Tibell and Tinkerboo

Once upon a time,

In a kingdom square – not round,

If you grab your pick-axe

And dig straight down and down,

You’ll find a little colony

Of fairies big and small!

There are two in particular:

One short, one very tall.

The small one is Tibell,

Tightly wound just like a screw

The large one is more lazy

We call him Tinkerboo.

Tibell and Tinkerboo – 

The very best of friends!

In the caves in the core of the Earth

The fun began to end.

Tinkerboo and Tibell –

Thus their magic arc begins!

They wave their hands and to God demand

Each a pair of wings.

Tibell’s are round and green,

With emeralds do they drip,

Powerful but expensive,

With a sapphire on each tip.

Tinkerboo’s are darker,

They’re pointy, white and black,

But they shimmer in the moonlight

And they’ll always have his back.

Tibell and Tinkerboo – 

The very best of friends!

Now with tools with which to fly,

The fun will never end.

They fly up to the surface,

They leave their home behind,

As sunlight cracked through dirt

Something new they hoped to find!

And that they do – oh yes, indeed!

A world of light and fun,

They laughed and played for hours,

But their world was yet to come undone.

Tibell said “I love being free!”

And Tinkerboo agreed.

“Can we stay here together forever?”

“If it makes you happy.”

“We must be God’s favourite”

Then the sky started to quake

Lightening struck, thunder clapped

The ground began to shake

A cacophony of noise

Pierced both fairies’ ears

Hope drained from their bodies

Replaced with all their fears

Together they found a hole,

The ruins of a familiar kingdom

The craters, colossal; the damage, infinite.

Their home had all but gone

Tinkerboo – he cowered,

Tibell began to cry,

As they stared out at the rubble,

They had just one thought – ‘why?’

Tibell and Tinkerboo,

The very best of friends,

This new world began to scare them,

The chaos never ends.

Tinkerboo gave Tibell a hug,

Saying “All will be okay,”

But Tibell just grew angry,

Pushing Tinkerboo away.

“How can you say that?”

Tibell screamed, his heart was on his sleeve,

“If you think a hug can fix this,

I think you’d better leave.”

Tinkerboo turned away,

Heaviness rising on his chest.

He stole a breath, stepped to go,

“I think that’s for the best.”

Tibell and Tinkerboo – 

They were the best of friends,

But something was tearing them apart

Will their friendship end?

Things were starting change,

The wings were starting to hurt – 

Tinkerboo and Tibell,

Their arc began to disconcert.

Now, dear reader, here’s the catch,

A rule passed from on high:

The wings refuse to co-exist

For while one lives,

The other must die…

Tinkerboo went into hiding,

He didn’t want to fight,

That was until one day,

His wings – they did ignite.

Dark voices called to Tibell,

Saying bloodshed would help,

His wings cut into his back

Like knives, they made him yelp.

Tinkerboo and Tibell

Needed a plan and quick.

Tinkerboo was burning alive

And Tibell’s body – with blood – was slick.

Tibell and Tinkerboo,

No longer are they friends.

They knew now what they needed to do:

One life must come to an end.

Tibell grabbed his sword,

Immediately on the hunt,

Tinkerboo donned the armour,

Ready to confront.

Tibell swung his sword first,

Aiming for the head,

Tinkerboo, he ducked,

His main emotion dread.

A gash across the thigh,

A cut along the arm,

The fairies did as humans do:

They caused each other harm.

Tibell and Tinkerboo,

No longer are they friends,

They fought until the night came,

The story’s close to the end.

Tibell and Tinkerboo,

They both grew very tired,

Though no longer close

Neither death was really desired.

Tinkerboo threw his hands up,

To Tibell he did surrender.

The moon was high, his wings they glittered,

He’d die in peace and splendour.

But as Tibell raised his sword again,

His hands began to shake.

His eyes were filling up with tears

His heart began to ache.

Tibell and Tinkerboo,

Once the best friends,

Tinkerboo kneeled, closing his eyes,

But Tibell didn’t want to see the end.

Then an idea came to Tibell’s head,

One to solve their plight:

“I will take the day!

And you will take the night!”

“What?” questioned Tinkerboo,

“You must be going mad!”

“Maybe,” Tibell replied,

“But if I killed you, I’d be sad.

While I will rule in sun,

You can rule in dark,

Then we’ll never meet 

Our wings kept separate," Tibell remarked.

Tibell and Tinkerboo,

Once the best of friends,

Now forever must be kept apart,

Their friendship’s at its end.

So Tibell played in sun,

With wings of blue and green.

He loved the mountains and the forests

And the waterfalls so serene.

Tinkerboo played in darkness,

With wings of black and white,

He loved the caves and quietude:

The master of the night.

So, reader, here’s a question:

Are soulmates even real,

If they are never truly found,

Only earned through an ordeal?

You see, Tibell and Tinkerboo,

They were always more than friends,

They were as the moon and sun are:

Tragic soulmates ‘til the end.