Bonnie Gremlin's Arc

Chapter 2 of 6

Bonnie sat cross-legged in the shade of a rock outcrop. She opened her notebook to a fresh page and drew a line down the middle. On the left side, she wrote "What I Know." On the right side, she wrote "What I Need to Learn." Her pencil moved quickly across the paper. Under "What I Know," she wrote three items: face cream goes in circles, Dottie has many bottles, traps are everywhere. Under "What I Need to Learn," she wrote a longer list: how to apply makeup, which creams go first, how to style fur properly. Bonnie stared at the lists. The right side was much longer than the left. She needed help before she could tackle Dottie's routine. She needed someone to teach her the basics first. Bonnie closed her notebook and stood up. Past the rock outcrop, she spotted a vintage well with a wooden frame and pulley system. Beyond it, a tall wind turbine spun slowly in the breeze. Someone lived out here in the desert, far from town. Bonnie walked toward the structures, her polka-dot dress swaying. As she got closer, she saw a small figure sitting on the well's edge. The gremlin had gray fur and wore a purple shawl. She knitted tiny socks with quick, expert movements. "Excuse me," Bonnie said softly. The older gremlin looked up and smiled. Bonnie held up her notebook. "I need to learn about beauty routines. Can you teach me the basics?" The gray gremlin set down her knitting and patted the space beside her. "I'm Granny Gremlin, dear. Sit down and show me what you know so far." Bonnie climbed onto the well's edge and opened her notebook. For the first time since she started watching Dottie's house, she felt like she was taking a real step forward. The dream was beginning to feel possible.