[Note: I was pleasantly surprised when the first Milo and Meg sneak peek, two months ago, quickly became the most widely read and shared post in the entire 7-plus years of Simple Displeasures. Here is another little preview. But PEOPLE...PLEASE, remember, this book will not be ready for everyone to read until something like a year from now. Anyway, enjoy. -PW]
The first time they had arrived in Icarus, a week earlier, panic had come over both Milo and Meg.
Still feeling like your normal self, but looking down to find that you have become a drawing, can cause shock and confusion.
The second time they came they barely had time to think about it before a large winged creature swooped down out of the sky and tried ot attack them.
This time they knew better.
They ran quickly along the edge of the watercolor forest, to Nanette's small hut, knocked on the door, and nearly dove into the hut as Nanette opened it.
"Thank goodness!" Nanetter said, closing the door as quickly as she had opened it. "We were afraid we had lost you for good."
"What's going on?" Meg asked.
"Someone's been erasing us," Nanette said.
"Erasing..." Milo looked horrified.
"The mountain in the distance," said Nanette, barely able to keep her voice steady. "One day the peak was gone. Missing. The next day it was completely re-drawn, taller than before." Nanette paused and took a breath before continuing. "And Wolf..."
"Wolf." Meg sounded worried.
"I don't know where he is. I think he was erased. We're all so scared."
"What can we possibly do?" Meg asked.
"We hoped you would have some ideas," said Nanette. "I mean, you come from the solid world. You are constant."
Milo and Meg looked at each other and shared a silent moment of confusion.
"Here, have some tea," Nanette said, setting a cup in front of each of them.
Meg looked at the cup for a moment. It was a drawing of a cup, not a real cup.
Everything in Icarus was either a drawing or a painting.
That watercolor forest outside, the blues, greens, reds, and yellows...
In here, though, in Nanette's hut, everything was pencil lines.
Pencil lines can be erased.
Meg picked up the cup and looked at the swirling steam that rose from the hot tea. A thin pencil line of steam seemed to draw itself up out of the cup and into the air.
[There will be another preview or 2 of Milo and Meg during the coming year, but don't expect them every month. I'll do a couple more as the year moves along.]
-Peter Wick
March 15, 2019
