Excerpt of Slayer
I feel a slight tug on the skirt of my dress. I turn quickly, determined to catch the pickpocket, but am greeted by the curious eyes of a shivering child. My anger alarms him and he hugs his stuffed bear tighter. My face softens. I kneel down to his height. “Can I help you?”
“Miss,” he begins quietly, “why is your hair blue?”
I smile. I assumed he would ask me for food or warmth, neither of which I have myself. Instead, he only asks an innocent question. “Because blue, my dear,” I say, placing a hand on top of his scruffy head, “is the color of magic.”
“Blue?” The boy asks.
“Of course! Did you think magic was colored differently?”
“I thought pink was the color of magic,” he says. “My mother told me.”
“Magic comes in many colors,” I say, “and that includes pink.”
“Are you sure?”
“Would you like me to prove it?” I ask. What could it hurt to make the kid’s night? I’ve nothing to lose. I haven’t made much money tonight anyway.
The boy nods excitedly. He turns his bear around to watch my trick, eyes bright.
I wave my arms in a big circle and pretend the simple magic is extremely difficult. I bring my hands together and create the pink light between my palms. I pull my hands apart and the light expands and engulfs us, pink glitter raining down around me and the boy. His smile is the widest I’ve seen all night. “See?” I say with a wink as the light dissipates.
The boy laughs as his mother appears behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder. She mouths a thank you to me before directing her son away. The boy happily dances alongside his mother, swinging his bear around for a partner.
“Miss,” he begins quietly, “why is your hair blue?”
I smile. I assumed he would ask me for food or warmth, neither of which I have myself. Instead, he only asks an innocent question. “Because blue, my dear,” I say, placing a hand on top of his scruffy head, “is the color of magic.”
“Blue?” The boy asks.
“Of course! Did you think magic was colored differently?”
“I thought pink was the color of magic,” he says. “My mother told me.”
“Magic comes in many colors,” I say, “and that includes pink.”
“Are you sure?”
“Would you like me to prove it?” I ask. What could it hurt to make the kid’s night? I’ve nothing to lose. I haven’t made much money tonight anyway.
The boy nods excitedly. He turns his bear around to watch my trick, eyes bright.
I wave my arms in a big circle and pretend the simple magic is extremely difficult. I bring my hands together and create the pink light between my palms. I pull my hands apart and the light expands and engulfs us, pink glitter raining down around me and the boy. His smile is the widest I’ve seen all night. “See?” I say with a wink as the light dissipates.
The boy laughs as his mother appears behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder. She mouths a thank you to me before directing her son away. The boy happily dances alongside his mother, swinging his bear around for a partner.
This brief excerpt is just a short scene that may or may not be included in the final story. Also, as usual, the excerpt has not been edited aside from my own quick read, so please forgive any errors in grammar, spelling, etc. <3