Year of study: third
Assignment type: paired (with mentor)
She is the size of a dragonfly. Her hair is like threads of silk. Her wings, bright splashes of color against the night, ripple in undulating motion. Up close, I can see tiny rings glittering on her eight fingers. Spurs jutting out from her heels flash dangerously in the moonlight.
It’s those spurs that we’re currently trying to avoid.
“Ow, I think she got me!” complains Jasmine as the ispee darts toward her neck and then flits out of reach.
“No she didn’t,” says Tina, our mentor for this evening. “Just keep your shield up and you’ll be fine, Jas.” She stands at the edge of the garden, keeping out of our way, but close enough to intervene if things go south.
The ispee goes for Jasmine’s neck again, which I find a little weird. The textbook said ispees usually hang around ground level and sting whatever legs get too close to their flowery habitat. They’re very protective of their floral homes.
Oh. Perhaps that’s it. “I think she likes your perfume, Jas,” I say. “Maybe you could just stand still for a bit and bare your neck. Then once she settles on it we can catch her.”
Jasmine glares at me. “Stand still and bare my neck? I don’t think so, Violet.” She dodges the ispee once more. “How about you be the bait?”
“I would, but you’re the one who thought drenching yourself in perfume right before an assignment would be a good idea.”
~ ~ ~
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.
WINNER ANNOUNCED!
The winner of the My Memories Suite digital scrapbooking software is
Kittie Howard!
20 comments:
Less is more is a good lesson in perfumery in any situation!
I'd never heard of and Ispee. It sounds like a fascinating little creature and one to be respected, Great "I" post.
I'm visiting on the A to Z challenge and am new follower.
Kathy at Oak Lawn Images
Annalisa - Definitely! I hate that I-feel-like-choking reflex you get when someone with WAY too much perfume leans over you... I had a teacher like that!
Kathy - That's probably because I made it up! Couldn't find a suitable "i" creature that already exists in fiction, so thought I'd just use my imagination. Thanks for visiting and following!
It's like the cop that goes to a sting operation and doesn't turn off his cell. Busted. Nice one.
Well, you had me. He sounds like a creature you could write a book about and then a movie.
About the ice fishing huts. They are usually built in a backyard, then transported to the ice. A hole is cut inside the building which has no floor to fish through the ice. They all have to be removed before the ice melts in Spring...just to do it all again the following Winter.
Kathy at Oak Lawn Images
Love the spurs - what a cute idea. This part made me laugh: “Stand still and bare my neck? I don’t think so, Violet.” Thanks Rachel:)
I absolutely LOVE this Rachel - thank you for sharing! :)
I much enjoy your entries of your creatively made-up creatures than the ones of creatures I know! Ispees sound awesome!
J.C. Martin
A to Z Blogger
LOL! Love the dialogue at the end. I'm completely enjoying these little stories of the creatures and assignments in Creepy Hollow. :)
Love your world
What a fun flash fiction for the A-Z challenge! Thanks for sharing.
OMG! It's one of those rare times in my life when I'm muted! Thank you, Rachel. This is amazing!
And your flash fiction piece is also amazing!
What a fun post! I loved the description in the first paragraph, hooked me right in. (;
Love it! What a fun story :)
Aw the sweet smell of bait!
Drenching yourself in perfume...on ANY day...is never a good idea! Great snippet!! :)
Your world is so beautiful! I definitely have to find some time to read your books! :)
I like Ispee :)
---Damyanti, Co-host A to Z Challenge April 2012
Amlokiblogs
Twitter: @AprilA2Z
#atozchallenge
Thank you for all your fantastic comments, bloggers :-)
I love the ispee! What a clever idea. Very well written! :)
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