This End of the Rainbow

Derrick has a run in with a true-to-life myth

"Thay're actually evil, did you know that?"

Derrick shook his. "That was just a movie, cuz."

Paulie shook his head. "No, really. Mrs. Mahaney said they weren't good guys at all."

Derrick rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Okay, I'll bite. What did old Mothballs Mahaney have to say about Lucky and his Charms?"

"She said they didn't give gold away at the end of rainbows, or anywhere else, either. She said they pile it all up and do nasty things to people who try to get any of it, for being greedy."

Derrick grinned and shook his pockets. They made a heavy metallic chink sound. "Well if leprechauns hoard their money, then a leprechaun I be, cousin!"

Paulie looked at him. "Where'd you get so much change?"

"Ways and means, old chap. Ways and means," he replied in a terrible British accent.

"If my mom asks where I went, tell her I'm at Mikey's. She'll want to know where I got my loot if she knows I'm down to The Strip. Cool?"

Paulie nodded as his cousin left the house.

Outside, Derrick shook his pockets again. Jingle, chink. He didn't think his dad would miss a handful from the huge pile of quarters he'd been saving for the past seven years. He walked to the avenue where all the restaurants were—what the locals called The Strip.

He was about to cross the street to TacoMatics when a hand reached out and grabbed him back between two buildings. A voice hissed from the dark.

"Gimme your bread, boy! I know you got some, I can hear it, so spill it!" Derrick emptied his pockets of his ill-gotten gains in terror. As the man ran off down the alley, Derrick shuddered.

The man was really quite short...and dressed all in green.

NOTES: ▶︎

Word Count: 300
Submitted for "Daily Flash Fiction Challenge" 
Prompt: Use the words leprechauns, green, gold

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