"Amity Saves Thanksgiving"
"So, you celebrate this holiday by making a lot of food?" Amity asked, watching Luz, Vee, and Camila bustle around the kitchen. The air was rich with spices she didn't recognize, and her nose wrinkled at the scent of cranberry sauce simmering on the stove.
"Oh, it's more than that," Luz explained, sliding a tray of rolls into the oven. "It's about giving thanks and sharing a meal with family."
"Sounds like Thank the Titan Day," Amity said thoughtfully. Her mother had always turned that holiday into a grand, over-the-top affair. It made Amity wonder: if Belos had stolen the idea of Thanksgiving, how many other Human Realm traditions had inspired the Boiling Isles?
She glanced at the unfamiliar tools and machines spread across the counters—everything so foreign and yet strangely familiar. After months with the Nocedas, she'd learned to navigate this magic-less world. There was Instagram instead of Penstagram, phones instead of scrolls, and hotdogs instead of notdogs.
Still, some days, the adjustment felt overwhelming. She'd grown used to the Nocedas' warmth and kindness, but in the quiet moments, the guilt lingered. Luz had gone through so much because of her. And Amity was determined to prove she deserved a place in their home.
"I think I'm starting to get the hang of this world," Amity said, watching Luz pull out a pie. "But I have to admit… your holidays are weird."
"You haven't even seen the Macy's parade yet," Luz teased, nudging her with an elbow. "Just wait."
Amity grinned faintly, but her thoughts strayed back to her own world. For the first time in a long time, she didn't feel like an outsider. She just had to make sure she didn't mess it up.
"Luz, could you take the turkey out of the freezer?" Camila called from the stove.
"Sure, Mama!" Luz skipped to the freezer, pulling the door open with a grin—until her eyes went wide. "Oh no."
Amity looked up from where she was peeling potatoes.
"What's wrong?"
"We forgot to get the turkey!" Luz groaned, clutching her hair like the sky was falling.
Camila turned, wiping her hands on a dish towel.
"Don't worry," she said, far too calmly. "We'll just pick one up from the store."
Amity blinked.
"Wait. You're saying the main dish for this meal—this sacred, gratitude-giving holiday—is missing?"
"Yep," Luz muttered, facepalming.
"And... stores are still open for this?" Amity frowned. "Because back home, we'd need a special summoning circle and at least three sacrifices to fix this kind of disaster."
Camila waved her off.
"No summoning required. We'll just grab one from the store."
"But Mama, it's Thanksgiving!" Luz groaned, throwing her hands in the air. "Do you seriously think there'll still be any left?"
"I'm sure there's at least one turkey out there," Camila said with a determined nod. Her optimism felt almost magical—though Amity knew better. "You'd be surprised what you can find if you just look."
Luz squinted at her mother. "Yeah, but what if the only turkey left is, like… cursed or something?"
"Luz," Camila said, hands on her hips. "It's a turkey, not the Holy Grail."
Amity tilted her head.
"If turkeys are so important, why didn't you just get one months ago? That's what my mother would've done for a holiday feast."
Camila sighed.
"Good question, Amity. Why didn't I think of that?" Camila said, narrowing her eyes at Luz.
"Hey, don't look at me!" Luz threw up her hands. "I thought you were handling it!"
"Guys, please!" Vee stepped between them, holding up her hands like a referee. "Can we skip the family drama and just focus on the turkey?"
"I can get the turkey," Amity chimed in confidently. She stood straighter, like she'd just volunteered for a heroic quest. "They're just big, fat, flightless birds, right? I'll hunt one down."
Camila stared at her.
"Hunt one?"
Luz groaned.
"Oh, Titan, Amity. That's not how it works here!"
"It's fine!" Amity insisted, a determined gleam in her eye. "Give me a net, and I'll have one in no time!"
"No need for that," Camila said with a warm smile. "We'll just grab one from the store."
"No, no—you guys stay and finish dinner prep," Amity insisted, stepping forward like a knight accepting a noble mission. "I'll get the turkey."
"Are you sure?" Luz frowned, biting her lip. "It can get… kinda intense out there. Thanksgiving shoppers are feral."
"What's the worst that can happen?" Amity shrugged, pulling on a beanie to cover her pointed ears and reaching for her coat. "I'll be fine."
Camila hesitated, then sighed and handed her some cash.
"Okay, but be careful. And Amity—get the turkey and come straight back. No detours."
Amity gave her a confident nod.
"You can count on me, Mrs. Noceda."
"Amity, wait!" Luz called out, stepping closer. "Seriously, this isn't the Boiling Isles. Thanksgiving shopping is a blood sport."
Amity smirked.
"Then it's a good thing I'm a Blight. I'll be fine."
Luz watched her go with a mix of pride and dread.
"Famous last words…"
The grocery store was a short bike ride away. Amity pedalled quickly, her breath visible in the crisp November air. She'd been living in the Human Realm for months, but its non-magical oddities still baffled her. Back home, buildings pulsed with life. Here, everything was lifeless—metal, plastic, concrete. Even their scrolls— 'phones,' Luz called them—were bizarre. Humans used them for photos, messages, and apparently to summon all of human knowledge.
Still, the hardest part wasn't the lack of magic. It was earning Camila's trust. Amity knew it would take time, especially after everything Luz had endured because of her. But this task? This seemingly simple mission? She wouldn't fail.
'I will not let them down,' she swore, parking her bike outside the store. 'Camila gave me a home. I will prove I'm worthy of it.'
She strode through the automatic doors, still startled by how they slid open without anyone touching them. Luz had called it 'sensors'. Amity still preferred the enchanted doors—or the ones powered by scampering little demons—back home.
The Boiling Isles didn't have buildings like supermarkets. The closest thing was the bustling marketplace in Bonesborough, with its crooked stalls, shouting vendors, and the occasional enchanted fruit trying to eat its buyer. There were also a handful of speciality shops tucked into alleys, often run by witches or demons with questionable hygiene.
So to step into a brightly lit human supermarket, with its orderly aisles and endless shelves of food, was completely mindboggling.
She paused near the entrance, her eyes sweeping across the scene. How could so much food be gathered in one place? Everything was stacked neatly in identical rows, glowing under fluorescent lights. There were no loud haggling voices or magic potions spilling on the floor—just the hum of refrigeration units and the occasional beep from the checkout lanes.
Amity wandered past a display of perfectly shaped apples, their polished surfaces reflecting the light.
'These aren't real,' she thought at first. But no, they were just… incredibly uniform. Too perfect. Back in Bonesborough, produce always looked a little gnarled or slightly cursed, and that was if it wasn't alive.
She stepped cautiously around a giant freezer, its frosty glass revealing stacks of frozen meals in colourful boxes. Her gaze lingered on one labeled 'Family-Sized Lasagna'. How could a meal be frozen solid in a box and still taste good later? Humans really were strange.
Amity shook her head, determined to focus. She wasn't here to marvel at human innovation—she had a mission.
She soon spotted her target: the last turkey in the freezer. She reached for it, relief washing over her—until another hand clamped down on it.
"Let go!" snapped a blonde woman with a sharp glare.
"I need this turkey," Amity said, as politely as she could.
"Well, I need it more!"
"Sorry, but this is for an important mission!" Without hesitation, Amity yanked the turkey free and bolted.
"GET BACK HERE, YOU BRAT!" the woman screeched, heels clacking as she gave chase.
Amity's heart pounded as she dodged past shoppers, clutching the turkey like a precious treasure. She leapt into the shortest checkout line, slamming the turkey on the counter.
"Please, hurry!"
The cashier frowned as he scanned the barcode.
Error.
Amity glanced over her shoulder. The woman's shrill voice was getting louder.
Error.
"Come on, come on!" Amity pleaded. Finally, the scanner beeped. She shoved the money onto the counter. "Keep the change!"
Clutching her prize, Amity darted out the door and onto her bike. She had barely pedalled halfway down the street when she heard the roar of an engine.
"GIVE ME THAT TURKEY, YOU BRAT!"
Amity turned to see the blonde woman barreling after her in a car. Her face twisted in fury, her knuckles white on the steering wheel.
'Holy Titan, what is wrong with her?!' Amity thought, her legs pumping furiously as she pedalled faster. She weaved through pedestrians, calling out frantic apologies. Her bike screeched onto the sidewalk and veered into an alleyway, the sound of the car's tyres screaming close behind.
'This turkey must be really important for her to act like this. But why?'
Her mind raced, spiralling into absurd possibilities. Could Luz have left something out? Was the turkey some kind of sacred offering? If she didn't get it, would a curse fall on the Noceda family? Or worse... would they have to sacrifice something—or someone—else?
Amity's breath hitched as her imagination ran wild.
She returned home, empty-handed. Camila stood at the dinner table, grim-faced and holding a carving knife. Luz sat in the middle, bound to a chair and surrounded by side dishes—cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes—her wide eyes silently begging for help.
"I'm sorry, Luz," Camila said solemnly. "The turkey wasn't retrieved. Tradition demands we give thanks another way."
"NO!" Amity screamed, standing frozen in horror as Camila raised the knife.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Luz shouted, struggling against her bonds. "Why can't we just have tacos?!"
Camila shook her head.
"It's not the same."
The vision snapped away as a loud horn brought Amity back to reality.
Her heart thundered in her chest as she glanced over her shoulder. The car was gaining on her, and she could see the blonde woman's face twisting in fury.
It all happened so fast: a screech of brakes, a sickening crash, and Amity flying through the air. She hit the pavement with a thud, dazed and gasping as she struggled to catch her breath. The turkey rolled to a stop beside her, miraculously intact.
The blonde woman climbed out of her car, a triumphant grin spreading across her face as she stalked toward the fallen bird.
"Mine!" she hissed, reaching for the turkey.
"No," Amity muttered, her fingers twitching against the ground. She clenched her jaw, determination burning through her haze of pain.
With a flick of her wrist, she drew a spell circle as a familiar warmth coursed through her—the spark of magic she hadn't dared use openly in months.
The air shimmered, and a shadow rose between them.
The woman froze as the as a giant turkey of impossible size appeared before her, its feathers igniting with hellish flames. Its eyes glowed red, and its beak opened in a deafening roar.
"YOU HATH DISPLEASED ME!" the creature bellowed, its voice shaking the very ground.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" the woman shrieked, stumbling backwards. Her legs wobbled as she tripped over the curb and scrambled toward her car.
"BEGONE, MORTAL!" the turkey roared again. Firelight danced on the shocked faces of nearby onlookers, their phones raised high to capture every second.
The woman didn't wait for another command. She dove into her car and sped away, tyres screeching as flames reflected in her rearview mirror.
As the last echo of her screams faded, the illusion dissolved.
"Okay," Amity murmured, scooping up the bird with a shaky laugh. "That was probably overkill. But it worked."
She placed the turkey carefully in her bike's basket, her hands trembling slightly from the adrenaline still coursing through her. As she climbed back onto the bike, a sharp ache shot through her side, and she winced, the bruises from her tumble making themselves known.
With a sigh, she cast a quick healing spell, the familiar warmth of magic soothing the worst of the pain. It wasn't much—she didn't want to risk drawing too much attention—but it was enough to keep her going.
Still, as she began pedalling down the street, the corners of her mouth tugged upward. The mission was a success. She'd faced down chaos, danger, and even a turkey thief—and she'd won.
"Mission accomplished," she murmured to herself, her small smile growing wider as the Noceda house came into view.
Back at the Noceda house, Camila paced the kitchen, her gaze flicking anxiously to the clock.
"Where is she?" she murmured. "It's been almost an hour…"
Luz leaned against the doorway, her arms crossed but her face worried.
"Should I go look for her?"
Before Camila could respond, the front door burst open with a dramatic flourish.
Amity marched in, the turkey held high above her head like a knight returning from battle. Her face was streaked with dirt, her hair slightly mussed, and her coat askew, but her expression radiated triumph.
"I did it!" she declared, dropping to one knee before Camila. "I have returned with the sacred bird for the Thanksgiving feast! The spirits will be pleased!"
Camila froze, her hand halfway to her chest as she tried to process what she'd just heard.
"…Gracias, Amity," she managed, carefully taking the turkey from her outstretched hands. "I'll, uh, get this ready."
She headed for the kitchen, glancing back at Luz with a look that screamed what just happened?
Meanwhile, Luz stepped closer to Amity, her brow furrowed in confusion.
"Amity… what exactly happened out there?"
"I'm just so happy I didn't fail you, Luz!" Amity cried, throwing her arms around her in a tight, tearful hug.
"What? Fail me? Amity, what are you talking about?" Luz asked, her voice muffled against Amity's shoulder.
Amity pulled back, her face deadly serious.
"You don't have to pretend. I know the truth about Thanksgiving."
Luz blinked.
"…You do?"
Amity nodded solemnly.
"If you don't sacrifice a turkey, you have to sacrifice a family member! But don't worry," she added, gripping Luz's shoulders. "I saved you!"
"…"
"…"
From the living room, Masha clamped a hand over their mouth and bolted upstairs, muffled laughter trailing behind them.
Vee, standing at the counter with a mixing bowl, facepalmed with an audible smack. She leaned closer to Luz, whispering, "Should we tell her?"
Luz stared at Amity's dirt-streaked face, her triumphant smile, and her rumpled coat. A wave of affection bubbled up in her chest, overtaking her confusion.
"Eh," Luz said, grinning. "We'll tell her tomorrow. Let her have this win."
A short Thanksgiving Story taking place in the 'World of Oscura'. It was written months ago and now I have a chance to share it with you all.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!