June introduces us to a new Write, Edit, Publish
Challenge. I’d like to thank Denise Covey and her team of awesome writers,
Laura, Nilanjana and Olga for their combined efforts in running this bloghop.
Well done ladies.
The challenge this month is Caged Bird. Tell a story
in 1,000 words or less. Post pictures or a poem. Good luck to everyone who is
submitting their work. And for other writers reading, it’s not too late to
participate.
For my story of Caged Bird, it continues the saga of
Primrose. If you haven’t read about Primrose yet, you can read the two stories
I’ve already posted below, Stealing Pearls followed by Primrose and Anvil. Or, you can click on Faerie Tales in the pages above and read all three in order. Her
story will be completed next month, so be sure to come back.
Caged
Bird
Primrose twirled, her faerie wings flapping hard. The
ruby and emeralds embedded in her forehead and cheek caught the moonlight that
reflected off the human lake. Her giggles floated above her like bubbles in
multiple colors. She touched down, tipping her toes in the waters as she danced
in the middle of the lake.
She
was safe, at night, in the massive forest. There were human cabins here and
there, but none were close. She waited until the humans were all in bed and if
anyone was camping, she flew to the opposite side of the lake.
Her
tight curls were in the shape and color of primroses. Her faerie dress tonight
was midnight blue. She’d come here by accident the first time. When she flew
from the faerie portal, she’d said “trees” and ended in the middle of this huge
forest. The trees even dwarfed the humans. Curious, she came every day for two
weeks until she found the lake, which she named, ‘Glorious Pond.’ In order to
return to it from the portal the lake must have a name.
Not
that it was a pond. No, it was a lake that stretched for leagues.
She
swallowed a few giggles which made her giddy with happiness. Then she noticed
movement by the shore. She stopped and hovered mid-air. Whatever it had been
was gone. Probably a deer. She’d seen a herd of the beasts earlier and landed
on the nose of one of them. It sneezed and she flew up, laughed and touched her
wand to its forehead. The deer reared from the ground before crashing back
down.
There
was only one drawback to the lake and forest. No one brought their precious
items from home. She’d inspected all the cabins. No jewelry boxes, no bracelets,
necklaces, earrings or anything else. One cabin had an impressive display of
fishing lures, but they didn’t tempt her.
Something
shiny caught her eye in a tree close to the beach where she’d seen the deer.
Curiosity floated up her faerie limbs until it reached her nose. She tweaked the
tip of her nose and then flew across the waters to the shore.
The
shiny thing seemed to float just under a tree limb. Primrose looked this way
and then that. No humans, no deer. A raccoon crept out on the other side of the
shore. Somewhere, a terrible stench reached her. It must be a skunk.
I’m
safe. She flew toward the shiny object to discover a metal bird cage. The dome
of the cage came down and was secured in a wooden base. Is it iron or copper?
Inside the cage was a bar
held up with links to the top. Once, in her travels to this human world, she’d
seen a bird cage and she knew that the creatures would perch on the bar. She
tapped it to test that the metal wasn’t iron. All faeries hated iron.
The door to the cage
lifted up to expose an opening. Primrose flew inside. She stood on the bar,
then sat and began to swing. Her laughter pinged against the metal making
music. Then a bang. She flew from the bar and turned. The door had slammed
shut.
Fear sped along her
nerves. She flew to the door and tapped it with her wand. A dull thud told her
the horrible news. It was made of iron. She couldn’t get out.
A loud noise caused her
to cringe and cover her ears. Voices. “Look.” “We got it.” Two children
arrived. A boy and girl.
“Oh, see how pretty she
is?” The girl said.
“I’ll feed it to my
praying mantis.” The boy grinned.
“Better not.”
The boy took the cage
down and handed it to the girl. “What will you tell mom?”
“I’ll hide her.”
“She’ll find it sooner or
later, Gretta.”
Gretta slugged her
brother in the arm which caused the cage to move with violent force and even
turn over. Primrose was thrown around like a pile of seeds. When it was over,
one of her wings was torn. The pain made her gasp.
“Be very quiet.” Gretta
had her face close to the cage and peered in at her. “Oh, you’re hurt. How do I
fix it?”
Primrose stepped as close
to the cage bars as possible. “You can’t fix it. Let me go.”
Gretta’s face pinched
with a frown and pressed lips and then changed to a grin. “You can talk. What
are you?”
“I am faerie. If you
don’t let me go, others will come and curse you.” She knew they wouldn’t curse
the children or any human, but Primrose herself would be in big trouble.
“What’s a curse?”
“That’s when my kind
changes you into a fish.”
The child opened a cabin
door. It was dark inside. Her brother led her up the stairs. His flashlight
illumined wooden walls, a deer head, a door and a bedroom. Gretta turned on the
light as her brother left and shut the door. The bright glare of the overhead
fixture blinded Primrose for a moment.
Gretta knelt, and shoved
the cage under her bed. “You have to sleep now. Tomorrow we’ll play.”
A moment later, the light
off, Primrose heard Gretta climb into bed, cover herself and whisper something
against her pillow.
Primrose lay down on the
wooden floor of the cage discouraged. Perhaps something would come to her in
the morning and she’d free herself.
Word Count 909
Did you like this story? Feedback is always appreciated.
Nancy
To read other stories submitted for this challenge, go
here.
