My Short Stories - A Collection

The Dark

Cast
'' The Dark
'' the jest
'' Donna Elliot - rich daughter
'' Ronnie Elliot - Donna's brother
'' John Black - a farmer's son
'' Patch - John's beagle

The Dark was the shadow; at night, all seeing. It watched curiously as Ms. Donna Elliot, nearing fifteen, snuck out her window with her brother, two years the wiser.

They brought a wand and an oil lamp, and they wore only white robes, which would've chilled them any other season.
It was warm enough that Donna had tied her thick hair back with a red ribbon.

The Dark crept through the long grass, following the pair as they came up upon a stream, where Ronnie took the wand and Donna knelt at the foot, using both hands to dig up a silver dagger. 'Moon Night,' they called it.

Donna used it to cut herself a slice of the moon and Ronnie, who had been lounging in the grass lazily, brought the wand from his fidgeting hand to replace it. He then fought, playfully, to share the sliver of glowing rock.
It tasted like the reflection of cool, crystal light, sweet, breezy summer nights, and dusky brie.

The Dark had watched countless witches do magic. It sighed with boredom. The trees shook consequently. Their leaves twirled and the grass rippled like ocean waves.

It decided to leave the Elliot siblings for a little while, but promised to return to watch the rest of their night when it picked up again. Meanwhile, The Dark found itself wandering over to the Black's house. The family had always intrigued The Dark. They were a very normal one - almost nothing ever happened there - but the son was his very favourite.

His name was John. He had brown eyes and hair the colour of walnuts.

Tonight, while his family had just turned off their lights, John sat on his front porch, gazing thoughtfully at the stars. He munched on a chicken drumstick, which was still a little warm, occasionally offering some to Patch.

John wore a tailored white shirt, brown trousers and a blue bow tie. It was unusual for farmers to be so dressed up. The Dark wished, momentarily, it was able to follow John into daylight, to see what the special occasion had been.

An owl screeched off in the distance. Patch sat up with attentive ears. She let out a small, questioning growl.
"Shhh Patch," John murmured. "It's okay."

The Dark howled in excitement. The owl was its cue. It leaped back to the meadow where Donna and Ronnie were and, just as it had predicted, the jest sauntered up.

Donna saw him first and froze. Ronnie saw him next and tensed.
The jest cackled. "One, two, three- oh, pardon me! One, two, four..."

Ronnie stepped up closer to Donna and the jest snapped his head in their direction, drew his body together and pointed his wand.

"I am here to collect my debt!" he shrilled, smiling wide.

The Dark wondered briefly if it had missed one of their interactions. No, no, it remembered, Donna had bought Moon Knight from the jest many years ago, when she had been a little girl.

Donna had been born with a heart failure. Because of that, she'd been predicted to live to five. But when young, she met the jest. He promised her a bright, lively future. All she needed for a long life was his silver dagger.

"At midnight, y'will go and cut a piece of the full moon, and eat," he had told her. "This will give you an extra month to live."

"But how?" she had asked innocently, swaying in her scarlet dress.

"The moon is full of magic! Wands are not the only source."

"And what will I give you? Father won't lend me any of his money!"