Prompted

Some days, you just need to let words fly without them being a part of something else, something due, something you NEED to finish, times like that, I love a good prompt. This was shared in my pub's fb group.

The trek was perilous, so perilous.

I shrugged the backpack over my shoulder tighter, to be sure that no one on the train would jostle it. It wouldn't do for the creature I carried to be let loose. The vessel is damaged already, the chance of its contents getting free, already too much.

My phone rang in my pocket but I ignored it. Perilous, I reminded myself. It’s too important to take my mind off it even for two seconds to check my phone. A woman across from me was watching me and I bared my teeth, hoping that was enough of a deterrent, but then again, New York City subways were notorious for weirdness.

Against my back, the vessel was warm, even through three layers of fabric. I took a few deep breaths and willed my stop to come faster. Perhaps there were some old gods who still listened to the prayers of lowly humans because the train shuddered to a stop. I jumped off, hoping I wasn’t jostling the vessel in my haste.

I made it up the stairs into the sunlight and then it was just a quick jog down two streets before I was at my destination. I shrugged the backpack up again, feeling the vessel growing warmer still. Hopefully I’d made it in time. Pushing open the door, I heard my ma call out, “be right there sunshine.”

Phew, she knew it was me. I gently laid the backpack on the counter, considering opening it and peeking in. But then Ma was there, her smile warm as she unzipped my bag. She lifted the broken pottery out, the vessel I’d been worrying about for weeks now.

“Now, let’s let this little guy out.”

“Ma. Perilous!! You know that’s what the reader said.”

“Eh, how bad could it be?” She asked, and opened the lid. The crack that had bene growing steadily, cracked again, and then there on my Ma’s hand was a petite blue dragon.

“Huh.” I said, letting it nip at my finger.

“Not so perilous after all.” Ma said. I grinned.