Creepy Hollow Fae: Boggart

Year of study: second
Assignment type: group (with mentor)





“We don’t want to kill it,” says Bran, our mentor for this assignment. “We want to capture it and bring it back to the fae realm.” He looks at the four fourteen-year-old trainees standing in a huddle around him in the corner of the kitchen. “Anyone got any ideas?”

I stick my hand up immediately. Ryn rolls his eyes. “Anyone other than Violet?” he mutters.

“How about you, Ryn?” asks Bran. “Did you do the reading I set for you last night?” Ryn glares at me as though it’s my fault Bran is picking on him.

“Of course,” he says to Bran. “Boggarts are little brown elves. They like to steal humans’ belongings, and they move really quickly, so it’s difficult to catch them.”

“Good. So how do you think we should catch this one, Jasmine? Jasmine! You’re not paying attention.”

“Sorry. It’s just ... Are you sure they can’t hear us, Bran?” she whispers, pointing to the two humans sitting at the kitchen table. “They’re, like, right there.”

“Yes, Jasmine,” Bran says patiently. “It’s part of the glamour, remember? Now how are we going to catch the boggart?”

I stretch my arm even higher. Why won’t he let me answer?

“Um ...” says Jasmine.

And there’s the boggart! A blur of motion streaks across one of the shelves, and a silver spoon disappears from the sugar bowl. Bran is still trying to coax an answer out of Jasmine. I lower my arm and slip my ring off my finger, letting it fall. As fast as I can, I grab an empty lunchbox from the counter, drop down to the floor, and snap the lunchbox closed around my ring and the blur that came running for it. The lunchbox rattles, confirming my success.

“I got it,” I say, proudly holding up the lunchbox.

Bran sighs as he takes it from me. “Thanks, Vi. But perhaps someone else could have a turn next time?”

~  ~  ~

Like this flash fiction? Find out more about the Creepy Hollow series.
If you'd like to know more about my A to Z flash fiction pieces, read my A to Z Challenge Theme for 2012 post.

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