The Rarest of Prey
by Nicole J. LeBoeufApril 7, 2020
"Run," says the unicorn. "Please."
Saiya caresses the soft muzzle, the spider-silk mane, breathes the dizzying scents of honeysuckle and musk. "You are a miracle."
"I am a trap," it whispers. Obedient to its nature, it lays its head in the maiden's lap. Saiya falls half-asleep herself, bespelled by wonder, as still as the threads of a tapestry.
Minutes or hours later, the hunters arrive. "Damn fine specimen. Top dollar on the open market. Hands off," they snicker at the crew. "No devaluing the cargo."
They load up and blast off, leaving the unicorn behind. They can always clone another.
About Nicole J. LeBoeuf
Nicole J. LeBoeuf is a New Orleanian writer of all things weird. Her
short fiction has appeared in the podcasts Tales to Terrify and
Toasted Cake, in the magazine Nameless Digest, and in the anthology Blood and Other Cravings. She and her husband currently live in Colorado, where she skates roller derby with the Boulder County Bombers under the name Fleur de Beast. She blogs at
NicoleJLeBoeuf.com and produces very short story-like objects for her subscribers atpatreon.com/NicoleJLeBoeuf.
https://web.archive.org/web/20200805161724/http://www.nicolejleboeuf.com/