Divide

Snakeweed, the japegrin, approached them mischievously,

Grimspite was already in the cottage and, upon Snakeweed's entrance, immediately threw the spindle at him. Everyone knew that if the spindle point pierced the skin, it would induce a weeklong sleep.

Betony gasped at the japegrin's approach and grabbed onto Felix for protection.

Snakeweed easily dodged the flying spindle, and quickly retrieved it as his own weapon.

Attempting to land a blow, Grimspite only managed to knock Snakeweed's hat off his head. Snakeweed always had his hair held tightly back at the base of his neck. However, while sidestepping another crack to the head, Grimspite pulled the japegrin's hair loose by snapping the little elastic that bound his hair. This released a wild cascade of slightly wavy, ginger hair, floating weightlessly around his head like a powder puff, his pointed pixie ears poking through at the sides.

Snakeweed bared his teeth in fury. He looked truly wild now with this unruly flame of hair, spiteful green eyes twinkling with malice, pointed pixie ears and bared teeth. No way could Snakeweed pass for human now, looking as he did. Felix and Betony gasped at the japegrin's appearance.

Grimspite tripped the japegrin to the floor and his face collided with the tools near the fireplace in his fall. However, he quickly he righted himself. A thin stream of the brightest red blood trickled from the corner of his mouth and down his chin, only adding to his feral and frightening appearance.

As his chest heaved with anger, Snakeweed brought a hand to his face to wipe the blood.

Grimspite lunged at him with his short broad sword. The pixie deftly dodged and, in turn, lunged at him with the spindle. Grimspite maneuvered skillfully and expertly plunged the blade deep into Snakeweeds left shoulder, although his true objective was to impale the japegrin's malevolently mischievous heart.

Snakeweed yelped in pain and staggered backwards, dropping the spindle. Clutching at the wound through his shoulder, blood flowed from between his fingers. He winced his eyes in agony, and moaned while falling into a lean against the wall. He stood there with the wall as his crutch, his chest rapidly rising and falling with exertion. gain his green eyes met Grimspite's.

"How do you like that, japegrin?" and Grimspite laughed.

Author's note See also "Version Two" alternate ending (at the end of this chapter).

Snakeweed's eyes scanned the room, searching for something with which to defend himself, or even better, for a way to escape.

"Oh no you don't," said a keen Grimspite observing Snakeweed's intention to flee, and he yanked the pixie away from the wall by one small wrist.

As Grimspite yanked his arm, the force pulled Snakeweed's wounds open even further. He howled wildly in acute agony.

Apparently put off by Snakeweed's horrid screeches of anguish, Grimspite tossed him to the floor. The japegrin attempted to right himself, but found that he could not with the intense pain and sensations of sudden weakness. In fact, he only slipped further into a collapse as he crumpled to all fours, gasping for air.

"Alright, Grimspite, I think you've got 'im," offered Betony, and Grimspite stopped his advance and crossed his arms like a child told he could no longer play with a toy.

Betony approached Snakeweed and knelt down next to him, as was her nature to empathize with his pain, "Snakeweed, are you alright?"

"No!" he snapped in pain, "Does it look like I'm alright!" and he coughed feebly. His small body had now slipped completely to the floor. Blood seeped from his wound, leaving a little pool on the floor before he completely fell unconscious into the puddle.

"Let me finish him off," pleaded Grimspite, drawing his weapon again.

"As much as we all want him to pay for what he's done, you know that if we killed him, that would make us just as bad as he is," offered Felix.

"Humph," Grimspite pouted, realizing the truth of Felix's statement.

Snakeweed moved his legs slightly, moaning and grinding his teeth in pain.

"Japegrin, are you conscious?" inquired Felix.

Snakeweed moaned once again.

Felix poked at his back, "Hey, wake up,"

His shoulders moved as Snakeweed weakly attempted to pull his arms beneath him for support. With much effort, he managed to sit upright, panting. The front of his white shirt and his tan vest were now totally saturated with blood.

As they pulled him upright, his eyes closed and his knees collapsed, "Grimspite, help me put him on the horse....please." requested Betony.

They draped his body over the horse.

When they arrived at Andria several hours later, Snakeweed's blood had now completely saturated his shirt and vest, and had left a dark stain on the horse's saddle, "He's lost so much blood," mused Betony.

"Best thing for everyone if he doesn't make it," mumbled Grimspite.

- - -

The next morning, his wounds were dressed. A nurse had propped him upright with pillows. His shirt was off and his left arm was in a sling, his chest and ribs were also bandaged.

Betony approached the resilient japegrin, "Well, what do you have to say for yourself now,"

He opened his eyes weekly, his ginger hair now combed down, and it flowed past his freckled shoulders instead of standing on end. He moaned quietly as his eyes flickered open.

"Well, you're lucky you're still alive,"

His green japegrin eyes met hers, however they had slightly less twinkle of mischief, "Grimspite nearly had me," he finally whispered weakly.

"And there's a lot who would like to 'have' you, too, Snakeweed. Either way, you're still a living being, I suppose, and I came to see how you're feeling?"

"Hurts like 'ell,"

"I can imagine. Have they given you anything for pain?

He shook his head no.

"Well, I'll see what I can do about that. Even if you're going to hell, it's not my place to make it hell on earth for you. Grimspite really got you, didn't he? But no one deserves to suffer, not even you, God help me," she continued, "Anyway, you need some rest,"

"Betony, is it?" and he raised a ginger eyebrow.

"Yes?"

"Em....thank you," and he smiled weakly.

"You're welcome, Snakeweed. Glad to see you have some manners, even if you've lost your integrity and your morals. Be glad you still have your heart," referring to his wound.

He smiled again.

Typical little pixie, she thought.

VERSION TWO

Another possible scenario:

"How do you like that, japegrin?" and Grimspite laughed.

Snakeweed's eyes scanned the room, searching for something with which to defend himself, or even better, for a way to escape.

In a fury, Grimspite drew his dagger and stabbed it into Snakeweed's right chest.

Snakeweed screamed in pain, before the dagger was once again plunged into his body, and again to his abdomen and once more, puncturing a lung.

Grimspite tossed the fatally-wounded japegrin to the floor.

Snakeweed lay still, eyes open, his body almost convulsing for each breath. He moaned in agony, drawing his knees to his chest in a fetal position.

Betony gasped at the puddle of blood forming around him, "Oh Grimspite, you've definitely got 'im now,"

Grimspite laughed and viciously kicked the pixie in the ribs.

Snakeweed moaned weakly at the kick, before managing to whisper, "I'm sorry, I'm truly sorry. Please....," and he coughed blood, which flowed down his chin, "...Please forgive me,"

"Ha!" laughed Grimspite, "Now you're sorry. Too late if you ask me,"

"I am sorry," and Snakeweed closed his eyes, "Didn't mean to let it go so far. Just...," gasping, "...meant to play," inhaling with extreme difficulty, "...a joke. I am...," yet another pain-filled gasp, "...a pixie... after all."

Coughing again from the exertion of speaking, his hands fell to his side. He gasped for air, and wheezed, trembling as air seemed to bubble out from the wounds to his chest. He moaned weakly in a barely audible voice, "So sorry," and with that, his head gradually slid to one side. He remained still, his chest no longer heaving, and his face had relaxed peacefully.

As they all contemplated his death, each wondered if Snakeweed really was truly sorry.

He probably was sorry, thought Betony, If he was not truly sorry, he would've probably used his last breath to curse us all instead, not to apologize. Betony did regret that the mischievous little japegrin had to die. But this was really the only way to stop him, she though, and truly there seemed to be no end his viciously malevolent trickery.

However after a few moments, Grimspite clapped his hands loudly, breaking everyone's thoughtful introspection, "Well, that's that! Silly japegrin, doesn't know when a prank has gone too far," and he turned away from the lifeless japegrin.

Divide - Chapter 1 – Page 5