Page 231 - Nuts to You - The Nutcracker Retold

Then changes started happening to them – to each and every one of them – and they finally took notice.
The Sweeties began to lose some of their vacantness, their too-sweet-and-silly-to-be-true-ness. They remembered Hamelin and their homes. They were returning to the children they used to be. They couldn’t wait to tell Mother Ginger! Where was she?
Pirlipat-once-a-troll-but-turned-into-Coffee felt she was growing a little taller, a little plumper, a little meaner ... no, not meaner, just knowing she could be mean again. But knowing that this time, she would fight against that mean streak in herself. And she couldn’t wait to show Franz! Where was he?
The Nutcracker’s head had shrunk and shifted and changed – back to Franz’s quite normal, and very nice head. He stopped dancing. Up flew his hands and he felt all over his face. Was that was his nose, his chin and his ears? He couldn’t wait to show Clara! Where was she?
That’s when they all noticed Mother Ginger kneeling beside Clara. All the children, including Pirlipat, stood silent where they were – afraid to come closer, and afraid to look away.
Franz rushed to Clara, crying, “Clara, Clara!” But Clara didn’t answer. Her eyes remained closed and she didn’t move. Franz couldn’t believe it. He touched her and her skin was pasty and cold. What was wrong? What had happened? She needed help, but he didn’t know what to do!
Franz looked up for help, but everyone was looking at him. Even Mother Ginger looked at him for guidance. Why did they think he should know what to do? He was a
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