This week’s Friday Fiction is hosted by the talented Catrina Bradley over @ her blog, Scattered Seeds. Click here to read and join in the fun!
Her angelic face was faintly remorseful as she rolled to her feet covered in
mud. “Sorry, Jeji.” She chirped. “I was bored. Did you bring
food?”
“I know.” He picked the roll up, and carefully set it aside. “You
can feed the birds later, if you want. We shouldn’t waste.”
They ate together in silence.
“Maybe.” He allowed.
She returned the smile, slipping her little white hand in his big, tanned one.
“Yes, please. Let’s.”
Author’s Ramblings: I’ve had this idea knocking around in my head for a while and I’ve made myself take some time off this weekend to write a new short piece, as I’ve been literally itching to put my fingers on a keyboard and let them have at it. This one is titled, The Bad-Luck Girl and is a contemporary fantasy snippet with a young girl named Princess, who literally has the power of bad luck. Really bad luck. To negate it–well, just read on and let me know how you like it. Cheers!
SHORT STORY : CONTEMPORARY FANTASY
The old Thief slunk along the edge of the town,
inching towards where he could use the shadows for protection on his way to the
shadowed forest. It didn’t take him very
long to make his way through the gnarly, low hanging branches and around the blood
bushes, happy little shrubs with sharp bloodsucking points. He found the makeshift
camp in tatters and the little imp in question wallowing in a newly created mud
hole.
inching towards where he could use the shadows for protection on his way to the
shadowed forest. It didn’t take him very
long to make his way through the gnarly, low hanging branches and around the blood
bushes, happy little shrubs with sharp bloodsucking points. He found the makeshift
camp in tatters and the little imp in question wallowing in a newly created mud
hole.
Her angelic face was faintly remorseful as she rolled to her feet covered in
mud. “Sorry, Jeji.” She chirped. “I was bored. Did you bring
food?”
The old thief smiled. “I sure did,
princess.” he began to empty his coat pockets and from beneath the
entire bundle of respectable rags, he drew out food and trinkets to occupy the
little girl.
princess.” he began to empty his coat pockets and from beneath the
entire bundle of respectable rags, he drew out food and trinkets to occupy the
little girl.
“Was it hard?” She asked, reaching for one
of the rolls and grabbing the edge of the napkin instead. She gave it a yank
and caught two in her thin arms before the rest tumbled to the ground.
of the rolls and grabbing the edge of the napkin instead. She gave it a yank
and caught two in her thin arms before the rest tumbled to the ground.
Jeji moved quickly and caught nearly all of them, except
for one. It landed on the muddy ground and both man and child stared at the
last roll.
for one. It landed on the muddy ground and both man and child stared at the
last roll.
“It’s okay.” The girl consoled. She peered
up to see his grizzled face. “Really.”
up to see his grizzled face. “Really.”
“I know.” He picked the roll up, and carefully set it aside. “You
can feed the birds later, if you want. We shouldn’t waste.”
“I know.” She
clapped her hands together. “I like feeding the birds though. They get hungry
too!”
clapped her hands together. “I like feeding the birds though. They get hungry
too!”
“Everything gets hungry now and again.” He said,
softly. “Eat up now, little one.”
softly. “Eat up now, little one.”
“Princess.” She corrected. She took a large chomp
out of the fresh roll in one hand and a small nibble out of the other one. “My
name is Princess.”
out of the fresh roll in one hand and a small nibble out of the other one. “My
name is Princess.”
“And that’s ‘cause you’re a princess.” He tweaked
her nose. “Eat up. Chew it good.”
her nose. “Eat up. Chew it good.”
They ate together in silence.
“Are we going to move again today?”
Princess licked her fingers. She frowned. “Jeji.”
Princess licked her fingers. She frowned. “Jeji.”
He handed her a sugar roll. “Don’t make a mess.”
She ate it and licked her fingers again. This time,
she smiled afterward. “So we going to move?”
she smiled afterward. “So we going to move?”
“Maybe.” He allowed.
“Really?”
“Yes, really.” He smiled at her again.
“Would you like to go for a walk?”
“Would you like to go for a walk?”
She returned the smile, slipping her little white hand in his big, tanned one.
“Yes, please. Let’s.”
So they went for a walk.
They walked through the forest for several miles.
The air grew hot and humid and a light mist began to filter down through the
shelter of trees. They walked on until the lights began to show brighter and
the rain stopped.
The air grew hot and humid and a light mist began to filter down through the
shelter of trees. They walked on until the lights began to show brighter and
the rain stopped.
There were several stops.
When they decided to take a breather, Princess had
accumulated several cuts, scrapes and they’d barely managed to keep what few
belongings they had.
accumulated several cuts, scrapes and they’d barely managed to keep what few
belongings they had.
“We’d better stop.” The thief said, at last. He’d
taken two steps forward and she’d tumbled face-first to the ground with a wail.
“Shhh, hush now.” His rough voice gentled as he gathered her into his arms and
rocked the dirt-streaked bundle in soothing motions. When she quieted, he set
her on her feet and brushed twigs and leaves from her crop of golden curls.
taken two steps forward and she’d tumbled face-first to the ground with a wail.
“Shhh, hush now.” His rough voice gentled as he gathered her into his arms and
rocked the dirt-streaked bundle in soothing motions. When she quieted, he set
her on her feet and brushed twigs and leaves from her crop of golden curls.
“My feet hurt, Jeji.” Princess yawned. She leaned
against him as he carded his fingers through her tangled hair. “Are we there
yet?”
against him as he carded his fingers through her tangled hair. “Are we there
yet?”
“Not sure.” He tugged at one snarl.
“Owie!” She leaned away from the helpful hands. “You
can port from anywhere with a six-foot-clearing of-”
can port from anywhere with a six-foot-clearing of-”
Something cracked and snapped in the distance.
She froze.
He swung her up in his arms and began to back
towards the direction they’d been headed.
towards the direction they’d been headed.
“Jeji?” She whispered. Her arms slipped around his
neck and locked tight.
neck and locked tight.
“It’ll be alright.” He muttered. His grip tightened
on the small body. “You trust me, you hear, Princess? Let me handle this.”
on the small body. “You trust me, you hear, Princess? Let me handle this.”
She sniffled.
“I mean it, little one.”
She whimpered.
Something crashed—a little closer to the duo.
“Brace yourself.” He murmured.
They came.
As if melting down from the leaves in the trees,
they all came. Armed and silent, they took up positions, circling the wary duo.
“Just give us the girl, old man, and you can live!” One masked man spoke up. “Give
her to us—NOW!”
they all came. Armed and silent, they took up positions, circling the wary duo.
“Just give us the girl, old man, and you can live!” One masked man spoke up. “Give
her to us—NOW!”
“She’s not property and she doesn’t belong to you.”
“She’s not yours!” A slender woman spoke up. She
spun a curved blade around her wrist. “She’s a menace!”
spun a curved blade around her wrist. “She’s a menace!”
“She doesn’t do any harm.”
“She does more harm than good!”
“So you would kill her over this?” The thief
snarled. “I’ve kept her out of your way! I’ve kept her away from everything and
everyone.”
snarled. “I’ve kept her out of your way! I’ve kept her away from everything and
everyone.”
“Ah, so you consider your life forfeit?” The masked
fellow reached up and ripped off the mask. His face was a pale shade of grey,
with his eyes mere slits. “You think we’re doing this for-”
fellow reached up and ripped off the mask. His face was a pale shade of grey,
with his eyes mere slits. “You think we’re doing this for-”
“Lieutenant, sir!” The woman stepped forward. “We’re
running out of time, we-”
running out of time, we-”
“Take them!” He roared.
The soldiers surged forward.
The old thief closed his eyes and reached into his
back pocket. Princess wriggled faintly in his arms and knocked the
teleportation rod to the ground. For a moment, he froze. She squirmed. “Sowwy!”
back pocket. Princess wriggled faintly in his arms and knocked the
teleportation rod to the ground. For a moment, he froze. She squirmed. “Sowwy!”
“Hold on.” He swung her around to his back and
whipped out a small brown square. “Stay back!” He warned. He braced himself as
Princess threaded her skinny legs around his waist and loosened the hold on his
neck, so as not to strangle him. The square in his hand glowed and then
expanded to be a thin, flexible rod of nearly six feet.
whipped out a small brown square. “Stay back!” He warned. He braced himself as
Princess threaded her skinny legs around his waist and loosened the hold on his
neck, so as not to strangle him. The square in his hand glowed and then
expanded to be a thin, flexible rod of nearly six feet.
He hefted it expertly in one hand as he shifted his
weight to brace himself.
weight to brace himself.
The fight exploded.
It was hardly fair with the sheer numbers present.
But the old thief held his own for several minutes.
He protected the little girl hanging on behind him and fought with a
viciousness that didn’t seem possible, given his aging visage.
He protected the little girl hanging on behind him and fought with a
viciousness that didn’t seem possible, given his aging visage.
And then it happened.
The lady soldier managed a lucky blow to his head.
He crumpled to the ground with a soundless cry.
Princess scrambled off the fallen body, staring down
at it in horror.
at it in horror.
“Get her!”
“Throw the bindings, now!”
“Hurry, don’t let her get away!”
“Activate the immobilizing-”
Cries filled the air of the Shadowed Forest.
They threw nets and cast a circle of immobilization—a
energy field isolating certain strains of supernatural talent in a single
individual. The bright blue circle flared to life on the forest floor and bands
of blue appeared on the little girl’s hands and ankles. She tore at the lines
of light, frantically. Her head snapped up in time to see the net that sent her
crashing to the ground.
energy field isolating certain strains of supernatural talent in a single
individual. The bright blue circle flared to life on the forest floor and bands
of blue appeared on the little girl’s hands and ankles. She tore at the lines
of light, frantically. Her head snapped up in time to see the net that sent her
crashing to the ground.
A long stick with a glowing red end reached towards
her. She struggled to wriggle away from it until they reached for the old man.
Her blue eyes grew wide and round. “No.” She said, softly. “No-no. Don’t do
that.”
her. She struggled to wriggle away from it until they reached for the old man.
Her blue eyes grew wide and round. “No.” She said, softly. “No-no. Don’t do
that.”
“Hurry! I wanted her sedated and sealed five minutes
ago!” The lieutenant barked. “And get that wretched excuse of a Suridahn
wannabe warrior away from her!”
ago!” The lieutenant barked. “And get that wretched excuse of a Suridahn
wannabe warrior away from her!”
The sedative drew closer and Princess ignored it.
She was transfixed by the soldiers rushing forward to drag away the fallen body
of her protector.
She was transfixed by the soldiers rushing forward to drag away the fallen body
of her protector.
Her eyes flickered from blue to black. Her little
hands clenched into fists. “Let him go!”
hands clenched into fists. “Let him go!”
The net that held her down dissolved to dust.
Princess shot to her feet with a magnificent scowl
painted on her face. “I think,” she began, in a very small voice. “Your luck
just ran out.”
painted on her face. “I think,” she began, in a very small voice. “Your luck
just ran out.”
“Get her!” The lieutenant screamed.
The ground rumbled and shook.
The soldiers began to lose their footing.
She stood there, calmly.
Large cracks began to appear as the ground fell away
to gaping holes and darkened depths.
to gaping holes and darkened depths.
Then the screams began. Yells and shouts and frantic
calls as the very earth crumbled out from beneath their feet. There was no one
to help them. They could not help each other.
calls as the very earth crumbled out from beneath their feet. There was no one
to help them. They could not help each other.
Amidst the confusion, the thief’s body was somehow
returned to her side. Princess simply stared out at them all.
returned to her side. Princess simply stared out at them all.
The lieutenant had turned the immobilization circle
on himself—with an adjustment to keep the ground beneath him stabilized.
on himself—with an adjustment to keep the ground beneath him stabilized.
Her blue-black eyes narrowed to little points. “I
said.” She wrinkled her nose. “Your
luck just ran out.”
said.” She wrinkled her nose. “Your
luck just ran out.”
The circle sputtered and died. The ground fell out
from under him.
from under him.
He didn’t yell.
She didn’t care.
When every figure was gone, then she looked down at
the prone body beside her. “Jeji?” Her eyes flickered back to their normal blue
hue. She dropped to her knees beside him and waited.
the prone body beside her. “Jeji?” Her eyes flickered back to their normal blue
hue. She dropped to her knees beside him and waited.
Nothing happened.
She bit her lip for a moment and then scrambled up
to her feet and slowly backed away. Her body trembled quite visibly as she backed
away and then she turned her back. From there, she closed her eyes and furrowed
her brow.
to her feet and slowly backed away. Her body trembled quite visibly as she backed
away and then she turned her back. From there, she closed her eyes and furrowed
her brow.
The cracks in the ground repaired. The jagged, muddy
crevices sealing up as if they’d never existed, the Shadowed Forest returned to
its original glory.
crevices sealing up as if they’d never existed, the Shadowed Forest returned to
its original glory.
Silence drabbled along.
A long moment later, a rasping cough filled the air.
Princess whirled around and launched herself towards
the twitching figure.
the twitching figure.
The old thief heaved himself up from the ground with
short, awkward twitches. His eyes flew open at the approaching figure and he
opened his mouth to speak. “Princess, be careful when you-!”
short, awkward twitches. His eyes flew open at the approaching figure and he
opened his mouth to speak. “Princess, be careful when you-!”
Their eyes met.
His breath caught.
Her smiled trembled as she looked at him and
deliberately tripped.
deliberately tripped.
He surged up from the ground and threw himself
forward.
forward.
They landed in a tangled, awkward pile.
She giggled.
He breathed a sigh of relief. “That was unnecessary,
little one.”
little one.”
She thumped her heels against his side and then let
him sit them both up. “No it wasn’t.”
him sit them both up. “No it wasn’t.”
“Princess.”
“It wasn’t.” She repeated, stubbornly. “You almost
died, Jeji.”
died, Jeji.”
“But I’m alive.”
“You almost died!”
He kissed the top of her head. “I know you’d never
let that happen.”
let that happen.”
She snorted.
“Don’t do that again.”
“I knew you’d catch me.”
“And if I didn’t? You could get hurt and-”
“I knew you would.”
He didn’t say anything for a long while.
They sat together until the night began to creep in.
He rose from the forest floor and hefted her up in
his arms. “Let’s go.”
his arms. “Let’s go.”
“Where we going?”
“Where are we going.” He corrected, automatically. “We’re
going to find a camp.”
going to find a camp.”
“A real one?”
“No, our own one.” He chuckled. “I think you’ve had
enough excitement for today.”
enough excitement for today.”
She yawned. “Maybe.”
“There’s no maybe there, Princess.”
“I guess.” She settled her head on his shoulder. “Jeji,
don’t die again, okay?”
don’t die again, okay?”
His footsteps faltered and his grip tightened on the
precious armful.
precious armful.
“Okay, Jeji?”
“…okay.”
© Sara Harricharan
A/N: And if you didn’t catch it, by deliberately “jinxing” herself, little things like tripping, falling, etc, Princess keeps the bad luck away–if she creates it, it doesn’t affect her. However, Jeji is special to her, so she has to be creative in keeping him safe. Thanks for reading and do leave a comment, if you can~! ^_^ Happy weekend.