Abecedarian Game Drabble, 2/9: DEF
The folx in my profic writers' group and I play the Abecedarian Game: any three consecutive letters can serve as prompt inspiration, and "running the letters" means answering nine prompt sets in abecedarian order (the final set is either a YZ or YZA one, depending upon preference). My group tends to select a specific dictionary from which we all pull prompts. Below, you'll find the second of nine little stories using words that I took from Phrontistery's Dictionary of Unusual Words.
My second three prompts, disafforest, éloge, and fabaceous, inspired the ficlet,
In Their Natural Habitat (G; Luna and her boys, original magical creatures; 235 words): The Lovegood-Scamanders spend a great deal of time observing creatures in their natural habitat.
Lorcan and Lysander called the creatures who dwelt in this part of the wood "Beanies," and the tiny bewinged creatures did not live long.
"Spider webbing?" asked Lysander, pointing toward the procession moving through the disafforested area before them.
"Uh, huh," Lorcan answered.
"Her wings," said Luna, nodding in the direction of the fabaceous being, "have been forever stilled by Death, but the webbing keeps them neatly folded so that she'll ever look her best."
"You're making poems again."
"Dad, shh! The éloge is starting!" hissed Lysander.
At the same time, Lorcan insisted, "Don't be disrespectful."
A humming ripple shivered through the wings of the Beanies who bore the departed's bier towards her burial place, and the Lovegood-Scamanders fell silent.
The sing-song oration that followed was intense; the creatures fluttered their wings in time with eulogiser's emphases and shed irridescent dust upon their obvious dear one.
And then, quite suddenly, quiet fell, the crowd dispersed, and the dust formed a colourful, protective shell over the burial site.
"Beautiful," murmured Luna, as Rolf wiped away a tear.
"They loved her a lot, don't you think, boys?" he asked.
"Making notes!" Lorcan replied, busily scribbling.
Wide eyed, Lysander turned to his parents and said, "They're bigger than 'Beanies'."
"You're right, sweetheart," Luna agreed.
"Yes," Rolf said. "They do need a new name before we include them in the next edition."
"What do you propose?" they asked, together.
My second three prompts, disafforest, éloge, and fabaceous, inspired the ficlet,
In Their Natural Habitat (G; Luna and her boys, original magical creatures; 235 words): The Lovegood-Scamanders spend a great deal of time observing creatures in their natural habitat.
Lorcan and Lysander called the creatures who dwelt in this part of the wood "Beanies," and the tiny bewinged creatures did not live long.
"Spider webbing?" asked Lysander, pointing toward the procession moving through the disafforested area before them.
"Uh, huh," Lorcan answered.
"Her wings," said Luna, nodding in the direction of the fabaceous being, "have been forever stilled by Death, but the webbing keeps them neatly folded so that she'll ever look her best."
"You're making poems again."
"Dad, shh! The éloge is starting!" hissed Lysander.
At the same time, Lorcan insisted, "Don't be disrespectful."
A humming ripple shivered through the wings of the Beanies who bore the departed's bier towards her burial place, and the Lovegood-Scamanders fell silent.
The sing-song oration that followed was intense; the creatures fluttered their wings in time with eulogiser's emphases and shed irridescent dust upon their obvious dear one.
And then, quite suddenly, quiet fell, the crowd dispersed, and the dust formed a colourful, protective shell over the burial site.
"Beautiful," murmured Luna, as Rolf wiped away a tear.
"They loved her a lot, don't you think, boys?" he asked.
"Making notes!" Lorcan replied, busily scribbling.
Wide eyed, Lysander turned to his parents and said, "They're bigger than 'Beanies'."
"You're right, sweetheart," Luna agreed.
"Yes," Rolf said. "They do need a new name before we include them in the next edition."
"What do you propose?" they asked, together.