fat?ma

21 / egyptian american /certified crazy bird lady / ex crazy cat lady / slow writer trying to change

[tikkunolamorgtfo]

LMAO I just found out that it’s Stress Awareness week.

[catgirlcaliphate]

Mission accomplished, I am certainly aware of stress.

[toomztoom]

prompt #2

forest spirits like to kidnap lost children and raise them as their own

[toomztoom]

prompt #1

person A: a music box?

person b: yes a music box . it only works in the hands of a direct descendant of the royal family 

[toomztoom]

magic

For six long, agonizing months, the CFSB–Civil Force of Supernatural Beings–have been chasing down one of the most cunning and dangerous criminals they have ever encountered, who’s actions threaten to expose the entire supernatural world to mere humans. Catastrophic, to say the least. The supernatural should be kept a secret at all cost; there was a law for a reason. Not only for the protection of the supernatural themselves, but for humans as well. If word got out, who knows how the humans would react or what they’d do. The criminal went by the name of Idor, a wizard, who discovered how to convert magic into a drug you could either drink or take as a pill. Whoever took the drug could literally change their reality and destiny, for either better or worse. This power shouldn’t be in the hands of mortals, and yet Idor decided to sell the drug to them anyway. It made sense as to why he would sell to them, though. Humans are very curious creatures, and not only that, but they’re greedy. They will do and take anything that makes them feel powerful and in control. That’s definitely not what the CFSB needed. People are now getting hooked on it. Addicted to the power that the drug gave them. Without breaking a sweat, someone could become a millionaire in only a second. Someone could take over a country if they wanted without anyone stopping them. Someone could destroy lives and get away with it. Yet no one knew where they were getting the drug. If you found people who were willing to admit they had it, they still wouldn’t give up who their dealer was. If you asked, they’d simply shrug and walk away. No one could track Idor. No one could arrest him. Until now. Andrew Woolf and Aurora Hunter were incredibly lucky today. At the CFSB headquarters, the agents were tipped off about the ludicrous wizard’s where-abouts. As soon as they were given the news, they were rushing out the door, dropping everything they were doing. Idor was fast, but not fast enough. After a long and tiresome chase, they were able to arrest him. Now, they stood in the interrogation room, glaring daggers into the cocky wizard sitting across from them. He was being stubborn, which Andrew expected, but it was starting to grind on Aurora’s gears. “I’ll ask you again, Idor: what was your motive? Were you that desperate for money that you decided it would be just fine and dandy to possibly expose our world to humans?” Aurora was so mad, you could practically see the fire coming out of her nose and ears. Well, not in the literal sense this time. Being a fire elemental, Ms. Hunter was just as beautiful as she was dangerous, with an incredibly short and firey temper that could kill you if you weren’t careful. Idor simply smirked and leaned back in his chair, enjoying the reaction he was receiving. This only angered her more, which in turn made Idor grin from ear to ear. Andrew, a skilled bowman covered in powerful tattoos with grayish white eyes that were rumored to see through walls, decided to take a stab at some questions and maybe let Aurora cool off. “We have evidence that leads straight to you, pal. It would be wise of you to confess on your own rather than us force it out of you. It’d be a lot less painful on your part. Trust me.” Idor laughed in a snarky manner. “I’m not guilty; all your evidence is inconclusive.” Smoke plumed out of Aurora’s mouth as she started to shout, her hands setting aflame. “Inconclusive? Do you realize what you’ve done to us?! The humans are addicted to what you’ve created! They want more of it! If they try and find out who made the drug, they’ll be led straight to our world! Do you have any idea what you’ve DONE?!” Andrew pulled Aurora aside, trying not to burn his hands on her skin. “Calm down, Aurora,” he whispered, “give him a chance to willingly confess one more time. And if he doesn’t, then I’ll settle this. Alright?” This seemed to bring Aurora’s boiling rage to a simmer. “Alright.” He patted her shoulder before turning his attention to the wizard behind him, crossing his arms and scowling in the process. “Idor, listen: this is your last chance. Just confess! If you do, we can lessen your sentence significantly. Just say you were the one who made the drug and sold them to humans, and in doing so threatened to expose our kind. It’s that easy.” Idor smirked again. “Magic isn’t a drug. You can’t get hooked on it; only hooked on the fact that you could turn every ‘no’ in your life a 'yes’.” Well, it wasn’t a confession, but they were getting somewhere. “So you admit you made it, then?” Aurora asked hopefully. The wizard shrugged and crossed his arms, leaning back in his seat again. The agents looked at each other for a moment, silently agreeing on the same decision. Once more, they looked at the wizard, and the elemental spoke. “My friend is going to take your hand. The tattoo on his hand will turn blue if you’re telling the truth, and red if you’re lying. Simple enough, right?” At this, the wizard grew weary, making Aurora smile with glee. Andrew took Idor’s hand and closed his bright eyes. The wizard felt a shift in the air. Beads of sweat began to form on his head, dripping down his nose and chin and onto the table. His lungs felt heavy, making his breathing sound labored. Nausea began to build in his stomach, and tears in his eyes blurred his vision to the point of blindness. Idor thought that focusing on something help, and decided that the tattoo was good enough. The tattoo was of Lady Justice, her pale figure moving in a hypnotizing way. Her hair and clothes swayed as if wind were hitting her, and the scales she held in one hand teetered back and forth uncontrollably. In her other hand, she gripped a sword tightly, which was pointing towards what would’ve been the ground. To his shock, everything became still. She slowly removed her blindfold, a look of quiet anger in her features. She stared into his eyes and through his soul as she began to turn from a shade of pink into a firey, hellish red. Idor’s mouth went dry as he continued to stare back into her eyes. “Well,” Andrew pulled away and showed Aurora his tattoo, “we got our answer.”

thank you @thependragonwritersguild for your inspiring promts

[toomztoom]

rage

Rage. The never ending inferno that replaced the space in her chest where her heart used to beat. The flames being the only things that fueled her body. The burning fires yearning for a place to escape out of her throat and into the air. The fire desperately begging her to give them liberation. The want to rid this rage pushing her to find what they--she--wanted. Freedom.

She lived like she wasn't living. Trapped in her own house and unable to see people outside the little bubble of her cage. A prisoner while everyone could explore the world. See what it offered. She could only watch from the inside, being an inmate not only physically, but mentally.

They were everywhere. In her mind, in her reality. In her skin and flesh and bone. They were inside her and outside her and all around her and the only thing she was able to see. No freedom from whatever they were. The only escape for her would've been death, but would it have been death if she wasn't living in the first place?

No, no it wouldn't have been. She had so many things to do. Dreams, ambitions, plans! She couldn't just die and leave them there for no one to pick up. She had to do them. But the fact that she couldn't made her angry. She couldn't escape. She couldn't find freedom if she were trapped alone with them in this house. She couldn't have a life.

And so rage replaced the hole of her heart. Burning brighter than any star, but with no one to see it.

[toomztoom]

magic

For six long, agonizing months, the CFSB--Civil Force of Supernatural Beings--have been chasing down one of the most cunning and dangerous criminals they have ever encountered, who's actions threaten to expose the entire supernatural world to mere humans. Catastrophic, to say the least. The supernatural should be kept a secret at all cost; there was a law for a reason. Not only for the protection of the supernatural themselves, but for humans as well. If word got out, who knows how the humans would react or what they'd do. The criminal went by the name of Idor, a wizard, who discovered how to convert magic into a drug you could either drink or take as a pill. Whoever took the drug could literally change their reality and destiny, for either better or worse. This power shouldn't be in the hands of mortals, and yet Idor decided to sell the drug to them anyway. It made sense as to why he would sell to them, though. Humans are very curious creatures, and not only that, but they're greedy. They will do and take anything that makes them feel powerful and in control. That's definitely not what the CFSB needed. People are now getting hooked on it. Addicted to the power that the drug gave them. Without breaking a sweat, someone could become a millionaire in only a second. Someone could take over a country if they wanted without anyone stopping them. Someone could destroy lives and get away with it. Yet no one knew where they were getting the drug. If you found people who were willing to admit they had it, they still wouldn't give up who their dealer was. If you asked, they'd simply shrug and walk away. No one could track Idor. No one could arrest him. Until now. Andrew Woolf and Aurora Hunter were incredibly lucky today. At the CFSB headquarters, the agents were tipped off about the ludicrous wizard's where-abouts. As soon as they were given the news, they were rushing out the door, dropping everything they were doing. Idor was fast, but not fast enough. After a long and tiresome chase, they were able to arrest him. Now, they stood in the interrogation room, glaring daggers into the cocky wizard sitting across from them. He was being stubborn, which Andrew expected, but it was starting to grind on Aurora's gears. "I'll ask you again, Idor: what was your motive? Were you that desperate for money that you decided it would be just fine and dandy to possibly expose our world to humans?" Aurora was so mad, you could practically see the fire coming out of her nose and ears. Well, not in the literal sense this time. Being a fire elemental, Ms. Hunter was just as beautiful as she was dangerous, with an incredibly short and firey temper that could kill you if you weren't careful. Idor simply smirked and leaned back in his chair, enjoying the reaction he was receiving. This only angered her more, which in turn made Idor grin from ear to ear. Andrew, a skilled bowman covered in powerful tattoos with grayish white eyes that were rumored to see through walls, decided to take a stab at some questions and maybe let Aurora cool off. "We have evidence that leads straight to you, pal. It would be wise of you to confess on your own rather than us force it out of you. It'd be a lot less painful on your part. Trust me." Idor laughed in a snarky manner. "I'm not guilty; all your evidence is inconclusive." Smoke plumed out of Aurora's mouth as she started to shout, her hands setting aflame. "Inconclusive? Do you realize what you've done to us?! The humans are addicted to what you've created! They want more of it! If they try and find out who made the drug, they'll be led straight to our world! Do you have any idea what you've DONE?!" Andrew pulled Aurora aside, trying not to burn his hands on her skin. "Calm down, Aurora," he whispered, "give him a chance to willingly confess one more time. And if he doesn't, then I'll settle this. Alright?" This seemed to bring Aurora's boiling rage to a simmer. "Alright." He patted her shoulder before turning his attention to the wizard behind him, crossing his arms and scowling in the process. "Idor, listen: this is your last chance. Just confess! If you do, we can lessen your sentence significantly. Just say you were the one who made the drug and sold them to humans, and in doing so threatened to expose our kind. It's that easy." Idor smirked again. "Magic isn't a drug. You can't get hooked on it; only hooked on the fact that you could turn every 'no' in your life a 'yes'." Well, it wasn't a confession, but they were getting somewhere. "So you admit you made it, then?" Aurora asked hopefully. The wizard shrugged and crossed his arms, leaning back in his seat again. The agents looked at each other for a moment, silently agreeing on the same decision. Once more, they looked at the wizard, and the elemental spoke. "My friend is going to take your hand. The tattoo on his hand will turn blue if you're telling the truth, and red if you're lying. Simple enough, right?" At this, the wizard grew weary, making Aurora smile with glee. Andrew took Idor's hand and closed his bright eyes. The wizard felt a shift in the air. Beads of sweat began to form on his head, dripping down his nose and chin and onto the table. His lungs felt heavy, making his breathing sound labored. Nausea began to build in his stomach, and tears in his eyes blurred his vision to the point of blindness. Idor thought that focusing on something help, and decided that the tattoo was good enough. The tattoo was of Lady Justice, her pale figure moving in a hypnotizing way. Her hair and clothes swayed as if wind were hitting her, and the scales she held in one hand teetered back and forth uncontrollably. In her other hand, she gripped a sword tightly, which was pointing towards what would've been the ground. To his shock, everything became still. She slowly removed her blindfold, a look of quiet anger in her features. She stared into his eyes and through his soul as she began to turn from a shade of pink into a firey, hellish red. Idor's mouth went dry as he continued to stare back into her eyes. "Well," Andrew pulled away and showed Aurora his tattoo, "we got our answer."

thank you @thependragonwritersguild for your inspiring promts

[toomztoom]

All it takes is a drop of your blood and she can read your future.

I should be in my house right now… All cuddled up in bed under a nice, big, cozy blanket with my warm laptop in my lap. But instead, I’m out here in the forest, trying to find this so called fortune-teller who–allegedly–lives in a cabin in these woods.

Let’s get one thing straight: I never believed in magic or any sort of ridiculous fortune telling in my entire life. However, my friend was someone who believed in this junk. She’d always spin these silly tales of how she “found this fairy who had an attitude in her backyard” or a “gnome colony who lived under the school”, so it didn’t surprise me when she pulled me aside one day, gushing about some other magical thing. This time, it was about a fortune-teller she had gone to, saying that everything the lady had told her came true. She urged me to go see her, shoving a crumpled piece of paper in my hand.

I brushed it off and said I was busy, shoving the paper in my pocket and pushing it into the back of my mind. That night, though, I couldn’t get it out of my head. My curiosity, per usual, began to gnaw on me. As much as I was skeptical, I was also somewhat gullible. I had even gone far enough to go to the school and dig up that supposed gnome colony in the middle of the night. I kept thinking about it for weeks, before finally caving into my curiosity.

And now, here I am, trying to follow the smudged directions on the sheet of old paper. The woods were thick, and the fallen trees and heavy vines that hung off them were difficult to maneuver around. I squinted at the paper, trying to see in the dim light from the moon, before looking up hopelessly at my surroundings.

… I think I’m lost…

I checked it again, reading the useless instructions. “Go north until you fined a burned oak tree…”

My heart practically leaped out of my chest as a crow cawed, announcing his presence.

“Damn you and your mother, you scared the shit out of me.” I muttered, putting a hand to my chest to calm my nerves. The forest was beyond creepy. Especially at night. Once again, I squinted at the paper before continuing on my way, trying to ignore the crow’s watchful eyes drilling into my back. My shoes crunching the dried leaves and twigs under my feet was all that could be heard in the night. There was no animal to be heard, as if they were too scared to say anything. That is… If any animals were around. My palms began to sweat, soaking the paper that was in my fist.

As I walked deeper into the depths of the woods, the air around me grew colder and colder until I could see puffs of my own breath. The thin, summery clothes I was wearing did nothing to protect me from the weather. My breath hitched as I spotted a massive flock of crows staring down at me from their perch with their piercing, beady eyes. They all stood on an old, scraggly oak tree, which looked like it had caught on fire long ago. One of the birds cawed, flapping its wings, before diving down towards me. The others answered its call by screeching and swooping down with it, aiming their sharp beaks and claws at my neck.

I yelped in terror, before covering my head and running as fast as I could away from their beating wings. Some successfully scratched my arms and pulled my hair, while others tried pecking my shoulders and back. I cursed my curiosity.

Leaves began to crunch all around me, as if creatures were chasing me. My eyes started to play tricks on me, forming the trees into snarling monsters that reached out to grab me, and making shadows form into wandering devils. The caws grew louder the faster I ran, and the leaves above rustled while the trees moved back and forth. There wasn’t even any wind.

A thick fog covered my feet as tears threatened to fall down my eyes, both elements making it difficult for me to see. This gave the thorns on the forest floor an opportunity to scratch at my dark skin, leaving streaks of blood on my legs. I begged quietly for this to be over; to go back home and pretend this never happened, for the sun to bathe my body in its glow, or even for my crazy friend who sent me on this journey in the first place.

I run into a clearing and stop, almost like some sort of force was holding me back from going further.

Everything was dead.

The trees had stopped swaying, the leaves weren’t rustling, and the crows had all disappeared, like they were never even there. In the clearing stood a cozy little cabin, a swirl of smoke flowing out of the chimney and into the peaceful night. I watched the cabin as I took in gulps of air, realizing that it wasn’t cold anymore. In fact, it was rather nice outside.

I walked carefully to the cabin, taking a critical look at the steps. They were so old, they seemed as if they would collapse right then and there. I put my right foot on the first step, adding a bit of pressure to it to make sure it was stable. It groaned from my weight, but felt like it would stand just a little longer. I walked up the rest and knocked three times on the door, listening to a wind chime quietly sing as it swayed in the breeze.

I jumped as the door opened, a lady who appeared to be in her forties standing behind it. She had tan skin and a long, brown dress, and dreadlocks fell all the way down to her hips. In her hair, sparkly jewels and various beads kept her dreads together.

Her face morphed from a skeptical frown to a warm, pleasant smile. “Ah! There you are. I was wondering when you’d finally get here. Come in, come in! Oh! But before you do, wipe your feet on that mat, would ya?” Her voice was coated in a thick Irish accent.

She shuffled away from the door, and like she had told me to, I wiped my feet on the mat before entering the cozy home. In all honesty, I imagined a table with red cloth and a goofy, crystal ball being the only thing inside, like in the movies. Instead, I was greeted by a very nice living room. The walls were covered by shelves, housing books older than time itself. Small antiques were keeping the books company, and a red carpet laid on the floor. Sadly, time was not merciful to it, and it certainly looked its age.

A couch and two love seats sat in front of a roaring fire, which found its home in the fireplace. A coffee table was placed in front of the couch, and on top of the table were two fancy, white tea cups with blue flower designs delicately painted onto them. Oddly enough, they were placed upside down.

“Sit with me, my dear.” Said the lady, taking a seat herself and folding her aging hands in her lap. “Tell me why you have come here.”

“I thought you knew, considering you’re a fortune-teller.” I told her as I sat in the seat opposite her.

“Ah, yes, of course, of course.” She waved her hand. “Your friend came here a few weeks ago, I gave her her fortune, everything came true–obviously–and now you want your fortune told after she told you about this. Am I missing anything?”

I gaped, my eyes wider than saucers.

“Close your mouth, sweet heart, the flies are starting to come back now that it’s spring.”

I shut my jaw. “N-No. No, you’re not missing anything…”

“Good.” She smiled. “Your friend has a very bright future ahead of her, dear. She’ll be very successful one day.”

I nodded, not sure what to say.

“Now,” she clapped her hands once, eyes widening as she beamed, “you came here to get your fortune told, so let’s waste no more precious time.” She picked up one of the cups, removing a pin from her hair. “May I see your hand, sweety?”

I held it out, assuming she was going to read my palm. She placed the cup in her lap and grabbed my wrist, aiming the pin at my finger. I yanked my hand away.

“Whoa! What are you doing?” I exclaimed.

“I’ll explain when I’m done, deary. You humans tend to run away after I explain, so it’s just easier if I do my thing before I tell you. Now please relax and give me your hand.”

I swallowed nervously, but obeyed, holding my hand out once more. She held my hand again and pricked my middle finger with the pin, letting my blood drop into the cup. When she decided that it was enough, she let go of my hand and looked down into the delicate China.

The atmosphere in the room changed from warm to cold in a snap, the fire tuning blue and purple and sending cold sparks into the air. She began whispering something under her breath, her hands squeezing the precious cup. Her eyes moved around wildly as she stared down into my blood, looking at something I couldn’t see. The fire began to roar, and everything in the room quaked, many books falling to the floor with a pile of dust following, and many antiques smashing on the ground.

The lady in front of me was in a seizure like state, gasping as her eyes rolled to the back of her head, her head itself falling back and hitting the seat hard. She dropped the cup, letting it shatter with the other items. Blood from inside the cup splattered with the shards. The lady began to shake as my blood became red mist, floating up to the ceiling and forming a picture above our heads.

People were huddled around each other, comforting themselves as their sobs rang out in a haunting way. Someone screamed in agony.

I yelped as the lady in front of me fell to her knees, glaring at me and whispering in a hoarse voice, “… Get out.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “W-What?”

The lady snarled and stood, grabbing my shoulder in a fierce grip. “GET OUT! GET OUT OF HERE, AND NEVER RETURN!”

She shoved me out the door, making me fall down her old steps. I looked up at her, my arm bleeding from the fall.

“If you ever set foot near my cabin again, I will curse your entire family line!” She warned, before slamming the door with such a great force, the welcome mat shuttered.

I took a few deep breaths as I stood, trying to calm myself. I began to cry again, scared out of my wits. “I-I shouldn’t have c-come here…” I sniffed.

The wind chimes sang as they danced in the breeze, being the only sound that could be heard besides my sobs. When I calmed down enough, I wiped my tears and looked at the trees…

Before I began to walk home on

thank you @character-prompts for the inspiring prompt 

[that-phat-chic-deactivated20200]

This is the Baby Money Yoda, reblog in the next 60 seconds of seeing this to receive a blessing from our green bean prince.

[thependragonwritersguild]

Prompt #11728

“I never thought I’d see real stars again.”

[thependragonwritersguild]

Prompt #11602

“The flames began telling a story as the log fed the campfire.”

[toomztoom]

She looked of archaic magic

Hooves kicked up the soft surface of the white snow, leaving shallow holes in the ground. Four horses ran in the cold night, the rhythmic sounds of metal from the saddles following the powerful beasts. The lead horse carried the king himself on his dark, muscular shoulders. The other three carried trusted guards on their haunches. They galloped out of the castle walls and out into the unprotected land, the horses’ heavy breathing echoing in the darkness. The moon illuminated the night sky and shined down on the horses flanks. The king and guards pushed their horses a little past their limit. Time was precious now, and they couldn’t afford losing it. They needed to reach the cottage.

The woods could be seen in the distance, encouraging the men to move their horses faster. One of the guard’s horses nearly tripped as the guard kicked the horse’s hips. The king’s strong horse sent snow and dirt flying with it’s powerful hooves, it’s black coat shining in the moon. It was by far the most beautiful out of all the horses, but not only did it have beauty, it had strength and courage, making it the best war horse out of them all. As they reached the forest, they slowed to a halt, the king observing the twisted trees.

“We need to be back by sunrise!” The king bellowed, his breath puffing into clouds.

The guard’s replied with a quick, “Yes, your majesty.”

They let their horses catch their breath for a minute.

“Your majesty?” Requested Odin, one of the guards.

The king looked over his shoulder at the guard in the back of the group.

“What shall we do if she doesn’t agree, sire?”

There was a hesitant pause.

“Odin,” the king said at last, “let’s pray she does.”

They yelled and kicked their horses back into action, although none of them were eager to enter the dark woods. The witch in the forest gave everyone shivers. No one dared speak her name, let alone mention her.

Thick evergreens stood tall and hid the skyline. Snow covered every branch of every tree, just waiting to collapse to the ground. The snow covered the ground like a white blanket. Everything looked dead.

As they made their way deeper into the woods, the lush evergreens were soon replaced with plants that resembled burnt sticks. The snow was now bare, showing the dead and shriveled plants on the forest floor. One of the horses whinnied.

The air shifted, and if possible, became even colder than before. The wind batted and scratched the guards’ faces, doing no justice to the horses, either. In the corner of the king’s eyes, he could spy shadows running along with them, but he knew not to pay them any mind. Laughs could be heard in the distance. Screams and scratches filled the frosty air, even though there was nothing alive here.

No one dared step foot near her.

The men hopped off their horses and tied them to a hopefully sturdy tree branch, checking to see if their weapons were somewhere they could reach.

“She’s close by.” The king warned. “Whatever you do, do not provoke her.”

The men took the rest of their journey by foot, all becoming uneasy as they spotted the cottage. The king knew what would happen if she were to be provoked, making his heart race with dread. But he had no other choice.

They breached the tree line and entered the clearing.

The cottage was old and run down, with weak wood as support beams and pests as guards. A pang of guilt shot through him. ‘She’s been living like this this whole time…’ He winced. Two giant trees stood tall and proud on either side of the cottage. They were the only trees with leaves and strong branches, while the others in the forest were rotted away and lifeless.

They got closer to the cottage, keeping note that the clouds began to grow dark and swirl above their heads. The king glanced at the sky just in time to see lightning strike the two trees. The men jumped in surprise and took a few steps back, expecting the trees to catch on fire. However, nothing happened.

Confused, they stood there, watching them and glancing over at the others nervously. The king took a step forward, before retreating again as the trees began to groan and creak, writhing and shaking in their place. Their roots began to protrude out of the ground, slithering like snakes on the forest floor. Some of their leaves fell to the ground as one of the trees used it’s roots to stand up. The other soon followed, shaking dirt off itself and standing tall.

There was a pause. No one dared move as the living trees stood still. The king held his breath.

The tree on the left swung its branches like fists at the group, flinging dirt up in the air as it crashed into the earth. The men were lucky enough to be able to throw themselves out of the way before impact. The other tree grew its branches out of its trunk like spikes and spun, sending up a dust storm. The dust got in the men’s eyes, temporarily blinding them. A thud and a scream of agony came from one of the guards.

“Simone!” Yelled Roth, watching his friend get flung into the air and thrown into the woods. The guard ran after him, avoiding the spikes of the tree as it unleashed them in different directions.

The king ducked and watched the spikes fly overhead, knowing he shouldn’t have brought himself into this situation. He shouldn’t have brought anyone into this situation. He rubbed the painful dust out of his eyes and stood before the trees, shaking with fear. “Hey!”

The trees turned to him, rearing back in preparation of attack.

“Wait! We mean your mother no harm!”

They froze.

“Please, we need her help! She knows who I am! She’s the only one who can help… I’m begging you, let us pass!”

The trees hesitated, before relaxing, turning to each other as if they were speaking through a language no mortal could comprehend.

“Kaal, Shoc! That’s enough, my lovelies. Go back to sleep.” Said a soft voice behind the trees.

Roth came back supporting an injured Simone, who was dripping crimson from his right leg and arm. The men watched the trees go back to their spots in the ground, their roots digging into the ground once more. They shook as they got into position, becoming dormant once more.

The king turned his attention to the lady in front of him, his heart dropping as he gazed at the women he had known long ago.  

The only parts of her body that were showing was her head, feet and hands, all covered in unnatural tattoos that glowed and moved and changed colors on her skin. If the women were to take off her ripped, worn dress, the tattoos would be there too, swirling and shifting in magnificent ways that were almost hypnotizing to watch. Her curly red hair was tangled and matted, and her rosey cheeks had turned to gray. Her eyes were dark–oh so dark and stormy. Anguish and hate filled those beautiful gray eyes… It wasn’t fair.

Archaic magic coursed through her veins as bright as day. A magic that has been long forgotten, for it was a dangerous art that no one wanted to try, let alone master. It was so dangerous, in fact, that many ignorant people believe it to be a curse… One of the reasons why the king banished her in the first place. He was blinded by fear and his own selfishness when he exiled her, believing that she would attempt to overthrow him. He knew she would win that battle, so he threw her into the woods, decreeing that if she were to step foot in the castle walls, she would be beheaded.

However she dared not lay a finger on him. She had loved him oh so long ago, and though he was cruel to her, she still did. She loved him with all her black heart. She never wanted anything more than his love. She didn’t care to rule, or to be wealthy, or even wear a single jewel from the castle’s treasury. The women just wanted to be by his side.

Before he was crowned king, and when his father ruled, Gerald had known and loved a beautiful healer who lived in her own quarters of the castle. Levana was her name. Known throughout the whole kingdom for her kind yet witty heart and her amazing gift. She was the only healer, so she lived in the castle, where she was needed most. There, Gerald and the healer’s friendship started when she moved in.

Right after she got settled, the prince fell ill with a horrible flu and was bedridden for days. Levana was ordered to heal him, or the king would personally kill her. Of course she didn’t care about his threats. She knew she would be able to take anything he threw at her.

Levana knocked on the mahogany doors to the prince’s room, waiting for them to open from the other side.

A maid answered the door, her thick, graying hair secured in a tight bun and her eyes tired with worry. “Are you the healer?”

“Who else would it be?” Levana pushed the maid aside, walking to the prince’s bedside. She looked about the room and scoffed, thinking it absurd to have such a large room. 'What a waste of space…’ A lavish bed sat in the middle of the room, big enough for a family of ten to sleep in. There the prince laid, looking nearly dead with his hollow eyes, pale skin, and shallow, ragged breaths. Levana pulled up a chair and got comfortable, before holding the prince’s weak hand.

The maid choked on her saliva, petrified. “Y-You’re not allowed to touch the prince!”

“If the king wants him alive, then I must.” She spat with a glare.

The maid flinched, holding her hand to her heart, before cowering into a far corner.

“That’s what I thought.”

She held his hand with both of hers, the veins under her skin beginning to give off an eerie, golden glow. The color spread like wildfire, and soon she was brighter than a bonfire, her eyes clouded and smokey white.

Sweat began to drip off her forehead, but she paid it no mind. Healing someone took an extreme amount of energy, and it wasn’t uncommon for a healer to die during the process. She could feel her life force getting sucked out of her, and she began to gasp for air. The prince’s temperature began to lower, and his appearance became healthier. His eyes fluttered open, and the healer yanked away, drenched in sweat as her heart pounded like a war drum. The fog clouding her eyes cleared, and her veins returned to their original state.

“The… The prince…” Levana panted, “is… is healed… The king may see… see his son, now…”

The maid scurried away.

Gerald groaned, catching the healer’s attention. He lolled his head to look at her, his eyes half lidded tiredly. The prince examined her for a minute, before a tired smile formed on his lips. “Thank you…”

She smiled back. “My pleasure…”

“Levana,” king Gerald whispered in a hoarse voice as his eyes began to tear up, “what… what has happened to you?”

“What did you expect would happen when you exiled me? I’d live in a magnificent castle?” She snorted, grinning in disbelief.

He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again, before repeating the same action again and again. Finally, he said, “You shouldn’t have used black magic.”

She snarled. “It wasn’t black magic! It was *archaic* magic. Very old and almost extinct.”

“Never mind. Levana, the reason I came here is for your help. Not to fight.”

She laughed maniacally, throwing her head back. “Help you?!Why would I help you? You threw me out of my home because you were stupid enough to think I’d overthrow you! I didn’t even care about a throne, I cared about you! I loved you, Gerald!… But what did you do? Exile me because you were too cowardly to do anything else.”

He took a step back, ashamed in himself. “Please, Levana, the kingdom is under great threat. The Giants claimed war; we stand no chance!” He got on his knees and grasped her hand, looking into her eyes pleadingly. “Thousands of lives will be lost! I know you don’t want that to happen. Please, I’ll give you anything, just help!”

She stared down at him, cocking her head to the side in thought. “Anything, you say?”

“Yes, anything!”

A grin spread on her face, and the king’s eyes widened as he gulped in fear. She knelt on one knee to meet his eyes, smirking as she patted his hand. “I heard that you finally have an heir. An only son among many daughters.”

His hand began to shake under hers.

“I’ve been thinking about having an apprentice for some time, now.” She continued. “I will help you… If you let him live with me so I can teach him magic, and once he is thirteen, we shall both move into the castle, and he shall be crowned king. Do we have a deal?”

The guards looked at the king. Surely he wasn’t selfish enough to give away his only son for a war and to continue being king… Could he?

“… How have you become so heartless? Taking my only son away from me!” He began to sob.

“You took my life, home, freedom, and love and threw me in these dark woods alone! This is merely  delayed justice.”

Pain was written all over his face as he looked down, his thoughts reeling.

“May I remind you, your majesty, that the giants are merciless and will easily wipe out your kingdom. As well as that, there are no other beings that will willing help you, seeing that half of the races on this world are against you. The only way you’ll survive,” she put a finger under his chin and lifted his head, forcing him to meet her eyes, “is if I step in and stop all this.”

He avoided her gaze, contemplating. 'If I agree we could stop the war… I could have another son in the future…’ he greedily thought. He looked back up at her, tight lipped. “I agree.”

She hummed and kissed his forehead, standing up. “Very well. Send him tomorrow, and I will give you all the help you need.”

thank you @character-prompts for the inspiring prompts 

[toomztoom]

All it takes is a drop of your blood and she can read your future.

I should be in my house right now… All cuddled up in bed under a nice, big, cozy blanket with my warm laptop in my lap. But instead, I’m out here in the forest, trying to find this so called fortune-teller who–allegedly–lives in a cabin in these woods.

Let’s get one thing straight: I never believed in magic or any sort of ridiculous fortune telling in my entire life. However, my friend was someone who believed in this junk. She’d always spin these silly tales of how she “found this fairy who had an attitude in her backyard” or a “gnome colony who lived under the school”, so it didn’t surprise me when she pulled me aside one day, gushing about some other magical thing. This time, it was about a fortune-teller she had gone to, saying that everything the lady had told her came true. She urged me to go see her, shoving a crumpled piece of paper in my hand.

I brushed it off and said I was busy, shoving the paper in my pocket and pushing it into the back of my mind. That night, though, I couldn’t get it out of my head. My curiosity, per usual, began to gnaw on me. As much as I was skeptical, I was also somewhat gullible. I had even gone far enough to go to the school and dig up that supposed gnome colony in the middle of the night. I kept thinking about it for weeks, before finally caving into my curiosity.

And now, here I am, trying to follow the smudged directions on the sheet of old paper. The woods were thick, and the fallen trees and heavy vines that hung off them were difficult to maneuver around. I squinted at the paper, trying to see in the dim light from the moon, before looking up hopelessly at my surroundings.

… I think I’m lost…

I checked it again, reading the useless instructions. “Go north until you fined a burned oak tree…”

My heart practically leaped out of my chest as a crow cawed, announcing his presence.

“Damn you and your mother, you scared the shit out of me.” I muttered, putting a hand to my chest to calm my nerves. The forest was beyond creepy. Especially at night. Once again, I squinted at the paper before continuing on my way, trying to ignore the crow’s watchful eyes drilling into my back. My shoes crunching the dried leaves and twigs under my feet was all that could be heard in the night. There was no animal to be heard, as if they were too scared to say anything. That is… If any animals were around. My palms began to sweat, soaking the paper that was in my fist.

As I walked deeper into the depths of the woods, the air around me grew colder and colder until I could see puffs of my own breath. The thin, summery clothes I was wearing did nothing to protect me from the weather. My breath hitched as I spotted a massive flock of crows staring down at me from their perch with their piercing, beady eyes. They all stood on an old, scraggly oak tree, which looked like it had caught on fire long ago. One of the birds cawed, flapping its wings, before diving down towards me. The others answered its call by screeching and swooping down with it, aiming their sharp beaks and claws at my neck.

I yelped in terror, before covering my head and running as fast as I could away from their beating wings. Some successfully scratched my arms and pulled my hair, while others tried pecking my shoulders and back. I cursed my curiosity.

Leaves began to crunch all around me, as if creatures were chasing me. My eyes started to play tricks on me, forming the trees into snarling monsters that reached out to grab me, and making shadows form into wandering devils. The caws grew louder the faster I ran, and the leaves above rustled while the trees moved back and forth. There wasn’t even any wind.

A thick fog covered my feet as tears threatened to fall down my eyes, both elements making it difficult for me to see. This gave the thorns on the forest floor an opportunity to scratch at my dark skin, leaving streaks of blood on my legs. I begged quietly for this to be over; to go back home and pretend this never happened, for the sun to bathe my body in its glow, or even for my crazy friend who sent me on this journey in the first place.

I run into a clearing and stop, almost like some sort of force was holding me back from going further.

Everything was dead.

The trees had stopped swaying, the leaves weren’t rustling, and the crows had all disappeared, like they were never even there. In the clearing stood a cozy little cabin, a swirl of smoke flowing out of the chimney and into the peaceful night. I watched the cabin as I took in gulps of air, realizing that it wasn’t cold anymore. In fact, it was rather nice outside.

I walked carefully to the cabin, taking a critical look at the steps. They were so old, they seemed as if they would collapse right then and there. I put my right foot on the first step, adding a bit of pressure to it to make sure it was stable. It groaned from my weight, but felt like it would stand just a little longer. I walked up the rest and knocked three times on the door, listening to a wind chime quietly sing as it swayed in the breeze.

I jumped as the door opened, a lady who appeared to be in her forties standing behind it. She had tan skin and a long, brown dress, and dreadlocks fell all the way down to her hips. In her hair, sparkly jewels and various beads kept her dreads together.

Her face morphed from a skeptical frown to a warm, pleasant smile. “Ah! There you are. I was wondering when you’d finally get here. Come in, come in! Oh! But before you do, wipe your feet on that mat, would ya?” Her voice was coated in a thick Irish accent.

She shuffled away from the door, and like she had told me to, I wiped my feet on the mat before entering the cozy home. In all honesty, I imagined a table with red cloth and a goofy, crystal ball being the only thing inside, like in the movies. Instead, I was greeted by a very nice living room. The walls were covered by shelves, housing books older than time itself. Small antiques were keeping the books company, and a red carpet laid on the floor. Sadly, time was not merciful to it, and it certainly looked its age.

A couch and two love seats sat in front of a roaring fire, which found its home in the fireplace. A coffee table was placed in front of the couch, and on top of the table were two fancy, white tea cups with blue flower designs delicately painted onto them. Oddly enough, they were placed upside down.

“Sit with me, my dear.” Said the lady, taking a seat herself and folding her aging hands in her lap. “Tell me why you have come here.”

“I thought you knew, considering you’re a fortune-teller.” I told her as I sat in the seat opposite her.

“Ah, yes, of course, of course.” She waved her hand. “Your friend came here a few weeks ago, I gave her her fortune, everything came true–obviously–and now you want your fortune told after she told you about this. Am I missing anything?”

I gaped, my eyes wider than saucers.

“Close your mouth, sweet heart, the flies are starting to come back now that it’s spring.”

I shut my jaw. “N-No. No, you’re not missing anything…”

“Good.” She smiled. “Your friend has a very bright future ahead of her, dear. She’ll be very successful one day.”

I nodded, not sure what to say.

“Now,” she clapped her hands once, eyes widening as she beamed, “you came here to get your fortune told, so let’s waste no more precious time.” She picked up one of the cups, removing a pin from her hair. “May I see your hand, sweety?”

I held it out, assuming she was going to read my palm. She placed the cup in her lap and grabbed my wrist, aiming the pin at my finger. I yanked my hand away.

“Whoa! What are you doing?” I exclaimed.

“I’ll explain when I’m done, deary. You humans tend to run away after I explain, so it’s just easier if I do my thing before I tell you. Now please relax and give me your hand.”

I swallowed nervously, but obeyed, holding my hand out once more. She held my hand again and pricked my middle finger with the pin, letting my blood drop into the cup. When she decided that it was enough, she let go of my hand and looked down into the delicate China.

The atmosphere in the room changed from warm to cold in a snap, the fire tuning blue and purple and sending cold sparks into the air. She began whispering something under her breath, her hands squeezing the precious cup. Her eyes moved around wildly as she stared down into my blood, looking at something I couldn’t see. The fire began to roar, and everything in the room quaked, many books falling to the floor with a pile of dust following, and many antiques smashing on the ground.

The lady in front of me was in a seizure like state, gasping as her eyes rolled to the back of her head, her head itself falling back and hitting the seat hard. She dropped the cup, letting it shatter with the other items. Blood from inside the cup splattered with the shards. The lady began to shake as my blood became red mist, floating up to the ceiling and forming a picture above our heads.

People were huddled around each other, comforting themselves as their sobs rang out in a haunting way. Someone screamed in agony.

I yelped as the lady in front of me fell to her knees, glaring at me and whispering in a hoarse voice, “… Get out.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “W-What?”

The lady snarled and stood, grabbing my shoulder in a fierce grip. “GET OUT! GET OUT OF HERE, AND NEVER RETURN!”

She shoved me out the door, making me fall down her old steps. I looked up at her, my arm bleeding from the fall.

“If you ever set foot near my cabin again, I will curse your entire family line!” She warned, before slamming the door with such a great force, the welcome mat shuttered.

I took a few deep breaths as I stood, trying to calm myself. I began to cry again, scared out of my wits. “I-I shouldn’t have c-come here…” I sniffed.

The wind chimes sang as they danced in the breeze, being the only sound that could be heard besides my sobs. When I calmed down enough, I wiped my tears and looked at the trees…

Before I began to walk home on

thank you @character-prompts for the inspiring prompt 

[toomztoom]

silence

Her legs dangled off the cliff, swaying back and forth with the rhythm of the wind. The silence was practically deafening as she watched the dying sun slowly decend from the sky, welcoming the stars to take its place whenever they were ready. Smears of orange and red colored the sky, the wind making them swirl and dance before her eyes. Indigo soon hung above her head, and after that came a deep blue, the colors performing a waltz as the orange and red took their final bow and disappeared. The only sound that could he heard was the wind rustling the grass. She was truly alone. And that was all she needed. Silence. She never liked being around people. Wherever humans went, destruction followed. But here, with only herself and isolation, she could finally relax. She leaned back and rested on her back, the grass soft on her skin as the colors above let the main attraction present itself in the sky. The stars twinkled brilliantly, making her heart throb.

[toomztoom]

this isn’t normal part 2

I take back my words. I've been in this apartment for only fifteen minutes and the odds are not in my favor. Guess what happened to dinner? Yep. The poor eggs burned until it looked like brown mush May we all have a moment of silence for the eggs. "Rose? What on Earth are you doing, deary?" My grandmother pokes her head through the kitchen door. I'm kneeling on the ground with my head up to the ceiling, eyes closed as I had my hands placed together in prayer. Without opening my eyes, I turned my head a little and muttered, "I'm having a moment of silence for the eggs." She sighed. "Well we ordered pizza. It's on it's way, so don't worry about it. Just clean up whatever... that was, and then come help your grandma unpack." I stood up and looked at her. "Why'd you order pizza if you asked me to make dinner?" "Because I knew you'd ruin it, and I wanted to distract you for awhile. Now hurry up, Rose." After cleaning up the pan as best I could, I met my grandma in her new room. She had her bags on the bed, and she stood next to three stacked boxes on the floor. "Let's start with the boxes, okay? Help me with the first one, dear." Grandmother pulled out a small knife and cut the tape, opening the box on top of the others. The small box didn't have anything too amazing. Just a few books and a small box of bracelets, necklaces and earrings. We put the books in her bookshelf, which sat to the left of the room. In the next box, there were more books, but three caught my eye. They didn't look like the other old lady books she had. They had intricate, colorful leather covers, with strange black symbols and beautiful silver and gold lining on the sides of the pages, giving the side of the book a glimmer. There was a green one with gold lining, a red one with gold lining, and a purple one with silver lining. "Grandma, when did you get these?" I asked, observing the purple book. She looked over and widened her eyes, before trying to hide her expression with a kind smile. "Oh, those old things?" she nervously laughed. "I've just gotten into fantasy books, is all, and I found those at an old antique shop." "Wow... Can I read one?" "NO!" She shouted, making me clutch the book close to my chest in shock, before she nervously laughed. "No, uh... See I just got them, so I haven't read them myself. I don't know if they're appropriate for you, so I'll have to read them first to make sure they're okay." "Uh... Sure, I mean I guess that makes sense..." I slowly picked up all the books and set them in the shelf, before returning to help with the rest. In the last box was a few more trinkets such as an old doll she had when she was a kid, some tea cups that she always had on display, a few picture frames, and some old photo albums. I decided to flip through one, sifting through the various memories of my mother and grandmother. "Hey, grandma?" I say as I stare at a photo of all four of us: grandma, mom, Dylan and I. "How come we never have a picture of dad with us? He's never here..." "We don't talk about that." The rest of the time I helped, we were silent. When we finished up the boxes she told me she could handle the bags herself, so I headed down the hall and upstairs to my room. I hadn't finished unpacking, so there was still a large box and one suitcase left. Eh. I'll do it later. I walked up to my window and stared across the street at my first love. My one *true* love. With his beautiful white pillars and gorgeous garden... I think I'll die if I can't live in that house one day. As I continue to ogle at the mansion, the window across mine flies open, and in the frame stood a furious looking girl with short hair. She glared at me as if I did something wretchedly impolite. "HEY!" She screamed, cupping her hands around her mouth to get her voice to project. I yelpped in surprise as I realized I was staring straight at her, falling to the floor with a massive thud. I army crawled across the floor and slithered under my bed, keeping watch from my hiding hole. "Rose, you okay up there?" Grandmother yells from downstairs. "Aye! I'm okay!" For a moment, I was able to sit in silence, collecting my speratic train of thoughts the best I could before I heard a knock at the door. "Rose? Can I come in?" It's Dylan. "Door's open." He turns the doorknob and saunters inside, beaming sweetly as he laid down on my bed and looked underneath. "What did you do?" I ask skeptically, feeling like he was up to something. "Nothing. You just look stupid." He grinned wider. I rolled my eyes. "What do you want?" "Pizza's here." I  crawled out from under the bed like a spider, flailing my arms and legs about, before straightening up and walking downstairs as if nothing happened. Dylan was at my heels, and we were greeted by the smell of heaven. My grandma had already set the table, waiting for us to hurry up and get in our seats. As we sat down, she put her napkin in her lap. "Before dinner, there is something important I need to tell you both." I look over at Dylan and shrug. He shrugs back. "Tomorrow is your first day of school. I already bought you the supplies you'll need." "WHAT?!" Dylan and I jump out of our chairs. "There's nothing we can do about it. I already told the principle that you'll be there. Better get to bed early." I groaned as we both took a seat. Dylan glared at his plate. "At least we get some pizza..." I mumble. Grandmother smiles sweetly. "Thank you for looking at the bright side, Rose." She opens the box that sat on the table, and I gape as I see massive rings of pineapple stuck on the cheese of every slice. The odds are not in my favor. 

[thependragonwritersguild]

Prompt #7476

“Magic isn’t a drug. You don’t get hooked on the substance. People are addicted to having every ‘no’ in their life turn into a ‘yes.’”

[thependragonwritersguild]

Prompt #6943

“My friend is going to take your hand. The tattoo on his hand will turn blue if you’re telling the truth. It will turn red if you’re lying.”

[toomztoom]

This isn’t normal (part 1)

When my grandmother said we were moving, I had no idea what I'd be dragged into until I met the two demons face to face. I didn't know anything like the things I'd discover were hidden under the smallest veils in history. And I didn't know so many people knew about this and were able to hide it from the rest of us. But looking back on it, it made sense as to why they did and why they would in the first place.

And I started noticing something off about my life at the very moment I went to visit my father's side of the family. Normally families have at least one peculiarity about them. Normally something like "Aunt Jemima collects spoons" or "Cousin Tommy preserves all his pet fish when they die" or whatnot. As for my dad's side of the family... They're all half deer. When I opened the door, you could imagine my face when I saw everyone walking around on deer legs with fluffy ears and (in some cases) twisty antlers growing out of their heads.

Oh, wait, you don't know what's going on, do you? Okay, let me start from the very beginning. Keep in mind this one's a doozy, and if you don't believe me, at least you heard an interesting story.

When grandmother unexpectedly decided we should all move out of our secluded home and into the huge city, it was a big shock for both me and my brother. And to say that I was upset was a serious understatement. I was going to leave my home of nineteen years, leave my friends, and leave my school behind. And let's not forget that I'm a senior in high school, so I'd have to go to a new school and start the cycle all over again.

In the early morning, I sat in the backseat of my granny's minivan, watching my neighborhood disappear behind me. Soon, farm land took the place of houses, and cows and horses seemed to be the only life around here. A few cars passed every now and then, reminding me that we weren't the only people in the world. Right now, though, it was only us on the lonely road. I let out a frustrated groan.

"Are we there, yet?" It felt like my legs had become solidified clay, and my back was in excruciating pain. We've been cramped in this car for too long. It felt like forty-five years had passed, and now I myself had turned into a grandmother.

"No, sweetie," my grandmother's calming voice said; "we're only an hour away from entering the city."

"Can we at least stop for awhile? I don't think I'll be able to take it!" I sounded more whiney than anything.

My grandmother laughed. "Okay, we can stop for a minute, but Dylan," she glared over at him. "Stay. In. The car."

Her tone caught me off guard. She never spoke to any of us that way. Why did he need to stay in the car? Just as she parked on the side of the road, I burst open the door and leapt out of the car, bounding into the field as if my life depended on it.

"Freedom!" I took a deep breath of the country air blowing in my hair.

"Okay, Rose, calm yourself." Grandmother says behind me.

I let out a chuckled sorry and fall onto the soft grass. For a moment, I closed my eyes, before asking, "Hey, why can't Dylan come out of the car?"

Grandmother had taken a seat next to me. "There's just some things you don't need to know."

I opened my eyes and gave her a skeptical look. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She kept quiet. I look back at the car as the wind blew a little fiercer, watching Dylan carefully. He was glaring at a cow on the other side of the road.

Grandma got up and went to the car. I followed close behind, feeling sorry for the cow and sad that we couldn't stay any longer. I felt heavier each time I stepped closer to the car.

* * *

"Dylan. Dylan. Dylan. Dylan. Dylan. Dylan. Dylan. Dylan. Dylan. Dylan. Dylan..." With every time I said his name, I gave his face a little poke. He had been ignoring me for the past thirty minutes. It was practically neglect! My own flesh and blood, acting as if I wasn't existent and refusing to humor me. I was wounded.

"Dylan! Let me sit up front! It's my turn! Please? Switch with me!" I gave his face a hard poke, which was when he finally snapped.

As soon as my finger collided with his cheek, he began to shake with fury, and let out a raging yell as he leapt to the backseat. He grasped my neck and squeezed, his pupils narrow as a snarl graced his face. I tried to pry his hand off my throat as I lost air, an inhuman growl echoing in every breath Dylan heaved. The car spun out of control as granny panicked, and she slammed on the brakes, throwing us a little.

"Will you shut up?!" Dylan seethed, growling like a dog of some kind.

I couldn't do anything. I was too mortified.

"DYLAN!" Screamed granny. "What's gotten into you? Get back in your seat!"

Something changed in him, and his eyes softened, as well as his grip. He slowly let go, leaving me gasping for air. He looked at his hands as if he just realized what had happened. "R-Rose..."

I pushed him away, terrified. "I-I don't want the front seat anymore... Just take it." I could hardly speak from the lump in my throat.

He slunk back into his seat, and grandmother began to whisper harshly in his ear. No one spoke for the rest of the ride.

About an hour later, we could see buildings in the distance, and we were already driving through a small town.

"We're almost there." Grandmother informed.

We drove onto a street with nicely built apartments on almost every corner. There was one house among them that looked more like the gates to heaven if I were to be the judge. It was gorgeous, with two stories and white walls on the outside, and long windows atop The second floor. The front door was massive, and two pillars held up an overhanging balcony. You could only imagine my excitement as I saw that we were heading straight for it. You know the moment of pure excitement when your heart was beating so fast it felt like you were going to faint? Yeah, that's the one. And that's what I was feeling.

"It's so beautiful..." I awed, and my eyes teared up as we got closer to my dream home.

... And then we passed the mansion and parked in front of one of the apartment buildings. Confused, I looked behind us. "Wait, aren't we living in that house over there?"

Grandmother laughed. "Oh, sweetheart, we're not that rich!"

My jaw hit the floor as I looked behind us again. "Goodbye, love..."

"Stop being dramatic and help me with the bags, Rose." Granny says as she gets out.

After we all grab our stuff we brought for the night, grandma gave me a key as she sifted through the trunk more. "The door on the left is ours."

As I begin to unlock the door, my brother and I could hear our neighbors screaming about something.

"I pay for the rent, the electricity, the dishes, our clothes, our food, and everything else! The least you could do is get a job, women!"

"Don't *women* me, I'm trying!"

"You just lay on the couch all day! That's not trying! That's probably why you're fat, too!"

"Don't call me fat!"

We heard a vase or something crash on the floor in their apartment.

"That's my mother's urn!" Cried the man.

My brother and I gave each other an alarmed look, before running into our new home. Yeesh, our neighbors are going to be a handful. We were greeted by darkness, and I waded into its depths, careful not to trip on anything. I began to move as fast and as swift as a ninja or a spy, trying to locate the light switch. Darn those tiny switches. They need to glow in the dark or something.

When I finally found one I flipped it, and the room became illuminated. It was the living room, and it was fully furnished, luckily.

"You do realize you look stupid, right?"

I turn to see Dylan staring at me dully. I didn't realize I was standing in a crab position with one hand in the air and the other on the light switch. I stand up straight and ignore him, still shaken up by my brother.

"Hey listen, Rosey, uh... I really didn't mean to hurt you. I don't know what came over me. Can... You forgive me?"

I look back at my baby brother for a minute, before smiling. "Of course I forgive you. Just don't try and strangle me anymore, okay?" I walk towards him and hold out my arms for a hug. He meets me halfway and holds me tight, putting his chin on top of my head.

I grumble. "Stop growing. You're not allowed to be taller than me if you're younger than me."

He laughs and pulls away.

"Alright, enough dilly dallying. Rose, be a sweetheart and prepare dinner for us, would you? Food's in the cooler sitting in the car." Granny walks past and puts her bags on the floor. For a sixty year old woman, she looked incredibly young. Some people have even mistaken her for my mom.

"Sure thing, captain!" I stand straight and salute before going off to fetch the cooler. If we ignore the insane neighbors, maybe living here wouldn't be that bad after all.