Composed 7/27/13
Description: My response to today’s Daily Prompt: A to Z! The challenge was to “create a short story, piece of memoir, or epic poem that is 26 sentences long, in which the first sentence begins with “A” and each sentence thereafter begins with the next letter of the alphabet.” It sounded fun, so I gave it a shot. I must say, I am impressed by how this turned out. Let me know what YOU think!
“Aha! Bet you didn’t see that coming!”
Clarisse grinned and, after a triumphant brandish of her sword, bowed. Down on his back, Ezekiel’s lips pulled back into a snarl, but he kicked over his small sack of coins as they had agreed.
“Ezekiel, please don’t look so grim and downtrodden! Finer swordsmen than you have fallen prey to my excellent skill!” Gleefully, Clarisse swiped the bag, leapt, twirled, and jabbed into an imaginary foe. “However, I admit, few of the worthy opponents I have battled share your particular… disadvantage. I therefore believe you have, indeed, waged a comparably remarkable battle. Jealous, I’m sure, others of your make would be of your skill.”
“Kings have had my so-called disadvantage!” Livid, Ezekiel jumped to his feet. “Maybe you’ll see who is really at a disadvantage during our next bet! Nightfall – that is when we will decide who really is the best!”
Only a few hours later, Clarisse met Ezekiel a few hundred feet into the forest.
“Pray tell… exactly what is the nature of this challenge?”
Quirking an eyebrow in some smugness, Ezekiel remarked that they would be dueling in the pitch black of night in the center of the forest. Reputation as the “alpha” of their group would be the prize at stake.
Stepping back, Clarisse voiced her uncertainty. The danger of sword fighting in the pitch black of night, even with blunt swords, was enough to make her wary.
“Understandable, it is, how some people would feel afraid to battle while lacking one of their primary senses, even though some do this casually and with much success…”
Very soon, the two were battling.
Whipping her sword this way and that, Clarisse struggled to anticipate Ezekiel’s moves. “X” soon became the shape of their blades, and Ezekiel, fighting as energetically and easily as they had that afternoon, maneuvered, pushed, and sent Clarisse flying over a branch behind her.
“Yes, indeed, my dear beta, blindness can in fact become an advantage!”
“Zee, I see your point.”
Scraps of Paper 
Clever title. Intriguing story. I like how you used action to get out of the ‘X’ trap! Well done!
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Ha, thanks! I agonized over that X, because most “X” words are very modern creations or ideas (xylophone, xerox, xenophobia), and I had set up a distinctly older world. I felt like the way I used X was cheating a little, but it was honestly the best idea I had!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for reading and commenting!
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You’re welcome!
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Ahhhhh, brilliant. Not only do you have a super title for your piece but also some swordfighting too – wasn’t expecting to find that in a story. I really like how this one develops and the way you used the X wasn’t cheating, it was very inventive indeed. And the ending was cute too the way you turned Ezekiel into Zee – very cool. Hahaha – just got the ‘point’ of the end too – excellent!
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Thank you so much for the encouraging comment! I’m glad you enjoyed it :) It was definitely a lot of fun to write.
Ha, and, yes, I had the idea for the “Zee” nickname from the very beginning. I knew the Z would be tricky, so I purposefully picked a name that was maneuverable…. But, in the end, I felt it was also appropriate for Clarisse to show a bit of softness for him at the end.
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