This was written in response to the first of hopefully many prompts with my writing group. I have not edited this brief drabble in any way, so I guess it can kind stand as an illustration for what my initial, rough, rough drafts tend to look like. ^^; The group is on a temporary summer hiatus currently; however, I'm thinking of setting aside 15-30 minutes every Thursday to write to a prompt, to help clear my mind and stretch my creative muscles. We'll try it out for a few weeks, and see how it works, but I'm hoping it might be a fun idea that I can drag other authors into joining.
Prompt: What was stolen from the children?
Chatter a wild thing around her, the girl-child stands motionless in
the middle of the mall, ignored by everyone. Wide, silver eyes blink
slowly, her hands beginning to jitter by her sides, as though trying
to wake herself from some nightmare. Right hand rising with a
tremble she draws a deep breath before letting out a shrill scream.
People continuing to bustle around her without regard she screams
again, rainbow painted nails digging into her cheek.
Jerking into motion she wends through the blind crowd, words
beginning to form from the senseless panic. Toe of her purple
sneaker catching on a step, sending her to her hands and knees, she
lets out a cry of pain. Bloody scratches on her face she gasps as no
one even slows to ask if she's alright.
“W-what's ha-happening? Why i-isn't anyone p-paying attention t-to
me?”
Making her way back to her feet with a slight whimper she turns
around in place, watching the people go about their business as
though she weren't even there. Mouth pinched she darts directly into
the path of a portly man staring at his phone, desperate to get a
reaction. Rush of people slowing, shifting ever so slightly out of
place, she stumbles as everything resumes its pace, the man having
somehow missed her.
Experiment repeated a half dozen times, each time with the same weird
herky-jerky response she sinks to the ground with a low moan. Tears
in her eyes she watches the endless, unseeing flow of people pass her
by.
“It's no use ducky, nothing you do will make them see you.”
Balance lost as she twists wildly, elbows connecting sharply with the
tile, she stares up at the teen who just spoke. “Y-you can see
me?”
Snap of gum louder than it should be as the world gives another one
of its strange skips, the teen nods. “Course I can ducky; now come
on, up off that floor before you catch a chill.”
“But-”
“No buts, up we go, places to go, witches to see.”
Frowning the girl glances away from the teen to take in the crowd,
suddenly not wanting to leave the familiar stretch of mall, even if
no one could see her. Hand to her mouth she stares, going cold, as a
woman – Mother – strides by holding hands with a girl almost her
identical twin. Warped mirror image giving her a shark toothed grin
it wiggles rainbow painted nails in farewell.
Reaching out, grasping for the teen's arm, she cries, “What is that
thing doing with my mother?”
Another loud snap of gum, the almost-twin vanishing amidst the
crowds. Expression kind the teen guides the girl in the opposite
direction. “Stealing her, and your life; now come, as I said we've
got places to go and witches to see if you mean to survive the
theft.”
