WINDOWS: A BROKEN FAIRY TALE by Casey Bramble Page A

watch.
    “You know how
worried I was about you?   Going off into
that big city all alone!   You could’ve been
kidnapped or killed or worse.”   The
darker skinned girl started moving forward and Raven matched her step for
step.   The four onlookers, three girls
and a dragon, switched their eyes from one combatant to the other.   Sarah wanted to try something to stop them
but Felicity whispered that it was best to be quite and not draw their
attention.   So Sarah just nodded and
settled back since nobody else seemed overly concerned.
    “Sure, you were
real worried about me, which is why you came rushing out to check when I got
home.”   Raven threw her right palm up and
sent a fireball of her own, which her opponent easily dodged.
    “Oh that’s
it.   First you make me sit and worry all
week long, and now you’re attacking me for expressing my sisterly
concerns.   I’m going to kick your ass!”
    “You and what
army?”
    The two were
silent, facing each other about 10 yards apart.   Sarah took the opportunity to wonder, very quietly, if someone shouldn’t
stop them before they got hurt.   Felicity
smiled and asked why anybody would want to stop them since it was obvious how
happy they were to see each other.   Then
magic erupted again, scorching the grass where the spells met and exploded,
making conversation impossible.   The
battle, which lasted a good minute by Sarah’s reckoning, was lost when Raven
failed to block a spell that hit the ground at her feet.   The explosion knocked her into the air and
she landed heavily on her stomach.   The
other girl took advantage in a flash, jumping on top and pinning Raven’s right
arm behind her back.
    “Tell me you’re
sorry.”   She demanded and Raven muttered
something that none of the others could hear.   Sarah might have caught the word ‘witch’ though she couldn’t be
sure.   The girl gasped and smacked
Raven’s head with an open palm.   “Where
did you learn that kind of language?”  
    “Let me up and
I’ll tell you.”   Raven hissed, trying to
wiggle out from underneath her captor.   The other girl was having none of it and twisted the captured arm
painfully.
    “I’ll let you up
when you apologize and tell me how much you love me.”   The victor demanded.
    “Fine!”   The girl in lilac and plum finally submitted.   “I’m sorry for making you worry.   And I love you bunches.   You’re super wonderful and the bestest big
sister I could ever hope for!   Now let me
up!”
    “Did you get my money?’
    “It’s in my left
pocket.”
    The sister on top
leaned over, making sure to put just a little more pressure to the strained
shoulder tendons and stuck her hand into the pocket.
    “Now let me up!”
Raven started writhing and spitting.         
    The other girl
arched an eyebrow when she saw twenty gullions instead of the ten she was
expecting.   Pulling on Raven’s pony tail,
she asked why there was extra money.   “You didn’t get it from Richard, did you?   You forgot and you’re trying to lie to me,
aren’t you?”
    The determined captive
continued squirming but found escape impossible.   “Would I lie to you?   I stopped by his airship this morning to get
it.   Ask Sarah.”
    “Who the hell is
Sarah?”
    “Probably the
blonde you’ve never seen before.”   That
response earned another open handed slap to the back of the head and the winner
scolded Raven for being snarky to the bestest big sister ever.  
    Then the girl
settled her eyes on Sarah.   “Is she
telling the truth?’
    Sarah nodded
dumbly in the affirmative, to nervous to speak.   Finally the victor stood and dragged Raven to her feet.   The two faced each other with wide grins
splitting their faces and hugged tightly.
    As they pulled
apart after a long moment, the girl wiped a bit of dirt off of Raven’s
cheek.   “I’ve missed you Sis.”
    Raven wiped some
soot off of her sister’s face in response.   “I’ve missed