March 14: Write a short story that contains the words palm, drenched and stomping.
….
My feet landed heavily on a twig and snapped it into two. The portal closed behind me and I took more steps forward, struggling to run through the bushes and puddles.
The heavy rain that was pouring down didn't help matters. I was drenched and I struggled to see through it as I chased after the criminal that stole the orb.
Unfortunately, he was a fast runner and apparently he could see through the rain. He got very far ahead of me but when he was a good distance away from me, I noticed he stopped.
I sped up and ran down the path to meet him, wondering why he had suddenly stopped.
As I got closer to him, I realized why he did. I watched in horror as he moved the ball gingerly from one hand to the other, inspecting it intensely.
“Do not–”
He didn't even wait to listen…or think.
He only needed to apply a little pressure for the ball to get crushed inside his palm.
I watched silently as the green ooze traveled down his arm and as the smile on his face grew.
He had no idea what he had done.
It didn't take long before the ooze dissolved into his skin. His irises turned as green as the forest we were standing in and the veins on his arm bulged with a nasty green colour and the trail snaked around his body until he was finally covered.
The transformation didn't take long and once he had morphed completely, he let out a loud scream that caused the leaves on all the trees to rustle and the birds to fly away.
I gulped and took a few steps back once it locked eyes with me. I tripped on a branch but I got myself back up and sped down the woods.
I created a portal in front of me as I heard him stomping behind and jumped in without wasting a second and once I got through, I made it disappear.
I slumped to the ground and tried to catch my breath.
What have I done?
I glanced around me and noticed that I was still in a forest. What made me not panic was the fact that it was dry. The birds were perched on trees, chirping and whistling. The leaves were as green as ever…
I sat up. Although, it might seem like any normal forest, there was something familiar about this one. I'd been here before.
I pushed myself off the ground and proceeded to walk into the dense forest, when a howl pierced through the air.
No no no..
My stomach churned and I slumped my shoulders in defeat.
I felt myself stagger so I sat back down on the ground and dropped my face to my palms.
I was the keeper of the orb. A powerful globe filled with a strange magical energy. I was supposed to watch over it and make sure it wasn't stolen or harmed.
The gods were probably looking down angrily at me. I could practically feel everything falling apart. Even my dead father's spirit. He was probably so disappointed in me. And this was all because of my arrogance.
As the keeper of the orb, I was blessed with the ability to bend wood. There was this guy who came to the chamber where the orb was kept, earlier today. He had always been looking for ways to steal it and I had always prevented him from doing so.
Until today of course. He walked up to me with his hands up in surrender and challenged me to a game. The way it works, he said, was that I'll bend several pieces of wood and join them together and he'll see if he could break it.
It sounded fun and I was sure I wouldn't lose. I was distracted and I was too foolish to see what he wanted to do. I let my guard down and he stole it when I wasn't watching.
I was truly stupid and now I wonder why I was even chosen to guard the object.
I didn't know that I was weeping until something startled me. I looked up to see the spirit of my father standing over me.
What have you done son? I trusted you-we all did. All we've achieved, all we've ever done would be all for nothing. I'm disappointed in you. As so is every god right now probably.
As if I didn't know that dad.
“I'm sorry. I messed up and I feel horrible about it. I just wish…”
There was something you could do about it?
I stared at his spirit.
“What do you mean?”
The only way to stop the monster is by sacrificing your powers.
“And how do I do that?”
Are you sure of this?
“The world is in danger and is at risk of getting totally destroyed because of my foolishness. I am sure of it.”
Very well.
He stretched his arm out to me and I reached for it without a second thought.
Once my fingertips grazed his, I felt all the power leave me.
I fell to my knees and looked up at him one more time. His spirit was dissolving into the air.
I'm sorry father.
He nodded and disappeared.
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Just glad I'm done 😮💨
