Page 73 - Nuts to You - The Nutcracker Retold

Drosselmeir build the clock. You’ve got your work cut out for you, Sonny.”
“Me?” squealed Reggie.
Ignoring her son as she always did, the Mouse Queen opened the clock door, or tried to.
“I told you it was locked.”
Reggie got a little smack on his nose for that bit of lip. But for once it was playful, as the Mouse Queen was still sucking on her last peppermint.
“Not to worry. There’s always someone out there foolish enough to open the door. Someone always ends up opening the door – and we mice, we just scoot right in like always. Now, won’t we?” The Mouse Queen was forgetting that she was now six-foot nine, and even Reggie was pushing four-foot high. But Reggie was wise enough to see that she was coming down off her sugar high, and he kept silent.
But he did scoot away a little, as the Mouse Queen watched the maids scurry back and forth with petticoats and gowns and hot curling irons and slippers. “No.... No. None of these will do. I need someone I can catch, control, and mold to my will.”
All the maids disappeared into Clara’s room. As they waited, the Mouse Queen began to mutter, and Reggie began to worry. He didn’t like being cooped up in this small space while his mother grew hungry for more candy. And there wasn’t much room, as he was sure she was still growing. Her buttons were tight and he was afraid one would burst at any moment and put out his eye. And then a
59