EXCERPT:
LIFFEY RIVERS
and
THE MYSTERY OF THE SPARKLING SOLO DRESS CROWN
When Liffey's eyes opened again, she saw two men
wearing white jackets with large EMT letters. They were kneeling
next to her on the Jig Stage floor.
Louise, the concierge, was also kneeling next to her on
the floor. The floor! Was she on the floor? "What in the world am
I doing on the floor?" Liffey was stupefied.
She tried to explain to the EMT men and Louise that she did not
know why they thought she wanted to be lying on the floor and
that if she did not get to the next stage right away, she might miss
her Slip Jig, and she could not miss it because it was her best shot
at getting a first place today since she had totally messed up her Jig.
And could they all please just stand aside, so she could just go and
do her Slip Jig, because it was her favorite step, even though she
probably did her Jig step better, and she might actually be able to get
her Solo Dress if they would just let her go!
"What is your name?" asked one of the EMT men.
Liffey looked at Louise for the correct answer. Louise said nothing.
Certainly Louise knew who she was because her father had hired Louise
to walk her to and from her room today. So why didn't Louise tell them
who she was?
Louise remained mute. "O.K.," grumbled Liffey. "O.K. I can do this.
This is a total no-brainer. I will tell you who I am. I am the River Liffey,"
Liffey said matter-of-factly. "I am not the River Shannon."
The men stared blankly at Liffey as she continued: "You know!
I am that river in Dublin, not the other one."
"I see," said one of the white-coated men looking at Louise and
the other EMT with a fixed frown on his face. "May we speak with your
mother or father?" the man continued.
Liffey began to explain that her mother was above the fireplace at
home and her father was in Chicago today when Louise finally spoke up.
"Let's put her in the Arch room while I find a wheel chair to get her to
the nurse's station. I"ll call her father and let him know what happened."
Liffey was surprised when she was lifted up by the two men and
placed on a mobile stretcher. "Why am I on a stretcher? This is
ridiculous!" Liffey objected.
Liffey knew that she was going to have to recover her extensive
vocabulary quickly if she were ever going to get away from these white
coats and make it to her Slip Jig Stage in time to dance.
"Did I hit my head when I fell?" asked Liffey, back in control again.
Book 5: In the Shadow of the Serpent
