Stillborn: Demon's Tale

Chapter Nine: Rose and Pico-Boo

Chapter Nine: Rose and Pico-Boo

“Rose?” Hector calls as he pulls the large wood door open, letting Josh, Sam, and Esmerelda walk inside. The shop was big, massive actually. It was about the size of Morgan and Chloe’s house, only it was one room. There was a large oak table in the center of the room, tools, wood, and other random items laid on and around it. There was a large furnace in the back right corner with a cast iron door hanging open, showing the red flames lick the mouth of the furnace. 

Saddle racks, bridle racks, and other strange animal harnesses hung on the wall.  One looked as if it was for a large dragon, having a long slit along the side to have the dragon’s wings fit. On another wall there was armor, human and demon. There were helmets for men, but also there were helmets fit for canines, horses, birds, and even a few rodent. There were chest plates and even a small set of battle claws for a bird. Josh walks over and picks up the set, imagining Jasmine’s blue bird demon ,Colton, wearing them. “You think Colt would ever wear these?” he asks, holding the pair of iron talons up to Sam.

“Never in a million years would you catch Colton wearing those things,” Sam grumbles, walking towards Josh. She sits beside him and looks up at the selection of armor and metal. 

Josh places the small battle claws back on the thin table and turns around, his eyes stopping at a stall in the far right corner. A large dark brown horse stands tall, staring at Josh. Slowly, he walks towards the near black creature, its bright brown eyes not moving from Josh’s face. “Hey,” he trails off, holding his hand up to to horses black nose, gently touching the soft skin. As their skin touches the horse lashes back, rearing in its stall, letting out an ear piercing squeal. 

Josh falls back, startled and confused by the beasts reaction. “Symphonia!” he hears a feminine voice yell, the horse instantly calmed, its gaze beyond where Josh sat. “You little shit, what is with you?” he hears the voice yell, not realizing she was talking to him and not the horse. “I am talking to you, boy.”

“Pardon?” Josh stutters, stumbling to his feet. He runs his fingers through his messy hair as he scans the room for the voice who had scolded him.

“Why did you touch my horse?” the voice yells. Josh’s eyes fall on a young, beautiful girl, long brown hair fell to about her mid back. Her eyes covered by a pair of goggles, for she had probably been working with burnt iron. 

“I.. I uh..” he stutters, looking back at the horse for a second. “I don’t know, I am sorry.”

“Don’t touch her, she is a spook. She leers people towards her just to scare the shit out of them when they get too close. I’ve never seen her let someone get so close, especially a stupid teenage boy,” the girl grunts. Tuning back and walking towards Hector. “Hey, Hec, how you been?” she asks.

“Good, just bringing this boy to you Rose. New costumer,” Hector smiles, “How have you been?” he asks, pulling the girl close. She glares at him as he reaches towards her, smacking his hands away.

“Don’t touch me,” she hisses, “I have been better, the damn dragon is at the lumber yard working his debt off. He has to get the money by the end of the winter or he is kicked from Norji. And with that damn thing getting kicked, means I have to go too,” she grumbles, removing her goggles from her face and throwing the on the oak table. The goggles make a loud clank as they strike a plate. 

“Are you Rose?” Josh asks, creeping towards the two talking people. The girl turns and nods. “But you’re..”

“A woman? I know,” Rose says, a smirk on her face. “Best smith in all of Saku’shali they call me, and I am a woman,” she smiles.