THE LITTLE PEOPLE FROM PERANIUM

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By Pasco A. Verducci

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2006 Pasco A. Verducci
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4259-0094-6

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Chapter One

One day, Mean Mean Buck McBean sat in his cellar polishing his bowling ball while his cat, Boris, and his bird, Patty Parrot, were watching him. Even Mimi the Mouse was watching from her hole in the wall. Suddenly, there was a huge BANG! Something came crashing through the cellar window, making a loud noise and startling everyone, including Mimi the Mouse. They all ran to the window to look out. Mean Mean Buck McBean was furious, shouting, "I told you kids to stay out of my yard, so you're not getting your ball back." Patty Parrot was on McBean's shoulder shouting, "Stay out of this yard! Stay out of this yard!" Boris was on McBean's other shoulder, meowing as loudly as he could. Mimi the Mouse came out of her hole to see what all the commotion was about.

Mean Mean Buck McBean looked to his left and then looked to his right, but could see no one. Shaking his fist, he yelled, "They must have run home. Boy, I'm mad now!" Boris ran and hid under the stairs. Patty Parrot flew to his perch and Mimi scurried back to her hole.

Meanwhile, Mean Mean Buck McBean started to look for the ball that came through the window. There in the middle of the floor, he spotted an odd-shaped object. He picked it up to examine it further. "What is this strange thing?" he asked. Boris came out of hiding to see what was going on. So did Patty Parrot and Mimi too. McBean started to shake the object. "Oh no, I hear voices inside this strange thing," he shouted. "This must be some kind of trick that the kids are playing." He dropped it on his bench and jumped back. Boris, Patty and Mimi jumped back too. Slowly, Mean Mean Buck McBean started to walk toward it, moving one step at a time. So did Boris and Patty Parrot while Mimi kept her distance. When they reached the strange looking object, McBean tapped it with his hammer and the voices inside said, "Stop it. You're hurting our ears!"

"Then come out of there or I'll strike it even harder!"

Soon the door opened and out walked seven little people. Mean Mean Buck McBean couldn't believe what he was seeing. Boris jumped on the table trying to get them, but McBean grabbed him. Patty Parrot flew above them to get a better look and Mimi climbed up the shelves and looked down from McBean's tool bench. Mean Mean Buck McBean took his pencil and went to strike them when one of the little people said, "Please don't hurt us. We mean you no harm."

"Listen - he speaks our language," Mean Mean Buck McBean shouted in surprise. "Is this some kind of trick? Who are you and where are you from? Tell me now!"

"My name is Captain Nave and this is my crew."

"And what are the names of the others?"

"This is Lisonic, Mateyhew, Wedrino and Bertro. The two girls are Anabrew and Tesdany."

Mean Mean Buck McBean demanded to know where they were from, and he raised his voice and banged his fist on the table. Patty Parrot flew on McBean's shoulder shouting, "Where are you from? Where are you from?" Boris the cat jumped on the table and showed his teeth. McBean had to hold him in his arms so he wouldn't attack the little people. They were so afraid of Boris that they ran back into their spaceship. McBean raised his voice shouting, "Come out of there or I will shake you out and feed you to my cat Boris." Then Mean Mean Buck McBean had an idea. He went to fetch an old cage he once used for Patty Parrot. "Come on out," he said. "You can all stay inside the birdcage and Boris won't be able to get you."

One at a time, they all came out of the spaceship. McBean told them to go into the parrot cage while he pushed them in with his pencil and locked the cage door. Captain Nave asked McBean for some food and water for his crew. "You answer some questions first and then I will think about it. Where are you people from and you better answer fast!"

"We come from another planet."

"What planet?"

"Peranium," Captain Nave answered.

"I've never heard of that planet. Where is it located?"

"It's a million miles west of Mars."

"I don't like liars!" So Mean Mean Buck McBean picked up Boris and opened the door of the birdcage. Then he told Boris to get them. Anabrew and Tesdany started to cry and they ran to the other end of the cage. McBean let Boris go and he ran around the outside of the cage, clawing at the little people. Mimi the mouse was happy that Boris was going after something else for a change.

Captain Nave said, "Everyone, get to the center of the cage. He can't reach us there."

Anabrew and Tesdany started to cry again, "We're scared. We're really scared."

"I'll think of something," said Captain Nave. "I promise!"

Meanwhile, Mean Mean Buck McBean was cheering Boris on shouting, "That-a-boy, Boris! Don't let them get out." He took out his pencil and told them that he would strike each and everyone. Captain Nave said, "Please stop your cat from attacking us. There must be something we can do for you. Just make your cat stop!" McBean thought for a moment, then scratched his head and said, "Hmmm ... I am having a lot of trouble with my bowling ball and I have to win a tournament this coming weekend."

Captain Nave said, "Give us some food and water and we will fix your bowling ball for you."

Mean Mean Buck McBean shouted, "You are not fooling me one bit. You fix it first, then I'll feed you some food. If you don't, I'll feed you to Boris!"

Meanwhile, Patty Parrot had been watching from his perch. McBean called to Patty Parrot, "Come fly to my shoulder. What do you think about these little people?"

"I think you should give them a try," squawked Patty. They seem to be very smart." The little people were one hundred times more intelligent than earth people.

"Put the bowling ball on the bench and take Boris some place where he can't harm us," said Captain Nave. Boris did not like that so he showed his teeth and hissed loudly at the captain. McBean put Boris in the other room and closed the door.

"Now, what do you need?" he asked Captain Nave.

"Let us examine it first and then we will let you know."

They went into the spaceship and brought out their tools and equipment. Then they started to work on the bowling ball. Mean Mean Buck McBean watched their every move. His pencil was always in his hand ready to strike at any moment. After a couple of hours, Captain Nave called to McBean saying, "We know what is wrong with your bowling ball - it is not balanced. But we could fix it in time for the tournament on Saturday. We'll get started on it right away; however, we will need to get more supplies."

"Tell me what you need and I'll pick them up tomorrow."

"That will be fine. Now, how about finishing your end of the bargain," demanded Captain Nave.

"And what might that be?"

"You promised us food and water."

"I'll think about it!" McBean replied in a mean sort of way.

"If you don't give us food and water, then we won't fix your bowling ball." So Mean Mean Buck McBean agreed and stormed off to the kitchen to make some tiny sandwiches.

The following day, McBean could not get home soon enough to bring the supplies to Captain Nave and his crew. Patty Parrot was watching out the window for McBean to arrive home. Patty started shouting, "Here comes Mean Mean Buck McBean." Then he flew to the cage squawking to Captain Nave, "He's coming! He's coming!" Boris, hearing all the racket, ran to the cage and put his two paws inside trying to grab one of the little people.

Patty Parrot flew onto Boris' back shouting, "Ride 'em cowboy! Get away from the little people!" Boris ran frantically around the room to shake Patty off but was not having much luck. Patty Parrot did not want harm to come to the little people, for he truly was their friend.

Captain Nave said to his crew, "I'm going to fix that cat. I'm going to get in his mind and I will talk to him in cat language." Boris stopped in his tracks and started to listen to Captain Nave talk to him. He said, "if you bother us any more, we are going to put you in the parrot's cage." Boris ran in the other room and just peeked around the doorway. The rest of the crew was so excited they gave Captain Nave a big cheer. Mean Mean Buck McBean came running downstairs carrying a box of supplies in his hands and put them on the table next to the cage. "Here are your supplies. Now get to work or I'll punish you with my pencil!" Upon hearing McBean's voice, the girls hid behind Captain Nave. They were terribly frightened of Mean Mean Buck McBean. That's when Captain Nave said, "I want to talk to you."

"What is it?" he grumbled while shaking his pencil.

"We'd feel safer if we slept and worked out of our spaceship."

"You're not telling me what to do," muttered McBean.

"If you won't let us stay in the spaceship, then we will not help you win your tournament and we don't care what you do to us."

"Very well then. You can live in your spaceship and keep my bowling ball right next to it. Now get to work!"

That very evening, the little people started working. Everyone knew what they had to do. They even built a platform so they could work on the top of the bowling ball. They worked constantly, both day and night, to make sure they would be ready for the tournament on the weekend. McBean poked his head in the room from time to time, just to remind them that Boris would have a feast if the job was not completed in time.

Anabrew and Tesdany asked Captain Nave, "What are we going to do if we don't finish?"

"Don't worry, we'll be done in time," he replied.

Mateyhew and Wedrino were worried. "Are we trapped here? Are we ever going to leave this place? Will we ever return to our planet Peranium?"

"Don't worry. I am working on a plan and I will let you know what it is when the time is right."

Finally, the tournament weekend was here and Mean Mean Buck McBean came for his bowling ball. "Now I'd better win!" he shouted, "or Boris will have a feast." And McBean walked out the door with his new bowling ball in hand. The only thing the little people could do was sit and wait.

Later that evening, when Mean Mean Buck McBean returned, he went straight to the little people and said, "I won the tournament! The bowling ball worked!" But Captain Nave interrupted him. "I would like to have a meeting with you."

"What makes you think I would listen to you? I have the SUPER BALL now, so I don't need you anymore."

"Listen - this is what we can do for you. We could build you an even better bowling ball. We'd be inside driving it anywhere you wanted. Just think, you could be the greatest bowler in the world! People would come from all over to watch you bowl."

Now Mean Mean Buck McBean calmed down and was interested in what Captain Nave had to say. "When can you start?" he asked.

"As soon as you bring us more supplies."

"Just let me know what you need and I will write them down." It took two hours for Captain Nave and McBean to complete the long, long list of supplies for the new bowling ball.

Then Captain Nave said, "My people and I will not continue until we get some food and drink."

"Very well, then." So McBean went off to the kitchen to prepare their meal.

Now the rest of the crew wanted to know why they were building a new bowling ball. "It's not going to be just another bowling ball. We are going to build a spaceship that will return us to Peranium." All of a sudden, the crew began to cheer. Anabrew and Tesdany finally had smiles on their faces and everyone was shaking hands with each other. They were so happy to hear the news. They all congratulated Captain Nave on his brilliant plan to build a spaceship disguised as a bowling ball. They would finally be able to return to Peranium.

Captain Nave stayed up all night to draw the plans for the new bowling ball. He brought the crew together and explained, "We have built spaceships before. You are all very skilled so you know what to do. That's why you were selected for this voyage."

The next day, when Mean Mean Buck McBean came home from work, Patty Parrot flew down from his perch telling the little people, "He's coming! He's coming!" McBean went straight to the little people to check on the building of the bowling ball. He even held Boris in his arms.

"Why do you have your cat with you?" asked Captain Nave.

"Because, if you haven't started on my ball yet, I'm going to feed you to Boris."

"Get him out of here or we will stop working!" the Captain demanded. So Mean Mean Buck McBean put Boris in the other room and closed the door.

"Now, let me see the plans you have for my new bowling ball," McBean said as he reached for the papers. "Hey - I can't read this!"

"That's because we wrote it in Peranium. That's the language we know." The reason Captain Nave wrote it in Peranium was so that Mean Mean Buck McBean wouldn't understand it. Captain Nave was a smart leader.

They worked on the ball throughout the summer so they could have it ready for the next bowling season. They finished the ball just before the first tournament. The crew asked Captain Nave, "Are we ready to test our ship?"

"Yes, but be patient. We must wait for the right time," he replied.

When Mean Mean Buck McBean left for work the following day, the little people decided to test-drive their spaceship. Captain Nave said, "Anabrew and Tesdany will be my co-pilots. Mateyhew and Wedrino will man the spaceship on the right. Lisonic and Bertro will man the spaceship on the left. Everyone get to your positions."

"Does that mean we are going back to Peranium now?" asked Tesdany.

"No," said Captain Nave. "This is just a test-drive. We'll fly it around the cellar first and then the bowling alley to make sure it's sound before we go back to Peranium. That's where we will bid Mean Mean Buck McBean goodbye."

Captain Nave then announced, "Secure all doors and prepare for lift-off." When he started the engines, you could not hear a sound. The spaceship was absolutely silent. "So far so good," said Captain Nave. So up they went, and around the cellar they flew without a problem. "We are ready to try it out at the bowling alley."

Patty Parrot, Boris, and Mimi the mouse watched the whole thing in amazement. They could not believe their eyes. They had never seen a flying bowling ball before.

As soon as they landed their new spaceship, Patty Parrot said, "Mean Mean Buck McBean is coming! McBean is coming!" In walked grumpy Buck McBean who went straight to the cellar.

"I'm getting impatient! Where is my new bowling ball?"

"We are finished!" said Captain Nave. "Just put it on the floor and we will give it a try." The little people were soon riding all over the cellar floor. Captain Nave was satisfied with the performance. He now asked McBean to throw the ball across the floor like he was bowling. The little people were able to control the ball perfectly. The test was a success.

"We'll try out my new ball at the next tournament," McBean said. "And it better work!"

The day of the tournament finally came and Captain Nave gave McBean some last minute instructions on how to throw the ball. "Make sure you let the ball land straight up every time you throw it. Once it lands on the floor, we will drive it the rest of the way. If you don't land it right, we could be upside down and not be able to drive the ball."

When they arrived at the bowling alley, there was a huge crowd of people who came to watch the tournament. It was Mean Mean Buck McBean's turn to bowl, so he picked up the ball and held it close to his face. Captain Nave slid up to the front of the ball and reminded him, "Make sure you drop the ball like I showed you." So McBean did exactly as he was told and Captain Nave was able to drive the ball and knock all the pins down. Every time he threw the ball, every pin went down. Then Mean Mean Buck McBean turned to the crowd and said, "Now, I'm going to throw the ball backwards."

Someone in the crowd yelled, "If he can do that, then he's the best bowler I've ever seen!" So McBean walked up to the line, faced the crowd and threw the ball backwards. Inside the bowling ball, Captain Nave shouted, "Turn the ball around. He's thrown the ball backwards!" With their quick thinking, they knocked down all the pins. Every time it was McBean's turn to bowl, the crowd would cheer him on.

Then one time McBean threw the ball the wrong way and it landed upside down! The captain lost control and the ball went in circles and jumped into the next lane. With a bit of luck and a lot of expert driving by Captain Nave, the ship was brought under control and climbed the rail back into the right lane where they were able to knock down all the pins. "This time, I'm going to bowl blind-folded," McBean said. The crowd jumped to their feet and gave him a big hand saying that he was the greatest bowler of all time. Someone in the crowd was heard to say, "He's so good, it's as if someone were driving the ball."

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from THE LITTLE PEOPLE FROM PERANIUM by Pasco A. Verducci Copyright © 2006 by Pasco A. Verducci. Excerpted by permission.
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