Contest Entries

The Handful of Dust

"What is that?" Milly said fearfully. Dust seemed to be flowing onto Mike's hand and then pouring onto the ground.

"It is your feeling of fear. All in the dust," Mike said. The dust disappeared from the glass jar and settled onto Mike's hand, what was left of it.

"You can't do this to me. I have no fear of anything," Milly said.

"Yes, you do. It is right here in this handful of dust. Watch what it does now. Hold your wand steady. I have taught you many times to face your fear. You'll be facing your fear in this handful of dust," Mike said.

"I can't believe you are saying that I have fear in a handful of dust. It's just dust. Why don't we move on to something else," Milly countered.

"Just watch the just please," Mike said with a sigh.

At first, nothing happened. Not a single particle of dust moved. All of a sudden Milly started to see venomous snakes, spiders, and scorpions of all sizes wriggling out of the dust. Yet he couldn't move. The animals started crawling all over, growing closer and closer. He imagined his wand not working so he wouldn't be able to fend off the animals pouring out. It seemed to be sucking him in slowly, one piece of mind at a time. He couldn't look away. Then he imagined them poisoning Mike so Mike would die soon. Very soon.

"No!" Milly screamed and tripped over her foot. She fell with knocking some pans nearby to the ground. The scene was so real and vivid. When she turned over to her back she sat up and looked around. Her wand was gone. Mike was gone. "Mike!"

Nothing soothed her. Mike was standing before her just a few minutes ago, holding a handful of dust. Now he was gone. She needed to get out. She stood up and looked around. Blood stained walls appeared. Where was the door? She needed to get out. And find her wand.

Prompt: 3) I will show you fear in a handful of dust.
- T. S. Eliot
Word count: 354
Contest: "The Bard's Hall Contest"