This latest bone was by far the noisiest on Bira’s rosary. Even the other bones had woken from their silence to complain about it. If it didn’t shut up soon, she’d miss her chance at spilling the blood that would satisfy it.
“This night air is too damp,” it whined. “There’s bound to
be mosquitoes. Put me back in your pocket.”
“I’ve explained this before. I need to hold you in my hand
and see you so I’ll know when I’m close to your killer.”
The bone turned chilly and blue when Bira approached the
tavern. Its chatter would have drawn too much attention if she entered. So Bira
had to settle for climbing up to the tavern’s roof and keeping an eye on anyone
leaving.
The abbess warned her that some targets presented unusual
challenges, but Bira didn’t expect the bones to give her problems. They’d all
been eager for retribution. Bira thought she’d be able to gather enough bones
for a full rosary and initiation into the order in no time.
“If murder was all there was to it, we’d run out of room,”
the abbess said. “Not everyone called to us is suitable for our work. We strive to satisfy the dead, not ourselves.”
“This damp makes me ill,” the bone wailed. At that, the
other bones grumbled back that it was already dead.
“Would you all be quiet,” Bira hissed, nervous they’d be
heard. “I can wear you around my neck, but you need to be touching my skin so I
can feel when you get colder.”
Bira expected the usual complaints about lack of propriety in
resting on what the bone called ‘intimate areas’ but it merely harrumphed. She
put the rosary on and waited.
Moments later, the bone turned icy when a lanky man exited.
Bira was on him in an instant and it was done.
“Wait,” the bone cried out as Bira was about to touch it to
the blood.
“Whatever for?”
“I don’t want to be silent. Please. I can be better.”
“Getting their blood doesn’t keep the others from talking,”
Bira said. “It just makes them happy.”
“I’d be happiest talking.”
“Then talk. Just not while I’m working. Deal?”
“Deal.”
Song Choice: Heads Will Roll by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
This flash fiction was created for the Weekly Scribblings prompt at Poets and Storytellers United, About Those Bones.
Ooh, this fascinating piece creates as many mysteries as it solves. Of course I now want to know much, much more about Bira, the order she aspires to enter, and the talkative bone.
ReplyDeleteLOL, I love how sometimes a small idea turns into hints of a bigger world. I had no idea it existed until I wrote it, but I too think I'd like to know more. :D
DeleteI love that talkative bone! "This damp makes me ill" is great! Such a creepy story, leaves me wanting to know more.
ReplyDeleteThis was such a delicious prompt to play with. I love the comic-creepy feeling that came from it.
DeleteSo thrilling, Rommy! My kind of story. I love the idea of a chatty rosary that has to be satisfied with blood to achieve retribution. Bira reminds me a bit of Buffy. This part made me smile:
ReplyDelete‘“This damp makes me ill,” the bone wailed. At that, the other bones grumbled back that it was already dead.’
What an ending!
Yaaaaaaaaaaaas! Buffy is one of my FAVORITE shows. I've been reliving my love of the show my following a podcast that's been doing deep analysis on each episode, Mythtaken. I am super stoked at the comparison.
DeleteI love this. And I think Bira and Arya Stark would get on like a bloody house on fire. I love her voice and the way she interacts with the bones. And, as you might suspect, the talkative bone that wants to hold on to its voice is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteI just love this.
This was such a fun, creepy-cute bit that popped out. I'm really delighted with how it came out. Thank you for the awesome prompt.
DeleteNeed the rest of this story! :) How can you satisfy the dead and...which dead? So many questions. This is the kind of set up that would have a book instantly in my hands heading to the registers.
ReplyDeleteI think I need to bookmark this one as something to explore in more depth, as I too would like answers for these questions.
DeleteI want more.....this is great!! Yes, a great book.... Bravo! I love the depth and curious energy you have instilled~
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Ella. This was such a fun piece to write.
DeleteWhat imaginative fiction! Well penned.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bev
DeleteOH how I enjoyed reading about those bones come to life! Brava.
ReplyDeleteThank you Helen. This was a lot of fun to write.
DeleteTalking bones! While the story is amusing, I'm not sure I'd want to meet those severed digits. **brr**
ReplyDeleteMy imagination sometimes goes to a weirdly dark-comic place. But I think that falls into my wheelhouse when it comes to writing.
DeleteA moaning bone! What a delightful tale Rommy.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Robin!
Deleteloved your thriller of a fantasy tale of Bira the ninja and the talking bones! Certainly not a person to mess with or bump into in the dark. 😀
ReplyDeleteNo, you'd want to steer clear of her in general, but as long as you haven't anyone you ought to be safe... enough :D
DeleteTalking bones, hmmm mysterious, intriguing
ReplyDeleteHappy Sunday
Much💛love
Happy Sunday to you too
DeleteMy bones moan too, but not exactly in the same way. This makes me afraid to go to bed at night, to hang my hand off the side of the bed, to turn off the light, because I'm sure I have offended my bones at some time in the past. Vindictive little bits of collagen and calcium, aren't they?
ReplyDeleteLOL, mine are especially noisy if I don't stretch properly. I think I am fully in the Halloween mood after writing this.
DeleteLove the story and that sassy, talkative bone. I am hungry for more. I know there must be more to the story.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll be dipping into this world again at some point
DeleteMy bones may crack but it's the back that moans. This is an interesting story for begs for more.
ReplyDeleteIt's my hips that don't lie... they keep telling me I'm much closer to 50 than 21. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
DeleteSo spooky, and pardon the expression, bone-chilling.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it!
DeleteA bit of "Catholic Guilt" thinking a rosary would participate in a murder. I do like the idea of a rosary of bone talking. Very creative.
ReplyDelete