In this series, I will take the Word of the Day from Dictionary.com and craft a short piece of creative writing around it. My goal is to embrace the meaning of the word in some unique way, all the while trying out different styles, rhythms and characterizations. It is as much an exercise in creativity as it is an exploration of grammar. Enjoy!
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By Alex Seise
Yxxnlz flitted from lush, rosy bloom to bloom, frantically searching for his six-stringed faekulele. He’d left it among the reeds that morning, but a fast-moving rainstorm moved in and took much debris with it. The tiny leafy instrument hadn’t stood a chance.
He knew that Oqrg would be mad. The acclaimed Conductor of the Nymphony wasn’t kind to tardy, disruptive or belligerent players, and Yxxnlz had stretched his dainty fae wings to their limit. It was now or never, and he rather fancied his role as a magical musician.
He plunged his hand into the shrubbery and plucked a pandurate leaf, then said the usual words in his chittering tongue. Instantly, strings coiled and stretched from the neck of the leaf down to the base, a perfect replica of his recently lost musical toy. He plucked one, enjoying the melodic hum. Then, without a second thought, Yxxnlz zipped back to his place in the band.
Oqrg glared over his stand at the last player to join the string section, but he said nothing. On his twiggy baton’s drop, the first note of the movement sounded loudly among the trees and roots.
