Shiro - Week #57 of Finish the Story

in #finishthestory5 years ago (edited)

Shiro

Prompt by @Brisby

Shiro paid the street vendor for his lemonade, unfazed by her curious glances to the glove on his hand. Any other day, he would have answered the unspoken questions of the smiling woman with a light quip. A bit of banter went miles in getting people to overlook his many...eccentricities.

Today though, he couldn't muster anything witty. Throngs of people were milling about the square, mindless to those who were in a hurry. His quick errand run had become a snail-paced slog behind wandering looky-loos. The brown jacket he wore was sodden thanks to the blistering bake of the summer sun. He'd give anything to shed his sweaty layers but the memories of what had happened the last time...

Compounding his exhaustion were his ever-present traveling companions. Their desperation for his attention had begun fraying his nerves since he left home. Ignoring their antics and way they clung to him had worn his energy to a hair's breadth. Sheer obstinance was all that kept him from screaming at them in the middle of the crowd.

Shuffling aside to savor the crisp drink in the shade of the over-sized umbrella, Shiro felt something crunch beneath his heel. Dammit! Whatever he had broken, it sounded expensive.

Behind him a voice shrilled, "You're paying for that!"

Shoulders slumping as he fingered his wallet, he turned. "Sorry! I didn't know...", his voice choked to a halt. Not because the person was intimidating. The blonde slip of a girl glaring daggers at him wouldn't have been able to frighten a hamster. Nor was it due to her beauty, as she had been graced with an unfortunate nose.

It was the reaction of his companions that stole his breath.

Gone were the shadowy undulations and static flickerings who had doggedly followed Shiro since he was a child. What remained were swirling vortices of crimson and pitch. Amorphous, they writhed. They wailed. The air thickened with the depth of their need.

Without warning, unctuous tendrils sprang. Shiro cried out but it was too late. Oozing with hunger, his companions snaked to envelop the girl. Her wide hazel orbs rolled to the heavens before she collapsed to the ground.


And this is my ending.

Shiro was paralyzed only for a moment, immediately after, he saw an opportunity into the crisis, his annoying companions had abandoned him to attack a stranger. Could he escape? It was time to find out.

He swiftly flew away as fast as he could. For the first time since that fateful day of his childhood, he felt free.

The people around could not understand what was happening, they thought that Shiro escaped for fear of the dagger of the maiden, they could only watch as the girl fell to the ground because of a fainting and then a strange boy ran away terrified.

He had already moved a couple of blocks away when he took off his sweaty jacket and noticed that the tattoos were gone, he could see the white skin on his arms. He had really gotten rid of his companions! The curse had left him. He tried to take off his glove, for sure he could erase the seal and get rid forever of the evil that accompanied him, if he managed to take it off, but it was too tight.

Shiro pulled with all his strength hurting himself, but it was useless the glove was too tight. He gave up his undertaking to take off his glove, he would have time for that, for the moment it was imperative to move away as quickly as possible.

He felt a chill running down his back, at that moment he knew he would not make it, a large gray shadow rested upon him, his companions were angry, Shiro had abandoned them.

"How dare you?" says the annoyed public, "You're paying for that!"

The End.


This is a participation for the Finish The Story - Week #57 from @bananafish. I hope you like it there, do not hesitate to comment.

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An exciting entry. I really like how you ended on a double meaning for "You're paying for that!"

Thank you very much, I'm glad you would have liked my ending, I also liked to finish with that phrase taken from the original promt.

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Though I can't say that it's a proud moment for Shiro, his flight from his cursed companions while they were distracted with the girl is and understandable one.

What a bitter feeling for him to have felt so close to freedom after being trapped for so long. Then to have it all swing back around with the "You're paying for that" line? Well done with this creative ending, Darthgexe!

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