Harvest Gold 8, Mouse Grey 2, Sulphur 6

[malapropism]

Title: Warding
Canon: Battle For the Sun
Colors: Harvest Gold 8 (harvest), Mouse Grey 2 (the age of not believing), Sulphur 6 (Unholy)
Supply: Canvas (Rue is seven)
Character: Rue Alessio
Word count: 205
Rating: PG
Summary: Rue wants to see the rites of supplication.

Six harvests Rue had seen, gold and green and plentiful, but this one was singular. This year the rites of supplication would be performed. The dead had to be placated, the adults all said, as if the macabre pumpkins, the milk saucers, the sisters of erudition, and the wayfaring prayers hadn't sufficed for a longer year than Rue knew the pains of. But she wanted to see, and see she did. After a fashion.

In the clearing of the redwood the rites were chanted, a third of their harvest heaped upon the odd altar that Rue had seen somewhere long ago, and for a moment Rue was offended at the sheer waste. But then came the knocking, at once from nowhere and all around, and from below the altar was a furor of sound that was sorrowful and sick and almost human.

"Our life to hold the dead!" cried Mrs. Hardin, and all around the living echoed her.

There was something awful in the redwood, sharper than its leaves and redder than its autumns. Something that was unamused by pumpkins and had no thirst for milk, that couldn't be explained by the wizened sisters. Rue supposed a few months of hunger was worth never having to know what it was.

Comments

[isana]

I love the dark creepiness that surrounds this piece--it's threaded through in the words, but not overt, at least not until the last paragraph. And through a seven-year-old's eyes, it must be even worse.

[malapropism]

Thank you very much! I'm glad to hear that.

through a seven-year-old's eyes, it must be even worse.

Yeah. Rue avoids the redwood after this even when she's all grown.

[clare_dragonfly]

Ooh. ::shivers:: It's like the faerie tithe to Hell! Every seven years! :D

[malapropism]

Yes, I was inspired by that. I'm glad it shows!

Thank you!

[kay_brooke]

Oh, that's creepy. It's no wonder Rue avoids the Redwood from then on. I think I would, too.

[malapropism]

Thanks! Glad you seemed to like it.

[finch]

"Our life to hold the dead!" is a particularly striking line, but all of those is very vibrant and present. Poor Rue, seeing that.

[malapropism]

Thank you very much! I'm glad you think so.

Rue goes through a lot. This is actually probably the least of it.

[settecorvi]

Rue's voice has the perfect fairytale cadence. This is deliciously creepy, though food seems a small price to pay, compared to the usual tithe demanded by eldritch horrors.

[malapropism]

Thank you! I'm happy to hear that.

though food seems a small price to pay, compared to the usual tithe demanded by eldritch horrors.

Indeed so! Rue should by all accounts have been sacrificed, narratively speaking. Anything living works in this case, however.

[bookblather]

So there's this book I read not that long ago, by Melissa Marr. It's called Graveminder. The atmosphere of this piece is similar to that book, but better, more... real and terrifying and immediate. Good job.

[malapropism]

Wow, thank you very much! I appreciate the compliment.

So there's this book I read not that long ago, by Melissa Marr. It's called Graveminder.

Also, I've been meaning to read that! Did you like it at all?

[bookblather]

Mmm. Yes? I liked the plot, I think she did a very good job with the whole "WE ARE DESTINED TO LOVE EACH OTHER" thing, and the atmosphere was delightfully spooky. I did feel as if the plot didn't quite deliver on the promises it made, but I might have been working off different expectations. Anyway, it's well worth reading, and if there's a sequel I would definitely read it.