Page 215 - Nuts to You - The Nutcracker Retold

was sure she’d find that nasty Nutcracker. And she could whack him, and all her problems would be over. And then, no threat would remain to her Krakatuk, her magic nut, and she would once again reign supreme, and eat to her heart’s content.
So, the Mouse Queen pushed on – silently, softly, and slowly – for she was now so fat she could hardly waddle one leg past the other. But desperation is the stuff of miracles, and on she waded through the snow and bushes, until she could hear the Sweeties.
The Sweeties were hiding and growing impatient, and occasional fits of whispers would break out with questions like “What’s taking so long?” or “Where is she?” And the additional complaints like, “My foot’s asleep!” or “I have to pee!” which were immediately met by the other Sweeties, self-righteously shushing the others with loud “Shhhhh!” and “Keep quiet!” which made more noise than the whispers before.
It was the hissing to be quiet which alerted the Mouse Queen that she had found her prey. And, from behind the bushes, she counted noses. And as her numbers grew, she realized she could not swing fast enough to succeed in cracking all the Sweeties and the Nutcracker. As she shuffled backwards – for she was too round to round herself around, and go back, forwards. As she shuffled backwards, she thought desperately of another plan to bring down the Sweeties, when she remembered the PIPE! She could put them all to sleep with the Pipe, and then whack-a- Sweetie at her leisure!
Ah, that felt good – knowing that soon, she’d be piping a different tune!
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