The Story Teller

The parade resumed bringing wonders to the minds of those watching. Diviations, as well as the images of spirits dancing about the streets bringing joy and fright. Children laughed as some ran about the abiritions, and as soon as the show had begun it was over. Once a year these spectres would appear about the streets and skies of the cities. People were baffled for centuries as to the nature of such creations that would appear and dissapear nearly as soon as it had begun.

She smiled turning from an alley behind a rather larger grouping of people that had watched the show. She sighed finally turning from the group and heading back towards the hills that were protected by some law or another of the people. They had little knowledge of why those hills had been deemed protected all this time through the ages. Once to the boarder she stopped seeing a young girl had followed her. Her image concealed by a hat and somewhat fomal clothing.

"Excuse me. Are you the one that does this every year? If so, you must be a great master to pull off such spectacular images."

She looked over the girl through her hat. But would simply turn and work her illusion of disappearance as she faced the land before her. Such a young child she thought. But clever enough to watch out for.

********

Katie looked about the shop, an elbow propped up on the counter holding her head as she drew out the things she had seen the night before. She wondered who the lady had been and why she had done this ritual for centuries. Could a person even be that old?

"Earth to Katie, what's up girl? Oh don't tell my your doing your obsessive thing again about the storyteller?"

She turned hearing her co-worker and quickly tried to hide her sketches. "Maybe, maybe not. Besides, I'm not obsessing." She listened as he laughed then sighed. Her oldest friend Bret, and often her greatest kick in the but.

"Ah, why do I even bother with you sometimes. It's not like anyone has ever seen this fabled storyteller you know. it's just a publicity stunt by big cooperations to get their names in the paper."

"That's not True Bret and you know it. You saw her all those years ago just like me when we were little. I saw her again last night, and followed her."

"Oh really? Who is she? Did she say why she does this?"

Katie shook her had with another sigh, then handed him her sketch of the woman she had seen.

"She looks older now. Its strange. I would have thought she'd be still a kid like when we first saw her. But this makes her look ancient almost, but in a pretty way."

She laughed looking to him. "And you say I'm the one obsessing. What, sad your childhood crush may be some ancient crone instead of the little girl we remembered? You know the story and legends as well as my grandfather who's past them down to us. Se's a spirit of magics and illusions of the old world. Timeless and beyond it." She took the picture back and sighed as a customer came in. She rang up the order and resumed the conversation. "I wish we could know her though."

"Assuming now it really is a girl."

"I think the storyteller is. But last night, I don't know, she seemed different. Not at all like the one we had met. I tried talking to her, but she just dissappeared. I wonder why she's come out again. Grandfather says she never comes out unless as a warning to the people." She sighed again and headed towards th door for lock up.

"Well whatever the reason, we lost your parents and mine shortly after. If you ask me, she's a warning to our family."

Katie nodded and turned the key to lock the door. As she turned back she would fall to the ground feeling a piercing pain in her arm, the windows shattering around her. She called out for Bret but it was too late. She went to him crawling through the glass shards to try and help him. He'd been shot several times, but only one looked serious in his shoulder. "Bret.. No cousin don't leave me.. We'll get you some help." She started screaming for anyone to help them but only saw two men in suits standing where the door had been. "Please, My cousin needs a docter. I don't want to loose my best friend please you have to call the police." She looked to their blank expressions then nothe guns they held. They rushed her soon grabbing her and holding her down. They bound her hands and lifted her by her arm as she would scream for anyone near to help. One of the two began leading her to a car outside, trying to force her in. "No! Let go, leave Bret alone! Bret!" She continued screaming then felt a pain in her head as the one pushing her hit her with the hilt of the gun sending her to the ground. She looked up in a daze seeing the shadow of the other in the stoore as if searching for something.