Small and Smaller

Posted on Wed Nov 4th, 2020 @ 3:34pm by Divine (Level 1) Wijen Leafwalker & Goddess Sihmir

Mission: Undead Cabbages?
Location: Heaven?

Sarah was in her normal seat in the back of the car. Her brother, his friends, Paul and Ember were also in the car. The four of them were headed back to Chico from San Francisco where they had been in a large jazz festival. They had a gimmick. Like herself and her Brother, Paul was a short person. Ember on the other hand was almost six foot four. So the three of them had a band called Short dreams and a pinch of Ember. They had pulled Sarah into it as well. She wasn’t much for singing in public, but they needed a backup singer. She could sing, but she hated people judging her for it. The only instrument she could play was a tambourine. And she was bad with it. They also had what her brother referred to as their roadies. Two more friends from school who had access to a van and could move the heavy stuff.

They had left San Francisco hours earlier. Stopping in a town called Willows to get some Chinese food. While there they broke out into one of the many RPG’s they played. This had originally annoyed the wait staff, but since the place was empty, Paul offered to pay a bit extra to stay there and they even bought more food.

Once the restaurant went to close, they had continued on their way home. As they turned on the road that led them closer to their homes in Chico Ca, they came across a convoy of trucks hauling rides for a fair. “Hey, got a fair coming this way.”

This grabbed Sarah’s attention. She loved the rides. Hated the waits, but loved the rides. Yet when she saw the rides, a large car with a clown head on it. She got scared. The short lady hated clowns. And her brother and Paul knew it. “Okay. We can pass this one.” Sarah told them.

“Careful Tiny. Clowns will eat you.” Her brother said with a laugh from the front seat.

“Guys, you know she hates it, so why force her to see them?” Ember said from her spot in the back.

“Ember, we don’t have a choice. The cars in front of us are going slow too.” Paul stated. They slowed down a bit more as they reached the train tracks. The road way lifted up to meet them. “I doubt they are staying on this road when we hit downtown.” He looked over to the truck and then Ember screamed.

“Hey! Watch out!” Ember screamed as she pointed in front of them. The tractor part of the big rig was hit hard and was forced into their lane. The trailer began to tip. The train that had hit it, kept moving along, like it felt nothing. The lights on the cross guards were not blinking at all. Sarah looked up as pale white clown face got closer. She shut her eyes wishing this was just a dream.

The death was instant. Several hundred pounds against a small flimsy car. The train that had caused the accident took nearly two miles to come to a full stop. By then it was too late. The car had been flattened by both the clown inspired ride, and the bed of the trailer.

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Another day, another death. Sihmir was bored. Gods and Goddesss had rules but those rules were never known to mortals. One day, I will find a way to change the rules more into my favor. This assisting people to their next lives is rather dull. I deserve more adoration for what I do. Well, I can get more believers in one certain way.

The dark Goddess sat as a small girl appeared in her realm. Might as well get it over with.

Darkness overwhelmed the area and then two spotlights shown brightly in a light blue on Sihmir and Sarah. "Welcome my child," she said addressing the small girl. She pulled a small book out of thin air, perhaps a pamphlet. "It says here that you have recently died. Not much you could do about it being a passenger." With practiced boredom she continued. "Tragedy."

She let her tongue trail across your lips deliciously. "I am certain that you have many questions. Since it will ease your conscience, you may ask them now before you make your decisions."

"I'm dead? It was that stupid clown. I knew they were evil." Sarah looked around. She stood up and tired to see as far as she could, which wasn't all that far. Just the darkness and two areas of light were all she could see. "Don't tell me that the Christians were right. This isn't heaven, is it? And please tell me it's not Hell."

"Hell.... Oh, yes, I have heard of this concept. Perhaps my horns make you believe that, hmmmm? And I assure you that you were not killed by a clown, though that would have been a great deal more amusing to me. No," she looked back at the pamphlet. " It seems that you were killed by another vehicle flipping on top of yours. Then again, your friends survived. Though, it seems one is likely paralyzed for life. This probably is a much better fate, I should think."

"But if you were the Devil, you'd lie to me and say things like that. Insisting that I didn't go to Hell." Sarah began to shake her head. "No. I refuse to think I'm going to any kind of Hell. I was good. Sure, I never went to a church and I'm actually more of a pagan, but I never stole, robbed or cheated. I've lived how I wanted to be treated..."

"And there is your answer," Simhir responded with a dark chuckle. "Things are so much clearer when you're dead, are they not?"

"Maybe I'm not dead. Maybe it was that kung pao chicken, I knew it tasted a bit funny. And Ember did have those special brownies a couple weeks ago. I didn't want to try them, maybe it's still in my system..." Sarah paced a step or two, then she looked back and pointed at the woman. "To quote Scrooge. There's more of gravy then of grave about you."

The spotlight followed Sarah as she backed away. With a wicked grin, Simhir merely said, "If you choose to believe that this is a dream, then it would not harm you to make a choice to live in another world, now would it?"

"Right. And what tortures would I have to endure for the next eternity?" Sarah asked.

"Only those that you choose to endure," Simhir replied cryptically.

Sarah looked around, then at the woman. It truly looked as though she had no choice. "Okay. What choice is it that I have?"

"You may be reincarnated as a baby on your old world. Orrrrrr," Simhir purposely let the word, "or" dangle for some time before continuing, "Or, rather than starting over as a baby and likely living another meaningless life, I can send you to a world where you might become a hero. There is a darkness in that world. A corruption that is taking the entire world over. Heroes are needed to fight it back and destroy it. The surviving kingdom is called Demona. I could send you there and I would grant you some magical abilities to assist in your quest and one special item to take with you. Should you be successful in defeating this corruption, you would be granted a wish. What do you say? Want to live a life in a magical world rather than pretend to be in one?" Simhir rose from her chair and smiled knowingly at Sarah, waving the pamphlet towards her.

Sarah thought about it for several moments. If it was a dream, what could this hurt. But if she was truly dead, and she could go do some good some other place, that beat being dead. After thinking she turned and held a hand out. "Why not? If this is a dream then it may be a good one. I'll take your pamphlet."

"This?!" Simhir replied laughing boisterously. "You cannot have this. These are God records of your life. What you can have is a boon, when I send you down to Demona. You will be sent to St. Ignace, the last free city. Is that what you desire?" Simhir smirked at Sarah.

Sarah shook her head.. "You smile like that and I want to change my mind. But hey. Just a dream, so why not? Yes I'll go there."

Simhir raised her head upwards and in a booming voice called out, "Let it be shown that she has decided this of her own free will!" She then smirked at Sarah. "Well, of course, there will have to some changes. The system always demands that. But as to your boon, what do you desire to assist with your quest?"

"A boon?" Sarah paced for a moment and thought about it. Many questions sprang to mind. "I have a few questions first. What kind of world is this? Swords and magi? Flying vehicles and people? I need to know what I'm getting into first before I pick a boon."

The Goddess laughed. "You were not listening carefully, were you? I told you that I would grant you some magical abilities, did I not? Did I also not tell you would be living in a magical world rather than pretend on being in one? Shame on you, Sarah. You were never good at paying attention to details, were you?"

Sarah shrugged. "Not really. But I know what I want. I want a mount that fits someone like me, with whatever powers I'll get and that will answer to only me."

"A mount that fits someone like you?" The Goddess stifled a giggle and cried out above, "The boon of a mount that fits someone like her is granted. I shall now send you down to St. Ignace. I wish you luck. And when you pray, pray to me, Simhir, for it is I who has sent you down to Demona. You shall now be known as Wijen Leafwalker and granted powers like you would call a druid from your role playing game that you enjoyed. Do not mind the recombination process that will allow you to take your new form and understand the languages there."

Sarah, now Widen, smiled. "Druids are great. Thanks!" She called out.

Glitter surrounded Sarah as she suddenly felt pressed down into a tunnel. Time and space seemed to speed up until it all ended abruptly in what appeared to be a green meadow. She hit the ground with a thud. When she arrived in it, she could see a large lump of something furry near a tree. Nobody else was around.

It took Sarah, now Wijen a few moments to get to her feet. the landing had knocked the wind out of her. The meadow was large, with a nice amount of sun beating down on them, but a good breeze blowing through the clearing. The grass wasn't too high, but paths where animals had gone through could be seen crisscrossing the clearing. Somewhere around her she could hear teh sounds of a small creek. "Um, hello? Is there anyone here? " Wijen called out. Her eyes stayed on the fuzzy lump. It looked large, even though she was a little distance away. She loved the outdoors, but large animals scared her. But as she called out, the fuzzy lump stirred. A large head looked up at her. Then it stood.

Her heart sank as the lump shown that it was in fact a wolf. A very large wolf. She could see it had white and grey fur. And a large head. She cast a glance over her shoulder to see if there was anything near her. A tree lay a few hundred feet away. Wijen looked back to see the wolf was now walking towards her. She started to walk to the tree, while keeping her body facing the monster wolf. She had to make the tree. Then she could climb it and find out how her powers worked to defend herself.

As she started to head to the tree, the wolf picked up it's pace. That was all she needed, and Wijen took off in a sprint, screaming as she ran from the wolf. "CRAPCRAPCRAPCRAP! HEEEELLLLLPPPP!" Behind her the sounds of the beast running filled her ears and she ran as fast as he legs could take her. "I HATE THIS DREAM!!!" She yelled out.

The tree was getting close. She cast a quick glance over her shoulder. The wolf was also getting closer. The closer it got, the more massive it looked. Then she stumbled and fell face first onto the grass. The wolf had slowed down, but was still advancing. She scrambled to her feet and took off again. The tree was getting closer. The winds seemed to get stronger, and she knew she was done for. The Devil had done this on purpose.

She was in such a panic, she didn't realize that the ground tapered down. Nor did she notice the creek was closer. She cast a quick glance over her head, just as her feet missed the step. She lurched forwards, causing her to scream, until she hit the ground with a thud. Her speed caused her to tumble. Her head catching a rock. Everything went black and she passed out as her body hit the water and landed face down.

TBC