“NaNoWriMo 2020 Pt. 7”

Author’s Note: This is a Take Ten to Write story and has not been proofread for errors. If I feel inspired or if there’s interest in the story, I’ll post a revised, edited, and extended version at a later date. Happy reading!

Additional note: In honour of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), all 30 stories written in the month of November will (hopefully) create a single multi-part story that will reach its conclusion by the end of the month. Stay tuned for a new story part every day!

Read the compiled NaNoWriMo TTtW story here!

Prompt: “Write a story about the origin of the mermicorn (a mix of a mermaid and a unicorn).” — suggested by Mary

SKYE’S POV

I’m not entirely sure what came over me. I shouldn’t have reacted so quickly, nor so recklessly. Yet, here I stand, above the remains of the two birds I just burnt to a crisp because they had moved.

Yep, you heard that right. I burnt the birds because I was jumpy. Honestly, I’m glad that no one else was around.

Something familiar peeks out from beneath the ashes. My backpack.

I frown as I walk over to it. I was sure that I left it at the camp. So how did it get here?

Looking around quickly, I scoop up my backpack and race back to the forest. Once I’m under the cover of the trees, I open my pack to see that everything is still there. Well, almost everything.

I let out a groan of frustration as I rifle through my backpack. My tomato is gone.

Great, so now I have no food. I guess it’s not like my tomato would’ve lasted a long time, but I love tomatoes and it was kind of the only thing keeping me going.

My hand hits something hard. I frown and grab the object and pull it out of my bag.

It’s a book. A notebook, actually.

I flip through the pages and see various designs of strange-looking, fantastical animals. I stop on one of the pages to read the scribbles underneath the picture.

The ‘mermicorn’ is a mix between a unicorn and a mermaid. D’vira Shiddan’s companion is a mermicorn as she travels from Hodie to Eif.

I cock my head as I examine the picture. Honestly, the drawing is quite good. Sure, the unicorn torso looks a bit strange attached to the mermaid tail, but the details are incredible.

I continue flipping through the pages until I find a name written in the top of the back cover.

Mason Barlowe

The notebook falls the the ground as my fingers go numb. No, it couldn’t be…

Final Comments: It was extremely difficult trying to figure out how to incorporate the prompt into this story… But I think I made it work?

Overall Rating: 😅