SFF Chronicles News
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25th May 2013 06:39 PM
Teresa Edgerton
Congratulations to writer Jo Zebedee (known on the sffchronicles forums as springs), winner of our April 300 Word Challenge. Each quarter, we challenge our members to write a story of 300 words or less, inspired by an image chosen by our moderators. The prize is a £10 voucher to be spent at Amazon. The above image served as our inspiration for April, and Jo’s winning story appears below.
LIBERATION
The ships came from the north. Alone, I stood, shivering in my shift, as their oars slapped against the waves. The soldiers disembarked and crossed the beach to me, the sunset’s dying light casting angels’ halos around them.
Their leader — a captain by his uniform — stopped, and took in my rope-raw wrists and bare feet. He crouched before me. “Child, you’re safe, we’re here to stop the sacrifice. Can you lead us to the church?”
I nodded and skipped over the sand until I reached the furzed dunes beyond. His heavy breaths and the curses of his men followed me. I waited for him to reach me. He leaned forward, his hands on his knees, and puffed out a breath.
“What are you?” He glanced through a sweat-laden fringe and gave a crooked smile. “A girl or goat?”
I smiled and turned. I ran across Gannet’s Head and down the path onto All-Souls’ Beach. The soldiers followed, making scree tinkle past my feet as they skidded. I stopped at the bottom and pointed. There, framed in the rising darkness, was Montchelli Church, candlelight flickering from its windows. The captain put his hand on my shoulder. “Thank you.”
I ran across the beach, my feet sure.
“Goat-girl!”
I stopped and turned. The captain was ankle-deep in sand. His crooked smile was gone.
“Help me,” he said. He sank some more, the mud tendrils up to his knees. “Please! We’re here to help!”
I joined the islanders gathering on the sand bar and listened as the soldiers’ screams cast through the darkness. When they ended, I dipped my head and gave thanks. My beguilement was complete — the gods would demand no sacrifice of me this year.
_____
Map by Teresa Edgerton
Teresa Edgerton
Congratulations to writer Jo Zebedee (known on the sffchronicles forums as springs), winner of our April 300 Word Challenge. Each quarter, we challenge our members to write a story of 300 words or less, inspired by an image chosen by our moderators. The prize is a £10 voucher to be spent at Amazon. The above image served as our inspiration for April, and Jo’s winning story appears below.
LIBERATION
The ships came from the north. Alone, I stood, shivering in my shift, as their oars slapped against the waves. The soldiers disembarked and crossed the beach to me, the sunset’s dying light casting angels’ halos around them.
Their leader — a captain by his uniform — stopped, and took in my rope-raw wrists and bare feet. He crouched before me. “Child, you’re safe, we’re here to stop the sacrifice. Can you lead us to the church?”
I nodded and skipped over the sand until I reached the furzed dunes beyond. His heavy breaths and the curses of his men followed me. I waited for him to reach me. He leaned forward, his hands on his knees, and puffed out a breath.
“What are you?” He glanced through a sweat-laden fringe and gave a crooked smile. “A girl or goat?”
I smiled and turned. I ran across Gannet’s Head and down the path onto All-Souls’ Beach. The soldiers followed, making scree tinkle past my feet as they skidded. I stopped at the bottom and pointed. There, framed in the rising darkness, was Montchelli Church, candlelight flickering from its windows. The captain put his hand on my shoulder. “Thank you.”
I ran across the beach, my feet sure.
“Goat-girl!”
I stopped and turned. The captain was ankle-deep in sand. His crooked smile was gone.
“Help me,” he said. He sank some more, the mud tendrils up to his knees. “Please! We’re here to help!”
I joined the islanders gathering on the sand bar and listened as the soldiers’ screams cast through the darkness. When they ended, I dipped my head and gave thanks. My beguilement was complete — the gods would demand no sacrifice of me this year.
_____
Map by Teresa Edgerton
