Drabble #167: Burn

[redwolf]

...we had a nice response to the drabble prompt of Drabble 166, with an entry by redwolf and comments by tojojo and redwolf.

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

Burn

Tell us all about it. Labyfic-style, of course.

Given our entries from recent months, let's continue with the suggested limit 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 be running weekly challenges in the space around jalenstrix's monthly challenges.

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

Function

[redwolf]

Word count: 500

As she looked over the venue, Sarah didn’t bother to conceal her sneer of disdain. The façade of the building clearly showed that it was once an art deco ballroom, but that illusion was shattered when you walked through the doors. It looked like the interior had been scooped out, to be replaced by something thrown together by the lowest bidding contractor. If the theme of the refurbishment was cheap and tacky, they’d win awards.

She supposed the décor was a suitable match for their host, who had neglected to cater the gathering and had instead asked each of the attendees to pick up that one last thing she didn’t have time to collect herself. Sarah was certain she’d also failed to inform the guests that they’d need to pay the outstanding balance of these items. While their host may have a trust fund to draw from, not all of the family were as affluent and an unexpected bill could prove significantly burdensome.

Sarah smiled to herself at how Jareth had handled the issue. While the cost was personally insignificant, he understood that this was not a typical custom and had dealt with it like a Goblin King. He’d given the merchant the balance owed as a collection fee, but had insisted that they treat the invoice as outstanding. He also gave them the number of his accountant and requested that he be called if they had any trouble collecting. With one business eager to help, especially with the prospect of being paid twice, Jareth called Irene and arranged for the store she was picking up from to get the same deal.

Looking around the sterile event space, Sarah spotted her father chatting with some younger men she didn’t recognise, who were likely the latest trophy husbands. As Gan and Eero were with him, he would be fine.

Irene, along with two of her saner cousins, were isolated from the host courtesy of a very large wolf wearing a service animal in training harness who growled menacingly at anyone who tried to approach them.

“Who are these women?” Sarah relaxed against Jareth as he gripped her hips and pulled her firmly against his body. “I’ve been propositioned by three creatures with strangely immobile faces, groped by two others that I swear had more than the usual complement of limbs and have overheard enough gossip to know that the half the younger husbands here are about to be upgraded by whoever is the current gardener or pool boy.”

Sarah turned her head to kiss under his jaw. “Feel free to share the dirt. Especially anything you heard about our host.” Sarah indicated a harpy with improbably long nails and hair coiffed into a helmet, who bore the hallmarks of one too many facelifts who was eying her husband.” She grinned as she felt Jareth shudder. “I do hope Irene doesn’t mind being dropped from future social gatherings, because I have a burning urge to go fully scorched earth on our host.”