Min Na and The Nine Dwarves

Chapter Two: Bars of Obsidian

Even though the butterfly had fled deep into the inky forest, Choi Min Na ran towards her house. Her mind was a perplexed mess and her breathing came out in huffs as her stick legs carried her in small strides towards the warped cottage.

She wanted her mom, her dad, and the safety of her home even though none of those things provided her warmth anymore. When she had watched the insect zoom away into the bundle of trees without a moment of hesitation, the only thought that remained in her mind was what would happen if she turned around and flung into her parents' arms, screaming apology after apology. If she followed the butterfly into the unknown maze of shrubs and wildlife, she would eventually get lost, starve, and die.

She was halfway across the field when she inhaled a bit too much of the poisonous air and choked up, forcing herself to move slower. It wasn't too late if she said sorry for going out of her room now. After all, they were her parents; of course they would forgive her! Even if their behavior to her previous mistakes was brutal, what being wouldn't forgive a weeping youngster, much less their own child?

Beings like them, of course.

A traitorous voice picked at her previously logical thoughts. It was Min Na's own raspy tone with no trace of the former's voice being there at all. The girl paused her rapid coughing and stopped sprinting to stand in the exact midway point between the forest and the lodge. Some of the flowerbeds around her were lit from the sprouts she saw earlier that bared pinpoints of indigo sparkles with the moon - if possible - dimming in it's pale light. The cottage had gone silent without even the smallest creak of wood to be heard.

Had they gone to sleep? No, impossible; her parents would be running frantic from the news of her missing form and be scorching the glade with beady eyes. Yet, not even a leaf moved in the hushed silence and Min Na's ears were greeted with a annoying line that seemed to lull everything.

Suddenly, a shot of crinkling glass snapped through the air that startled the child so bad, her bones seemed to rattle in her flesh. Light flickers occurred once again within the cottage and locks clinking rapidly accompanied it. Choi Min Na's eyes went wide and fear enveloped her heart, making it pound against her ribcage. A shiver ran briskly through her body and bile seemed to clog up her throat as her legs threatened to give out beneath her. The moon above twinkled with pity and puffs of grey clouds began moving into the night sky, obscuring what little light the stars provided.

The whole house seemed to shake in fury as the front door started to cave in wards, spilling golden light onto the dark glen.

God, please help me.

A mane of silver blonde hair revealed itself, framed by a yellow background, and sharp grey eyes that were engulfed in rage following the thick strands of platinum ropes pulled into a low ponytail. Choi Weib was still wearing the seaweed green shirt and black slacks combination he was clad in during the evening, only now his fists were set tight, his stance animalistic as he glared at the child shaking in her spot barely half a stride away.

Choi Min Na wanted to run.

She wanted to run, run, run far away from these people. They wouldn't soothe her or tell her everything was okay for everybody made mistakes. Oh no, these people were ready to kill. They wouldn't punish her with mere disciplines such as two days without food. No, her parents would skin her alive and throw her into the attic where she would eventually rot away. They would cut her body into a hundred different bits and throw them into a canyon or river.

Why didn't she follow the butterfly? Why was she stupid enough to think her parents would forgive her over such a grave violation of rules? Why did she think they would welcome her back with open arms?