Alight – Photo-Fiction #14

Alight Seven years ago… She’s a slave with a mark on her shoulder, in an illegal lumir mine worked by children but in her mind she’s free of this boulder, with the boy whose iridescent green eyes captured her heart. He’s special, finds gems like none she’s ever seen; it makes the foreman happy, so he spares them, his brother–tyke– clinging to Green Eyes. Later, she’s dreamin’ somethin’ made of light, goodness and right. It’s filling her up and carrying her to Green Eyes;  in her hand’s a gem so bright, he must have it; protection it confers. It belongs to the boy with the green … Continue reading Alight – Photo-Fiction #14

What Do You Want to Be?

What Do You Want to Be? “When you grow up, what do you want to be?” Sarn listened to the boys talking, his own answer clear; if given a choice, he’d be a Guardian of Shayari, his own master too, not subject to others’ whims. He’d right wrongs, defend the weak, save the meek. In short, he’d not be intendured, nor grim. Below, knights sparred in bright armor that creaks. Then his son’s voice captured his attention. “I’ll be like my Papa, when I grow up.” After that stunner, Ran smiled and motioned Sarn to join them, though he was all grown up. As for me, … Continue reading What Do You Want to Be?

Lockdown

Lockdown Branches twisted, twined, knotted, connecting each enchanted tree to its neighbor; roots ripped free of earth, through gaps interweaving, forming a barricade from crown to roots, that spanned a thousand feet into the air, sealing off its hinterland, keeping penned malformed creatures who eat magic. They spare no one; they kill all they encounter; penned they do no harm; their teeth made to rip flesh, not bark; their poison’s useless and their eyes don’t mesmerize plants. Keep their neighbor’s flesh whole, keep the Magic One safe, that’s the prize. So the enchanted forest’s on locked down; no one enters, nothing leaves that lock down. … Continue reading Lockdown

Not a Fan: Pumpkin Chuckin’

Pumpkin Chuckin’ (Hear, ye! Hear ye! You’re invited to: The First Annual Chuckin’ of Pumpkins at Mount Eredren, Shayari Presented by Mount Eredren’s Ranger Core Judged [under duress] by its commander, Jerlo Come one; come all and have a ball!) ~ ~ ~ How’d I get into this situation? Jerlo wondered as his Rangers built trebuchets and catapults from odd bits at stations on the green. ‘Team building’, no way, it’s play- time for adults dressed up as ‘team-building’ and it cost him a day’s worth of patrols. A day for the forest to play, boding ill for people stupid enough to stroll about an … Continue reading Not a Fan: Pumpkin Chuckin’

Light the Wreath

Light the Wreath (picks up after Faith ends) Ran cracked the door open, peered though to rule out mischief in the living room. Standing there Nolo, Inari, their son Nerule, in a small circle, with Nolo talking, “…livest and reignest forever. Amen.” Nolo nodded; his son hesitated. “Put the purple one in; we can eat then.” “I’m not the youngest child,” Nerule stated. He nodded to Ran who spied all this through a door cracked open. “Ran should do this now.” “What’re you doing?” Papa asked though he knew. Or maybe he didn’t ’cause he joined Ran now. Like a protective wall, he … Continue reading Light the Wreath

Faith

Faith “…he needs faith,” Nolo said, “in something, my God, any god, it would help a great deal.” “Faith takes time,” his wife replied, “meetings by friends who introduce…don’t make a big deal out of it if he refuses to come.” Footsteps. “So I shouldn’t invite him to church?” “I just meant if he says no don’t succomb to anger. Please don’t sour him on church.” Ran crawled out from under the low table pushing his ball, wondering what ‘faith’ meant while they left for the place with that label. He waited, but didn’t ask what they had meant. He’d go ask Papa; this was an adult thing, so … Continue reading Faith

Black Friday at the Low Market

Black Friday in the Low Market Sarn glared at the black cloth strip in his hands. Light-tight, once tied its weave would hide his eyes, suppress their glow, allow him to withstand the low market crush and not jeopardize his son who would be his eyes for this trip. Now tied, his vision cut off; his magic took over, gave different eyes equipped with a detailed map of the illogic that abounded inside Mount Eredren. “You take too long. We go now.” Ran tugged on Sarn’s trouser leg. “I lead.” Ran unfastened the door and started into the hallway, his promised outing … Continue reading Black Friday at the Low Market

Letting Go

Letting Go Five years ago… He faced the window, Mount Eredren’s lord, author of all Sarn’s pain, eyes on distant sights, his back to the shadowed nook where bored death waited in a teen hands. The instant the Lord’s guards left, Sarn crept ‘cross star shined floors, shadow-silent, knife shaking, poised to pierce that last barrier. Full-circle once more, victim becomes the killer; shock pierces anger, knocks him back a step, makes him think. Killing the Mount’s Lord won’t unwound his soul, unbreak his bones, undo abuse. Sarn shrinks, he’s no killer; he’s an innocent soul. “Why didn’t you strike me down?” the mount’s lord moaned. “Because it … Continue reading Letting Go

Working Thanksgiving in

Working Thanksgivng in Darkness choked the magicked forest; a light kindled here and there to trick to travelers but not the patrolling Rangers whose sight ignored the forest’s enchanted feelers. Sarn shoved away an inquisitive branch, looked about for evidence of distress. Another boring watch with not a branch out of place and still more hours in this press. “Why’re we out here? There’s nothing happening,” he complained batting a thin bough aside. “You want to hear Thanksgiving’s beginning?” Nolo asked; he sped up to walk beside making conversation possible ‘gain. The trees leaned to listen to talk of men. ~ ~ ~ Sarn nodded, stepped o’er a recoiling … Continue reading Working Thanksgiving in

Staircase to Nowhere

Staircase to Nowhere A stone staircase curved as it ascended in the Enchanted Forest miles away from anything. Into air it wended. Sarn approached and a hush fell..Run away, his sixth sense screamed. A strange light burned silver above where the stair plucked from a mountain stronghold ended in nothing. Shivers disturbed the branches’ weave above, often signifying nothing, but winds passing. A malevolence settled like night’s chill on that dislocated stair focusing. Sarn circled it, his sixth sense’s warning shrill. Ascend and see what happens or go back, return to the search for the lost boy’s track? ~ ~ ~ Sarn stood there ’till a hand grasped … Continue reading Staircase to Nowhere

Pour Some Sugar on my Pie

Pie Making Inari surveyed her kitchen  and smiled. Lumir glowed red in its grate for baking, stone counters gleamed and a four year old child sat in silence arranging rocks, making patterns on the stone floor. Miren had gone to school, so also had her son Nerule. Nolo and Sarn both worked nights; sleep had drawn them in that morn. Waking Sarn would be cruel, so off to market she went, a withdrawn child in tow. Quiet he stayed, no ‘whys’trailed her through the aisles, his curiosity blunted but by what? That morn Sarn had sailed in, spent time with Ran in amity, before she’d chased him to bed; … Continue reading Pour Some Sugar on my Pie

Whispers in Stone

Whispers in Stone Thirteen years ago… Sarn chased sparkles dancing in tides washing the shore. He lifted rocks seeking their shine. Rocks rubbed his soles, sun warmed him, water sloshed his breeches, his numb fingers caught that shine. A spark blossomed in the smoky stone heart. it winks, changes to blazing lips that speak. Sarn shrugged, pressed the rock to his ear in part, copying the kids with shells. The rock speaks words that tumble like pebbles down a hill. Its cadence soothed him; he discerned one word out of the tumult which bounced ’round until it fired his magic and out burst that word: “Lumir,” he said, naming, giving a shape to potential, allowing light … Continue reading Whispers in Stone

Thankful Son

Thankful Son Ran listened; his uncle argued trouble but Papa ignored that; he’d decided. Papa’s words formed a warm, happy bubble. He was thankful for Ran, who sat beside. Ran hopped from table onto Papa’s lap. “I’m thankful for you too,” he said through tears. He recalled his mom, who left like a slap– leaving a sting that still caused tears and fears for Papa who had a dangerous job. Papa talked in his sleep and Ran listened. “You’ve still got me. I’ll won’t leave you, don’t sob. It’s okay to miss her,” Papa tightened the hug squeezing out a smile, not tears. Papa’s assurance chased … Continue reading Thankful Son

Thanksgiving Plans

Thanksgiving Plans “Why do we have to celebrate this year? We didn’t last year,” Miren grumbled, tossing graphite sticks at the paper stack too near a cheerful four year old, who sat browsing. Ran’s ears were pricked for interesting talk. “Why change? Why do you want to celebrate?” “Because things are better,” Sarn broke off. Chalk that up to change. He no longer berate fate or himself for his failings; his son was happy; his bro went to school and that was enough to be thankful for. He’d won some respect and he should celebrate that. “Nolo invited us and we’re going.” Miren glared but he didn’t … Continue reading Thanksgiving Plans

Thankful

Thankful “Do You know what I’m thankful for?” Sarn asked. “No,” Ran said, walking beside, hand fisted in his father’s trouser leg. They walked past many statues as the tunnel twisted, but the question kept his son from straying even though the lad’s fingers itched to trace the stone folded, imitating cloth draping. Quiet wrapped them up and kept the slow pace. “What you thankful for?” Ran asked, when Sarn failed to say. Sarn smiled at his son, “can’t you guess?” Ran’s brow furrowed as the lad tried and failed to work it out. “You tell me, I not guess.” Sarn scooped … Continue reading Thankful