Dust (Of Dust and Darkness) - By Devon Ashley Page 0,30

cordial? I didn’t think spriggans had it in them. Maybe it’s just the males who are vulgar.

Our morning meal is a miniature pumpkin, but even that’s a huge size for a pixie. It’s not easy, but I manage to cut the pumpkin in half using one of those lovely pieces of flint they allow us to use. I separate the strings from the seeds, figuring no one here will want to deal with eating those. But just in case, I pile them into a bowl until Holly wakes up and confirms it’s garbage. I use one of our flimsy spoons to carve out the meat and mash it down in our mixing bowl. I’m trying to figure out what to do with the seeds. I’ve always eaten them roasted in some way. I’m not even sure how well they’ll go down raw. Too bad we need to eat them this morning; otherwise I’d take them to the fire pit in the cave and dry them out. I experiment with one using the mortar and pestle. The seed packs more crunch than anticipated, so I start grinding the rest of them, then mix them back into the pumpkin mash.

Another exciting meal in crappy pixieland.

Apparently, a crowd is forming behind me, anxiously awaiting their breakfast. They’re so flippin’ quiet! I spoon out the portions evenly amongst twenty-five bowls, not forgetting our newest addition. There’s zero excitement as they each grab their serving.

Holly approaches with a smile. “Thank you, Rosalie,” she says as she grabs her mash, releasing an extended yawn. “Everyone between us and the back will be pushed up a slot so I can take Fern to the back. So that means either Willow or Peppermint will be your new station partner.”

I groan. No way was I lucky enough to get Peppermint. Guess it doesn’t really matter. Willow’s been working beside me for about two weeks anyway. I can’t see having her as my official station partner really making the glares or annoyed sighs that come off her any worse.

“Fern, huh?” Sometime while I was making breakfast, Juniper had taken her to the showers. Fern cringes and hugs her knees closer to her body as Juniper tries to wash the base of her wings to prevent further infection.

I remember the pain behind that face.

Surprise, surprise. Willow is my new station partner. Maybe she gets off on seeing others in misery. Maybe that’s what drives her and keeps her more lucid than the others.

I won’t say I hate having Willow as my partner – hate is such a strong word – but I don’t like not having any one to talk to. Yeah, Holly shuts down quite a bit, but at least she’s willing to talk some of the time. Going through the day speechless is making me absolutely miserable. And really lonely.

Another night, another scream. Like every two hours. Fern isn’t taking to this new life very well. I can hardly say I blame her. It’s bad enough being forced into slave labor, but at her age…it’s just cruel to strip the freedom from a pixling that’s just beginning to experience it for the first time.

Fern cries a lot. And begs for her momma. Poor Juniper consoles her as best she can, but I guess those that grew up with a mother find it hard to let another take her place. I sort of envy her for having one to begin with.

I never thought I would wish to be like the other pixies spread out around me, all dazed out and immune to emotion, but today I wish I could keep the sobs and pleas coming off this little pixling from breaking what’s left of my heart.

As I lay at the edge of the cliff with my arm draped over the side, I wonder what day it is. Not how many days I’ve been trapped here – I’ve long lost count of that – but which day exactly? Thursday? Saturday? Is it Tuesday back in the Hollow where Poppy, Tin and Tracker are enjoying their day off? Maybe they’re down by the river again. Oh, how I miss them. Even Nutty Nutmeg. I’d happily take a stinger to my bum and be the butt of her jokes now.

I’m not sure when it began, but I’m blacking out a lot now. Sometimes when I come to, I find myself working a different station than I last remember. Did I wander aimlessly from station to station, or did a night pass and I