MYSTober 2024

31 vignettes based on single-word prompts. One story.

6. Glacial

Madeline stood behind the desk at the town hall and tried to quiet the din of people shouting at her. "Please, settle down, there will be time for everyone to be heard."

An angry male voice cut through the noise to stand out above everyone else: "What are you going to do about the creature?"

A cacophony of voices signalled their support of the question, before thankfully growing quiet so she could answer. "The creature, whatever it is, is just an animal. We'll get it under control, and move it somewhere safe."

"It's been almost a month and you haven't done anything to make that happen!" shouted a woman – Caroline. She was always one of the first to complain about anything, regardless of how minor it might be, but the Mayor knew she had a point this time.

"We have people working on solutions as we speak. Slow progress does not mean no progress."

"And in the meantime it keeps attacking us at night!" Kevin. He had a family to worry about. "When are we going to see some results? How many broken bones is enough?"

The din crescendoed again. Madeline tried to make some of it out, but it just wasn't possible. Too many voices yelling too many things was just random noise. She shifted her weight to one leg and waited for the volume to go down on its own.

"What would you have us do in the meantime?"

"Send out hunting parties!" shouted someone from the left.

"We tried that already. Nobody found anything."

Someone on the right: "Train up a town guard!"

Before she could respond, someone else interjected, "You think sending people into the thing's path will make it less violent?"

"Well, we have to do something!"

"And we are," Madeline insisted. "We are taking measures to end this problem that should be ready any time now."

"You've been saying that for weeks!"

"These things take time."

"Time that we don't have!"

The room erupted into raised voices again. Madeline leaned forward and placed her palms on the edge of the desk. It was going to be a long afternoon.

MYSTober 2024

Table of Contents

6. Glacial