When I started to do Reddit writing prompts again, I knew I just had to do one of this one. I did a bit of an isekai kind of concept with it, but it should still be enjoyable nonetheless. This was based on a prompt by the name of “Derelict”. This was specifically an image prompt, unlike most of the other prompts which are usually text-based.
Done in May 7th, 2018.
Note: My writing for Reddit writing prompts is different for brevity. While this is a good example of my writing, I often omit backstory and several details to create a concise post. Please look at my other works if you’re looking for my more regular style of writing.
Original Image (in case hosting on post goes down)
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Timothy was tired of his new “older sister”.
His mother had taken in the girl in about a week ago. Apparently the villagers had found her in one of the wheat fields during the evening, stark naked. Everything was strange about her, and people were puzzled if not scared.
She had black hair, they didn’t. She had strange facial features, they also didn’t. While she could speak some of their words, she spoke a strange language that they had no heads or tails of understanding. That didn’t mention that she wrote in a series of crossed lines.
The sheriff was just going to keep her in the penitentiary till the Royal Army came by a few weeks later, but his mother would have none of it. She didn’t seem like a threat.
Mother seemed to like her and trust her a lot. She helped with all the housework, didn’t really talk and helped stock the shop. Now she was sending her along with him when he went to get dry goods for stocking.
He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. She was silent, head bent down a little as her narrow eyes wandered the gravel path. Her hands were behind her back, her big long work skirt sweeping along as she walked.
She claimed her name was “Ruri”. And from what his mother said, she was about eighteen, a good seven years older than him.
That was enough for him to not like her. That was a weird name. It almost was like those strange words she spoke. Also “big sisters” were problematic. Prattling about romance, galas and fashion. Strangely Ruri did none of these things, but he still held her in the same regard; pesky, problematic and an annoyance.
“Hey.”
His line of thought stopped, realizing that he was still looking at her. Her eyes met with his.
“What is it?” He asked bluntly.
“What’s with the villagers talking about…falling from sky? Can you explain?”
She couldn’t even speak right, could she?
“What, Mother didn’t tell you?”
She shook her head.
This did get his attention. Why did his mother not tell her about that? Everybody knew, didn’t they?
“Strange stuff happens in our village. Things fall from the sky. Or sometimes just end up in fields. Like you.”
Timothy had her interest. She sidled closer to hear him better, having his full attention.
“But if that case, why…me? Why am I special? Strange to them?”
“It’s been a very long time since someone actually fell from the sky. Before grandfather was born, at least. And while some have shown up, they were never alive.”
“Do you know…who this last person was?”
“I’m just a kid. That’s also just boring history stuff, I don’t really pay attention to it when the headmaster talks about it.”
Ruri was silent for a good moment. Something seemed to click in her head, coming to an immediate stop.
“Can you show me?”
“Show you what?”
“Things that fell from sky.”
Wasn’t she persistent. Now he was starting to figure out why the villagers probably didn’t tell her anything.
“I guess. The Royal Army took a few of them, but there’s some still sitting around. Mostly because they were too big. In fact, there’s one not too far from Pierre’s farm here.”
He motioned for her to follow him, stepping off the path towards a wooden fence. He swung himself over it and watched as Ruri clambered over with some difficulty, skirts snagging on everything. Timothy rolled his eyes, arms crossed until she finally had gotten herself over.
“Come on, this way.”
They were in a large field with a few hills, some wildflowers growing in between the grass. Ruri followed him in silence, staying within arm’s reach at all times.
They reached the top of the second hill, Timothy coming to a stop.
“There you go,” he motioned to the sight ahead of them.
Ruri stopped in her tracks, her face filled with surprise then puzzlement. Native words escaped her mouth.
“Kore wa…”
A massive white object sat in the field, with a narrow front and a wider back. Part of the front section had glass, and it was supported by wheels. Doors were open and it was covered in rust. Parts seemed to be missing from several exposed places.
The girl took off, half-tripping a few times in her haste to get to the object. Timothy wanted no part in this, but when she didn’t stop, resigned to follow her in case she befell some sort of trouble. His mother wouldn’t be pleased if she did.
He finally caught up to her; she had stopped at the front, looking up at it with a slacked jaw. Something unnatural reached is nose, faint in existence. The entire thing didn’t belong in their world.
He stared up at it for a moment before roughly tugging her sleeve.
“Do you know what it is?”
She turned to him, her face having lit up. Her initial answer was a vigorous nod, but when she saw that Timothy looked confused as ever, proceeded to continue.
“It’s plane. Airplane. Aircraft.”
Air-aircraft? It flew? It made sense; if she fell from the sky, she obviously came from the same place this thing did. Ruri obviously knew what this “aircraft” was.
“You don’t have these?”
Her question was very plaintive. Did they not have this aircraft?
“No…what’s an aircraft?”
Ruri’s face fell, stumbling for words to explain.
“It’s a flying machine. You can fly and go fast.” She stretched out her arms, tilting back and forth while making some weird noises in her dialect. When she was finished she stood straight with hands folded, nodding in accomplishment.
“Plane!”
He got the concept, even though Ruri made herself looking silly. At this point he did feel a little bad for just brushing her off. Standing in the presence of this strange machine, she knew more than him and probably anybody in the village did.
“So…can it fly?”
She looked back up at the airplane, as if to judge it.
“Wings are missing. And it’s very old; probably as old as the old people in your town. So parts and inside probably broken.”
They stood in silence for a moment, the massive presence of the metal behemoth engulfing them for a moment. His mind tried to imagine this thing soaring through the air, with two long things sticking out the side as Ruri had demonstrated. It all made sense now. People from Ruri’s world used this to fly.
There was the noise of metal scraping as he turned to see the girl scrambling up onto the edge. Her shoes slipped on the surface as she tried to get a grip, grunting and yelping as she made headway.
Timothy shook his head, assigning that she was annoying and troublesome once again. But he couldn’t say it was because she was a girl; no, this time she was being curious and nosy. He had it. He was just going to stay here and let whatever happen, happen. If she fell or tripped, so be it.
Ruri finally made it halfway to the top, stopping to look down at him.
“Come on! Let me show.”
She stretched her hand out, beckoning him to follow.
He had a noticeable pout on is face, not saying a word. She had a friendly look on her face, her long straight hair draped around her shoulders. He couldn’t help but to notice how expectant she was that he would take her hand to follow.
Maybe because that expression made him.
He reached his hand out to grasp it.