Freezing Awkward Silence

It had been four months since the wizard moved into the swamp monster’s home and it was beginning to get fed up. It was already a point of contention between the monster’s in-laws that it had chosen to live in a run-down abandoned house near the city rather than an overgrown swamp. Its partner had even begged it to at least move to a sewage tunnel underground, but it had known that the moisture would only make its growing problems worse.

Most swamp monsters only grew new plants every few months. For Tortoise, it was a matter of seconds. Whenever its emotions heightened, it was sprouting seedlings left and right. Being close to the city also meant it could slink through the shadows and people watch, which was one of its favourite activities. It had compromised with its partner by making sure it picked the most rundown, non-functioning house the city could offer. 

The wizard seemed intent on breaking that compromise.

Just last week Gerald, the culprit in question, had let a technician fix the gas heating. Canberra luckily did not harbour nosey residents and the wizard assured it that the professional had bought his lies that the abandoned house was in fact a newly bought renovation project that he definitely wasn’t squatting in. 

Now the wizard sat on the run-down couch, sipping tea from his mug and fixing his broken staff with an accusatory stare. Tortoise hadn’t asked him how it had broken yet and it didn’t intend to. In fact, it had stopped small talk in a desperate but ineffective attempt to send the message home that the wizard needed to find a new place to live. 

Tortoise strode into the room, sprouts flying from its back. “That’s it – the gas heating was the last straw!” it yelled, coming to stand right in front of him. “Next thing I know, you’ll want to book air conditioning repairs.” Canberra was a big city with plenty of abandoned buildings ripe for the taking. It was time to stop feeling bad and put its foot down on this. It wasn’t like Gerald would be homeless.

Gerald didn’t seem to mind its tone. He simply smiled and snapped his fingers. “That’s actually a great idea, it won’t be winter forever—”

“Fix your own air conditioner and leave mine alone!” It cut him off. “Or fix your staff and get on your way.”

Tortoise could immediately tell that hit a sore spot by the way Gerald’s face fell. Awkward silence filled the room. Gerald refused to look up from staring at his empty mug. Feeling guilt settling in, Tortoise sighed. “More tea?”

The wizard gladly took its olive branch and, with a grunt, the creature moved into the kitchen. It would have to tell its partner that Gerald would be with them one more week.