The Changeling Page #4

• Short story
• Fantasy

								

“Nada!” Pollen called.
Nada turned.
Pollen put her arm around Sandra “It turned out okay.”


The next morning, Sandra and Pollen began their journey back to Sandra’s house. Birds chirped and 
Pollen carefully interpreted the map the madam had given them. To keep themselves occupied on their walk home, they sang together. Pollen didn’t know any of the pop songs that Sandra did but she sang along as though she did.


 They entered Sanda’s yard, and were first met by Sandra’s goose. “Rita, hey buddy, I missed you.” 
 And then she noticed the cop car. “Oh, no police. This got way out of hand.”
“Whose hand? Do you know them?” Pollen asked.
Before they could even reach the front porch they were bombarded with hugs and crying. Even though no one knew Pollen, they embraced her all the same. Pollen and Sandra broke down the whole story for them, which when they said it out load, wasn’t all that long: They were switched as babies by an internally damaged but not entirely bad elf. They found each other and now they didn’t want to be separated again.
Sandra played with John’s kids on her old jungle gym while Julie and Pollen talked and caught up on missing time.
“May I be excused?” Riley asked at the dinner table that night.
“Yes” Julie told him.
“Yea, my sister is okay..but.. now I have two.” Riley said into his cell phone as he climbed the stairs.
 “That reminds me,” Julie smiled. “Are you going to be staying with us honey? Do you have school or 
something you need to get back to?”
“I thought I could live part of the year in my realm and part of the year here with Sora.” 
“Who is Sora?” Julie asked.
Pollen pointed a thumb at Sandra.
“Right.” Julie nodded knowingly.
 The first day back at school, it was agreed that Pollen would shadow Sandra to all of her classes to get acclimated. The lunch bell rang and the two girls made their way to the court yard.
“Hi, Sandra.” Said Gabe, a timid boy who was one of the few students at the school to be kind to Sandra. 
That was before. A whole three days ago. Now they all wanted to be her friend.
Sandra made room for Gabe on the bench. “Hey Gabe. How are you?”
“I’m doing okay.”
“Hello, I’m Pollen” She extended her hand and was exceedingly proud of herself for perfecting the social 
gesture that Sandra taught her.
“Pollen?” Gabe asked.
“Pauline. Her name is Pauline.” Sandra corrected in order to avoid needing to give an explanation.
“Well, that’s a great name.” Gabe said and he turned a hundred shades of pink.
Pollen tilted her head in amusement.

  In third period, Sandra got the surprise of her life. While she was unassumingly flipping through her notes, a familiar looking tall, dark haired boy walked through the door.
“Prince Elm.” Pollen whispered to Sandra.
 The prince made his way to the seat next to Sandra and sat. He looked over at Sandra, smiled briefly 
and then turned his attention to the teacher at the front of the classroom.
 
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