Page 236 - Nuts to You - The Nutcracker Retold

the Land of Sweets once again began to sugarcoat and change them back to Sweeties. And for Clara, her very life depended on escaping that magic.
Or so Drosselmeir hoped. He dearly hoped that the magic grown in this land could not pass through the portal and could not go through the Clock, and that Sweet Magic had no power in plain old Hamelin. And so, he was running – running as fast as he could, to the clock.
And everyone followed. Except for Reggie. He was quite happily eating a light lunch of licorice and lemonade. For unlike his momma, Reggie was not a glutton.
Off everyone ran – out of the hideout, past the sled, through the forest, and to the clock. Drosselmeir plunged through the clock with Clara in his arms.
Just as Franz was ready to follow, Mother Ginger called for help. He turned to find her huffing and puffing, “I’ve lost the Teas, I mean the girls.” Franz hesitated for a second, torn between his fear for Clara and his fondness for the three little Teas, I mean girls.
“You get the rest through!” Franz yelled, as he ran back into the woods. He retraced his steps, calling for the girls, but no answer. He ran back toward the hideout and came to a stop at the clearing where Reggie was sitting in the sled – with three little girls enthralled, as he regaled them with stories about his horrible mother, the Mouse Queen. They screamed with delight when he kicked his size four – in imitation of the Mouse Queen’s size eleven – boot, up to his behind.
Franz almost laughed, despite – or maybe because of – his fear for Clara. Then he called to the girls.
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