Young Writers Society

“That comfortable...?” A lady's voice came to me through my slumber. I opened my eyes, squinting from the sun beams that coxed me awake with their warmth, and then blinded me with their brightness.

“Um...” My brain struggled to make sense of her question- and then, my situation.

The bed of which I slept upon, was that of stones, and the silkiest silver dust.

“No,” I said, trying to make out her face from the silhouette before me, and thinking at the same time that I would be very sore later.

She nodded, thoughtfully perhaps. Then something slimy smeared up the side of my head, pulling my hair away with it. I sat up faster then I knew I could, turning on my palms to see what had slobbered me. There stood a very large beast; its big brown eyes staring into my own. Its nose was no further than an inch away from mine, and it was moving closer.

“Gizzum, you idiot, get over here!” The lady said, amusement lacing her words of scolding.

The beast looked away from me just in time, sparing me of another licking. Then it bonded towards the girl. Getting a better look at it now that it wasn't so close, I could see that it had an enormous belly, hooved feet, and in general seemed to be an over weight cow... A cow with two impressive bat wings folded at it's side.

I put a hand to my head, and closed my eyes. My brains felt like they were boiling.

“You seem a bit scrambled.” The lady said, with a giggle no less.

“Uh...” I began, but I yawned before I could say what I wanted to.

“Well, that's understandable.” She said, walking to the side so that the sun wasn't in my eyes anymore.

Once I could see her, she seemed a lot less... mature then I had originally assumed. Her hair was the same sandy-yellow that mine was, but hers was more the sandy, and mine the yellow. Hers was done up in a four-strand braid that dragged to her hips.

To her hips. I wonder how long it would be loose?

She had a willowy figure, tall and lean, with subtle curves. She wore what resembled cargo-pants, worn out at the caffs, and other places that don't normally wear-out easily. She also had on a long sleeved top that looked as though it had been used for target practice once or twice, while on her; dry blood crusted outwards from the bullet holes. If they were indeed bullets holes.

She set a hand on her winged cow – Gizzum – and with a bit of a hop for momentum, she swung her leg up and lept onto it's back.

“Oh yes,” She said, glancing at me again, “did anyone tell you? You're coming with me.”

I stared blankly at her for a moment, and then slowly looked around me, expecting there to be a whole crowd getting ready to tell me I was either a) crazy b) insane or c) that yes, I was to go with this girl I had just met in the middle of nowhere. But all that was there was, basically, the definition of nowhere.

“...Who would tell me?” I asked.

She looked around, slightly surprised, coming to the same conclusion as me, “Your kidnapper, and his band of merry creatures...” She said, her mouth open slightly as she thought. “He normally explains things first, though... before he hands you over.”

“Um... I'm sorry, was I suppose to understand that?” I said.

“How about I explain later?” She asked, with a sigh.

I decided to comply, seeing as she sorta seemed to know where she was... and I had no idea.

I got up, my legs shaking, dusted off the back of my night gown that had been beneath me and- I'm in my night gown?... And then I reluctantly approached Gizzum.

“Don't worry, he doesn't have any teeth.” The girl said, as if that was my first concern when dealing with a flying bull vine.

“How does he eat then!” I said, accepting her hand for support as I clambered onto him with a lot less grace then his owner had had.

“Just kind of gums stuff until it's swallow-able,” She replied.

What does he eat? I almost asked, until I realized that my knowledge on cows was limited, and I might potentially make a fool of myself... but of course this wasn't a normal cow.

I did my best to get comfortable behind the girl, but the cow's spine made it as easy as riding a knife blade.

“Who are you?” This was probably something I should have asked before I decided to get on her cow, and let her take me to where ever it was she was taking me...

“I'm Lizzy,” she said.

“Short for Elizabeth?”

Lizzy chuckled, “No, Lisianthus.”

“...Oh.” I cleared my throat,“My name's Cass.”

“Oh lovely, it's always good to know who you're kidnapping.” She said, nudging the cow to get him walking. He lurched forward, and suddenly I was very conscious of how unstable a moving cow felt.

“I thought another guy kidnapped me?” I said, trying to act casual about my position on the cow- of nearly falling off.

“Oh, technically, yes... I'm supposed to be rescuing you.” She said, “But let's be honest; I'm kidnapping you.”

“...Good to know.” I said, wondering if I should just bail seeing as I was half-way there anyway.

“Honesty is a virtue, you know.” Lizzy said, rather matter-a-factly.

“Mhm.”

Then the cow started into a trot- or for heavens sake, you can't call a thousand pounds of blubber bouncing a trot. But it was starting to speed up, let's just say. In fact it was getting faster then most trots now, leaving a canter and nearing that of a gallop. I could feel it's strong legs pounding beneath us, and it's wings beat the air surrounding us. Wind blasted my hair every direction. Then the cow lept from the ground.

I clutched tighter to Lizzy's waist. With every jerk of it's wings, the cow lurched higher and higher. I realized my eyes were shut, and resolved to keep them that way.

“I'm taking you to the Lunar Exchange Association.” Lizzy yelled over the rushing wind.

Not knowing what else to say, I just shouted “Okay!”