The adventure: The firecrest finds his (human) feet and two new friends.
The time: September 1987
The place(s): Dunster, Somerset
Prompt: lunar #vss365 (view original tweet)
In the cottage garden, an iron heron stood sentinel as a firecrest puddle-dipped his tail. The torch heat hissed from his feathers.
“Poor thing. You’re like me.”
A small, #lunar-faced girl startled the bird. She scraped back a dirty sleeve, exposing a fresh burn.
amber #vss365
“You’re new around here, aren’t you?” The girl thrust out a hand.
To his own astonishment, the firecrest grasped her pale fingers in an unfamiliar palm.
He staggered up onto two strange, soft feet and turned to the puddle. Below a shock of #amber hair, wide eyes stared back.
carnivorous #vss365
“My name’s Rag. What’s yours?” The girl seemed unfazed by the firecrest’s new body.
Fighting the fleshy curve of his lips, he stammered, “I… don’t know.”
“Well, you burned, so how about Ember?”
“RAG! RAG! Damn brat!” A growl from the cottage, #carnivorous with hate.
cavernous #vss365
Rag’s mouth curled into a #cavernous ‘O’ that spoke silently of monsters. Her eyes screamed “You must go!”
She ran to the cottage.
Ember reluctantly took his first, enormous, human steps. Away from the girl’s mute terror, towards the garden gate.
He must find Hope.
marrow #vss365
Ember stumbled to the street and into a bustle of villagers clutching dahlias, jam jars and green vegetables.
“Hello young man. Are you here for the show?” The kindly voice rose from behind a giant #marrow.
“The show? Err, no, umm, ma’am. I’m looking for my… Doctor.”
equinox #vss365
“Sorry dear, the Doctor’s away.”
Ember could only “oh” before the chatty marrow went on.
“Yes. I told Sir Thomas too.”
“Sir Thomas?”
“Yes. He rode down from the castle, garbling about the ‘collapse of hope’. But it is the #equinox and he’s always been a bit poetic.”
fire #vss365
Ember frowned. “Dr Hope collapsed?”
“No, dear, the Doctor’s called Warwick and he’s out of town.”
“Ma’am, I must go to the castle!”
“Well, this is Castle Hill, dear, so just follow your… oh… beak?”
The marrow fell to the cobbles as a tiny #fire of feathers swept skywards.
music #vss365
Rag had once found a sheet of #music behind the mothy sofa.
She’d thought the notes were words. No one ever bothered to teach her different.
So, now, Japes’ fists were crotchets. Round black blows on hate-stiffened limbs.
“Please, sir! There was no one in the garden.”
perfume #vss365
Rag was hiding something. But Japes didn’t dare blue her further.
He stormed from the cottage, into the #perfume of floral centerpieces and horticultural egos drifting up from Dunster Show.
He’d show Lord Melkor. He’d show that upstart Le Thal. He’d find the firecrest.
pearl #vss365
“Good afternoon!” A bounce of white hair and crimplene approached the scowling Japes.
“Oh, hello, Mrs…”
“I’m #Pearl, love. Or, today, Dunster Marrow Champion!” The woman’s chirpiness was irksome, but…
Japes tried a smile. “I don’t suppose you’ve seen a firecrest?”
worse #vss365
Pearl beamed. She’d half convinced herself the feathery boy had been a figment.
“Well, now you mention it, yes I have!”
“Which way did he go?” Japes’ smile took a hungry turn for the #worse. The Marrow Queen hesitated.
“Umm…that way.”
She pointed towards the Show.
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