Three Word Wednesday: Abrasive, Loss, and Handful

“This way!  Come on!  Jack pulled Libbie’s arm with one hand as he shoved the window open with the other.

“Hope the fire escape is…aww man.”  Libbie looked down and saw what Jack already knew.

“We’re going to have to jump aren’t we…I Hate it when we have to jump!”  Libbie turned away from the window.  “They’re coming!”

Jack pulled Libbie through the window. “Ouch, my head!” Libbie held the top of her head.

“Sorry!  Ready?”

“No, but not much choice is there?” The ladder that used to be part of the fire escape in the abandoned apartment building was gone.  At least they were only on the second floor.  The alley below was full of trash and Libbie hoped they landed on something soft.

“Tuck and roll, right?  Jack kind of chuckled and then leapt.

“Oh crap.” Libbie followed and hit with a thud.  Not soft enough….there was blood dripping from her forehead where she hit the edge of the window sash and she rubbed her ankle as she stood, testing it.  She grabbed Jack’s hand and they ran.  Jack held his other arm close to his side but there was no time to worry about that now.  The wraiths were coming.  They needed a place to hide.  They ran to the street lights and people and wove through the crowd.

“Down there!” Libbie pointed at another alley across the street. She could feel the wraith searching on the edge of her thoughts.  They were close.  She pushed Jack into a doorway. There was only a handful of seconds before the wraith would be right on top of them.

She stood in front of him, holding the darkness around them.  She willed him to be still, hoping that they would pass by.  They would have made it too, if she hadn’t already been weakened from running. They passed so close she could smell them and just as they cleared the alley entrance one of them stopped and turned. She felt it’s slimy mind probing, like nasty abrasive fingers sliding through her brain. She tried to stay silent, to keep herself closed off but it broke through and it felt like knives stabbing her head.  She raised her hands to her head as she dropped to her knees.

The blast of magic must have lit up the sky for miles.  That was her last thought before it all went dark.

Libby woke up. There was nothing but pain and darkness. She half sat and felt around in the dark. Her hand touched a lump covered in fabric.

“Jack?  Jack are you okay?”

The lump groaned.  He was alive.  Libby flopped back down, relieved. She took mental inventory.  Every inch of her felt bruised and her head was pounding, but she was all there.  Wherever there was.

Jacks hand moved against her side.  She reached down and held it.  He squeezed and she squeezed back.

“Ya, me too. We have to figure out where we are.”

“I know. Do you remember anything?” Jack started to sit up and grabbed his head, laying back down.

“After I was mind raped?  Not really.  We’re still alive though, so they must have something more planned than just getting rid of us.  Can you move?”  The headache was receding a little.  Libby started stretching and flexing her muscles.

“I think so.”  Jack rolled over on his side. “They’re waiting for the full moon.  I don’t think we can count on a five star meal or anything.  I wish I could see. It’s dark as hell in here.”

Libby held her hand up and even though it made her head feel worse, she concentrated. A small ball of light appeared in her hand.  They were in some kind of cellar.  The only window was blocked by something from the outside. The walls were damp and moldy looking which accounted for the horrendous smell. A couple of mildewed cardboard boxes sat in the corner and there was plenty of evidence that the main inhabitants were spiders.  They were on the floor at the bottom of a rickety looking staircase.  The bruises she was starting to feel were probably the result of being “helped” down the steps. There was a gallon jug of what looked like water next to them.

“Guess they don’t want us to dehydrate…”

The lightball crackled and went out.

“Better rest for a bit.  I don’t think we’ll miss viewing the decor.”  Jack reached out in the dark for Libbie’s hand and folded her fingers closed.

“Well my powers didn’t help us much in that alley, did they?” Libbie slapped her other hand on the floor, frustrated.

“But we know something we didn’t know before.”

Libbie turned to his voice.  “What the hell do you mean?  That they can beat us up and toss us into a basement?  How does that help?”

“We know they are physical. If we had just been warped here or whatever you want to call it, we wouldn’t be all banged up now.” Jack sounded a little smug.

“I am still at a loss as to how knowing they can kick our asses all the way to a basement can be helpful.” Libbie was tired, sore, and getting a little tired of Jack being so obtuse.

“You may have the magic but I sure would like to see what happens when human fist connects with the face of whatever…what are these guys?”

“Wraiths…I hadn’t thought of that.  I always thought they were more like ghosts or something.  It’s not going to do much good if they can shut down our minds, though.”

Jack sighed.  “My brain wasn’t shut down. I watched you go out of it just as one of those ghouls slammed me and next thing I knew I was slung over what I think was a shoulder and tossed down here.  You on the other hand…Jeez Lib, you scared the hell outa me. You held your head and screamed and I swear I watched your eyes roll up in your head. You were muttering some kind of gibberish and then you just went limp.”

I tried to remember and couldn’t.  There was something right on the tip of my…
“I do remember something!  Just before everything went dark.  I could feel them in my head.  I was concentrating on us staying hidden from their sight when I should have waited and shielded. That’s what the book meant about learning to shield! I have to keep them out of my head”

Jack squeezed my hand in the dark again.  He must have heard the fear and disgust in my voice.  “You can do this.  If you can keep them out, we might have a chance. Rest a bit and I and then we’ll check out those boxes on the other side of the basement.  There has to be something we can use as weapons. I really want to kick some ghoul ass”

Libbie held her hand up again.  “Better go look now.  They could come back any time.”  She lit up the basement and scooted over to get a little cover in the stairwell.

In the glow of the light ball, Jack crawled to the boxes and dragged them over to where Libbie sat.  They opened them and found mostly dishes and jars.  Jack kept digging around and pulled out an old wooden box.  He opened the box and whistled, smiling at Libbie.  “Silver….”

Three Word Wednesday CCXXV

conniption; noun: a bad tantrum. One has a conniption or conniption fit.

janky; adjective: broken or functioning poorly or improperly; messed up.

scooch; verb: to move over, or to scoot.

“Scooch over. Is that a Dr. Pepper?” Tara picked up my drink and took a pull on the straw.
“What?  Don’t get all sour-faced. I’ll buy you another!” She set my drink back down, now defiled with her signature shade of “Party Pink” lipstick. Tara couldn’t help being dramatic.  I barely finished that thought when she sighed loudly and and leaned  against the back of the booth, hard enough to make it creak. She wasn’t fooling me, I knew she was very aware that sitting that way thrust her breasts out.  She glanced around, to see if anyone was watching.  Her dark shoulder-length hair fell over one side of her face and curled around her chin perfectly. My boring light brown hair always seemed to stick out at odd places. Of course, all the guys in the place were looking. They always did. It was lunchtime and half the construction workers in town ate at Lulus.  It wasn’t gourmet but the portions were huge and the coffee pot never got empty.

“Would you stop already?  Do you have to do that?”  I tried to whisper but I should have known better.  Tara liked attention.

Tara rolled her eyes while checking out her reflection in the napkin holder. “Well don’t have a conniption fit.  Honestly Kate , sit up straight.  Why don’t you do something with your hair?”  She reached out and pushed my hair back from my face.

“Shhh!  Do you have to talk so loud?”  And leave my hair alone.  It’s fine the way it is!”  I should have been used to it but she still made me feel like I dressed right out of the Salvation Army store.  I picked up my purse and stared pointedly at her.

“Alright.  Alright!  Don’t be like that.  I’ll be good.”  Tara smiled and gave me that look that she thought was sincere and would make everyone forgive her.  We had been friends since grade school and I wondered at least once a week, why I put up with her. Well actually I knew.  Nobody knew Tara the way I did.  She was, well…her life had not been easy so far.  She tried to act like she didn’t care about anyone or anything, but that wasn’t close to the truth.

“I thought you were shopping this morning.” Tara was always shopping.  She constantly complained about the lack of variety in Newton.  She dreamed about moving to the city.

“I was.  Arielle told me they were supposed to get a shipment in Friday but the truck never showed up.  Same old stuff.” Tara bit a french fry. When she reached for another I slapped her hand.  “Don’t you ever buy your own?”

“You know I am on a diet!”

Not that it mattered.  Tara had more clothes than anyone I knew and she didn’t need to diet.  She was a perfect size six.

“The reason I stopped was to tell you the news!”  Tara’s dark eyes were wide and I knew whatever she had to say would probably mean trouble for me.  It usually did.

“What now?” I sighed and rolled my eyes.  I could plug my ears, but it would just stave off the inevitable.

“There’s a party tonight at the quarry!  Barrett Evers is going to be there!  Now, don’t look at me like that.  You know I have been trying to get him to notice me ever since he moved to town.  This is the perfect opportunity!”

Tara had crushes on half the boys at Newton High and she had dated most of those.  Nothing long term though.  She was easily bored.

“You know we have a history test and my mother still hasn’t gotten over the last party you talked me into.  I was grounded for a month!” I sat back and put both hands on the table, trying my best to look determined.  I don’t know why I bothered.  The janky leg on the booth wobbled as Tara got up.

“I will pick you up at six.  Wear something sexy and for God’s sakes, fix your hair!”

Tara flipped her hair out of her face and turned and limped out the door, her leg brace creaking as she popped her hips. The construction guys quietly turned back to their plates, suddenly busy with their meals.

I put my head in my hands.  It was going to be a long night.

Three Word Wednesday CCXXIII moist, yelp, harmless

This is for my friend Matthew – get well soon!

Long ago, when dragons still roamed the earth and magic was everywhere, there was a perfect kingdom, nestled in the southern realm. Austonia was beautiful and there was plenty to eat and beautiful sights, but the most beautiful place was the castle where prince Mateo lived with the the wise and kind King and Queen and his younger brother.

Mateo was a brave prince and loved the King and Queen and his baby brother and he had a very good life.  He was kind and liked to learn and was growing taller and smarter every day.

Sometimes even the luckiest prince has some bad things happen and one day a dragon appeared outside of the castle. Mateo, being a brave prince, knew that he would have to be strong to defeat the dragon.  He put on his cloak and slipped outside the castle gates with his sword and a bag of magic potions that the wizard had given him.

The dragon was big with gold and green scales and mean black eyes.  His tail was huge with spikes on the end. He was spitting fire at the castle and scorching the beautiful stone walls.  Mateo yelled at the dragon to stop and the dragon was so shocked that he turned and stared at Mateo.

“Who are you that you should yell at a dragon.  You are small and I will have you for dinner! You should run now so I can chase you.” The dragon was very tall and towered over Mateo.

Mateo stood his ground though he was a little frightened. “I am prince Mateo and I am not running away, dragon.  I am afraid but I can be brave!”

The dragon screamed so high and so loud that it shook the walls and hurt Mateo’s ears. Mateo reached in his pocket and opened the bag of magic.  He took out a small bottle and drank it.  His ears felt better and he smiled at the dragon.  This made the dragon very angry and he slapped at Mateo.  Mateo ducked and the dragon was not able to grab him but he scratched Mateo’s eye.  It hurt and Mateo let out a yelp.  He was scared but he reached in his magic bag again and took out another bottle.  He put some moist, magic potion in his eye and it still hurt a little, but Mateo could tell it was getting better.

“I am still here dragon!  The dragon was so angry that he spun around and jumped up and down and Mateo stuck out his sword.  The dragon was so busy jumping up and down and making the ground shake that he didn’t see the sword and he landed right on it.  When the sword pierced the dragon’s great scales he made a hissing sound and flew around the outside of the castle shrinking until he was harmless and the size of a little green bug and Mateo quickly stepped on him and he was gone.  Just then the castle gate opened and there stood the king and peering from behind him was the lovely queen holding the baby prince Wyattello.

“Mateo you have saved the castle!  You are a very brave young prince!”  The King and Queen hugged him and took him inside to the royal kitchen where he had a huge bowl of chocolate ice cream and cake.