Story
Okay. I wrote a short story somewhat inspired by Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, but it's still an orginal piece. Not a fanfic.
Author: B Mary a.k.a. Bloody Mary
Title: Dignified Plague
Warnings: I can't really think of any, other than it implies that a group of beings is evil and kidnaps kids.
Rating: PG
Summary: They barred the windows, they locked the doors and hid in the cellars; then came the Lords and Ladies.
They barred the windows, they locked the doors and hid in the cellars - mothers holding children close to themselves, fathers grasping whatever they intended to use as a weapon so hard their knuckles turned white. Everyone that could was clutching a piece of iron - any piece they could grab. There was no guarantee it was going to be enough, but they were determined to try.
The Lords and Ladies came: elegant, colourful and laughing, like a flock of exotic birds. They strode lazily through the abandoned village. From time to time one of them would open a door and peek inside, but they never entered. It was almost as if they were guests on a banquet and were choosing what to eat.
It seemed they were going to leave, having done nothing, but suddenly one of them stopped a smile spreading across his face. He was a handsome man and yet the smile came of as unpleasant and cruel. With a dramatic flare that would have looked ridiculous when done by somebody else, he pointed at a small cottage. A woman went over to the door and pushed it open. Unlike before, she didn’t peer inside, but strode in confidently.
Without stopping or looking around, she headed for a small rug carpet and kicked it away, revealing a trap door. With the same eerie smile that the young man before displayed she beaconed for two other men. They rushed to her side: one opened the trapdoor and the other jumped into a dusty cellar.
He looked around, raised his arm and flicked his hand - a moment later a small ball of light appeared over his head. It wasn’t very strong, but enough to see. What he saw must have pleased him, because now he too was smiling.
There were several children huddled together and in front of them a woman with a knife. The man ignored her and focused on a smallish girl of maybe six. The girl looked back, the expression of fear slowly melting, as she stood up. Then she took a step forward, her face dreamy…
And the man smiled, as unpleasantly as the others. The Lords and Ladies took what they wanted…
Author: B Mary a.k.a. Bloody Mary
Title: Dignified Plague
Warnings: I can't really think of any, other than it implies that a group of beings is evil and kidnaps kids.
Rating: PG
Summary: They barred the windows, they locked the doors and hid in the cellars; then came the Lords and Ladies.
They barred the windows, they locked the doors and hid in the cellars - mothers holding children close to themselves, fathers grasping whatever they intended to use as a weapon so hard their knuckles turned white. Everyone that could was clutching a piece of iron - any piece they could grab. There was no guarantee it was going to be enough, but they were determined to try.
The Lords and Ladies came: elegant, colourful and laughing, like a flock of exotic birds. They strode lazily through the abandoned village. From time to time one of them would open a door and peek inside, but they never entered. It was almost as if they were guests on a banquet and were choosing what to eat.
It seemed they were going to leave, having done nothing, but suddenly one of them stopped a smile spreading across his face. He was a handsome man and yet the smile came of as unpleasant and cruel. With a dramatic flare that would have looked ridiculous when done by somebody else, he pointed at a small cottage. A woman went over to the door and pushed it open. Unlike before, she didn’t peer inside, but strode in confidently.
Without stopping or looking around, she headed for a small rug carpet and kicked it away, revealing a trap door. With the same eerie smile that the young man before displayed she beaconed for two other men. They rushed to her side: one opened the trapdoor and the other jumped into a dusty cellar.
He looked around, raised his arm and flicked his hand - a moment later a small ball of light appeared over his head. It wasn’t very strong, but enough to see. What he saw must have pleased him, because now he too was smiling.
There were several children huddled together and in front of them a woman with a knife. The man ignored her and focused on a smallish girl of maybe six. The girl looked back, the expression of fear slowly melting, as she stood up. Then she took a step forward, her face dreamy…
And the man smiled, as unpleasantly as the others. The Lords and Ladies took what they wanted…