This is an entry into: Snook's Leprechaun Challenge
A Lucky Day
Derek Cheney was always a small minded man. Perhaps it was his upbringing that brought him so much despair. Being beaten and abused as a child had devastating effects on his life.
He spent most of his adult life so far, escaping. Escaping his wife, his children, and his job. He quit all the trappings of a so called normal life. He travelled with the Grateful Dead as they toured for many years, associating with what he considered his new family. People who travel the circuit, call themselves that for some odd reason.
He preferred the scent of patchouli oil and body odor, which is part and parcel of life on the road. He looked like a reject from Duck Dynasty, with a scruffy beard that hung down to the middle of his chest. His outfit for the day, was what you would expect of a 60's hippy on a trip.
Derek took up sewing, and making patches for an income while he traveled. He spent a great deal of his money on drugs. Acid, weed, and dmt were his favorites. Just another way to escape his reality whenever life was simply too much to bare.
One day while taking a break from the "family", he was walking the wood in Patterson's Forest and came upon a wooden bridge that crossed a stream. He thought that this would make an excellent place to take a break from his walk.
While eating a snack, as he sat on the ground with his back to one of the main posts supporting the bridge, he took notice of a woman at the other end of the bridge. Her hair was bright red, and her eyes were golden yellow. Wispy black smoke billowed around her body, which faded away after a moment, to an awesome sight to behold.
He immediately became enamored with this woman. He had to know who she was, and why she was in the middle of the forest.
Derek stood up and slowly started to cross the wooden bridge, edging ever closer to the mysterious woman. With every step, her beauty increased. She was intoxicating to look at, and he couldn't look away.
"Hello, weary traveler!" The mysterious woman called out to Derek.
"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" He replied.
"Allow me to introduce myself... I am Rowena De Noir. The resident leprechaun of these woods. Welcome to my home."
"How come I've never heard of you? I travel around a lot, and I've never heard of a female leprechaun... like ever!" Derek stated, with an inquisitive look on his face.
"You have now, it's a lucky day indeed and things are looking up!" She replied with a wide, wicked smile that enticed him further.
Her beauty, and small stature was part of her camouflage. She used these features to disarm Derek, allowing him to think he had the advantage in this situation.
"You have a choice to make Derek. Since we've had a chance encounter today, you are entitled to this one gold coin. This coin will allo..."
"You mean I get this coin for nothing? What's the catch?" Derek asked, rudely interrupting Rowena.
"There is no catch. Please allow me to finish." Rowena snapped back.
Like I was saying... you have a choice to make. You may take this gold coin, that will take you back home to your wife and children, where you can live happily ever after. Or you can choose to claim this pot of gold, that allows you to live the life of your dreams. Please, take your time... ask any question that comes to mind." Rowena explained, slowly tapping her thin fingers on the pot of gold.
"Hmmm.. no catch you say? And how did you know my name?" Derek asked, taking some time to mull over this conundrum.
"Well, to be perfectly honest with you... it's magic, and I am a leprechaun after all. I know all about you Derek. Now, where were we... Right!"
"Like I said before... If you claim the pot of gold you do get to live the life of your dreams, but you have to spend one night a year with me... forever. A small price to pay for such wealth, and a rich life of meaning and purpose." She replied.
"HAAAAA! I knew there was a catch!" Derek shouted.
"Easy tiger! Well, I suppose that would be a catch... but a small one at best. Do you not desire me?" Rowena asked with a seductive voice that captivates the soul.
She knew he was hers to command, it's just a small matter of patience now.
"If we're being honest with each other.. I left all that behind me long ago. I seriously doubt that my wife and children would have me back in their lives now, it's been years since I've seen them. You are very beautiful, and this is a difficult choice to make."
Derek thought long and hard about his choice. He did desire Rowena, she was gorgeous.. and a leprechaun as well. What's not to like in this situation. It was just one night a year.
"Okay, I think I am ready to make my decision now."
"I choose the pot of gold, and to spend one night a year with you... forever." Derek told Rowena.
"That my good sir... is an excellent choice. Thank you very much!" Rowena exclaimed.
Her facial features became distorted, and her beauty left her form quickly. The black wispy smoke that faded away from sight before, returned to fully envelope Derek. Her teeth turned razor sharp, as she took a small bite out of his arm, marking him as hers forever.
"What are you doing to me? You said one night a year!" Derek cried, with tears streaming down his cheeks.
"You are correct, I did say that. However... I never specified what night. My nights are equivalent to a thousand of your years. I choose my night to be... right now."
"I highly doubt that you will last that long, but I will certainly enjoy taking a bite of you here and there. If you prove interesting, I may keep you around for awhile." Rowena said in a low whisper, inching ever closer to Derek's face.
He began to cry out, begging for another opportunity to make the choice that would save him from these dire circumstances.
Rowena was relishing in Derek's fate.
"Too bad, so sad... for you my sweet Derek. If there is a lesson to be learned here... be careful in what you desire, and never trust a leprechaun."
Rowena roared with laughter, after that statement of facts.
"And just to let you know, your life does have meaning and purpose now. Your life energy will nourish me for a long time to come. You are quite amusing to me, and that's a plus in your favor."
They both faded from the forest, not so happily ever after... never to return.
