Drabble Wednesday: Freaky Fairy Tales

Frankie and Joni are back with three more crazy tales…

Too Many Goats

“Three goats. There were three goats.”

“What?” I looked up from my tablet inventory list. Not another glitch.

Frankie frowned at me. “How many goats do you see in the display?”

I looked at the idyllic holo-scene of a mossy stone bridge. “Four. A nice touch. What book are you recreating? Heidi?”

Frankie shook his head. “It’s a fairy tale. And four goats is a problem.”

“Why?”

“The story is the Three Billy Goats Gruff. I programmed three goats. Where did the extra animal come from?”

In unison, the goats bleated and their eyes glowed yellow.

“That can’t be good.”

---

Giants and Little Tom

The goats bleated three more times before the holo-emitters shorted and the scene disappeared. I let out the breath I was holding. “Just an electrical—”

The room speakers crackled and a loud voice boomed, “Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum.”

An uneven image wavered in the middle of the room, a flickering form of a giant. He spoke, his mouth moving out of sync with his words. 

“Fee, Fi, Fo, Thumb. I smell the scent of an English plum. Little Tom, Little Tom, in the corner. Come along and warn her.”

The giant vanished, replaced with a child. 

“I’m a good boy!”

---

Sheep are Goats

The child, a holo-image of a boy dressed in purple velvet and lace, pointed a finger at me and Frankie. “Little Bo Peep ran away from her sheep, and Mary stole her lamb.”

“What is going on here?” I shouted my exasperation. Frankie stared and whimpered.

“Things are wrong. Sing a song.” The holo-projection giggled. “The goat is a sheep. And the logs are owls.” He dissipated, leaving only wisps of light.

I grabbed Frankie, wanting to leave, when music echoed from the walls.

“Mary had a little lamb, little lamb. One she stole away.”

Then the door slid shut.