Young Writers Society

Vendetta walked away, keeping the bag out of Amy’s reach. “I’ll just keep this safe. Uh, over here.”

Amy shrugged, grin bouncing back into place. “Alright then! Suit yourself! Hiding in too small clay kilns that anyone could see us in it is!”

Vendetta flushed. “I mean, it was just an idea. We could do something else.”

"Hmm... You think anyone checks the basement where we started?" Valeri dragged the trio to another exhibit, trying to pretend like they were just very enthusiastic museum-goers. (And totally not heist-planners...)

(31 words)

“If the cleaning supplies are in there, they might. And Mr. Sword here is very upset that we’re walking away from the hilt.” Vendetta gestured to the blade in their bag.

The blade whispered as if to agree with Vendetta.

Amy shrugged. “But that’s okay! We can take care of anyone who finds us down there.”

Valeri gave another weird glance to Amy (the girl was starting to freak her out a little), then turned towards Vendetta and the blade. "Okay then, Mr. Sword, what do you want us to do?"

The sword tugged them towards a bathroom that was right next to the display.

"Sure, but wouldn't the museum staff check in there after hours?" Amy grinned, and Valeri groaned. "Right. You'll 'take care' of them."

(71 words)

Vendetta shivered. “I don’t want to ask how.”

Amy giggled. “With kindness and joy, silly.” She paused. “And maybe a brick.”

Vendetta shook their head. “No! No bricks.”

Amy huffed. “I was kidding! I’m just going to use confetti!” She tossed some in the air, covering her pigtails in the bright paper.

"Somehow I feel like your confetti is deadlier than any brick..." Valeri looked around at the emptying museum. "But I guess we don't have time for anything else. To the bathroom we go!"

(33 words)

Amy skipped to the bathroom. Vendetta followed behind her, still cradling the bag in their arms.

Vendetta walked into a stall, locking it behind them. “If you’re committing crimes, Amy, I don’t want to see. Please don’t hurt anyone.”

Amy giggled, sitting on top of a sink.

Valeri locked herself into another stall and settled in to wait.

"Five minutes until closing..."

Soon enough, Valeri heard the door of the bathroom open, and a voice called out, "Anyone in there?"

Then there was an "Oof!" and she heard Amy giggle.

"The coast's all clear!"

(47 words)

“Is there a body in the middle of the bathroom floor?” Vendetta crossed their arms despite no one seeing them.

There was an awkward pause, filled with Amy grunting and the sound of someone being dragged. A lock clicked.

“No!”

Vendetta sighed. “Are they dead?”

“Probably not!” She giggled. “I didn’t check.”

"..." Valeri cautiously opened her stall's door and saw Amy brushing her hands off in the middle of the bathroom.

"Let’s go get the hilt!” Amy exclaimed.

“Do… do I want to know what you did to that person?”

“Eh, probably not. Let’s go!” Amy smiled.

(46 words)

Vendetta finally opened their stall. “Please. Before whoever Amy attacked wakes up.”

Amy muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, “If they wake up.”

Vendetta took out the blade again. “Alright, Mr. Sword. Let’s get you your hilt.”

Valeri opened the bathroom door and peeked outside. “I don’t see any guards… but still, let’s be quick,” she whispered.

They tiptoed outside and hurried towards the hilt, which seemed to glow very faintly in the darkness.

“Okay, um… How are we going to get it out of the glass?”

(50 words)

Amy held up a hand of confetti. Vendetta gently pushed her hand down. “We can’t make too much noise.”

The hilt glowed even stronger, vibrating slightly in the case. The blade vibrates in tandem, slowly levitating out of Vendetta’s hands.

Valeri watched with wide eyes as the blade hovered towards the glass. The hilt started vibrating faster and faster as it approached the glass as well. It blinked in and out of sight, and in the space of a moment, the hilt had phased through the glass.

Now that both pieces were free, the blade aligned itself with the hilt, and the pieces joined with a muted flash of light. Valeri was speechless.

(73 words)

All at once, the sword stopped vibrating and started falling to the ground. Vendetta caught it by the handle. The hilt lost its rust, suddenly becoming a bright silver. “Did you…” They stared at the sword. “Did you see that?”