The Blue Bottle

The writing challenge was to write 1000 words or less on the prompt “The Blue Bottle”.

Mica was walking in the forest, taking a moment to escape her stressful life. As she meandered amongst the trees, she felt the tightness of her muscles begin to ease a little.

 “This is lovely,” she thought. “I am going to sit here a little.”

 Finding a rock to sit on, Mica took a deep breath and looked around. Her eyes meandered up, along the tree branches and into the leafy canopy above her. Then she looked around from side to side, taking a moment to notice even the smallest rock, ant, leaf and stick. She then noticed a glint of something blue just a foot or so away.

 “What’s that? A bit of broken glass?”

 The thought of an animal stepping on broken glass made her reach over to pick it up. As she lifted it, she was surprised to see it was an entire bottle, full of liquid. The bottle was bright blue and the liquid inside seemed to be blue as well.

 “Looks like… um…  er… wait! Is this a mana potion?” Mica thought to herself.

 A mana potion was worth a gold piece! If this was mana, it was very valuable! It would buy her out of this mess of a life! As Mica considered the options presented to her by her find, she suddenly felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Goosebumps tingled down her spine. Someone was behind her,… she just knew it!

 Mica acted normally whilst she prepared herself. Clutching the potion bottle in a tight grip, and pressing it against her chest, she suddenly spun around and jumped back a pace at the same time, her eyes darting left right and center, but no-one was there! Mica was not convinced. Her senses had never let her down before. She always knew when she was being snuck up on. Always!

“I know you are there!” she called out, her eyes still ranging about, which indicated to any observer that she didn’t actually know exactly where the mysterious person was.

 Silence seemed to stretch into minutes, when it was really only a second or two before a voice said, “Interesting!”

 The shade near a tree nearby began to shimmer, and a person stepped out of the shadow. Mica knew for sure that there was no person in that shadow before! It was like they had been made out of the shadows themselves, and then magically materialised in front of her. She swallowed hard. Magically materialised… of course! They had come for the mana potion.

 The shadowy person became more distinct, until Mica made out that it was a man dressed in dark leathers, with a dark hood and cloak. His clothes weren’t black, exactly, but yet they were! She couldn’t work it out. It was like his clothes were made of the same stuff as the darkest parts of the forest.

 “You have come for the potion, haven’t you,” asked Mica, her face dropping.

 “I have,” he answered, his hand stretching towards her as he stepped closer. As the man reached towards Mica, she suddenly felt defiant. This was hers now! Mica raised her head and glared at the rogue, despite the fact that his eyes did not look human at all, with their swirls of grey and flecks of green light. She fought the urge to look away and clutched the potion closer to her chest, willing him to move back.

 The man’s hand, which was reaching towards Mica’s chest to retrieve his potion bottle suddenly began to feel cooler. A small feeling of cold started at his fingertips and stretched, inch by inch towards his wrist. The rogue withdrew his hand slowly, tilted his head to one side and looked at the woman in front of him. “Interesting indeed!”

“Look, I guess this potion probably is… was… yours, but it is mine now, and I need it, so I am sorry, but I have to keep it.”

 There was nowhere nearby that he could replace that mana potion. The rogue considered, and Mica squirmed underneath his scrutinising gaze, but she stood firm. Why did she want the mana? “Why, exactly, do you need it then?” he asked abruptly.

 “Not that it is your business,” said Mica, “but I can sell this for a gold piece. And a gold piece will buy my freedom! I really am sorry, but this opportunity may be my only chance to change my lot in life. I am keeping this!”

 The as-yet un-named man was creepy, the way he looked right through Mica’s eyes and into her soul, and she fought to suppress a shiver.

 “A gold piece, you say? How about this, then? I shall buy that potion from you for a gold piece.” A gold piece flashed into his hand though Mica hadn’t seen him move.

 Mica considered briefly, then said, “Gold first, and you have a deal.” She held out her hand, palm upwards. She was determined not to be cheated, but there was no challenge made, though the man did give a small chuckle as he dropped the gold piece into Mica’s palm.

 Keeping her end of the bargain, Mica handed over the potion and her hand accidentally brushed against gloved fingers. This time she could not suppress the shudder. Mica snatched her hands towards her chest again, gripping her gold coin, looking at the man the way she would look at a snake in the larder.

 The rogue paused, thinking, then shook his head, cast Shadow Walk, and stepped back into the shadows. In less than a second, Mica could no longer see him. Letting out the breath she hadn’t realised she was holding, Mica squealed suddenly as his voice spoke again out of nowhere.

 “Find someone to help you unlock that magic.”

 Mica’s jaw dropped, and her eyes grew wide.

 “Magic? Wha…? Wait, what? WHAT?!” She yelled into the shadows, but the rogue was gone.

© Catherine Knee 2025. All rights reserved.