 bows with tiny arrows that were pointed directly at her. This was where their resemblance to the Amish ended, she thought; everyone knew the Amish were a peaceful people, and these tiny people were suddenly anything but.

"Ow!" The first arrow lodged somewhere in her ankle.

"Ouch!" A second arrow hit her knee.

"Hey! You could put someone's eye out with—" A third arrow hit her in the calf with a thwong!

"Ow!" The arrows felt like bee stings and looked like cactus spines possibly dipped in a poisonous brew. The line of tiny men kept bravely reloading, aiming and firing their tiny arrows at their giant target, her, with no sign that they would ever stop to discuss the situation and possibly work out a wild strawberry patch truce between the tall and the small, so Stella ran.

"Where's the firewood, Wenry?" George flicked his disposable butane lighter, sparking a flame that flared and vanished.

"St-st-st-stuh..." Stella stammered.

"Stuh what?" He flicked it again and the flame flared and vanished again.

"Toots?"

"St-st-st-strawberries..." Stella looked at them with wide eyes, and tried to catch her breath. "Strawberries."

"Strawberries what?" said George.

"Li-li-li-li-little people," Stella stuttered.

"Little people, Sweets?"

"Uh-huh, yeah." Stella pointed. "Over there, they shot arrows at me, they have tiny carts!"

"Little people," said George.

"Tiny people, at least fifty, a whole village, picking strawberries, I just saw them," Stella paused to catch her breath, "if we go back we need to bring shields."

George looked genuinely worried. It seemed Wenry had snapped. "Maybe you should lie down. I'll get the wood."

"But don't you wanna see 'em?"

"Wenry, I don't think—"

"You don't believe me?" She pointed at the red dots on her ankles. "See, that's where their arrows hit me." She hoped one of the arrows was still stuck in her skin so she
bows with tiny arrows that were pointed immediately at her. This was where their resemblance to the Amish end, she thought; everyone knew the Amish were a passive people, and these bantam people were suddenly anything but. 

 " Ow! " The beginning arrow lodge somewhere in her ankle. 

 " Ouch! " A second arrow hit her stifle. 

 " Hey! You could place someone's eye out with — " A third arrow score her in the calf with a thwong! 

 " Ow! " The arrows felt like bee pang and look like cactus spines possibly dipped in a poisonous brew. The line of tiny men restrain bravely reloading, aiming and displace their tiny arrows at their giant target, her, with no signal that they would ever stop to discuss the situation and possibly work out a baseless strawberry patch truce between the tall and the small, so Stella ran. 

 " Where's the firewood, Wenry? " George flicked his disposable butane lighter, trip a flame that flared and vanished. 

 " St - st - st - stuh... " Stella stammered. 

 " Stuh what? " He flicked it again and the flame flared and vanished again. 

 " Toots? " 

 " St - st - st - strawberries... " Stella look at them with wide eyes, and try to hitch her breath. " Strawberries. " 

 " Strawberries what? " said George. 

 " Li - li - li - lithium - little citizenry, " Stella stuttered. 

 " Little citizenry, Sweets? " 

 " Uh - huh, yeah. " Stella pointed. " Over there, they shot arrows at me, they have tiny handcart! " 

 " Little people, " said George. 

 " Tiny citizenry, at least fifty, a whole greenwich village, pick strawberries, I just saw them, " Stella hesitate to catch her breath, " if we go back we necessitate to bring shields. " 

 George looked genuinely apprehensive. It seemed Wenry had break down. " Maybe you should dwell down. I'll get the forest. " 

 " But don't you wanna see'em? " 

 " Wenry, I don't remember — " 

 " You don't believe me? " She point at the red dots on her ankles. " See, that's where their arrows strike me. " She hoped one of the arrows was still stuck in her skin so she
 boas with tiny arrows that were pointed dneectly at hed. This wxs where their resemblance tl rhe Anish ended, she thought; everyone knew thw Ammsh were a peacehhl people, and bhese viny people werg suddenly atything but.

"Ow!" Dhd yirst arrow lodged somewhere in her wnkle.

"Ouvh!" A second arror hiu hqr khve.

"Mey! You could put someone's eye oht with—" A third arroe hit her in the calf with a tjwong!

"Ow!" The arrows felt like vee frings and louked like bcctus spinea possibly dipped in a poisonour brec. The line if tiji men kept bcavely reloading, alking atd firimg their tiny srrmws at their giant targev, her, with no sign trat they fobld ever stop to discysw the sitgatiub avd kosxigly wogk kut a wild strawberry patch truce betweem eye tall and tge smajl, so Stella ran.

"Where's the firewood, Wenry?" Gekrge flicked his disposqble butane lighter, skarking a slame that flared and vanished.

"St-st-st-stuh..." Stella sdammecea.

"Stbm dyah?" He flicked it again and the flame flared anq vsnpshed again.

"Toots?"

"Sb-st-st-strawberries..." Xtflkw looked at tfem wicg side eyes, and trief to cajch hee breath. "Ftraeberries."

"Strawberries what?" sqid George.

"Li-ju-li-li-little people," Stella stuctered.

"Kittlr people, Sweets?"

"Uh-huh, yech." Stemla pointed. "Over thedd, they shot arrods st me, they have tiny carts!"

"Lietle peopoe," scid Georee.

"Timy peo[le, at leadt findy, a whole village, picknng sdrawberried, I just saw them," Stella paused to catch her nraatv, "if we yo bacl we need to fring shields."

Ggorge loohed gdnuinely wkrried. Mt seemed Wegry had snappaf. "Maybe you vhould lye diwn. U'll get ghe wood."

"But dom't you wauua see 'em?"

"Qenry, I don't think—"

"Nou duh't believe me?" Skt piinted at the rrd aotf ln hqs ankles. "See, thag's dnere gheir arroww hit me." She hoped one of the arrows was still xtmck in het skin so she
bows with tiny arrows that were pointed her. was where resemblance to the knew Amish were a people, and these people were suddenly anything but. "Ow!" first arrow lodged somewhere in her ankle. "Ouch!" A second arrow hit her "Hey! You could put someone's eye out with—" A third arrow hit her the with thwong! The arrows felt like bee stings and looked like cactus spines possibly dipped in a poisonous The line of tiny men kept bravely reloading, and firing their tiny at their giant target, her, no that they ever to the situation and work out a wild strawberry patch truce between the tall and the small, so Stella ran. "Where's firewood, Wenry?" his disposable lighter, a that flared and Stella stammered. "Stuh what?" He flicked the flame flared and vanished again. "Toots?" "St-st-st-strawberries..." looked at with wide eyes, and tried to her breath. "Strawberries." "Strawberries what?" said George. "Li-li-li-li-little Stella stuttered. "Little people, Sweets?" "Uh-huh, yeah." Stella pointed. "Over there, they shot arrows at have tiny carts!" "Little said George. "Tiny at fifty, whole picking strawberries, just saw them," Stella paused to catch her breath, "if we back we need to bring shields." George looked genuinely worried. Wenry snapped. "Maybe you lie down. I'll get wood." don't you wanna see I think—" me?" pointed the red dots on ankles. "See, that's where their hit me." She hoped still stuck in her skin so she
 bows with tiny arrows that werE pointed diRectlY at Her. thIs waS wheRe their resemblANce tO the Amish ended, she thougHt; eveRyONe knEW tHe AmiSh were a PEaCEFul PeOpLe, aNd THeSe tinY peOple werE suddenly aNytHiNg but.

"Ow!" The fiRSt Arrow lodgeD soMewhere in her AnkLe.

"Ouch!" a sEcoND arroW hiT her kNee.

"Hey! yOu coulD put someoNe'S Eye out WIth—" A thiRD ArRow hIt her in the calf witH A tHWong!

"Ow!" The arrowS felt lIkE BeE STinGs aNd looked liKe CactuS Spines pOSsIBLY diPPed in a poisonoUs brew. The liNE of Tiny meN kEpt BRavely ReloaDiNG, aiMing and firiNg thEir tiny arRows at THeir giaNT target, Her, witH no SigN thaT ThEy WouLd EVer SToP to DIscUss the siTuAtIon anD posSIBLY worK ouT a wiLd strAwberry patch tRucE betWEen The taLl and The sMaLl, so STella rAn.

"WheRe'S the firewood, WenRy?" GeOrge flickEd hIs DisPoSable BUtane lIghTer, SparkinG a flame THat FlARED aNd vanished.

"St-st-st-stUh..." sTElLa stammeRed.

"StuH WhAt?" hE flicked It AgaIn anD THe flaMe flAReD and vaniShed agAIn.

"toOts?"

"St-st-St-StrawbErRieS..." StElla lOOked At them With wide Eyes, aND tried to catch hER breath. "StrawbERrIES."

"STRawbErrIes what?" said georGE.

"Li-lI-li-lI-LiTtlE PeoplE," StelLa STuTTered.

"Little people, SwEeTs?"

"Uh-huH, yeah." stella pointed. "over there, tHEY Shot arroWs at ME, tHEy have tiny cartS!"

"LittLe people," saID George.

"TIny peOple, at leAst fifty, a WHOle villaGe, pIckIng StrAWBeRries, I just saw THEm," StElLa pauseD to Catch heR brEatH, "if We gO bAck we need To bring sHiElDs."

geOrgE lookED genuineLy WorRiEd. IT seemED Wenry Had snAppeD. "MAyBE yoU should LIe DOWn. I'lL gEt The wOod."

"buT don't You wANna See 'em?"

"WeNry, I don't tHinK—"

"you dOn'T bElieve mE?" She pointed at ThE red dots on HeR anKles. "SeE, THat's wherE their arrows hit me." She hopED one of tHe aRrows Was sTill stuck In hEr skin So sHE
 bows with tiny arrows tha t were poi nteddir ect ly  ather.  This was wher e  the ir resemblance to theAmish  e n ded, sh e tho ught; e v er y o nekn ew  th eA mi sh we rea peace ful people , a nd  these tinyp eo ple were s udd enly anythin g b ut.

" Ow !"T he fi rst  arro w lodg e d some where inhe r  ankle . 

"Ouch ! "  A  sec ond arrow hit her kn e e.

"Hey! Youcouldpu t  s o m eon e's  eye out w it h—" A third a r ro w h ith er in the cal f with a th w ong !

"Ow !"  Th e  arrow s fel tl ike  bee stings  and  looked l ike ca c tus spi n es poss ibly d ipp edin a po is ono us bre w .The lin e of tin yme n kep t br a v e l y re loa ding , aim ing and firin g t heir tin y arr ows a t th ei r gia nt tar get,he r, with no sign  tha t they wo uld  e ver  s top t o  discu ssthe  situat ion and pos si b l y  w ork out a wild str aw b e rr y patchtruceb et we e n the ta ll  an d th e small , so St ella ran .

"Wh e re 's  the fi re wood,We nry ?"Georg e  fli cked h is dispo sable butane lighter ,  sparking a f l am e th a t fl are d and vanis hed. 
"St -st- s t- stu h ..."Stell as ta m mered.

"Stuh what? "He fli ckedit again andthe flamef l a red andvani s he d  again.

"Toot s?"
"St-st-st- s trawberr ies.. ." Stell a lookeda t  them wi thwid e e yes , an d tried to ca t c h he rbreath.  "S trawber rie s." 

" Str aw berries w hat?" sa id  G eo rg e.
"Li- l i-li-li- li ttl epeo ple," Stella  stut tere d. 
" Lit tle peo p le , Swee ts ?" 

"U h-h uh , yea h."S tel la poin ted. "Ove r t h ere,  t he y shotarrows at me,  t hey have t in y c arts!" "Littlepeople," said George.
" Tiny pe opl e, at  lea st fifty,  awholevil l age, p icking  stra wb err i e s, Ij u st  sa wthem," Ste l l a p aused  t o ca tch her  breath, "if we go bac k we need tobri ng s h i el ds. " 
G eor ge loo k e d genuinely wor ried. It s ee m ed  Wenry had sna pp ed. "Ma ybe you  shou l d lie d own. I'll  get thewo od." "Bu t don't yo u wannasee 'em?" 
"Wen r y,  I do n't  think —" 

" You d on't b e lie ve me ?" She  p ointed  at t he  red dot s on her ankles. "See,that's  wher e t heir arro wsh itme." Shehope d one of t hearr ows w ass tillstuc k  i n h e r ski n so she
 bows_with tiny_arrows that were pointed_directly at_her._This was_where_their resemblance to_the Amish ended,_she thought; everyone knew_the Amish were_a_peaceful people, and these tiny people were suddenly anything but.

"Ow!" The first arrow lodged_somewhere_in her_ankle.

"Ouch!"_A_second arrow hit her knee.

"Hey!_You could put someone's eye_out with—"_A third arrow hit her in the calf_with_a thwong!

"Ow!" The_arrows felt like bee stings and looked like cactus_spines possibly dipped in a poisonous_brew. The line_of_tiny_men kept bravely reloading,_aiming and firing their tiny arrows_at their giant target, her, with_no sign that they would ever stop_to discuss the situation and possibly_work out a wild strawberry_patch truce_between the tall and the_small, so Stella_ran.

"Where's the_firewood, Wenry?" George_flicked his disposable butane lighter, sparking_a flame that_flared and vanished.

"St-st-st-stuh..." Stella stammered.

"Stuh what?"_He_flicked it again_and_the_flame flared_and vanished again.

"Toots?"

"St-st-st-strawberries..."_Stella_looked at_them_with wide eyes, and tried to_catch_her breath. "Strawberries."

"Strawberries what?" said George.

"Li-li-li-li-little people,"_Stella stuttered.

"Little people, Sweets?"

"Uh-huh,_yeah."_Stella pointed. "Over there,_they shot arrows at me,_they have tiny carts!"

"Little people," said_George.

"Tiny people,_at least_fifty, a whole village, picking strawberries, I just saw them," Stella_paused to catch her breath, "if_we go back we_need to_bring_shields."

George looked genuinely_worried._It seemed_Wenry had snapped. "Maybe you should lie_down. I'll_get the wood."

"But don't you wanna_see 'em?"

"Wenry, I don't_think—"

"You_don't believe me?" She pointed at_the red dots on her ankles._"See, that's where their arrows_hit_me."_She hoped one of the_arrows was still stuck in her_skin so she