SFFS 3/10/2015 Impcatcher

 This is my snippet this week for SFFSat. SFFSat is a place where a number of authors post snippets from their written works, and give the opportunity for comments, support and encouragement. Please also explore the other blogs that are part of this set - you can find the information here.

Today's snippet is from Impcatcher, which I am aiming to publish in roughly a month's time. Tal, the eponymous impcatcher, is in a cellar, endeavouring to capture an imp which is throwing bottles of vintage wine at him.

Last week, he tried to blind the little horror with a crystal that flared brightly, but which has now gone out.

I swung my heavy, squirming burden down onto its back against the stone floor with a solid thud, hoping to knock the fight out of it before it thought to start throwing fire around. So far, it had been playing games, amusing itself with the idiot human. Now that said idiot had proved to be reasonably capable, it might well use some of the more dangerous abilities in its arsenal. It twisted and shrieked, but in anger, not dismay. Not to my surprise, it snarled something else, and its skin began to smoke. Small flames began to lick from its skin – the grey slab walls around us flickered red from the glow, wet moss reflecting the light in wide patches on the ancient stone. I hauled the imp off the deck and slammed it down again with all my strength. 

 

The second blow didn’t stop it, either. It twisted in my grip, and flung out its legs. It must have connected with a pillar – the sudden impact caught me off balance, and I slammed into the floor on my ass. The quozac squirmed out of my clutches like a greased rat. The fire crackling from its skin went out – it wasn't stupid enough to provide me with sufficient light to see it. My head collided with something – I had no idea what, except that it was hard. The imp guffawed – it could obviously see in the midnight black that had enveloped us again – and was suddenly on top of me, long, strong fingers clutching at my throat. 

  I still haven't decided on a cover - my job this weekend is to experiment further!

   As always, comments welcome.