In Her Pocket

Wednesday has come around again and I’m happy to present this week’s flash fiction.

The chime rang and Avital looked toward the front of the house unseen from the scant hallway visible. She closed her fingers around the slim stone she’d held to the light.

Her steward answered the bell. The quick exchange of voices was undecipherable, but she didn’t need to. Time was up, and she slipped her life into her pocket and turned from the light.

The steward appeared first – his brow creased with consternation. Behind him the trio followed. One clad in brown, one deep blues, and the other blazing reds. Earth, sky, and fire.

They pushed past her steward, and the furor turned to a scowl. Avital waved him away. He nodded but stepped into the room tucking himself against the wall inside the door.

“Gentlemen.” She looked from the steward to the men.

“We have come to witness you recant.” The voice of earth bore heavily on her.

Avital allowed one corner of her mouth to quirk upward. “No, as I’ve said every day for three weeks.”

“Then your time is up.” Sky’s voice was weary, quickly there and gone.

Fire stepped forward. “The three weeks are up.” His voice sounded abrupt and crackled. “As is your time.”

Holding forth his hands, she felt the fire stream from him, surrounding her. Earth slide in behind trapping the air in her lungs. Sky finally came in and stole the breath away.

Avital knew she fell to the ground. They moved away, and her steward retrieved the charm from her pocket.

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Be sure to check out the other Wednesday Words authors’ take on the prompt.