School of Claw| #Wattys2016

Swallowed -Oreo-

     The suitcase I had was fairly small--which was weird considering I come from a rich heritage--and it was probably my Great-Great-Great-Granddaddy Mustache's (that's what I call him, it isn't actually his name). Though being a billion years old, I found a way to fit my uniform in the tattered thing.

     Mr. Squiggles nudged my leg with a small, buttoned nose, and gave me a look of pure angst in his hollow black pupils. I could tell he wasn't happy for me to leave the nest. He gave a smitten yap to tell me I had read his mind. Despite my love for him, I found another topic to whine about instead of my favorite Yorkie.

     I scrunched up my nose at my old, smelly, shredded suitcase. "Ugh, I need another suitcase. This one is so dirty."

     "Oreo! How much longer deary?" Mum called from down the stairs.

     I panicked, snapping back to attention. "One minute Mother! Just packing my ties!" I shouted.

     Since I was little, I loved to collect neck ties; I don't know exactly why, but they just interested me. I have to say I look pretty sharp in them too--no, I look absolutely positively stylish in them. Every single tie you could think of is in my collection; pink ties, green ties, floral ties, I even have a Mr. Squiggles neck tie (not available for online purchase).

     I found one of my favorite ties in my closet, it was an ebony one that had metallic fabric that seemed to shimmer every time it would move--it goes perfectly with my sweater. I looked over to see the rest of my heaping pile of ties--all colored and sparkly--and let a heaving sigh escape my throat. This was going to take a looong time.

     After all my ties were sorted (which took two hours...whoops, sorry Mum) I came down the staircase to see Olive, our maid, with a cup of morning tea. Olive had a perfect haircut, her orangey red hair in a straight line as they brushed her shoulders. She had freckles sprayed on her nose and shoulders--her eyes were a ripe green like a fresh picked Granny Smith apple. It seemed strange that she was in her late twenties, since she appeared to be in her mid teens.

     Olive sipped her tea quietly atop of one of the overstuffed, vintage, floral pattern armchairs. I guessed it was chamomile by the refreshing smell it fumed.

     "Olive!" I shouted, forgetting about the heaving burden I was grasping in tow, sprinting down the stairs as I usually do; the bursting suitcase was much faster than me, so halfway down the winding staircase it caught up and flattened me like a pancake. As we made contact, the ancient case exploded with neckties and clothing. I heard Olive give a quiet snicker as I tumbled down the rest of the marble stairs. It was a miracle that I didn't break anything.

     Olive tripped over to my side, accidentally smashing the fragile China teacup as she threw it to the ground to assist me. "Oreo!" she yelled quietly, softly slapping my cheek to wake me. I gave a groan of pure defeat.

     "Uugh."

     "What is all this racket?" Mum asked, storming inside. Once she saw me flailed on the ground with an overpacked suitcase on top of me, and clothes hanging atop of the gigantic chandelier, her lips twitched up only slightly for a moment before dashing to my side.

     Mum bursted with unnecessary questions. "What the hell, Oreo?! What are you doing?! Why is there a Mr. Squiggles necktie(tm) hanging from the ceiling?!"

     "Morning...Mum..." I groaned from under the suitcase, "beautiful day...isn't it?"

ΔΔΔΔΔΔΔΔΔΔΔΔ

     I was startled by a firm knock on the oaken door, another one following. Before I heard the thundering knocks, I had been watching the mortal news. It was so silly how they believed these strange occurrences happened from the hand of a fragile mortal, so easily killed by the dull strike of Ruby-Iron. But I knew what actually went down at the park last night; I really don't want to talk about that stuff though, I hate dark things. (And no, heavy metal is not dark, it's kittens compared to the scenes I've witnessed).

     I leapt from my spot on the sofa and sped to the door, eager to see who awaits. Unlocking the deadbolt, I peer outside to see a girl with deep mocha irises--each with their own mischievous shine--and straw blonde hair in messy strands that topple down her back. Between her thin pink lips, I see a piece of bubblegum being chewed noisily.

     A smile lifts the corners of my mouth sky high. "Katy!"

     The blonde gives me a lazy smirk. "Oreo! What's up?" she replied with her American accent--which is so foreign to me, considering I live in London.

     "Mum! Katy's here!" I shout down the hall to get my mum's attention. The words bounce around the aimless halls, echoing because there is really nothing to see. Soon, Mum scurries in, dressed to impress as always in a silk blouse and heels.

     "Ah! Katy, dear, why don't you come inside? It gets chilly out there after a while," she requests with warmth, "we can get you-"

     Katy waltzes into the mansion, eyes widening as always. "Nah, you don't have to get me anything, Miss. I'm just here to take Oreo to the Academy," she shrugs off my mother's request.

     "Oh...well then, I guess we should get going. I don't want my daughter to miss a single day there, she needs all the training she can get," Mum nods and looks back at me, "Are you ready?"

     I patted my new suitcase, which wasn't ancient one bit. "Yup!" I then scurry up to my mum and snatch her by surprise in a warm embrace. "Bye," I say, catching a whiff of her jasmine perfume.

     "Goodbye," Mum smiles, releasing my grip on her.

     Katy and I both start to lug my plump suitcase out the door, dripping with dew as we each take a turn to lift. I give a grunt as I shove it down the final concrete step.

     "There," I breathe, wiping my sweaty brow. Katy smirks at me.

     "Wasn't that hard," she retorts.

     I give her a playful shove. "You're soaked in your own sweat. I would suggest to keep your mouth shut."

     "Hey!"

     "Just open the portal."

     Katy retrieves a pair of claws from her pack; they're a thick leather glove that looks firmly polished, with bronze claws that reflect an ominous shimmer in the setting sun. If you inspected them closer, you would find white sparks fizzing from the freshly sharpened tip of the nail, giving off a thin smoke. It was Starbronze, the dimensional metal. Katy hastily slid them on, lacing the intricate buckles to their match.

     "Ready?" Katy asked in her usual gruff tone. A pearly smile demolished my straight expression.

     "Readier than I'll ever be."

     Katy gave me a daredevil's smirk, one that could only be found on a troublemaker. I mirrored her glance. The blonde then proceeded to slice through the humid air, revealing the Void. And then, we were swallowed by the everlasting darkness.