Chapter One

       My mom is a mythology professor at the University near our home. Ever since I was a baby she told me stories about Faeries. Most people called them the Light Faeries and the Dark Faeries. It was an accurate description for the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. The Seelie Court was known for their beauty and took their energy from the sun, while the Unseelie fey were said to be hideous and took their power from the moon. The two courts had been at war for longer than anyone could remember. Likewise the original reasons for the war had been lost to time. They’d been at war for so long that their realm’s sun and moon no longer gave them power. Instead they came to our realm and took power from our younger sun and moon.

          Because of their reliance on the sun and moon there are certain days that had the power to change the outcome of their battles. One of them was Summer Solstice.

          This year it was on June 21^st. My birthday. Which was being ruined because of it. My mom had decided to combine her party with mine. I didn’t understand why she had to have a party because it was the longest day of the year. But she didn’t care that by inviting all her friends to the party she’d effectively ruin my social life. I mean who’d want to talk to me when I had a bunch of weird old geezers who thought faeries were real at my party?

          Most of my friends had already left, making excuses and giving me sympathetic looks as they walked away.

          Sniffling I wiped my eyes and decided to go and save the rest of them by taking them to the movies.

          I left the bathroom and wandered through the house to the backyard. Looking at the crowd I didn’t see any people my age. What I did see was my mother waving me over to her.

          “Honey, your friends had to leave, they-”

          “This is all your fault, mom!” I screamed before she finished. “I hope you’re happy that you ruined my birthday with this stupid crap!”

          Before she had a chance to respond I was pushing my way through the shocked crowd until I reached the back gate. Throwing it open I ran into the forest. I didn’t stop until I was completely out of breath. At that point I threw myself onto the ground and cried myself to sleep.

          I woke up to darkness and voices talking in whispers. I looked up and saw shadows that were almost human shaped.

         “Excuse me?” I squeaked out nervously.

         At the sound of my voice they went quiet. I swallowed nervously as they got closer and tried to back up. I didn’t get far, just far enough that they were now standing in the moonlight.

        I opened my mouth to scream but never got to.

        The largest of them grabbed me around the throat and lifted me up. It was hideous, with grayish skin, fangs that flashed in a grimace when I helplessly kicked it, matted hair, and cold black eyes. Suddenly it clicked. I had seen these creatures before, in a painting of the Unseelie Court my mom had shown me.

         I struggled harder to free myself but I became weaker as the Dark Fey tightened its grip.

         My last thought before everything turned black me was Mom was right. They are real.

         Then I thought no more.

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

I like these stories using the season and the myths. You create interesting characters and story. I like their powers they have so far in this chapter. A very good ending. I will read on.
Coyote