What can I do? I don't even know where I am, I don't understand. I walked out of
a library and into my death!?
I panic, and my mind races. Slam! I hit the ground hard, they caught up.
"What even are you!?" I cry, attempting to push myself away as they stand above me.
"A Seelie? You stupid or something?" they ask puzzled.
I shuffle my hand across the ground in hopes of finding something, anything to help me. I cut my hand on a rock, This...
"Oh well, won't need to be smart if you're dead." The Seelie hums.
They charge at me, face elongated and open. I roll over so their snout smashes into the ground; and I leap up driving the rock into their throat. Jumping away from the sight the Seelie writhes in pain, unable to speak or attack. Holding their throat they sit on their knees, and grin at me as I back away from them; not in hatred nor in spite, but as though irony for themselves. They fall to their side after a while, and I can do nothing but stare at them as the ground swallows them whole.
Truly a monstrous place this must be; everything here, even the ground is not what it appears to be- I stop. The book- My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of the harp, to my discomfort, the sound is right behind me. I whip around to face the person I saw before.
Long white framed bangs, pointed ears and silver clothes. Eyes narrow and downturned and a mouth a bit too large for their face. Again, I am unable to identify them as male or female.
"Look, are you good or bad" I blank.
They chuckle and remark "I am neither. I am an elder to this world. I have no use for words of such."
"Are you going to eat me?"
"I have no plans to. Though I do wonder how you have survived this long. New to this world and lasted long enough to survive the cliff. I'm surprised the mountain didn't eat you themselves."
I swallow and take a step back. "Is everything carnivorous here?" worriedly I query.
"Not everything, just everything that should and should not be. This world would not make sense even if I explained it." they say mechanically as though it were that simple.
"I see." I respond.
"Curious to see this thing find you from everyone of your world." They hold up the book. I left it when I ran them. "Oh well, could've been anyone I suppose." They muse as they flip through the pages.
"How do you know of the book?" I interrogate as I reach out my hand for it.
"I wrote it." They say passing me the hardback novel.
"What do you mean?" I dumbfound.
"I mean I wrote it. Eons ago for this world in fact. Only a few people have been able to pronounce the latin on the back. Congratulations, you're marvelous to have said the pronunciation correctly." They praise.
"Thank you?" I say. "Why did you add the spell?" I questioned warily.
"Spell? No. Key, because I get bored easily here with easy prey. These creatures are predictable and easy to kill, they all taste the same too; and if they bleed they die. Humans though, something that does not exist in this world- are very adaptable, unpredictable, and heal given time."
I gulp and lower my chin defensively, "So I'm entertainment to you?" I ask dryly.
"More of game than that of entertainment really." they reply matter-of-factly as they look away from me and around us.
"Explain." I demand.
"No; but I will demonstrate." They provoke as they tilt their head to gaze at me.
I see the same blur as before, but this time I feel pain. Oh, I'm to be hunted. I deadpan as I hunch over in pain. A large gash in my stomach, from my left side hip to below my rib-cage on my right.
"I see. . . " Is all I can muster before collapsing.
"I really do need to give better hints in my notes. Humans are too easy to fool, though they survive well- most of the time."
YOU ARE READING
Ephemeral
Художественная проза"And as much as instinct drives me to fear- I can't find the resolve to be. The sun is set high, unveiled by the clouds. It's warm."
