Happy Friday!
Hope everyone’s week has been going well! I, for one, am glad that the weather is finally taking a turn for the better (as the wet gloom stares at me through the window – at least it’s not snow).
If you’ve been keeping up with the blog, you might have noticed my review of The Tramp by Sarah Wathen earlier this week. Her book’s on tour with the Spread the Word Virtual Book Blog Tours organized by 2 Book Lovers Reviews. You can check it out here! There’s a give away and everything!
This week, #WOW555 continued the spring theme, the prompt throwing me for a loop. I struggled with it, unsure if this was the direction I wanted to take my story in. Anyway, I must now deal with the consequences of my choices, so hopefully next week’s prompt will help me along.
Prompt: your story should include showers and flowers OR you can opt to feature a different children’s rhyme you remember in some form.
On to the story!
~~~
Failed Escape
In the solitude of the shower, I let my thoughts drift, the scent of flowers – cherry blossoms – from my shampoo adding to the calming effect. The steady stream from the showerhead eased away the tension that had inexplicably built within me over the course of the day. Well, not entirely inexplicably. Malakai made a single appearance since I woke up after our night in the alcove, and he wasn’t even in human form. After his brief visit in my room, he left. That was yesterday afternoon. Even on the days he made himself scarce, he’d check in at least once.
Maybe I was overreacting, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was very wrong.
“Stop being ridiculous.” I mumbled to myself, as I pooled water in my hands. With an exhale, I made it change color, into an icy blue. Satisfied that my abilities seemed to be coming more easily, I allowed myself a smile.
—
I heard running water as I crept in through the window, glad they had a habit of leaving it open, both for me and Jaci’s familiar, a robin. The bird in question sat in his cage on his witch’s side of the room, watching me with beady black eyes. Unlike witches, familiars could tell other familiars apart from regular animals, and this robin wasn’t stupid. He’d been watching me since day one, protectively hovering around Jaci as if I were going to hurt her. Apparently responding to my thought of his witch, the bird bolted from his cage and out the window, likely to seek her out, making it a safe assumption that Emma was the one in the shower.
Free to change back into a human, I did, reaching under Emma’s bed for a pair of pants I knew she kept there for me. I moved as quietly as I could, using the running water as cover, unwilling to alert her to my presence. I rummaged in her nightstand for a paper and pencil, hurrying to write the note before I could regret it.
—
Even over the sound of the water, I heard movement coming from the room. Jaci was at a midnight study group in the library, so it had to be Malakai. Leaving the shower on, I exited the bathroom. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“I was-”
“Have you been avoiding me?” As I cut him off, he moved to hide something in his hand, the sound of crumpling paper distinct despite his efforts. “What’s that?”
His eyes ran through an array of expressions, mostly unsure, darting around the room to look anywhere but at me. Pretty sure it had more to do with what was in his hand than my being dressed in only a robe, I asked again. No response. Tired of waiting, I held my hand out, twitching my wrist and beckoning the paper.
The pit in my stomach sunk lower as I read the words on the crumpled note.
“You’re leaving? Why?”
~~~
So there you have it! Don’t forget to check out the other entries on Saturday, or submit if you’re interested!
As always, think happy thoughts!
Image Credit: Image found via Google Image search on fanpop.com.
FictionTrials 
Poor Malakai – trapped between a witch and a, well, a witch. I hope the next prompt takes you in the direction you want to go.
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