Drabble #191: Twinkle

[jalenstrix]

...we had a nice response to my last posted drabble prompt of Drabble 187, with entries by redwolf and apachefirecat, and commenting by both of them and me (one of your intrepid drabble proposers) as well. Huzzah!

As always, special labyfic love to redwolf for adding entries and comments for several previous drabble prompts. You are the light that keeps us going strong!





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

Twinkle

What (or who) is twinkling? How exactly? Why? 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 my next drabble challenge out on the first Thursday of next month (Feb 7).

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

One Day

[apachefirecat]

Word Count: 500



"Twinkle, twinkle, little star. I wonder where you are?" Sarah murmured, drawing her legs up to her chest and resting her chin on her knees. She stared up into the night beyond her bedroom window, up into the stars where, for so long, she had ached to see the silhouette of a certain owl who was so much more. She knew he was out there somewhere, but after his subjects, even Hoggle, had suddenly stopped visiting, she had had to come accept that he was not returning for her.

She had rebuffed him. She had had no choice, not with Toby's future at stake, but she should have found a way to communicate with him, to explain that she wasn't turning him away because of him or the future he offered but for her brother's sake. Toby, for all the pains he was, had only been a baby at the time. He was still a kid, which was why, when she wasn't at university, she was still coming here. She could afford to get her own flat now, but if she did, who would be here to protect him against his mother's wiles? He'd never build a future for himself if it was left up to her stepmother, and Sarah had fought too hard and sacrificed too much for her brother's future for him not to have one now.

He didn't see it that way, of course, not yet. His mother could do no harm while her father could do little right. Both males were completely wrapped around the egotistical bitch's pinky, but one day, one day, Sarah thought, lifting her mug of hot chocolate and warming her hands against the porcelain, they would see it, or at least Toby would. She was sure of it. There'd come along a girl one day who would break her stepmother's spell and make him want to be the man of whom he was so capable of being. When that day she'd help him escape, just as she'd helped him escape the labyrinth.

Until then, it didn't hurt to come here when she wasn't at university anyway. It was a good way to save money as she studied ancient worlds and mythologies. She was going to find the way back into the Labyrinth. She was going to find her way back to Jareth. When she did, she'd make certain he knew she'd never forgotten him -- she could not forget him, no more than she could help loving him. She'd make it all clear then.

"If only you could see me now," she murmured, "in those crystal balls of yours..."

"Ah, Sarah, Sarah, I can, my love, but you've got to rescue yourself this time. I tried to set you free." He had tried to free her, but now, only she could free herself. He'd be waiting when she did, but she'd have to fight her way home to him. That was the way it was written, the way it must be.



The End

Re: One Day

[redwolf]

That has some interesting overtones. Giving Sarah a mission to save both herself and her brother. 🦊🧡

Prerogative

[redwolf]

Word count: 500

Sarah had seen the meeting with the wood elves on her agenda for the day and had taken precautions.

The meeting itself had gone as smoothly as it always did, but by absenting herself for the remainder of her day, she curtailed the attendees' incredibly annoying habit of sending each member of their delegation in to ask her just one more thing. She didn’t know if they were truly that disorganised or if they thought their tactic of extending their allotted meeting time by bureaucracy was a cunning hack to monopolise her time.

While she was mildly curious to know if the elves would try the same stunt with her team in her absence, that was a problem for future Sarah to contemplate. She shook the thought away and took a deep breath of city air, sneezing at the heavy tang of vehicle exhaust. The pollution Above was not something she missed, but she’d cope with the discomfort for a little breathing space elsewhere in her day.

When Rook had mentioned a task Above, Sarah had jumped at the chance to join her. While Rook was attending to her business, Sarah was happily ensconced in a small cafe with Bishop, partaking of the strong local coffee and a selection of small pastries.

“I love watching Rook walk away.” Sarah sipped her coffee and grimaced. “Sorry, that came out wrong.”

“I know what you mean,” Bishop chuckled. “She is entertaining.”

Another thing Sarah didn’t miss was the constant grind of living in a patriarchal society surrounded by men who felt they were entitled to your time. Rook avoided this by walking like she was an axe murderer. The majority of people deftly avoided her, but it was always amusing to try and spot those too stupid to keep out of the path of a predator.

Looking up the street, Sarah scanned the pedestrians. “The guy in the high viz. No, the one in the suit with the wide tie.”

Bishop turned to follow the action. “I think you’re right.”

As they watched, the man deliberately blocked Rook’s path, expecting her to move out of his way. Without slowing her pace, she shoulder checked him and he spun aside to bounce off a parked car. With a torrent of abuse he ran at Rook.

“This won’t go his way.” Sarah grinned and reached for another pastry.

The man grabbed Rook’s shoulder and shrieked like a banshee as he succeeded in gaining her attention. Although from the pitch of his whining he may have been rethinking his actions, based on the crushing grip Rook had on his testicles, that potentially voided his prospects of offspring. Her lesson over, she walked away, leaving the man curled on the ground in a foetal ball of pain as people stepped over him.

“I wonder if he learned anything.” Bishop shook his head in bafflement.

Sarah snorted in disgust. “I’d have a better chance of teaching the goblins to stop eating fireflies, but they’re also more intelligent.”