#vssmagic

He did all he could to staunch the bleeding, but Haukrun knew it was futile.

"You lie there, lad, leave all the work to us."

The youngster, ghostly pale smiled.

"You said I was a crap shot anyway."

Haukrun rejoined the line. The ratmen were so numerous it'd be impossible to miss.

"The dark lord's power grows." Elrond said.

"I have taken steps. This morning I let a dog into Mordor. Sauron slew it."

"I do not understand, Mithrandir." Galadriel said, puzzlement upon her fair features.

"The dog belongs to John Wick."

"Oh, damn! Sauron's toast!"

Gargom saw how the intruders had desecrated the bodies and gave an angry #roar.

The slayer #cleaved a grot in half and launched himself at the others.

"Come on, ya wee green bastards!" Gargom spat. "Let's see how well ye do against a live dwarf.

They heard screams and saw the woman splashing in the sea.

“Call 999! Get a life ring!” George yelled, heading for the water.

Bill dialled as he ran.

George was already swimming towards the girl.

     *     *     *     *

“I need you to stop splashing, okay?” George called as he neared.

The girl stopped, suddenly calm. 

She smiled, revealing small, sharp teeth.

“What -”

He saw a flash of silver under the water before she lunged.

     *     *     *     *

Bill saw the girl dive on George. A silver tail broke the surface then splashed under.

There were ripples for a moment.

It was unlike him not to visit.

Their custom was for him to visit upon the full moon. They would eat and talk all evening before he returned to his home.

She set out to search for her son and crossed the hills and fjords, but there was no sign.

Coming to the place men called Heorot she saw why.

Hanging above the door of the hall was an arm torn from its body.

She knew the arm.

At its end was the hand she had held when teaching him to walk. The hand that had clung to her after the sounds of men's revelry had pained him as a child.

The hand of her only son.

Displayed like some gory trophy.

"Grendel!" She roared in pain and fury.

And inside the hall the skald fell quiet, and all the men froze for a deep terror seized them at that awful bellow.

STANDING ON MY OWN: A Liminal Chronicles Tale

April, the time of new beginnings, arrived in the blink of an eye. Hoji was true to his word and helped haul my belongings into the pilot program’s dorm. Anxiety still tormented me. In line to get my schedule, he asked about an idea I’d texted him on calculating ki energy.

All eyes in the room glued to me as the dreaded whispers started. Shit. I froze with a scowl plastered on my face.

Hoji smiled. “We’ll talk later. Looks like you’ll be pretty popular here.”

What the?

STANDING ON MY OWN: A Liminal Chronicles Tale

Startled, I nodded. “I think so.” But my mind raced as I tried to wrap my head around how I might try to do what Hoji had said. I’d learned to trust and rely on him. He was already out the door to show us around. But I took a moment to organize my thoughts in a note in my phone.

My hesitation crumbled as we toured the campus. Not only was it right off the gorgeous Gion district in Kyoto. It was hidden away in the spirit realm—a refuge for yokai, which I was now. The professors were interested in their students and the classes were small.

(This is a collection of 4 very short stories from the prompts "recollect", "ogre", "cult" and "cairn")

They couldn't recollect their birth name. Dad was dead and Ma was too deep with the Kindred to tell them now.

Rho said they should choose new names. She'd been considering Daphne, after a girl in a cartoon.

Upsilon hadn't got that far.

Fred? Shaggy? Scooby? Nothing jumped out.

They scratched her new name onto the last rock they placed on the cairn.

Upsilon didn't pray.

The Kindred had killed what faith they'd ever had.

They just made a promise to Daphne.

"I'll burn it all down, babe."

The Kindred said it was a church.

But Upsilon knew it was something else now.

Churches didn't need guns.

Or beatings.

Preachers weren't held to be infallible.

The Kindred was a cult.

And Upsilon and Daphne had tried to escape.

* * * * *

They took a few of the guns. Then they burnt the armoury.

They had returned with fire and fury, like some monster from a story.

"Upsilon?"

Barry, one of the Council.

They shot him down. The Kindred screamed.

"I'm not Upsilon. Call me...Ogre."

They'd burn it all down.