Pink Spotted Mushrooms

by C. A. Broadribb

A naked winged man crouches underneath a giant mushroom, playing a flute.  Odd enough in itself, but then there’s the audience:  a polar bear, rhinoceros and elephant.  They’re huddled underneath an even taller, broader mushroom.  Both fungi are dark pink with white speckles.  Are they poisonous, you wonder.

“Excuse me,” you say.

The young man is tanned and has short dark hair.  He looks up at you with an annoyed expression.

“Do you mind?” he says.  “It’s very tiring crouching here.  I don’t need interruptions.  I’m trying to get through this flute solo.”

“But what for?”

“To calm the animals, of course.  It’s the standard way.”

He resumes his merry little tune.  The animals watch and listen intently.

You wonder if you’re dreaming, but you can’t seem to wake up. 

Remembering something, you reach up and break off a piece of the young man’s mushroom, then tiptoe over to collect a piece of the animals’ mushroom too, being careful to avoid disturbing  the polar bear, who has very sharp-looking teeth and claws.  The fungi pieces are filthy.  You brush off dirt and then cautiously nibble at them. 

Nothing happens.

The naked man stops playing his flute and laughs at you.  “You’ve been reading too many Alice books.  You’re stuck here, buddy!”

Bio:
C. A. Broadribb has an MA in Professional Writing and a Graduate Diploma in Journalism. Her website is http://www.wildthoughts.com.au