair where Zin usually sat. I couldn't take her gone so much, but I'd never tell her. She needed school more than anything. She was made for greater things than my lowly brain would allow me.

Please visit me tonight, dearest friend. I shoved the wetness from my face, grateful Droillo waited outside. I didn't want to have to convince him that it rained inside my house too.

I stepped out to my garden, where the mice guarded my sons Wendel, Bread, and Oak. They were earthworms and adopted, which I often forgot. I paid the aggravating mice in vegetables and allowed them to house concerts in exchange for keeping birds from murdering my children.

I lifted the red roof of the tiny house my own two hands had constructed. "How are my boys today?"

Wendel lifted his head up in greeting, and my finger hugged him. I moved on to Oak and Bread, who wiggled around happily eating the dirt I'd provided.

"I must go on a day trip but don't fear. I will return." I placed the roof back on the house and set off to get fertilizer.

Droillo ran up beside me. "You forgot me on your porch."

"I did not. I went out the back way on purpose."

He kept in step with me. "We're going to have the best day together. Just you and me."

"Droillo."

"Yes, buddy?"

"Go back to your burrow."

"I can't do that, Bog."

I grunted. "Why not?"

"Because no one should have to travel alone in this world."

"I want to travel alone."

He put his arm around me. "But fortunately, you don't have to."

I shoved his arm off. "Fine! Make this day worse. See if I care."

Droillo smiled, and we continued on our way.

We arrived home late because Droillo had to watch the fairies. I pondered leaving him, but Zinnia would have been cross if he got lost. I stopped in and checked on my sons, who were doing well. The mice reported Zinnia had not stopped by. That evening marked the longest she'd stayed away. I pampered my lettuce while also lecturing it on gratitude. If it continued to wilt, it wasn't worth my time anyway. I went into my house and made stew. I brought out a bowl and handed it to Droillo.

He accepted. "Thank you. Your stew is always the best."

"I know. I wouldn't bother with it otherwise. When are you going to finally leave?"

"I suppose soon. She probably wouldn't come after dark, right?" He stared longingly at the path Zin usually traveled to us.

"Not if she doesn't want to anger me for her lack of caution."

"That's a frequent thing. You and Zin don't have the same definition of necessary caution."

I nodded. "I'm aware. That's why most likely, I will die long before old age. Worry for Zinnia will just up and stop my heart one day."

He patted me. "You have to not let that happen. For her sake, most of all. If your heart stopped, hers would too. It would fall into tiny pieces on the ground and be blown away by the wind."

"You took that a little far."

"I wanted to paint a clear picture."

"It was a dumb picture," I said.

"Sorry."

I shrugged. "I'm used to it."

We sat for a long while, staring at the road, wishing the most wonderful half-elf in all existence would appear. She never did.

**

I tiptoed past Droillo's burrow. I would have avoided it completely had he not placed it on the most direct path. Other paths led to possible lurking creatures. I never did well with creatures that lurked. At the very least, their staring would decrease my disposition. I made it a few steps beyond his door and lifted my arms in victory of not disturbing him.

"Hey, Bog, what are you doing up so early?"

I whirled around and scowled at him. "I'm taking a walk all by myself."

"You're going to visit Zin, right? That's what I had planned on today."

I grumbled under my breath, but Droillo didn't gather a clue. He walked alongside me, grinning at my frown. We made it to the village just as Zin would be departing for school. We waited outside for her to exit, but her door never budged. That was until her horrid cousin Lauritha made an appearance.

"Oh, look, it's shorty and ugly come to disturb everyone's morning." She closed the gate, causing it to squeak.

I turned my head to the side. "Excuse me. Did you just call Droillo ugly?"

She laughed. "Maybe I meant you."

Droillo sniffled. "I think you meant me because Bog is short."

"No one hurts Droillo's feelings but me!"

Lauritha snickered. "What are you going to do about it? I could squash you with my feet. That's how puny you are."

"Actually, he's not short enough for you to actually squash him," Droillo said.

"Has anyone ever told you that your brain must be as tiny as a pedal fairy?"

Droillo thought for a second. "But that's the tiniest fairy."

Lauritha sneered. "Precisely."

I snarled, running to the side of the house where the bucket and spout were housed. I filled the pail, promptly ran back, and threw the water all over the elf. "No one ever tells Droillo he has a small brain!"

She screamed. "Why, you little half-man!"

"Lauritha! What's the meaning of this?" Zinnia's grandfather stepped out of the house.

I cowered in shame at losing my temper in front of the highest village elder and my old boss.

"This half a person soaked me with water."

His head turned to me. "Why would you do such a thing, Bogumuth?"

I kept my head bowed. "She called Droillo ugly and stupid. It inflamed my temper."

The elder gave a nod. "That's not an entirely difficult thing to do now, is it?"

I shook my head in shame.

He turned to Lauritha. "I think Bog was correct that you needed washing for your cruel mouth. Go change, and maybe next time use kinder words." As Lauritha ran into the house, he turned back to me. "What can we do for you today?"

"I wished to see Zinnia off to school."

He narrowed his eyes. "Zinnia has disappeared. You should know this. I sent Lauritha to you three days ago to see if she'd gone to you. She reported back that you hadn't seen Zinnia."

I couldn't breathe. The ground spun. My world was crashing to a torturous end. "No, Lauritha never came to see me. Why would Zinnia run off?"

"We don't know. Especially now that her mother is gravely ill. We don't think she has much longer before we must deliver her to the death valleys."

I stared at the air. "Why would Zinnia not tell me? This makes no sense. Someone must have taken her."

"I'm afraid not. She left a note in her handwriting, and the northern guard saw her leaving alone with a satchel."

My head pounded, not comprehending his words. In what universe would Zinnia, the best friend of all best friends, not tell me about her sick mother? How could she possibly not let me comfort her? And worst of all, how could she leave without even a goodbye?