Fantasy, Mini Story

The Rent

Nancy's Notes 🖊️♬

Written for Crispina’s Crimson’s Creative
Challenge #059. I chose Pic #3.
Here’s where the image took me.

© Crispina Kemp

Neve found the ceramic mushroom house perched on the old stump in the woods behind her Aunt Dierdre’s cabin. Its red cap gleamed impossibly bright against the autumn leaves, black spots like watching eyes. A tiny door hung open.

“Hello?” Neve whispered.

Inside, a note in spidery handwriting: Warm milk, three acorns, one copper coin. Leave by moonrise.

 That evening Aunt Dierdre smiled knowingly when Neve mentioned the mushroom house. “The forest folk always collect their rent in November”, she said. “Forty years I’ve paid. Never missed once.”

That night, Neve placed the offerings carefully. By morning, they were gone, replaced by a single golden leaf that never withered.

NAR©2025

This is “Celtic Forest Music – Mushroom Woods ” by Derek Fiechter

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #059

All text and graphics are copyright for Nancy’s Notes 🖊️🎶 and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.

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