Drabble #133: High note

[jalenstrix]

...we had a nice response to the drabble prompt of Drabble 132, with entries by redwolf and me (your intrepid drabble proposer jalenstrix), and comments by us both as well. As always, special labyfic love to redwolf for adding entries and comments for several previous drabble prompts. Huzzah!





For this prompt, we continue with our one-word/phrase drabble roots:

High note

Is someone or something hitting a high note? Is this a literal high note, a metaphorical one, or both? Tell us all about it. Labyfic-style, of course.




Given our entries from recent months, let's continue with the suggested limit for this month of 500 words. Though remember that shorter pieces are most definitely welcome!

Your entry should take the following format, posted as a comment on this entry:
Word count: # of words
$your_beautiful_drabble


I'll aim to get the next drabble challenge out on the first Monday of next month (Dec 4).

I'm also very happy to take suggestions if something in particular strikes your fancy -- comment on this post or PM me with your suggestions. You can see our current collected suggestions here.


Remember: Feedback is LOVE. So do reply to your fellow labyficcers' drabbles if so inclined. (Though be careful of concrit unless specifically okayed by the author beforehand. Authors generally write for love.)

Comments

Playground

[redwolf]

Word count: 500
Drabble:

Sarah winced as the high pitched squeal of an excited goblin Dopplered past.

An array of playground equipment had appeared on the outskirts of the city. Wherever it had originated from, it wasn’t the lightweight gear found in backyards and would have previously seen duty in a public environment as it was sturdy enough to have weathered generations of children.

The styling was interesting. The monstrosity predated the enlightened age of soft falls that safely cushioned young knees, as it was firmly cemented in a slab of concrete that had aged to a dark grey.

“Where did this come from?” Sarah glanced at Jareth as he stood beside her, both of them watching as the goblins swarmed over their newest acquisition.

“Above,” Jareth grunted theatrically as Sarah playfully elbowed him in response. “They relocated it from the junkyard.”

They both winced at a shriek that cut through the excited cacophony, as another goblin arced gracefully out of the chaos.

Sarah had reluctantly ceded relevant terminology to Jareth, so there was a triple swing, a seesaw, a roundabout and a monkey bar slide combo that, for reasons that baffled her, had been crafted to resemble an elephant in size and shape. While the heavy steel frames had seen better days, as evidenced by the chipped, primary coloured paint scheme, it was still in remarkably good condition.

The goblins had certainly taken to it with a vengeance and seemed determined to find new and interesting ways of launching themselves from the various items. The seesaw didn’t have enough height to launch anyone far, but was sturdy enough to bear the weight of a small mountain of riders. The swings did provide a decent lift, but coordination was still a work in progress. Plenty of unwary goblins had been caught by the backswing of a seated rider and the goblins who had scrambled up the frame to unwrap the chains still occasionally became tangled.

Aside from shoving each other off the monkey bar body of the elephant, the trunk slide was fairly tame, provided you weren’t adverse to skittering across a hard surface on landing.

It was the roundabout that was the standout winner. It was loaded up and then spun at an alarming rate to shed laughing goblins in all directions.

“It’s not so much that it appeared here or that they found it that surprises me,” Sarah watched a goblin rocket down the slide to barrel roll across the concrete.

“No?” Jareth wrapped his arms around Sarah and kissed her neck. His nose ran along her ear and caused her to shiver in delight. “What has you so intrigued, my love?”

“They moved the entire structure, complete with its concrete base, and I’m not seeing any damage beyond the age of the thing.”

“Goblins can be incredibly creative when they find something that takes their fancy.” Sarah felt Jareth's hard length pressed against her. “Let’s leave them to their games and I’ll give you a personal demonstration of their king’s inventiveness.”

Re: Playground

[jalenstrix]

I love this so much. I mean, Dopplered! A verb! Brilliant. Also, just the visuals of careening goblins everywhere, plus our kingly promises at the end. Love it.

Re: Playground

[redwolf]

Thanks! I can't imagine that goblins would use anything for its intended purpose 🦊🧡