When Danger Surrounds You
Thunder crashed against the mountain side. Stones rattled free and landed in the sprigs of grass that grew in the cracks. Torrents of rain obscured my view of the village beyond the trees.
Another place I didn’t feel welcome in.
Hunkered in an abandoned bear cave, I thought of home. Of Father and the wooden rabbits I’d carve under his watchful eye. Things had been so wonderful before the hunt for sorcerers. I still didn’t fully understand why everything had changed.
Carving Legends to Gain Freedom
Lights exploded across the night sky. Colorful banners intertwined overhead, lanterns bobbing like stars. Children squealed and screeched as they ran through the square. Women lifted large trays of food while scolding the young. Men maintained their course, unaffected even if three kids ran into them.
How they wasted their freedom.
Heavy boots drew near.
The Terrible Prisons of Witches
“Father, why are we here?” I clung to his pant leg while we shuffled deeper into the tunnels.
Men shoved us forward, torchlight roaring in time with the clatter of shackles. Barred alcoves lined the damp brickwork, arms reaching for freedom. Wails followed the snap of leather, moans of hunger echoing through the chasm. The villagers spoke of a hoosegow, but this felt like purgatory.
Delicate Workmanship and Dangerous Secrets
Wood shavings coated my lap. A fine-tipped chisel rolled in my fingers while I sought my fading pencil lines. A quick blow cast dust into the air and my nose. Wetting sawdust lips, I turned the bijou in my grip.
“Stable boy!”
Pocketing the figure and tool, I rose from the hay bale I sat on. The sounds of the city and stench of manure enveloped my conscious mind. The master of the inn returned to his customer, another boy bringing in the new horse to be boarded. Tossing hay into the other stalls took moments. I swept the cobblestones and prepared one of the mares for departure.
When quiet set in, I returned to my post. The wooden bijou stared with hollow eyes, awaiting completion. I shaved fine details of fur onto the figure’s back and snout. Pointed ears finished, I worked carefully on the curled tail. Every periodic blow on the paws and face cleared my perspective.