Chapter 2: Cosmo Runs Away

Written: 1 Dec 2004

Posted: 1 Dec 2004

Wanda had only two questions when she had found herself at the driver's seat of the Turners' family station. One, where was the car currently headed? And two, how in the world did a wish that the Turners wouldn't hire Vicky baby-sit suddenly transport Wanda into the driver's seat of the Turners' family station wagon? She didn't question her sudden presence in the car, as this sort thing happened to her all the time. Her god kids weren't exactly the most careful of wishers, especially before she had married Cosmo. So Wanda did the only thing that she could think of.

She stopped the car on the side of the road. And took a good, hard look at her immediate surroundings. From the positioning of the houses and those street corners, she wasn't that far from Timmy's house. But she noticed something very odd in the rearview mirror. She looked closer.

And saw Timmy's mom's face staring back at her. "Oh now what?"

She paused. Her voice sounded a little… odd. It wasn't something she could put her wand on, but there was something different about her voice. Though, Wanda figured, it was Timmy's mother's voice. But speaking of wands…

She raised her wand to poof herself to where Timmy was. And it took her longer to realize that there was no wand in her hand than she wanted to admit. "Holy crap," she whispered. "I must have switched places with Timmy's mom." She frowned. "But how did Timmy's wish cause that?"

She scowled as she put the car back into third gear. Then it occurred to her that she had never shut off the engine. She shrugged before pushing on the gas and knocking down a mailbox on her back onto the street. She had gotten some practice driving playing Timmy's racing game. But wasn't there some special significance about the direction the cars went. Well, whatever it was, she would figure it out eventually.

But first he had to get to Timmy. Things were a little derailed again. If Wanda was in the Mrs. Turner, where was Mrs. Turner?

- - -

"That's not Wanda at all, you idiot," Jorgen yelled.

Cosmo shrunk back. And took a tentative look at her wife. Yep, still the same. Although with a look of abject confusion and shock on her face. "What's going on? Where am I?"

"She looks like Wanda."

Jorgen grabbed Cosmo with one of his massive hands. "That's just her body, you fool. Some alien force has taken over her body. Though not by choice, it would seem. Now both of you must be taken away for study. And… questioning."

Cosmo swallowed. He didn't like the sound of that at all. Or the sight of the white, empty chamber with giant, bronze doors on the far wall. "But what about Timmy?"

"He will be well-taken of while you're gone."

"By who?"

"That's whom, you bumbling fool." Jorgen snapped his finger. "But you have more important things to worry about now." The two bronze doors opened and two fairies from the Funny Farm came in with butterfly nets in their hands.

"You'll never take us alive," Cosmo said. Quickly, he held Wanda close to him and poofed them away. He didn't care where. Just as long it was far, far from there.

Jorgen sighed. "Release the hounds." Normally the thought of releasing the hounds would have thrilled him, but this week's hounds were actually French poodles. Not exactly the scariest beasts around.

- - -

Timmy was at his desk when he saw a fairy poof in the room in the corner of his eye. He turned, smiling in anticipation of the sight of either Wanda or Cosmo. But frowned sharply when he saw who it was.

"What do you want?" he asked Juandissimo, who had assumed the form of a bumblebee.

"I'm here to watch during the absence of Cosmo and the ravishing beauty that is Wanda."

"Oh, really? Where are they then?"

"They're, ah… getting help for Wanda, who is broke up over losing me is my guess."

"That doesn't seem very likely," Timmy said.

"No senorita can resist the charm of they call," he posed, "Juandissimo Magnifico."

"Wanda did."

"And look at what has happened to her as a result that rash, and ultimately, tragic decision."

"Oh brother."

He started to the whine of a speeding car on the road. "Cool a high-speed police chase," he said. The whole class looked out the window to see.

"Eyes up front," Mr. Crocker snapped.

But what the students saw surprised them. Timmy's mom was driving the station wagon straight for the classroom at full speed. "Timmy's mom has gone nuts," A. J. yelled. And everyone started running from the windows.

Everyone but Timmy that was. He watched in total shock as the car leapt into the class, crashing through the window and into floor next to his desk. His mom poked her head out of the car door. "Get in the car. Now, Timmy."

Something was a little off with her voice. But it was a perfect excuse to get out of school. "See you around, suckers," he told his class before leaping into the car.

His classmates watched the car back out with a mixture of envy and awe.

"So that's where he gets it from," Mr. Crocker said.