Ten Weeks, Ten Prompts, Ten Minutes #9

So, here we are at the penultimate week of the ‘Ten Weeks, Ten Prompts, Ten Minutes’ writing exercise challenge. Where has the time gone?

Today’s prompt is number nine on my Narrative Prompts post, and is a visual prompt. Visual prompts allow for total creative freedom, and I love how they stir different ideas in different people.

Prompt Nine:

How did it come to this? Just nine weeks ago, I was revising for my exams with hopes of getting into art college, and now I’m stood on a cliff in the arsehole of nowhere, wondering how  quickly I’d die once I smash into the rocks below. I’m hoping the answer is ‘very quickly’, instantly would be even better.

The wind is strong, unsteadying, and it’s almost as if mother nature is tugging me on. ‘You can do it, Lorell,’ she whispers to me. ‘Just one little step.’

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to die. I’m not depressed or suicidal in the usual sense. I could runaway, start a new life with a new name and identity, but she’d know. She’d know I wasn’t dead, and she’d never give up hunting me. And as long as she hunts me, people I love will die.

I hate her. Even her name burns like acid as it leaves my lips- Ulrike. I scream it into the wind. I want the heavens to know who is responsible for my death. She has driven me to this, and as my breath leaves my body I want the wind to carry her name to her, to wake her from her dreams, or turn them into nightmares.

I close my eyes, and rise onto the balls of my feet. This is it. As soon as my body dies, the magic dies with it. Ulrike will sense it. The tie she ensured we had will die with me, and she will only have half the power, and be half a Caster.

“Don’t do it, child.”

Wait? What? Did I just hear that?

“Miss Cecelia?” I whisper. It’s been many a year since I heard her voice, but I’ll never forget it. The soft tones and American twang is etched into my memory from childhood. It is as if the wind carries her voice to me. The same wind that moments ago was encouraging me to my death.

“Even at half her power, Ulrike will be the strongest Caster in Ye’Sande. You will have died for nothing, Lorell.” Her voice is calming, soothing.

“Not nothing. My friends will be safe. I can’t watch anyone else die because of me.”

“Tilly’s death was not your fault. I know she was important to you, and if you want to keep the others safe, then you need to stop Ulrike. Only you have the means to do it. Avenge those you have lost, and save those you have left.”

“Ulrike will kill me first,” I say, sighing.

“Maybe, but is it not better to die fighting than running?”

I look to the rocks one more time, and take a step away from the edge. “Will you help me?”

“Yes, my child, but don’t forget that technically I’m dead.”

---

Next week is the last week of my Ten Weeks, Ten Prompts, Ten Minutes writing exercises. If you would like to get involved with my next writing exercise adventure, check out the link: Prompt Me

All excerpts are the works of K.J.Chapman