Autumn House

weighed it, feeling the girth of it. ‘’You have a conflicted heart,’’ the wizard said. ‘’You want to leave this place, but you don’t necessarily want to go home.’’

‘’Come catch me, boy,’’ the gnome said, bending over and wiggling his butt at Chris. He chased the gnome into the kitchen. The gnome danced as he climbed up onto the table and Chris was able to grab the little guy by the back of his shirt and pinched the gnome’s cheek. He found himself back at his own home, the house with green paneling and the giant oak tree in the front yard. He grabbed the door handle and knew his father would be waiting inside, but that did not fill him with as much dread as it once would have.