Dark Frog Angel

“So explain the change thing to me one more time, why I gotta kiss you?” five year old Cierra said wrinkling her nose in confusion. She sat next to my pond in the back of her school by the play ground every day during recess.From her yawning, rubbing her eyes, and carrying on, I could tell Cierra had not gotten enough of her afternoon nap; she really just wanted to go back to sleep.


“Okay, one more time honey.” I croaked smoothly clearing my slimy throat. “All handsome frogs, like myself, that live in small ponds, like this here, sit out waiting for a young princess like yourself, to come and give’em  a quick peck on the old kisser. Cause if we are able to get that magical peck, it’ll transform us from being old, sly tricksters- ,I mean, old, handsome frogs into young, handsome princes. Now Cierra, all you gotta do is put your lips together and dive in honey. Besides, you wouldn’t wanna deprive your old slick friend of a chance to stretch his legs would ya?”

Quickly scanning the playground with my double wide vision, I fixed my eyes on a juicy mosquito… mmm… mosquito.  Noticing my digression, I flexed my slick hand on her finger. I hadn’t lost my dark, fervent ability of persuasion through touch. Today is the day. I know I’m gonna walk outta here a real man…immortal.

“Are you sure I’m a princess Mr. Ribbert? I mean, I’m not dressed like one, and I don’t think it will work on the
count of me not being a princess.”

“Well now, you just said that your momma calls you her princess every now and then, now doesn’t she?”

“Yes…but”

“–And mommies don’t lie do they?”

“Well….sometimes when”

“-okay then, you just go right ahead.”

“-But”

“Look honey, you don’t think that all those fairy tales: The Frog Princess, Princess and the frog, and Sleeping Beauty, were just some made up rubbish to trick little girls into kissing slimy frogs, do ya?”

“Sleeping Beauty never kissed a frog.”

“That’s not the point!” – I clear my throat then put on a soothing voice. “I mean Cierra, if you want to help me, and you do wanna help me, don’t you?”

“Yeah”

“Then you would do it!”

I knew I had her then, so young, so naïve, and so hopeful. I gave her a sly wink, made a quick swipe of the tongue for lunch, and hopped up on her knee.  She didn’t even notice that the bright yellow tulips in front of her immediately grew brown and limp at my touch. I fixed her with my moist, endearing eyes, and said in the most charming way, Pleeaase!

“Okay Mr. Ribbert!”

“Call me Ribbert.”

“Okay Ribbet.”

This one might be a bit on the dim side. I suppose.

I broadened my smile, "thanks honey.” Then she bent down to kiss me.

“Cierra, recess time is over.” Her tall, skinny teacher Mrs. Turner yelled.

Opening her eyes, Cierra began breaking out of her dazed state. Oh, no you don’t! I thought. It took me too long to con you into this. You’re not dooming me to another ten years in this small swamp, Mrs. Turner. I made a jump for it, poking my green, wet lips out stealing a kiss. She liked it cause she kissed me again.

“Thanks,” I croaked and jumped off into the bushes.

"What were you doing over there Cierra? Stay away from that dirty pond! Snakes are over there."

"Okay, Mrs. Turner," she cried sympathetically knowing she was in trouble.


While I shuffled through my uncomfortable transformation of becoming a dark angel again, I laughed. It feels good to be my old self again. Standing upright, I swaggered out of the schools backyard, turning everything that I touched into death, like only the Dark Lord that I am can do. Chuckling again in my immortal voice, Mrs. Turner had better watch out, banishing an immortal dark lord isn’t as easy as she would like to believe.

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