There was a monster in the hills.
Delial knew this partly because she was quite clever, even at her young age. (Mother suggested once it was because of her young age, but she found that less probable for mother too was clever despite being far, far older than Delial.) There was a monster and she could hear it and because she was clever, she knew where to hide. They stalked in a sea of blue and purple and yellow stretching out for what was probably malms. She did not yet have a firm grasp on just how far a malm was but it seemed appropriate enough.
She also knew because it was presently stalking her and her brother. If one was careful enough, one could evade detection: they were fearsome things, these monsters, but they were not nearly as clever as she. This one could not see her as long as she was perfectly still and she was well practiced at that.
There was a rustle. The monster turned, arms upraised and hands splayed out. Auburn eyes, wide and wild, snapped to the jostling flowers. There was little mistaking the tracks of children, and monsters loved to snatch up children.
“RAAAARR!†roared the monster. The quarry amidst the flowers squealed in response.
From where she hid, Delial shook her head. It was likely too late to save her poor baby brother, four summers old and still lacking the wits to evade even the simplest of fiends. His fair-haired head bobbed and snapped around to gawk at the thing lurching towards him. Flowers were crushed and stems snapped and bled at its shins, and it waved its claw-like hands high above its head.
“GRARRR! I GOT’YE NOW!â€
Harvard Blackstone shrieked as he was swooped upon and snatched up by the monster that was their eldest sibling. He kicked and waggled but Westor was far too strong to be felled.
At least, not without a little help.
“GAH-HA-HA! GONNA BOIL YE UP INTO A NICE STEW,†the monster gloated as he spun with his prize still squirming in his arms. “GAH-HA… huh?â€
Westor squinted. There was another rustling, sharper and louder than before, and a dark-haired shape leaving a trail of toppled flowers in her wake. He stopped his spinning and bared his teeth in a broad, challenging grin and roared again: “GAHAHAH! WHAT’RE YA GONNA-- OOF!â€
There was a muffled whump followed by another slightly less muffled WHUMP. Harvard howled with delight. Westor, however, was not as tickled. At least, not until Delial sat on his chest and stuck her fingers into his armpits.
“N-NO!†he yelped, suddenly sounding considerably less monstrous than he had moments before. He wailed helplessly only to find his voice interrupted by choked laughter and agonized giggles.
There was a new monster in the hills and she was without mercy.
In a slightly less noisy patch of flowers just beyond a soft swell of earth, two parents exchanged glances and went back to their reading with amused smiles on each other’s lips.
Delial knew this partly because she was quite clever, even at her young age. (Mother suggested once it was because of her young age, but she found that less probable for mother too was clever despite being far, far older than Delial.) There was a monster and she could hear it and because she was clever, she knew where to hide. They stalked in a sea of blue and purple and yellow stretching out for what was probably malms. She did not yet have a firm grasp on just how far a malm was but it seemed appropriate enough.
She also knew because it was presently stalking her and her brother. If one was careful enough, one could evade detection: they were fearsome things, these monsters, but they were not nearly as clever as she. This one could not see her as long as she was perfectly still and she was well practiced at that.
There was a rustle. The monster turned, arms upraised and hands splayed out. Auburn eyes, wide and wild, snapped to the jostling flowers. There was little mistaking the tracks of children, and monsters loved to snatch up children.
“RAAAARR!†roared the monster. The quarry amidst the flowers squealed in response.
From where she hid, Delial shook her head. It was likely too late to save her poor baby brother, four summers old and still lacking the wits to evade even the simplest of fiends. His fair-haired head bobbed and snapped around to gawk at the thing lurching towards him. Flowers were crushed and stems snapped and bled at its shins, and it waved its claw-like hands high above its head.
“GRARRR! I GOT’YE NOW!â€
Harvard Blackstone shrieked as he was swooped upon and snatched up by the monster that was their eldest sibling. He kicked and waggled but Westor was far too strong to be felled.
At least, not without a little help.
“GAH-HA-HA! GONNA BOIL YE UP INTO A NICE STEW,†the monster gloated as he spun with his prize still squirming in his arms. “GAH-HA… huh?â€
Westor squinted. There was another rustling, sharper and louder than before, and a dark-haired shape leaving a trail of toppled flowers in her wake. He stopped his spinning and bared his teeth in a broad, challenging grin and roared again: “GAHAHAH! WHAT’RE YA GONNA-- OOF!â€
There was a muffled whump followed by another slightly less muffled WHUMP. Harvard howled with delight. Westor, however, was not as tickled. At least, not until Delial sat on his chest and stuck her fingers into his armpits.
“N-NO!†he yelped, suddenly sounding considerably less monstrous than he had moments before. He wailed helplessly only to find his voice interrupted by choked laughter and agonized giggles.
There was a new monster in the hills and she was without mercy.
In a slightly less noisy patch of flowers just beyond a soft swell of earth, two parents exchanged glances and went back to their reading with amused smiles on each other’s lips.
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