Icy slide of doom

The icy slide was wild! The surface beneath was so smooth I didn't feel any bumps as I slid faster and faster down the hill. The way was clear but the chute was formed in a way that I didn't see that far, what was to come. In these speeds bumping against anything would be fatal.

A split appeared in front of my eyes. Too late to change course, my poor self landed on the split legs first. “Not my family jewels!” I yelled in pain. Someone slid past me down the icy slide, murmuring to himself. A few more slid past me, patting me on the shoulder. I collapsed.

I was speaking literally, of course. My family’s wealth, 17 jewels, was in several bags sewn into secret pockets in my pants. The collision drove them into my flesh: ouch! Worse, the seam split on one sack, and jewels went tumbling down my pant leg.

Six emeralds & rubies spilled from my pant leg. That meant the other 11 were still hidden in their secret pockets. I scrambled to get the loose jewels, but little dark fingers swiped the gems before I could. A raccoon! It chittered at me, then scampered up the nearest tree.

“Curses!” I yelled out. But then a little girl emerged from nowhere. “Swiper, no swiping!” The raccoon gave a little “Oh, man!” and dropped my stolen stuff immediately. Anyways, I asked her for directions for the nearest town, which her talking map was more than happy to help.

Swiper and the girl joined me on my journey. At the edge of town, at the base of a large castle, they waved goodbye with strange smiles on their faces. I looked around, Bludmore, Transylvania was bound to be a safer home. I knocked on the castle’s door ready to begin my new life.