Creepy Hollow Fae: Reptiscilla

Year of study: fifth
Assignment type: solo





I slide off the window seat and creep across the room, keeping my eyes peeled for the reptiscilla. The boy I’m protecting sleeps soundly at his desk, his cheek stuck to the open page of a textbook.

I shrink into a shadowed corner and wait, thinking about that shapeshifter project I still have to—

But there she is! With a hiss, the serpent woman streaks across the room, lamplight reflecting off her scaly skin. I stretch my arms into position and feel the prickly warmth of the bow and arrow as they materialize in my hands. I pull back and let go.

The arrow flies across the room in a shower of orange-gold sparks, finding its mark in the reptiscilla’s shoulder. She cries out and stumbles, then rips the arrow from her shoulder. Flip, that must have hurt! She lunges for the boy. I toss my bow aside and dive toward him too, knocking his sleeping form to the floor. He’s awake now, which isn’t ideal, but at least he can’t see us.

I roll off him and spring to my feet, just in time for the reptiscilla to throw herself at me. We’re on the floor. She buries her fangs in my arm, but I barely register the stinging pain. I hear Tora’s voice in my head: Bend your knees, arch your back, thrust your opponent right off.

I hurl my body over and pin the reptiscilla down by her throat, my free hand already reaching into the air for another arrow. I bring it down swiftly, straight toward her heart.

But she’s gone.

Thankfully. I hate it when I have to kill them. With a heavy breath I collapse against the nearest wall, still gripping the arrow. I begin to feel the tingling ache of the reptiscilla’s bite.

“What ... the hell ... was that?”

I raise my eyes. The boy is looking at me.

At me!

~  ~  ~

Like this flash fiction? It was adapted from the opening scene of Guardian (Creepy Hollow, #1).
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.