Crestwoods' Creativity #atozchallenge

 

For the A to Z Challenge, I'm having twenty-six flash fiction pieces from my Foxwick Kingdom and its surrounding neighbors. Soon A to Z Flashes of Foxwick will be available in e-book format. You can add this to your Goodreads list here.

 

C

Crestwoods’ Creativity

Det presented her closed hand to her twin sister Amelia. “I have something for you.”

“What is it?” Amelia flipped the next page of her book.

“Come on, look!” Det bounced on her toes as her sister huffed and glared at Det’s fist.

“I don’t have all day for this.”

If Det wasn’t so pleased with herself, then she would’ve refused to show her sister. Why couldn’t Amelia be happy for her? Instead, Amelia studied her stupid herbs and spells all the time. Det’s fingers unfurled to reveal five tiny brown seeds. “I got these for you, for us.”

Amelia plucked a seed and studied it. Her brow furrowed, and a frown puckered her lips. “How did you get an apple seed?”

Det looked away and trailed her toe across the wooden floorboards. “Well, I was at Farmer Donal’s house, and the apples looked so good, so I kinda—”

“You stole it, Adetta.”

Det cringed when Amelia said her full name. “Well, I borrowed it. When you use your magic to turn them into a tree, we’ll give Farmer Donal an apple.”

Amelia slammed the book upon the table. “I haven’t learned enough yet. Don’t you know that? I can barely get us enough money from my potions, much less produce apple trees. If mom and dad were still here—”

“But they’re not. We’re all we have.” Det closed her eyes, and tears burned behind the lids. How could Lady Death leave her and her sister alone? “You have to try. Please.”

Amelia stood so quickly the chair fell behind her. “Fine, but only because we owe Farmer Donal an apple and don’t have the coins to pay him.”

Det smirked and wiped the tears from her eyes. Her plan worked, if her sister could produce the tree, but Det believed in her. She followed behind as they left the cottage for their small yard. “Here looks like a nice spot.”

Amelia nodded and knelt upon the ground. Her fingers dug into the rich earth before she plopped an apple seed into the hole and covered it back up. Then, she placed her hands over the area.

“You remember the spell, right?” Det asked, bouncing on her toes again.

“I think so. Let me concentrate.” Amelia closed her eyes.

“Tiny apple seed.

Roots break free.

May this tree grow and produce fruit.”

Nothing happened.

“I’ll never do it and we’ll end up owing Farmer Donal our last coins.” Amelia glared at Det.

Her finger tapped against her lips. Det’d been so certain Amelia could do this. “Maybe try something else with the spell. You can do it.”

“Okay, maybe I can try rhyming the spell.” Amelia breathed in and closed her eyes again.

Of course, Det didn’t really know if this would work, but it sounded good.

“Tiny apple seed,

We have a great need

For your roots to break free

And grow into a tree.

So grow and bloom

Before it’s our doom.”

Amelia’s voice lilted with each line, and her hands glowed.

When she finished the last line, Det grabbed her sister and yanked her away from the expanding apple tree. The trunk turned into branches, leaves, and fruit—ripe for the picking—right before their eyes. This tree could be their lifeline.

“Wow,” the sisters said in unison, but Det believed Amelia could do it all along.

Now if you want to learn more about authors, I’m featuring up to three per day on my blog Surrounded by Books Reviews. To find the other participants, click here.