Luma and the Dice Shop Part 1 <chapter 7 P.T 1>

Luma left Crystal Cove in a huff after yet another telling-off from Cyddie about stealing dice.

She insisted she had only borrowed them to roll numbers that would help her decide what tidying duties to do.

Cyddie, however, had argued that hiding under a blanket was not an approved method of rolling dice for housework.

Luma felt this was deeply unfair.

So, while nobody was watching, she slipped quietly out of the back of Crystal Cove and disappeared into the woods.

She wandered along winding paths and followed bubbling streams, watching the water rush and babble over smooth stones.

Eventually she found a grassy bank and sat down, dangling her little legs into the cool water. The stream rushed over her tiny paws while she carefully kept her butterfly wings dry.

As the sun began to set, Luma climbed back onto the bank and gave herself a vigorous shake.

She was still annoyed.

After all, she hadn't stolen the dice.

She had merely been keeping them safe.

Very safe.

Under a blanket.

For several days.

Which was completely different.

At least according to Luma.

As evening settled over the island, dark clouds gathered above a great river that marked the edge of Crystal Cove.

There, half hidden amongst the reeds, stood a broken bridge.

Luma's ears twitched.

Curious as ever, she crossed it.

The moment she reached the other side, the world seemed different.

Darker.

Quieter.

Lonelier.

The streets were lined with abandoned houses.

Windows stood empty.

Doors hung from rusted hinges.

The further she walked, the more forgotten the place felt.

Eventually she arrived in what had once been a town square.

A dry fountain stood in the centre.

The stone was cracked.

Not a single flower grew there.

Not even the wind seemed willing to stay.

Then suddenly Luma froze.

Her nose twitched.

Her wings buzzed.

A familiar feeling ran through her from whiskers to tail.

"Dice..."

she whispered.

Her ears perked up immediately.

Following the feeling, she crossed the square and stopped outside a tall black building.

Its windows were covered with iron bars.

A faded sign hung above the door.

The words had long since vanished.

Slowly, Luma pushed the door open.

The hinges groaned.

The shop beyond was dark.

Silent.

Dusty.

And absolutely filled with dice.

Thousands of them.

Shelves upon shelves.

Glass jars.

Wooden boxes.

Tiny dice.

Huge dice.

Shiny dice.

Glowing dice.

Every shape and colour imaginable.

Luma gasped.

"So many dice..."

Carefully she picked up a beautiful crystal-blue die.

The moment it touched her paw, she began to grow.

Higher.

Higher.

Higher.

Until her head nearly touched the ceiling.

"Aaaaaah!"

She dropped the die.

Instantly she shrank back to normal size.

Blinking in surprise, she picked up another.

This one made her twice as wide.

A third turned her invisible.

A fourth made her sparkle.

A fifth gave her six sneezes in a row.

"Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!"

Luma giggled.

"Magic dice! Yay!"

Soon her arms were full of treasure.

Excited beyond words, she hurried towards the door.

But the moment she stepped outside...

The dice crumbled into dust.

Every single one.

Luma stopped.

Her smile vanished.

"No..."

The dust swirled into the air like black smoke.

Then, before her eyes, it drifted back through the doorway.

Back onto the shelves.

Back to the exact places the dice had come from.

Luma hurried back inside and tried again.

The same thing happened.

Dust.

Smoke.

Back to the shelf.

Again and again.

No matter what she did, not a single die could leave the shop.

The magic was trapped.

The dice belonged to the building.

And the building refused to let them go.

Luma sat sadly on the doorstep.

"Cursed dice aren't nearly as fun."

The dark town remained silent around her.

The empty fountain stood watching.

The abandoned houses creaked in the wind.

And somewhere deep inside the mysterious shop, thousands of magical dice waited patiently on their shelves.

Waiting for the next curious visitor to discover them.

Waiting for the next adventure.

And most importantly...

Waiting for Luma to come back tomorrow with a much larger bag.