Wounded

For Dark Netizen’s  Wacky Weekend Challenge # 4 – Shower

Wounded

Solanj stood in the shower watching the red water sluicing off her body, blood rinsing down the drain. Blood, her blood. Well, not all her’s but still, it was enough. Solanj reached for the anti-bacterial soap and winced at the hot pain in her shoulder.

MONSTER UNDER MY BED PART 5

Read the beginning of the story, part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4.

artwork from pixabay

MONSTER UNDER MY BED

I told him to make himself comfortable while gesturing to the sofa as I continued to the kitchen for the brew. I brought back the good coffee service with two heavy pottery mugs and a plate of small goodies. Perhaps I should have pulled something more substantial out of the pantry, unsure what he’d be able to pick up with those claws. But food was scarce and nothing went to waste so tiny vegetable bits and crackers it was.

I nearly lost the tray when I saw Grimald on the sofa. It looked like he was trying to stuff himself behind the couch cushions. I stiffled a guffaw and placed the tray on the table then seated myself in the chair. Following my example, he righted himself and sat, somewhat stiffly. I took my drink, he took his drink. I got the impression he was unaware of social niceties and happy to mimic my movements.

MONSTER UNDER MY BED part 4

Read the beginning of the story Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

artwork from pixabay

MONSTER UNDER MY BED PART 4

Well, I’ll be a baboon’s backside! That was weird. Even for a mutant witch. I sat on the floor and schooched closer to the bed, bent over until my upside down head was right in front of it.

“Hello. It’s all right, I won’t hurt you,” I called quietly. No answer.

MONSTER UNDER MY BED part 3

Read the first two parts of the story here and here

art from pixabay

MONSTER UNDER MY BED

I had picked up the post on my way inside. Most of it was for Noemei, my roomie and best friend. Our cottage had a small upstairs unit with bed, bath and living space. Downstairs which was my area had the same but included the kitchen and dining areas which we shared. The payments were a bit much for a single person but for the two of us it was manageable. I came across the blue envelope with my name on it that held the rents request. Since I was the one who had found the cottage, it fell to me to handle the payment of the monthly rents. I didn’t really mind, the land manager was a decent enough fellow, if somewhat odd looking. His mutation had rendered him what we refer to as a “monster.” A huge man with two horns atop his head, bluish gray fur covering his arms where they stuck out of his rolled up sleeves and a good portion of his face. Frightful looking, he’s basically a decent kind of guy.

Monster Under My Bed Part 2

More of the short story from my current BWIP

Read part one of the story: Part 1 

artwork from pixabay

MONSTER UNDER MY BED

The next morning, I headed off to my job at the “Wicked Brew,” a coffee house where I add magic enchantments to coffee drinks. You can walk in and order a “triple latte, no whip, extra shot of luck charm” or any other magical charm or potion from the menu. I’m a fair to middlin’ charm and potion master and I love my job there. The pay is lousy but the atmosphere is wonderful and I love Kyna, the owner, and all of the other barristas, human and witch alike. This job is about the only good thing to have come from my move to the big city.

Monster Under My Bed Part 1

Right now I’m in the middle of a time crunch. I’m working 40+ hours plus getting ready for a big vacation/business trip of two month duration. I’m also in the middle of a autoimmune flare so fatigue is a real issue. If I’m less responsive than normal, please just know I’m slammed and I’ll be back soon with lots of exploits. In the meantime, here in short readable segments is the short story inspiration of my current BWIP (Big Work In Process). Thanks for stopping by and reading. ~JPP

artwork from Pixabay

MONSTER UNDER MY BED

It was late and I was tired, soul tired; the kind of tired you get when life has just beat you down. I was tired of struggling, tired of arguing, tired of rationalizing, tired of life uninspired. The rhyme almost made me giggle, almost. Mostly, I was tired of the constant arguing with Axton, the bickering, the questioning, the late nights. The final straw came when he’d not come by or called for nearly a week and then had the gall to show up with a cheap bottle of wine like nothing had happened. I told him to get out, that I was done with his cheating, manipulating ways. I threw the bottle of wine right at his head and that’s when all hell broke lose. The bloody idiot had the audacity to strike me. Well, try to. I saw it coming and threw a rudimentary magic shield up that deflected most of the blow. You see, I’m a witch.

Shara’s Tale – The Beginning Part 3

Read the first 2 parts of the story and the flash fiction inspiration  Shara’s Tale – The Beginning   Shara’s Tale – The Beginning part 2   Ignite

artwork by comfreak on pixabay

Shara’s tears dried and, in an all to mature voice, continued with detached passion. “I worried about them so I crept silently to a spot on the hill where we had watched the villagers come and go for years. They took my parents to the public square. The Magistrate accused them of harboring a witch and told the rest of the people that they must be purified by pain. They tortured them in full view of the village. Elarinya, they cut them and flayed them with hot irons, they beat my father with a club and then stripped my mother naked and flogged her in the square. The people, they watched and did nothing. Some cheered, and some laughed. My parents uttered not a sound, not a cry, not a scream. I could take no more and I pulled my bow. I do not recall the spell I cast upon the arrow but I whispered to it “death to all” and let the arrow of death fly. It struck the Technocrat Centurion who was their torturer through the belly, leaving spray of blood and entrails, then it burst into flame and the entire village exploded. I rushed to my parents, pulled their bodies from the flames but it was too late, they were already dead.” Shara’s head dropped to her chest in defeat.

“What became of the rest of the villagers?” Elarinya asked intently.

Shara’s Tale – The Beginning part 2

Read the first part of the story and the flash fiction inspiration Shara’s Tale – The Beginning,   Ignite

artwork by comfreak on pixabay

Finally, Elarinya made a decision. This human was not like the others. She came closer and made a slight bow. “I apologize for my behavior earlier. Fairies have little reason to trust humans,” she offered by way of explanation. “I am Elarinya, First Fairy of the Eastern Greenwood Forest.”

Shara held out her hand, “I am Shara, the Greenwitch.” They shook hands in the age old manner of friends.

“Forgive me, but you seem terribly young, even for a human. How is it that you are here in the forest, all alone?” Elarinya asked, an edge of suspicion clouding her tone.

Shara’s Tale – The Beginning

This story is the beginning of Shara’s Tale, from the Flash Fiction piece – Ignite
Posting over the next few days for quick reads.

The Fairies’ Witch

Shara looked at the little creature lying on the forest floor. No bigger than a child with delicate blue wings and graceful, elegant features. The fairy coughed, a tearing sound from deep in her chest.

“Twil be all right,” Shara whispered gently. She carefully rolled up her blanket to support the little creature’s head. She walked over to a stump that would serve as her work top. She took her mortar and pestle from a pocket and carefully ground herbs, a pinch of sage, a smidgen of nettle, a sprinkle of feverfew. She chanted as she worked the pestle in a counter clockwise motion.

“Powers of earth and air
help me heal this creature fair
by the power given me
I banish this illness
make it flee.”

With that she put a pinch of the powder into a small bottle, added full-moon water and shook until the potion glowed with a subtle lavender iridescence. Carefully Shara set the bottle to the fairy’s lips and poured the potion down. The fairy stirred for a moment and then fell into a deep slumber. Shara covered her little friend with her shawl and set about preparing small, sheltered, fire.