"A Picnic in the Park, by MagicianX" By robblu (https://pastebin.com/u/robblu) URL: https://pastebin.com/uzWTFpiw Created on: Thursday 9th of March 2017 06:30:49 PM CDT Retrieved on: Saturday 31 of October 2020 03:23:00 AM UTC A Picnic in the Park, by MagicianX *** The blue sky gave way to orange as the sun set in Michigan Falls, draping the evening in warm light. It had been the sort of gentle summer's day that lasted far longer than it needed to, and indications were good that the trend would continue unabated. Taking advantage of this, joggers, couples, and children with frisbees had turned out in abundance; many of them had the same destination, and the rolling green hills of Meadow Lake Park were dotted with patrons. Among these, happily oblivious to the world at large, were Callie and Marial. Depending on which of them was asked, Callie either belonged to Marial or Marial owned Callie; it came down to the same thing in the end, but it was a topic of comfortable dispute between them. They were comfortably disputing it now. "You're mine," said Marial. She was sprawled out on the grass, long legs stretched before her in carefree relaxation. She leaned over to kiss Callie on the cheek. "Mine, mine, mine." She punctuated each 'mine' with another kiss. "Yes and no," said Callie, grinning but clearly determined to hold her ground. "Being yours and being, like, yours are two different things. You're mine too, after all." "Nope. You're just mine. I bought you, remember?" "Yes. You keep reminding me. Can't we just agree that -- mmph!" Callie was abruptly silenced as the witch rolled over on top of her and kissed her for a far, far longer time. "Oh, fine, have it your way...as usual." "That's what I like to hear." Marial sat up, beaming at the sunset. She watched this for a few seconds, then gazed down at a busier end of the park. "Hey, there's an ice cream guy! You want some?" Callie, who was very happy where she was, shook her head. "Nah, you go on. I'll hang out." "Okay. Be right back." The taller girl scrambled up and trotted down the hill toward the spot where several children had clustered around an apron-clad man with a metal cart. She began to sing as she went, something in the language of witches; the words were silky and dark, flowing around Marial as smoothly as her wave of black hair. Callie flopped back and inhaled the scents of flowers and newly-mown grass. It was a good time to be outside, and she began to doze almost at once. Marial's voice drifted back to her for a few more seconds before fading into the distance. She let out a happy sigh. "Er, excuse me, miss?" Callie opened her eyes, startled. When she saw that the speaker was a rather large monster, she sat bolt upright. "What?" she said. Then, remembering her manners she added, "Can I help you?" "Oh -- well, it's just -- " The monster fidgeted, looking uncomfortable. It had large eyes and green fur from top to bottom, and was twiddling its thick, three-fingered hands in a bashful manner. "I'm terribly sorry to bother you, but -- well, I'm having this sort of, er, picnic, you see, and -- " Callie, a lifelong resident of Michigan Falls, was more than familiar with the desires of her monstrous neighbors. "Can't help you," she said quickly. "I'm spoken for." She pointed to her bare shoulder, where a red-brown sigil resided on tan, faintly-freckled skin. "I'm a familiar. My witch is around here somewhere." The monster sagged with disappointment. "Really?" it asked, visible dismay causing its furry features to droop comically. "Bother," it sighed. "I was so excited when I saw you. Oh well. Sorry to have interrupted your nap, miss." It turned and began to trudge toward the opposite end of the park. "Hey ..." Callie held up a hand, somewhat put off by the unexpected misery on the monster's face. "Hey, I'm sorry! It's just that -- well -- like I said, I already have someone..." "I understand completely," the monster said, nodding. It looked like the most miserable plush-toy ever created. "I'm afraid I can't quite help getting excited, though. Whenever I see a pretty little human like you, I tend to get a bit impulsive, that's all." "No, it's okay!" Callie got to her feet and hurried forward to pat the monster's elbow. Its fur was soft and smelled unexpectedly of hazelnuts. "You seem like a nice guy. I'm sure there are lots of girls who'd like to...um...help with your picnic." "You really think so?" the monster asked. Its ears began to lift hopefully. "Yeah, sure!" "What a kind thing for you to say!" The monster smiled, then seemed to consider something for a moment. "You know, you really must stop by for a drink, even if you don't want to join the fun. What do you say? It's just at that little pavilion." "I -- what? Sorry, I have to --" "Wonderful!" A furry arm shot out, and before Callie could protest or comprehend what was happening, she had been snatched up in one huge paw. "I have a lovely fruit punch for you to try!" the monster enthused, bounding over the lawn like a worrying fusion of teddy bear and kangaroo. "Before I put them on the grill, the others said it was delicious!" "Fruit punch? Others?" Callie was entirely disoriented by the up-and-down motion of the creature's stride. One word, however, made it through. "Grill?" "I do love a nice picnic in the park, don't you? And it's so good of the city to provide monster-sized grills for us furry patrons!" "Hang on just a se --!" Callie began, but the monster had given a final leap and come to a halt, ending the sentence as Callie lost her breath. "Here we are!" The monster settled Callie on a brick step leading to a wide, open-air pavilion. There were a number of wooden picnic tables scattered around, and in the center resided a massive barbecue pit. Tendrils of smoke curled up from the still-glowing coals. "Cozy, isn't it?" "Yeah, sure," said Callie. She turned around, looking for any sign of Marial, but the witch was nowhere in sight. "I'll just be going now." "No, no, you must have some punch!" A plastic cup, held between the monster's thumb and foreclaw, was thrust out. "It's pure ambrosia, I promise you!" Callie had spotted some telltale signs on the pavilion, not the least ominous of which was the small pile of clothes and shoes beside the grill. She noted several other plastic cups which, presumably, had also contained 'ambrosia'. "Thanks, but no. See you." She turned to leave. "Oh..." The monster sounded like it was about to cry. "Oh, this always happens at the worst times. Oh dear, oh bother, oh...oh, I don't care! I must have you!" Again the arm shot out, and again Callie was scooped off the ground. "I simply cannot resist!" It loped toward the grill. "I'll be in such trouble if you really are a familiar, but I can't help myself!" "Cut it out!" Callie shouted, tugging at the thick fingers encircling her chest. "You've got it right, buddy, you are going to be in big trouble! My mistress will mess you up big-time!" She rarely referred to Marial as her mistress, but this felt like a moment for grand gestures. "I know," the monster sighed, "but I'll just have to deal with that. I'm sure you'll be worth it." It stretched out a claw, hooked the bottom edge of Callie's shirt, and tugged it over her head. She was thin and petite and had substituted a thin undershirt for a bra; this was also summarily discarded. "You -- you stop that! Stop it right now!" Callie felt her cheeks go scarlet, even as the monster switched its grip to provide access to her legs. "My Marial is -- I mean, my mistress is going to --" "What a treat, what a treat!" The monster had ceased paying attention to Callie's lambasting. It sliced through her belt with another flick of its claws, gave her a little shake to remove her sandals, then pushed her shorts down to the brick floor. "I never expected a fifth course for my picnic!" "You already ate four people?" Callie's thoughts were jumbled by panic -- she had liked that belt -- but this found its way through just as the word 'grill' had done. "You don't even need me, you pig! Come on, go get some cake or something!" "Cake won't do at all," said the monster. "If ever it could have been sufficient, that time has passed. Now that I've seen you, I must have you!" It strode forward, carelessly discarding Callie's panties as it went, and beginning to position her over the grill. "Stop it!" Panic was giving way to terror now. Callie had known several people (her former best friend among them) who had accepted being eaten with grace, even enthusiasm, but she had never been able to manage it. She knew perfectly well that witches were exceptionally fond of consuming humans, and Marial had often teased or jokingly suggested that she be permitted to eat her familiar. At least, Callie thought she was joking. Probably. Heat from luminous red embers pulled her back to the moment and she twisted in the monster's grip. "Easy now," it said, tone bright and happy. "And down we go!" "Oooh!" Callie squirmed uncontrollably as her skin came in contact with the grill's metal bars. The local pavilion was filled with a high, continuous hisssss. "You -- oooh, you dumb monster! Let me off of here! I'll tell Marial! She'll -- ooooh!" The monster began to chatter at her, discoursing on how much it loved parks and picnics, and what very, very good fruit punch it made. The 'ambrosia' turned out to be harmless, judging from the liberal quantities the monster drank from a bucket-sized cup, but Callie could spare little attention as she was made to lie flat on her back, then turned over on her stomach. "You really suck," she told it, sweat running down her face. "I hope Marial turns you into a bug. Or a taco. She loves tacos, then she could eat you." "I've always wanted to eat a witch," the monster mused. It picked up a plastic container from the picnic table and drizzled a thin stream of something oily and savory over Callie's back, legs, and the bottoms of her feet. "They never seem to be interested, though. Not like humans, who are so very cooperative." "Oh, shut up," Callie muttered. She wondered where Marial was, and if the witch might arrive in time to rescue her. It had happened before...but then, she had not been medium-rare that time, either... "I think that will do," the monster said finally, and scooped Callie off the embers. He had flipped her over several times, and from what she could see of herself, Callie concluded that she was slick with sauce and sweat, and that her skin was pink and criss-crossed with dark lines from the grill. "Such a nice way to end a meal! Tell me, are you entirely human? Any fairy in your lineage?" "No, all human," said Callie. She had been asked this question many times, and found it vaguely annoying. Being short and skinny did not, by definition, make you a fairy. "That is a relief!" The monster drew a paw across its forehead in a gesture of self-comfort. "I should have asked before we began, really. I detest eating fairies. Much too insubstantial. It's like eating a bowl of sugar cubes." "Crap," Callie muttered. "Did I say no? I meant yes, I am a fairy. One-hundred percent pure, sugary fairy, that's me!" "Hush," said the monster, smiling and licking her ear. "You could still let me go," Callie pointed out, as the monster took one of her wrists between its claws. "My witch could heal me, I bet." "Or eat you herself," the monster reasoned. "Spread your fingers, please?" "She wouldn't eat me," Callie muttered, though she didn't entirely believe it. She stretched her fingers wide, gritted her teeth, and braced herself as the monster nipped off her pinky. "Oww! You really suck!" The monster crunched away with visible pleasure, devouring the other four fingers before biting off her hand, then plucking her arm off at the shoulder with a twist of its claws. "I'm glad I didn't see you sooner," it told her earnestly. "You're much better than those other girls!" "I bet you say that to all your meals," Callie said, glaring as her arm vanished into the sharp-toothed maw. Her other hand and arm went in much the same fashion, and the monster paused to praise her flavor again before altering its grip and beginning to nibble on her toes. Callie felt particularly annoyed by this, since Marial had always seemed to especially enjoy tickling her feet; the witch never missed an opportunity to stroke her legs and ankles, and had made it her personal pleasure to keep Callie's nails decorated with bright polish. "Hey, monster?" "Hmm?" said the monster. It smiled at her and bit off her foot. "Forget it." She had been about to say 'bite me', but it suddenly felt redundant. The monster ate her other foot and chomped steadily up her legs, finally leaving her without a limb to her name. It took a moment to sip some punch, gave her a long, wet lick that went from stomach to forehead, then smiled cheerily. "Ready?" Callie sighed. "Whatever." The monster opened its mouth and dropped Callie in. She braced herself for the pain of teeth piercing her chest, but it did not come, and she instead felt herself gulped down the slick, slimy throat in a single ripple of muscles. Her consciousness lasted only a few seconds after being swallowed, but Callie, owned by Marial, did have just enough time to wish she had brought her iPod. Music might have made being digested just that tiny bit less irritating. The monster sat for a while after it had finished eating, full and content. It drank more punch before gathering up the clothing of its meals and tucking it into a plastic bag. It liked to drop these off at the thrift store in town; it seemed like the thing for a good citizen to do. "Hey! Hey, monster!" The monster turned. It gazed down at the tall, slender girl with black hair and brilliantly green eyes. "Yes? Maybe I be of some assistance?" Marial crossed her arms over her chest. "Did you eat my Callie? My familiar, I mean?" "Er..." The monster glanced sideways. "Could -- could you describe her to me?" "Little." Marial held out a hand to indicate Callie's height. "Pretty face, cute nose. Had a sigil of binding on her shoulder." The monster slapped a hand over its mouth. "She really did belong to you? Oh dear me, I thought it was just a threat!" Marial scowled, eyes darkening. "No, she was mine. I really liked her." "I am so very, very --" "Was she tasty?" The monster paused mid-apology. "Beg pardon?" "Callie," Marial prompted. "Was she tasty?" "Oh my, yes! The finest one could hope for!" Marial scowled some more. "Well, aren't you the lucky one." She seemed to think something over. "Hey, monster?" "Yes, madam witch?" "You suck." Marial waved one hand at the monster, and it exploded in a compact cloud of smoke and noise before vanishing altogether. The witch surveyed the pavilion. She probed the contents of the bag, found Callie's clothes, and took them with her. "Oh well," she sighed, as she walked across the now-dark lawn. "At least you can't argue with me anymore." She poked the empty shirt, the hint of a grin crossing her lips. "But you were always mine."