Writing Challenge: Becoming a Literary Lion

Literary Lion is a 400 word “challenge” to write a story off of a given prompt. This week is water. You can find out more about this challenge over at I Smith Words.

Without further adieu, here is my first attempt at this week’s challenge.

A Sip of Water

“Drink.

My captor manages to keep the dusty cup far away from me, as if I could do anything to get away. I am shackled to a wall–my wrists have been rubbed raw by the harsh metal–and I’m pretty sure that the compound they hold me is carefully guarded. Still, I am grateful for something to fill my growling stomach.

Leaning forward, I wince and take a tentative sip from the cup, noticing too late that the guard is smiling.

“Water,” I sputter. “Are you trying to kill me?”

He says nothing, just places the cup on a nearby desk. The minimal amount I’ve ingested won’t kill me, but that isn’t the point. There is nothing that I’d love more than the freedom to wipe the smirk off of his dirt covered face, but I don’t bother rattling my chains and firing off any threats of vengeance. Males like him are already unjustly fearful of my people. We do not bother starting fights. We end them.

Still, I will not reward his ignorance with proof of my ability to slaughter him without remorse.

These people have flown lightyears from their dying planet to invade ours. They have no regard for our customs and even less regard for the planet they now call home. Earthlings and their inability to learn hard lessons from their own ill-fated history have been sources of amusement for my people for eons.

But I must do something. Remaining in his captive care will not do for much longer, especially as my blood has started to stain their shackles magenta. Soon it will start to eat through their flimsy attempts to hold me. Letting them discover that we are not as helpless as they would wish will more than likely end with bloodshed. Shame it is one of the things these creatures understand better than anything else.

I break the shackles at their weak points. The guard is only momentarily startled before he makes a leap towards me. I let him come and snap his neck before he can think to use a weapon or cry for help.

Knowing it is only a moment before more rush in, I rip the shackles from the wall and use the power of my people to return to my home in the underground tunnels of Egliesa.

As always if you are interested, please give it a try.