FOALY'S CHILDHOOD

"Hey Foaly, seen Colette?"

My cheeks redden. Unusual, for a centaur of my colour. I need to play dumb.

"No, why?"

"You know why, Foaly. You fancy her..." Matt teases.

"Shut up, I do not!"
"You're the worst liar I've ever met. I'm not just saying that."

"Thanks a lot. You know-"

I'm interrupted by the sound of booms, giant hooves colliding with the ground.

"I think that might just be..."

Suddenly, I'm yanked up by the scruff of fur around my neck.

"Hey, little centaur."

That voice makes my heart plummet to the depths of my chest. That voice makes my blood run cold.

"Hi, Rambo." Matt squeaks. Probably because he's the most terrifying centaur to walk this earth. Plus, he's big and burly. His male equivalent of Jason Statham. And up close, that's petrifying.

"What are you two kids up to, then?"

The kindness in his voice surprises me. Till I look into his cold, merciless eyes and notice his ragged iris. He's been mesmerised. But who? Why? When? I couldn't exactly ask how, as every fairy knows how mesmerising works. Matt and I are unsure what to do. We'd love to stay and chat with the new friendly version of Rambo, but we've got a mystery to solve.

I have to bit down hard on the inside of my cheek. We've got a mystery to solve? You've been reading too much Agatha Christie, Foaly.

"Hey, Rambo," I laugh nervously, "I hear they're giving out free doughnuts... Why don't you go check it out?"

I'd say inspect, but I have to speak his language.

It works like a magnet attracts metal. Rambo loves doughnuts like dwarves love jewels and gold, and basically all things priceless. Rambo lumbers off, his face the picture of childlike glee.

"Good call, Foaly." Matt breathes.

"It's not over yet," I turn to my friend. I say two words. "Ragged iris."

Matt's brow furrows. He's thinking the same thing I first did. Who...? Why...?

Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a movement. My head whips round, expecting to see an embarrassed fairy, loo roll trailing behind them. Believe me. It's happened on more than one occasion.

Instead, I see nothing but fir trees waving gently in the breeze, and the occasional squawk of a peacock. It's eerily silent. Too silent. I trot over to investigate. A boot smashes into my face, too fast for me to react. By the time I get to my feet, I'm facing a disgruntled girl elf.

"What did you do that for?!" I rub my bleeding nose.

Instead of a hurried apology, she stands there, blinking at me with her big hazel eyes.

"I thought you were someone else," she explains.

"Who, exactly, did you think I was?"

She mumbles something, too low for me to hear.

"Sorry, what?" I cup a hand around my ears.

"I thought you were Colette."

At the mention of Colette, I whizz away off to my fantasy world, where the sun shines, and the world smells of coconuts and raspberries, where Colette loves me, and I love her.

"Um, hello? I'm still here, you know?"

Reality crashes down on me like a grand piano.

"I know her," I say softly.

"Mmm, that's very interesting. Not!"

"Sorry."

She studies me closely. I stare at the ground, scuffing it with my hoof, hoping this awkward conversation will end.

"You...like her, don't you?"

"Everyone does."

"No!" She lets out an irritated sigh. "You... like, like her."

"I do not!"

"Oh, you can't fool me with that indignant protest. I've heard it about one hundred and twenty two times."

"I'm telling the truth!" I begin to sweat. This girl can see right through me.

"Yeah, right. Sure you are."

From behind me, I hear Matt call for me. "Foaly! Where have you gone?!"

She holds a finger to her lips, and melts behind the thick trunk of an oak tree. "See you around, Foaly." Her voice whispers on the breeze.

By the time Matt reaches me, (which takes a while, considering his fitness) the mysterious elf has disappeared.

"Who were you talking to?"

A faint smiles plays on my lips. "Oh. No-one."

OK, I hope you guys enjoyed that! I know I didn't add any characters, besides Rambo and Matt, (who really, didn't have a big influence in the story). And I know you don't discover who mesmerises him, but I think I'm going to leave that a mystery...

I hope you realised who the elf was, any Artemis Fowl fan would realise it straight away. If you didn't, I'm going to be mean and not tell you. Besides, you find out in chapter 9! :D

Anyway... Bye!