Monday, April 2, 2012

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.




P.S. Don't forget the giveaway happening here till the end of Friday (EST)!

17 comments:

Lauren said...

I love that Violet's the smart girl in the class. Too many books make fun of the smart girls, or describe them as snobs. It's hard being the girl who knows all the answers. :)

J.C. Martin said...

I agree with Lauren! Violet reminds me a bit of Hermione Granger. But she got the last laugh -- and the boggart!

J.C. Martin
A to Z Blogger

Charmaine Clancy said...

Aww, I want a boggart!
Waging Tales

Steven Chapman said...

So that's where all my missing spoons (and socks) go! Bloody boggarts!

Great post, looking forward to the rest of the challenge! :D

Unknown said...

Lauren & J.C. - Hermione is probably my favourite smart girl :-)
And yeah, it is hard being one of the smart ones, 'cause other kids like to tease you when you know too much stuff!

Charmaine - Hmm, I'm not sure you do! They'll steal your stuff!

Steven - Hehe! I can just imagine the little boggarts running around wearing human socks like beanies on their heads!

Amy said...

Great writing piece Rachel! I've started Creepy Hollow and am loving it! :)

Sandra Tyler said...

as a published fiction author of novels, flash fiction is a new form to me. But maybe this A-Z challenge is challenging me to try it in tiny doses; loved this one!

Gwen Gardner said...

I loved it, Rachel. A Boggart in the kitchen! Too fun. Violet sounds like Hermione Granger:)

Anna Tan said...

I have to empathise with Violet a little. She tries so hard. :)

anna

Fairview said...

Great writing! I'm hooked and I'm buying and it is only day two!

Cherie Reich said...

Aww! What a fun story! :)

Sarah Tokeley said...

Yeah, and while someone else is having a turn the Boggart gets away!

I got quite indignant on Vi's behalf whilst I was reading that :-)

Unknown said...

Amy - Yay!!

Sandra - Flash fiction can be a challenge. I find it tough to keep my word count down, but it is good practise in "pruning" the extra unnecessary stuff.

Lady Gwen - Yeah, she can be a bit of a know-it-all just like Hermione :-)

Anna - Haha, thanks Anna!

Fairview - Awesome! Hope I can keep entertaining you throughout the whole challenge! (Pressure's on now, hehe!)

Cherie - Thanks!

Sarah - Exactly! Thank you for your indignation on Vi's behalf! Hehe ;-)

Anonymous said...

I hear boggart and I think the third Harry Potter. And then I wonder what mine would look like...

Iliadfan said...

I love Violet already!

Brooke R. Busse said...

I prefer the swamp kind of boggarts. (And the Harry Potter kind too, Joshua.) These remind me of brownies. But I'm still loving your flash fiction, Rachel. ^^

Trisha said...

Violet's like the Hermione Granger of the class! hehe