Unfinished Works

Warenung vs. The Vine

This is a companion short story (very short) to my chapter book, Michael the Magnificent, Chapter 4: Warenung Way. It is told from the point of view of Warenung. Its main purpose was for me to develop the character a little further. Though I doubt many people will read it or understand its significance, it was an excellent exercise.

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He grabbed another handful of berries and shoved them deep into his pockets, not caring whether they were smashed or not. He knew his time was limited. He always cut it close. 

As if it had heard his thoughts, he heard a slithering sound behind him and turned to see the vine.

"Just one day's peace!" he yelled and took off as fast as his short legs would carry him. 

He scurried round corners and corridors. He knew this place like the inside of his own little home. It practically was a part of his home, after all. Why should he run from something in his own home?

He paused a moment and turned to see the vine flying towards him. "That's why!" he exclaimed and continued to route back to the clearing. His feet left the ground just as the vine thrust toward him. Just a few more feet and he would be able to see the cliff. 

With all his pudgy might he raced towards his haven. As he neared the edge of the cliff he lept and could hear the vine soaring through the air, leaves flapping in the wind. He hit the middle of the slope and rolled a few feet before getting his feet under him again. He looked ahead and saw two strangers facing his door.

"You there!" he called out. "Are you gonna just stand there gawking or help?" And as he felt the presence of the vine closing in behind him he screamed "Help!"

One of the figures (the smaller one of the two by quite a lot) called back, "What do we do?!"

"The knife!" Warenung cried out without thinking. Then added, "In my top drawer! Hurry, kid!"

I'm done for now. By the time he decides which top drawer I'll be dragged back by this wretched thing. 

But not a minute had passed before the small boy ran out of his house and up towards him. Warenung turned his head to look away, he didn't want to watch this kid chop off his foot. But with a single, swift *thud* he felt and heard the vine retreat. 

 Relieved, Warenung began brushing the dust from his adventure off of his clothes though he could barely see through the round lenses of his glases. 

"What was that?" he heard his rescuer say.

"What a close one!" Warenung noted as he straightened out his tunic and belt. "One of these days, by the woods I swear, I'm gonna..." his eyes looked onto the rescuer. He looked to be only a boy! Couldn't be more than thirteen or fourteen, surely. "Uh, thank you. You, kid, how did you know which knife to use?"

The boy's face turned to confusion as he returned the glasses he'd plucked from Warenung's face to clean back to their owner. "Which knife? Why, you told me the one in the top drawer." The child seemed to be lost. 

Surely this kid's joking, Warenung thought. "Yes, but how did you know which top drawer?" he asked. 

The boy's face still showed honest uncertainty. He really didn't understand. 

"Come, come. Surely you can't be entirely serious now, kid," Warenung added. But he knew the boy was serious now and so he led the boy and his older companion into his home. 

He presented the room with outstretched arms revealing the dozens of shelves, drawers, boxes and jars he'd received over the years. Travelers had been offering him junk in exchange for a ticket out of the maze his whole life. "So, kid, how did you know?"