Read Online The Paradise Trees by Linda Huber - Free Book Online

didn’t want to think about his futile quest to win Mummy’s love. Those had truly been years of desperation, starting with the death of Snugglepuss and not
ending until Mummy went to hell. It was only afterwards, with the hurt all parcelled away, that he had learned how to live in the world. He had realised that if he was nice to people they were
usually nice back, and this had worked splendidly for him until Helen came along. She was such an angel. But she hadn’t loved him unconditionally. Just like Snugglepuss and just like Mummy.
The anger had returned and that wasn’t his fault. He hadn’t wanted to hurt Helen, he truly hadn’t meant for her to go to Paradise. But now he could make it up to her by giving her
the two new Helens. And oh, little Helen... he just had to enjoy her as often as he could in this world before he sent her off to the next.
    So he’d gone back to the woods this afternoon, and what a good thing he had, for there she was, and this time when she saw him she waved and laughed.
    ‘King Oberon! You’re just in time for a picnic, Mummy gave me some lemon wafers and some grapes, look!’
    He bent over the bag she was holding out. ‘Food fit for a king,’ he pronounced, taking his place on the fallen tree trunk. She busied herself setting the ‘table’, a paper
serviette spread beside him, and he sat there watching her, clasping and unclasping his hands, feeling his body tremble in anticipation. She was here, and his was the power. He could do whatever he
wanted with her. He could kill the dog ‘by accident’ and then comfort little Helen and cuddle her straight off to Paradise today.
    But of course he wouldn’t. A fairy queen deserved a better plan, a special ceremony. And he deserved more of her, too.
    ‘There!’ said little Helen, looking up at him with those sweet, trusting eyes. ‘That’s the table almost ready, now if you watch that um, Puck doesn’t steal the
biscuits I’ll just pick some flowers.’
    ‘It will be my pleasure,’ he said, watching as she crouched down to pick bluebells. How glorious she was. What a pity she wasn’t wearing something a little more regal. He would
find her something fitting to wear on her journey to Paradise. A golden robe, for instance, or a white one.
    She danced back to the tree trunk and spread her handful of bluebells around the grapes. ‘We’re ready! What would you like, King Oberon?’
    ‘But Madam! Allow me to serve you first. My Queen must eat her fill before her king and humble servant.’
    He had lifted a little bunch of five grapes, and slowly, one after the other he placed them in her perfect little mouth, touching her lips every time. She giggled and chewed and swallowed, and
then when the fifth grape was gone he took a tissue from his pocket and wiped her lips, holding her face with his other hand. And she had let him. It was so wonderful; it made the sweat start all
over again.
    ‘There!’ he said. ‘Now my Queen has eaten, and
you
may serve
me
!’
    She stood in front of him, holding the grapes to his mouth, but some sixth sense had told him that she wasn’t quite comfortable doing this so he’d only accepted two before offering
her a wafer to eat by herself. Then she had chatted away again, telling him about the dog and her mother and poor Grandpa... she was absolutely enchanting. He would make his plans carefully now,
ensure that her passing ceremony was indeed fit for a queen. He would enjoy her again, and much, much more.
    And at the end of the enjoyment they would have a beautiful midsummer ceremony before little Helen started her long journey to Paradise. Sunday would be a good day, a holy day, and it would give
him time to plan everything perfectly.
    And to meet little Helen again, tomorrow and the next day and the next...

Alicia
    The ringing of the house phone woke Alicia abruptly and she struggled upright on the elderly sofa, adrenalin rushing through her. She had fallen asleep after dinner, right