Ficlets

Ayumi hummed as she swept the leaves from the shrine steps. Her scarlet hakama swished around her gently. She smiled happily- very soon the cherry blossoms would bloom and she would have to prepare for the matsuri to celebrate the coming of spring. Mentally she began reveiwing the list of duties that would need be done to before the day of the festival.
It was hard work sometimes being a shrine maiden, but it was the duty passed down in her family for over a hundred years. She paused suddenly as she sensed a dark aura approaching.
In the woods she heard a a soft growl. Before she could react, a creature with horns and dirt brown skin emerged from the forest. He was about six foot five and looked as if he had been formed from rocks.

“Oni!” she gasped
It lunged toward her. She dodged as fast as she could then quickly began chanting. She struck the demon with a talisman and he desintegrated into dust. Then suddenly she heard a groan. There on the ground was an injured young man.