Playing In The Ash

  The man in the dark-navy suit said as he smacked the shorter man on the back. There was the man in the dark-navy suit and, standing beside him, a little shorter, the man in the midnight-blue suit, walking towards us.

  Their clothes were nothing like what we wear on Ma-Oktava. A bit too much… too polished.

  Fattaralla dragged them alongside her, holding their hands.

  “Fattaralla, why did you bring them along?”

  I pulled her away from the two men.

  “They said they wanted to play.”

  She answered innocently.

  “No, they’re busy people. We shouldn’t bother them.”

  “No, no. We wanted to play. And we’re not that busy—especially not this one.”

  The man in the dark-navy suit said as he smacked the shorter man on the back. They must be close.

  I was still hesitant, but Gibralla invited them from behind.

  “Eralla, let them play with us.”

  I let out a sigh, watching as they joined in the pit.

  “So what are we playing again?”

  The man in the dark-navy suit asked. The person next to him answered, “We are playing Monomitt. The girl literally told us when she offered the spot.”

  “Right. Let’s play.”

  Quen-alla stared up at them, as if they were an outsider. They were—but the way Quen-alla stared at them clearly took the thin man aback.

  “What is your name, fella?”

  “Quen-alla.”

  “I am Gibralla, she is Fattaralla and that is my big sister, Eralla.”

  The man in the dark-navy suit turned his head towards me. I knew what lingered on his mind.

  “I am Tig-eralla.”

  “Tigeralla.”

  He repeated. Why was he staring at me like that?

  Was he a freak?

  “I am Coven—Night Coven—and this man is Aureolo.”

  I crossed my arms, looking away from him.

  “Agile!”

  My head snapped over towards the side when the man in the dark-navy suit called over someone. That girl. From the spacecraft earlier. What was she doing here?

  Shouldn’t she be with elders and… Aourine?

  Aourine.

  My hands curled up as I remembered when she walked away from me. It extinguished the flames of love that could have burnt for a little longer.

  I stared at her as she joined me to stand beside the man in the dark-navy suit who introduced himself as Night-Coven. They had weird names. All of them. What kind of name is Night-Coven? At least Aureolo sounded similar… similar to Aourine.

  Aourine…

  “Eralla!”

  I was pulled out of my thoughts and noticed I was looking in the Night-Coven guy direction. I cleared my throat and focussed my attention on Gibralla.

  “We are waiting.”

  My young siblings were quite commanding despite being tiny things. All of them were obnoxious, rude and snarky except Fattaralla, Somala, Soralla, and sometimes Tiballa.

  I was hesitant but maybe a small game of Monomitt would erase Aourine from my mind for the moment.

  I stepped into the pit, going against my three siblings and one Guardians of the Unirex member, Aureolo, with the other two members watching us, which I didn’t mind.

  The game began and I was on the tip of my feet.

  Dust blocked my sight.

  Gibralla came for me, his hand reached out with the ash of the Ma-Oktava yet I quickly jumped back. My knees hunched down — I used my right hand to push myself to stand up straight. Gibralla kicked the ground, creating a mist of gray sand, blocking the view.

  Smart, tactical moves that usually won him the game.

  My ears perked up when I heard movement behind me. I swiftly lunged forward to avoid being dusted with the ash.

  I grabbed a handful of dust from the ground and attacked whoever was going after me. It was Quen-alla. He wasn’t as light on his feet as the rest of us.

  He was still developing.

  My rounded ear twitched when I heard movement to the left. It was light, soft and almost… too known. Fattaralla.

  I wrapped an arm around Quen-alla to shut him up before he gave away my location.

  Shh…

  I held my breath. Fattaralla was often invisible in the games, making her a threat. That gave her an advantage, but being the eldest, and the most developed, I had my own advantage. The ability to pick up distinct sounds and label them quicker on my feet yet Ma was even better than me.

  I released the hold on Quen-alla and floated just above the ground and swiftly painted Fattaralla with the ash across her forehead.

  “Ha-”

  Fattaralla cried.

  By then, the dust had settled enough for me to notice that Gibralla and Aureolo still remained.

  I was aware of Gibralla’s strategy yet the new person Aureolo, how would he go about this?

  Quen-alla and Fattaralla headed back to stand next to the other two people.

  They were still watching us and from a quick glance, I noticed the girl in the hood was closely observing the game. Observing me.

  I swallowed.

  She seemed a stern woman, possibly a judge.

  Was she like the elders?

  Focus Eralla.

  Focus.

  Once I get Gibralla out, I will focus on this new guy.

  I swatted down, swinging my right leg to create a strong gust of sandy mist. It was more dense, blinding.

  Now let the real game begin.

  I swatted down, picking up a handful of the sand within my grasp, intended to take down both of them and win Monomitt for the 237th time.

  I floated above the ground, tightening my grip on the sand; it slowly spilled through the gaps of my palm.

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  It was quiet, nobody was moving. All three of us were waiting. I remained frozen, waiting for someone else to move.

  Whoosh.

  Who moved?

  I remained still, waiting for my ears to perk up as it caught on to the sound of someone moving.

  Someone took a step, moving closer in my direction. Did they know where I was?

  Another step and another…

  They were closing in.

  My fingers tightened.

  Swish.

  The soles of my feet glided across the sand. Ready for any incoming attack on me.

  But that never came.

  Another pair of feet moved, and it sounded like an encounter was happening between the other two, Gibralla and Aureolo. Who won?

  Probably Aureolo, seeing he was part of Guardians of the Unirex.

  That would leave Aureolo and me.

  I was ready to take him down.

  The mist lingered heavily in the air, still blocking any view. This is what makes Monomitt fun.

  The sound was familiar. Too familiar. Did this mean… Gibralla took down the GOU member?

  No way. These people were supposed to save us; yet they got taken down by a six-year-old.

  I was starting to question their credentials.

  Gibralla moved closer. My ears perked up once again as it picked up a sound from behind me. He was trying to direct my attention.

  Sneaky yet not affected.

  I made my move. My feet remained light on the ground as I closed in on Gibralla.

  My keen eyes caught a silhouette amidst the curtain of dust.

  Swiftly, I made my way over to him and brushed the sticky sand against his forehead.

  “No!”

  He yelped.

  The dust settled once again.

  Gibralla looked unpleasantly upset, all due to the losing Monomitt. He was known to get upset about losing.

  I looked over towards the GOU members; the two males were chatting — Aureolo being teased — while the woman in the red hood was staring at me as if I had done something wrong simply by winning.

  Playing In The Ash

  The man in the dark-navy suit said as he smacked the shorter man on the back. There was the man in the dark-navy suit and, standing beside him, a little shorter, the man in the midnight-blue suit, walking towards us.

  Their clothes were nothing like what we wear on Ma-Oktava. A bit too much… too polished.

  Fattaralla dragged them alongside her, holding their hands.

  “Fattaralla, why did you bring them along?”

  I pulled her away from the two men.

  “They said they wanted to play.”

  She answered innocently.

  “No, they’re busy people. We shouldn’t bother them.”

  “No, no. We wanted to play. And we’re not that busy—especially not this one.”

  The man in the dark-navy suit said as he smacked the shorter man on the back. They must be close.

  I was still hesitant, but Gibralla invited them from behind.

  “Eralla, let them play with us.”

  I let out a sigh, watching as they joined in the pit.

  “So what are we playing again?”

  The man in the dark-navy suit asked. The person next to him answered, “We are playing Monomitt. The girl literally told us when she offered the spot.”

  “Right. Let’s play.”

  Quen-alla stared up at them, as if they were an outsider. They were—but the way Quen-alla stared at them clearly took the thin man aback.

  “What is your name, fella?”

  “Quen-alla.”

  “I am Gibralla, she is Fattaralla and that is my big sister, Eralla.”

  The man in the dark-navy suit turned his head towards me. I knew what lingered on his mind.

  “I am Tig-eralla.”

  “Tigeralla.”

  He repeated. Why was he staring at me like that?

  Was he a freak?

  “I am Coven—Night Coven—and this man is Aureolo.”

  I crossed my arms, looking away from him.

  “Agile!”

  My head snapped over towards the side when the man in the dark-navy suit called over someone. That girl. From the spacecraft earlier. What was she doing here?

  Shouldn’t she be with elders and… Aourine?

  Aourine.

  My hands curled up as I remembered when she walked away from me. It extinguished the flames of love that could have burnt for a little longer.

  I stared at her as she joined me to stand beside the man in the dark-navy suit who introduced himself as Night-Coven. They had weird names. All of them. What kind of name is Night-Coven? At least Aureolo sounded similar… similar to Aourine.

  Aourine…

  “Eralla!”

  I was pulled out of my thoughts and noticed I was looking in the Night-Coven guy direction. I cleared my throat and focussed my attention on Gibralla.

  “We are waiting.”

  My young siblings were quite commanding despite being tiny things. All of them were obnoxious, rude and snarky except Fattaralla, Somala, Soralla, and sometimes Tiballa.

  I was hesitant but maybe a small game of Monomitt would erase Aourine from my mind for the moment.

  I stepped into the pit, going against my three siblings and one Guardians of the Unirex member, Aureolo, with the other two members watching us, which I didn’t mind.

  The game began and I was on the tip of my feet.

  Dust blocked my sight.

  Gibralla came for me, his hand reached out with the ash of the Ma-Oktava yet I quickly jumped back. My knees hunched down — I used my right hand to push myself to stand up straight. Gibralla kicked the ground, creating a mist of gray sand, blocking the view.

  Smart, tactical moves that usually won him the game.

  My ears perked up when I heard movement behind me. I swiftly lunged forward to avoid being dusted with the ash.

  I grabbed a handful of dust from the ground and attacked whoever was going after me. It was Quen-alla. He wasn’t as light on his feet as the rest of us.

  He was still developing.

  My rounded ear twitched when I heard movement to the left. It was light, soft and almost… too known. Fattaralla.

  I wrapped an arm around Quen-alla to shut him up before he gave away my location.

  Shh…

  I held my breath. Fattaralla was often invisible in the games, making her a threat. That gave her an advantage, but being the eldest, and the most developed, I had my own advantage. The ability to pick up distinct sounds and label them quicker on my feet yet Ma was even better than me.

  I released the hold on Quen-alla and floated just above the ground and swiftly painted Fattaralla with the ash across her forehead.

  “Ha-”

  Fattaralla cried.

  By then, the dust had settled enough for me to notice that Gibralla and Aureolo still remained.

  I was aware of Gibralla’s strategy yet the new person Aureolo, how would he go about this?

  Quen-alla and Fattaralla headed back to stand next to the other two people.

  They were still watching us and from a quick glance, I noticed the girl in the hood was closely observing the game. Observing me.

  I swallowed.

  She seemed a stern woman, possibly a judge.

  Was she like the elders?

  Focus Eralla.

  Focus.

  Once I get Gibralla out, I will focus on this new guy.

  I swatted down, swinging my right leg to create a strong gust of sandy mist. It was more dense, blinding.

  Now let the real game begin.

  I swatted down, picking up a handful of the sand within my grasp, intended to take down both of them and win Monomitt for the 237th time.

  I floated above the ground, tightening my grip on the sand; it slowly spilled through the gaps of my palm.

  It was quiet, nobody was moving. All three of us were waiting. I remained frozen, waiting for someone else to move.

  Whoosh.

  Who moved?

  I remained still, waiting for my ears to perk up as it caught on to the sound of someone moving.

  Someone took a step, moving closer in my direction. Did they know where I was?

  Another step and another…

  They were closing in.

  My fingers tightened.

  Swish.

  The soles of my feet glided across the sand. Ready for any incoming attack on me.

  But that never came.

  Another pair of feet moved, and it sounded like an encounter was happening between the other two, Gibralla and Aureolo. Who won?

  Probably Aureolo, seeing he was part of Guardians of the Unirex.

  That would leave Aureolo and me.

  I was ready to take him down.

  The mist lingered heavily in the air, still blocking any view. This is what makes Monomitt fun.

  The sound was familiar. Too familiar. Did this mean… Gibralla took down the GOU member?

  No way. These people were supposed to save us; yet they got taken down by a six-year-old.

  I was starting to question their credentials.

  Gibralla moved closer. My ears perked up once again as it picked up a sound from behind me. He was trying to direct my attention.

  Sneaky yet not affected.

  I made my move. My feet remained light on the ground as I closed in on Gibralla.

  My keen eyes caught a silhouette amidst the curtain of dust.

  Swiftly, I made my way over to him and brushed the sticky sand against his forehead.

  “No!”

  He yelped.

  The dust settled once again.

  Gibralla looked unpleasantly upset, all due to the losing Monomitt. He was known to get upset about losing.

  I looked over towards the GOU members; the two males were chatting — Aureolo being teased — while the woman in the red hood was staring at me as if I had done something wrong simply by winning.

  ???