When not playing video games for work, being a stay-at-home parents, loving up my wife and caring for the house – I have a dream. My dream is to become a beloved Children’s Book writer. I’d settle, however, to be published.  I have several small novels finished and out to publishers, including this one. To lay Internet fair use concept and partially to get a reaction or two. I’m going to post the first three chapters of each novel one at a time.  I hope you’ll read it. I hope you’ll let your kids read it.  And I hope, when it gets published, you’ll buy it. This is my first novel ever and it was written when Shrek was so popular. It’s a sequel to Jack & the Beanstalk essentially. PLEASE comment! I have a thick skin. So, here goes, this one is for the 6-12 year olds out there: – Andrew S.Bub (all rights reserved)

Jenny & the Giant by Andrew Bub

Chapter One “The Great Goose Games!”

“Jenny wasn’t the type of girl who woke up quickly. In fact, she hated waking up.”

But this morning was different, this morning she awoke right away and happy. It’s today! she thought, breaking into a wide grin. Today! Her heart beat fast and she almost whooped with joy, but she stopped herself by clapping both hands to her mouth. If Mother heard a ‘whoop!’, she thought, it would ruin everything!

Today is the day we’re supposed to leave for boring old Great Goose Games, she thought, only the biggest day for the entire Fairy Tale Kingdom. And the best chance I’ve got to play sick and stay home – get the whole house to myself!  She stifled a giggle.

“KNOCK-KNOCK”

Mom! she thought. Okay, it’s time to start looking sick. With one hand she mussed her hair into a curly blond hair, and with the other she grabbed the edge of the down comforter. Then she tossed her head back onto the pillow, pulling the covers up to her chin and closing her eyes in the nick of time.

The door opened.

“Jenny darling, wake up!” called Mother’s voice.

Jenny grumbled, tossed and turned.

“Come on now Jenny dear, it’s time to face the morning!”

Jenny opened her eyes and sat up. “Just five more minutes – I feel sick” she groaned and flopped back down on the bed.

Mother was silent.

Jenny opened one eye to look at her.

Mother was frowning, her thin lips pressed into a hard thin line. Her hair, as blond as her daughters, was drawn in a tight bun and this morning she wore her traveling clothes instead of her usual flowery robe.

“Jenny, I know you want to stay home.”

Jenny’s heart sank. She sat up. Then she took a deep breath, gathered her wits about her, and smiled as weakly as she could. “N-no,” she said. “I do want to go mother, but I feel . . . so sick.”

Mother tilted her head. “You know I can’t stay behind – if you really are sick – but I made some curds and whey. Eat them up and I’m sure they’ll make you feel better.”

Jenny doubted this because, for one thing, she hated curds and whey, cheese curds swimming in malted wheat? Ick! When she managed to choke them down they never made her feel better. They always made her feel icky.

Mother continued. “Come to breakfast, you’ll feel ever so much better. Or are you going to lay there making ‘yuck’ faces all day?”

Jenny changed her face from ‘yuck’ to something she hoped looked like ‘sick.’

Mother’s shoulders slumped a bit. Then, in a disappointed tone, she said, “Are you sure you’re sick?”

Jenny nodded.

“Yes mom,” she croaked. “I’m sick. I still don’t –kaff—kaff!” a fake cough, but it sounded good. “Kaff! feel well.”

“But you’ll miss your father’s jump!” said Mother.

“Yeah, I know, he’s nimble and quick!” said Jenny, rolling her eyes. Jenny flopped back down onto the bed. “He’s Jack and he can jump over any candlestick ever made. Every Mother Goose Games is the same! There’s the Fork and Spoon races, the Cow-Moon High Jump, the Bitter-Better-Butter Bake Off, the Dumpty Reconstruction, and, of course, Father’s Candlestick Jump,” she said, counting each one on her fingers.

“Its al-ways the same, it’s boring, I don’t want to go!” She threw her arms up. Then she coughed again, “KAFF! And I’m sick.”

Mother’s eyes narrowed further.

Jenny clutched her handkerchief and wiped nonexistent boogers off her not-at-all-sick nose.

“But we can’t leave you here alone. . . .” her mother began.

“Sure we can!” interrupted Father as he strode into the room. Father was dressed in a blousy white shirt, brown pants, and high leather boots that reached up to his thighs. His hard heels clomped on the wooden floor.

This was his “Jumping Outfit” and Jenny’s heart swelled a bit, because she thought it made him look exactly like the hero everyone thought he was.

“We can leave her.  If she’s sick, she can’t come with us,” he continued, patting Mother on the back. Mother glared at him.

“Besides,” he continued, walking over to Jenny, “We’ll only be gone for a day!  We’ll be back tomorrow evening, she won’t even notice! She can stay here. She’s almost nine years old! That’s old enough to take care of herself!”

Jenny nodded eagerly and clapped her hands, and then she remembered: “Kaff!” Mother’s frown deepened.

“She’ll be fine Jill, just fine. If we force her, she’ll never want to compete, and she’s so good at baseball! And besides, Henny Penny can look in on her now and then. She never goes anywhere. Also, I believe Georgie-Porgie is staying at home too.”

Jenny made another yuck-face- she didn’t like Georgie. He liked to kiss girls wa-ay too much.

Mother glared at them both.

“Kaff!” said Jenny.

“Don’t worry Jill,” Jack said, a little more seriously. “She’ll come with us next year – it’s a lot more exciting to compete.”

Jenny turned away and stuck her tongue out. Mother Goose! She thought, save me. That’s just not going to happen! I hate baseball. Mother’s shoulders slumped, and she walked out to the hall.

Jack followed her. “Now come on, Jill my love,” Jack said to Mother. “She’ll be fine. Mother Goose sees all and I doubt it’s time for our Jenny to have a story.” Then he started hopping around.” Let’s go! I feel ready to jump!”

Jack stopped and Jenny could see why. Mother stood in the doorway pale, shaking, and pointing at the floor. Her father looked down and quickly shooed something with his foot. Then he gently led his wife past whatever tiny beast had scared her.

“Spider,” he mouthed. “Some things never change,” Jack said throwing Jenny another wink as he left.

Jenny got up and followed them to the front door. She received her goodbye kisses and even remembered to “Kaff” occasionally – to keep things convincing. Mother gave her some advice about how to make curds and whey, and how to feed the golden egg laying goose in the basement; dad reminded her that the house was her responsibility. “Don’t let me down!” he said. “And may Mother Goose protect you and keep you. But Jenny was just nodding robotically, not even listening. Would they EVER leave?

Finally the door closed, and Jenny stood there. The bells on the horses’ reigns jingled, and the wagon wheels creaked as they turned. Jenny stood, her thin body pressed against the closed front door.

Silence! Jenny smiled.

“I’m alone!” she cried out loud. Alone! Thank Mother Goose! She had the house all to herself for the first time in her young life.

She began running from room to room. She reached the kitchen and stuck her tongue out at the curds and whey sitting on the stove. Instead she ate a big breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes with chocolate flavored whipped cream, butter and, of course, chocolate syrup, all while sitting on her mother’s tuffet!

Jenny ran into her father’s gym and gazed at the rows of unlit candlesticks placed strategically around the room. She knew her dad could jump all these sticks in a pattern. She tried the course and failed by the third candlestick. But that didn’t matter, because she was free to do anything she wanted. She was free! No rules! No responsibilities and no –

THUMP! CRASH!

Jenny stopped in her tracks as the whole house shook violently around her.

Suddenly, Jenny really did feel ever so sick.

CONTINUED IN CHAPTER II – The Sky is Falling!

Tags: My Books