Go back to my #blogvent calendar

Today was a long day so I’m sharing something previously written. In a surprise to both you and me, I’m writing this at like 3 am so am just trying to show I’m remembering that I wanted to do blogvent and am following through! This is a vignette I wrote last year and wanted to re-share.

There was too much skin. Or, maybe it just looked like that at first glance? As if twice the amount needed to cover her arm had somehow gotten put only on one. But when you looked more closely, what looked like wrinkles or folds were actually raised lines, creating an almost topographical map on her left forearm. When she put her arm underwater, it shimmered with iridescence, creating an illusion that looked like scales.

Sometimes, when the iridescence played under the water, reflecting light and making her arm shimmer, she remembered how the sun glittered through the leaves that day, playing on her skin and in her hair as she ran down the trail, laughing.

Emma was right in front of her, running as fast as her little legs would carry her. It was the first dry and warm spring day in a month, so the girls were desperate to run as fast and as far and as freely as they could before their mother inevitably came looking for them. She was off somewhere nearby, enjoying the relative quiet.

Julie slammed into Emma abruptly and let out a low ‘oomph’ as the wind was knocked out of her by the sudden stop.

Emma stared at the ground, captivated.

“What are you – “ Julie started, as her eyes followed her sister’s gaze.

In front of her was the most beautiful flower she’d ever seen. The petals were a delicate, translucent, light blue, with dark blue veins winding their way through the petals.

Either because of the light, or the plant itself, the flower seemed to glow, like a tiny star floating just above the ground. The stem and leaves were such a deep green they were almost black. Equally delicate, the leaves almost looked like they were made of crepe paper, thin and somewhat stiff.

Emma was transfixed.

“So pretty!” she murmured as her hand seemed to involuntarily reach for the flower.

Quickly, almost imperceptibly, the flower pulsed and grew brighter. Just for a moment. Like a heartbeat. Or a warning.Julie yelled, “Don’t!” as she reached to pull Emma’s hand back.

She grabbed it just in time, but in reaching around Emma she brushed the petals with her hand. Gold dust, pollen, danced on the breeze.

And all she felt was fire.

When she woke up, her mother was sitting next to her hospital bed – eyes red from crying. She reached over, touching her face and sighed, “You’re awake”.

It had been two days since the incident. Julie remembered the pain and looked down at her arm. It was covered in bandages, but surprisingly didn’t hurt.