Sunday Snippet - A Murder of Crows

This is from one of my various short stories that I've written over the last few years.

Aya held up her hand. The light Bailey was following fluttered down and settled just above the old woman’s palm. It darted here and there above the old homeless woman’s hand. It looked like she wanted to fly off but was held by something. “Interesting little thing, isn’t she?”

“What is she?” Bailey asked.

Aya smiled, showing a distinct lack of proper dental hygiene. “She’s a Glitter Wisp.” She extended her dirt covered hand. “Watch.” Aya closed her fingers around the light. It went out, and the music stopped. A moment later, Aya opened her hand again.

A piece of faceted yellow topaz glittered on her palm. Bailey’s eyes narrowed. “This is one of those stupid sleight of hand things, isn’t it?” she asked suspiciously. “My mom told me that there were a lot of street people who would try and beg money off of me with these kinds of tricks.”

“Your mom sounds like a sensible woman,” Aya said with a snort. “This is what happens when you catch a Glitter Wisp. It’s how they protect themselves. Otherwise the poor dears would be pecked to death by magpies and crows.” Bailey heard a rustling sound. She looked up, and saw a bunch of crows staring down at her. Aya set the crystal down on the edge of her box. “Watch.”

Bailey crouched next to the box. Two of the crows landed on the box, but Aya shooed them off. They cawed angrily at her, and Bailey saw the gem shiver. For a moment, even the shadows in the alley seemed to grow darker and colder. Aya’s eyes glittered cold and black as she watched the young woman.

“Nothing’s happening,” Bailey said after a few minutes passed in silence.

“Patience, girl. I gave her quite a scare,” Aya said. She jerked her head at the crows. “These damned birds aren’t helping things either. She’s terrified.” There was a faint sound, almost like glass cracking. “Ah, here she comes.” Aya’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Quiet now. We don’t want to scare her again.”

“What’s she doing?” Bailey whispered.

“She’s peeking out to make sure that we’re not a pair of nasty old birds with a taste for Wisp,” Aya said.

There was that tinkling sound of breaking glass again. Suddenly the gem exploded in a flurry of sound and
light. Bailey blinked. A tiny woman with dark gold hair and crystal dragonfly wings stood in place of the gem.