Metal Butterfly

He'd had a bad day and just needed something to make him feel better. That was the only reason he'd gone into the woods in the first place. He’d figured he’d take a nice walk, do something healthier than drinking too much or eating a whole pizza by himself.

But instead of enjoying nature, he'd found himself repeatedly stung by something. It got the back of his neck, both arms, and a few spots on his left leg.

They weren't mosquito bites. They felt more like bee stings, but with no stingers left behind.

Out of the corner of his eye, he occasionally spotted a flashing light, which brought to mind frightening pictures of tiny attack drones.

He flailed his arms out more violently, too freaked to retreat home sensibly. By sheer luck, he made contact and captured his attacker.

At first glance, it looked like a weird mechanical insect, but the movement of a metal wing revealed an even smaller creature underneath, a tiny woman with wings. She was dressed in chain mail and held up a sword the size of a sewing needle at him.

“Eeve ere!” a thin, high-pitched voice warbled.

He bent his head closer, asking, “What?”

“Leave here!”

As she spoke she climbed back onto her mount, which he now recognized as an armored butterfly. From this slightly higher position, she brandished her sword at him again, not seeming to know or understand that he could easily crush her.

“But…why?”

It was hard to read expressions on so tiny a face, but he thought she looked even angrier at his question.

“I have claimed this land and will drive out all threats!”

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I want to keep going but I’ve got no time today! That’s always the way with free writes, though.

This was inspired by the #freewrite prompt metal butterfly and the Most Dangerous Writing App prompt, “He'd had a bad day and just needed something to make him feel better.”

Image by mariananbu.