MYSTober 2024

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

9. Rebellion

"I'm gonna get you!" shouted Simon to his older brother Jacob. Jacob giggled and ran away, around the house, with Simon in pursuit, giggling just as loudly.

"Don't go too far, now," their mother called from inside. "I don't want you hurting yourselves."

Jacob stopped in his tracks to face her and give a mock salute, before Simon bumped into him and they both ran off to the town square.

"You're too fast, it's not fair," cried Simon.

"You just need longer legs!"

"Not fair!"

Jacob reached the fire pit and slowed to a walk until his brother had caught up. "Come on, I'll race you to the gorge."

"But mom said not to go that far."

"I won't tell her if you don't." The look on Jacob's face was somehow less playful, like Simon was used to, and more serious.

"I don't think we should..."

Jacob leaned down so their noses were almost touching, a huge grin on his face. "I know why you're afraid. It's okay." Then he stood back up and yelled, "I know the way!" and took off running.

"Jacob!" Simon called out after him. If he lost his brother, his mom would be so mad at him. He didn't have a choice: he raced off after him, through the forest, his brother's loud giggles leading the way.

When he reached the gorge, a massive scar in the middle of the woods, Jacob was standing at its edge, staring down into its depths. Simon inched closer to him, staying several feet back from the rim of the enormous hole.

"I could jump," Jacob mused. "I could jump and it would be over."

"What do you mean? You're frightening me, Jacob." Simon crept forward with one arm extended in front of him. When he was close enough, he grasped at his brother's shirt and tried to tug him back from the gorge.

"It's so bad."

"What's bad, Jacob?" tears were welling up in Simon's eyes.

Jacob rotated slowly to face him. As soon as their eyes met, the darkness flew from his face to be replaced by a huge grin. "Nothing's bad! Never mind. Let's go back!"

MYSTober 2024

Table of Contents

9. Rebellion