The Storm Child

Trust in the totems…

The darkened sky crackled with dark blue and purple as the sun was swallowed by the stormy night.

Rain pummeled the hard earth into mud. Aija screamed as thunder shook her ramshackle home. She had to stay put while her father was out on the hunt.

Aija clutched her stuffed bear tightly as more lightning flashed in the sky. She shut her eyes and hoped he would return quickly.

She was scared.

“It’s okay, Bumper,” she whimpered softly, caressing the bear, “you mustn’t be afraid of the storm.”

She poked her little head out of the straw hut that was the only home she’d known and looked around.

In the windy darkness of the storm, Aija could make out the village’s sputtering bonfire in the center of their plateau, surrounded by glowing totems — spirit guardians crafted of wood by her father and others. They stood in defense against the evils of the world.

Aija summoned her floundering courage.

She raced out towards the nearest totems, grabbed the biggest one she could, the size of a small deer, and dragged it back to her hut’s entrance. The icy rain pelted her skin, and mud caked her bare feet. She slipped more than once, but she believed in the totems’ protection, and did not give up her prize.

She fiddled with its placement until she was satisfied it could provide her maximum protection.

Thunder roared, and lightning struck the tallest of the totems around the bonfire, which was on the verge of going out. Aija screamed instinctively as the top of the totem flashed and caught fire.

“It’s okay, Bumper, the totems will protect each other, too.”

And sure enough, the flames sputtered and died out within moments of the strike. “See? nothing to worry about.”

Aija moved to the back of her hut and curled up on the straw mattress with her bear. She thought about hiking down off the plateau into the forest below and searching for her father, but it was impossible in the storm.

She had to be a good little girl and wait for him to return home.

This short was submitted to the AWC (Australian Writer’s Centre) for their latest Fiction Frenzy contest. Check out everything they’re about here. As always. a shoutout to Grandma Smillew for her tireless work undoing her grandson’s nefarious efforts, and for promoting wonderful stories on Medium and elsewhere. ❤