Read Online The Last Fairy Tale by E. S. Lowell - Free Book Online Page A

builder spent years handcrafting each curve and corner. Open windows flanked a small door in the center of the hut.
     Locke walked over to the door and opened it. He looked back at Olivia, who was still examining the hut, her mouth hanging slightly open. “Well, come in! I’ll make us some supper,” he said.
     Olivia slowly walked into the hut, admiring every detail on her way through the door. As they entered, a light suddenly filled the dark room. Olivia looked up at the light, shielding her eyes. It came from a round orb that hung from the center of the ceiling.
     “Is that… a lightbulb?” she asked.
     Locke followed her gaze and then chuckled. “Well, yeah, I guess you could call it a lightbulb.” He walked to the back of the hut and hung his violin on the wall next to many other wooden instruments. “Never seen one?”
    “No,” said Olivia, still fascinated. “So this is… electricity ?”
    “Electri- what ?” asked Locke.
     “It’s just that I’ve never really seen electricity working up close. It’s neat.” Olivia stared intently at the orb.
     “What on Aeldyn are you talking about?” Locke asked.
     “Aeldyn?”
     “Wait, let’s talk about your electri-whatever first,” said Locke. “I’m curious.”
     Olivia felt a bit confused. “That lightbulb is powered by electricity, right? It’s basically a vacuum with a filament made of metal inside that burns brightly when electricity gets to it.”
     Locke looked dumbstruck and then sheepishly grinned. “This is fascinating. First, I meet a real live human, which is already almost too hard to believe, and second, she’s telling me that science is a real thing. You’re talking about science, aren’t you?”
     “Well, yeah,” said Olivia. “You wouldn’t be able to turn on that light without some sort of science involved.”
     Locke laughed. “This is awesome. You’d be surprised how accurate those old storybooks are. I thought they were all just for fun. You know, to teach the children right from wrong and whatnot.”
     “I don’t understand,” Olivia said. She looked over at Locke. “If science is a myth to you, then what is running that light?”
     “Magic, of course.”
    “Ah…right,” Olivia said, nodding. She was beginning to feel weak again. When am I going to wake up ? she thought.
     “Are you feeling okay?” Locke asked. He walked over to Olivia and held her by the shoulders to keep her from swaying. “Why don’t you sit down over here?” He escorted her to a small wooden couch and helped her lie down.
     “Thank you,” she mumbled. “Maybe it’s just that I’m finally starting to wake up from this dream.”
     Locke looked at her concernedly for a moment. He put a hand on her arm and smiled. “It’s going to be okay. I’ll cook you up some special imp stew, and you’ll be feeling better in no time.”
     “Right,” said Olivia weakly. She didn’t know if she had said it out loud or just thought it. She was drifting in and out of consciousness, and soon she had fallen fast asleep.
     
    * * * * *
     
    Olivia woke to the sound of knocking and slurping, like someone was eating noisily with a spoon. I must have fallen asleep in the dining hall , she thought. After she rubbed her eyes with her fists, she stretched her arms, opened her eyes, and looked around. She noticed that she was in a small house made entirely of wood, consisting of one large room, with each corner serving a different purpose.
     One corner had a small hammock strung up near a collection of books. Another corner held a workbench for crafting objects, and many wooden instruments hung on the wall above it. The other two corners served as a kitchen and dining room and a sitting room combination. A round, floor-to-ceiling column stood in the center of the house. The base of the column was hollowed out and held a small fire with a pot hanging over it. Olivia sprang to her feet and quickly looked over at the creature eating