Daily Picspiration - The Mist

Both pictures spoke to me for this week's Daily Picspiration. The title might be a well used one, but many famous authors, but it worked for this little story. Hope you enjoy.

Posted on Sunday 12th of July - you can find 'The Mist' here.



 

Soulmates - DFQMND

I'm all excited as our Dark Fairy Queen (or Anna Meade as she is also known), has launched a new contest the Dark Fairy Queen Midsummer Night's Dream Contest.

My first official publication in a book - Once Upon a Time: A Collection of Unexpected Fairy Tales was as a result of one of Anna's contest, and the last time one was over two years ago - Behind the Curtain. They come with great excitement and a flurry of incredible writing from everyone. It's an honour to be a part of them.

So, without further a do, here is my entry. I hope you enjoy him - sorry the story!

 

Felicity sat bold upright, clutching her chest. Scott sat up with her.

“You all right, babe?”

“It was him again. He wants me to meet him.”

Scott rubbed her back. “Meet him? He’s doesn’t even exist!”

Felicity shot him an angry glance.

“Okay, he might exist in the ethereal sense, but he can’t manifest himself in the real world … can he?”

Felicity gave him a worried look. “I don’t know, but I have to go.”

“Go where?”

“The copse, midsummer’s eve, at midnight.”

“That’s tomorrow.”

“I know.”

Felicity shuddered.

***

“What time is it?” Felicity whispered as they moved deeper into the woods.

Scott used the torch to look at his watch. “Two minutes to twelve. What’s that?”

They saw a strange light coming through the foliage, and headed towards it.

When they arrived in the clearing, the angel was there.

He was magnificent, just as Felicity had dreamed. His chest was bare, though the angelic wings wrapped around him made him appear draped in soft finery. He seemed tall, and the light green glow surrounding him accentuated it. His bright eyes pierced hers.

“Hello Felicity.”

His voice rumbled deep within her, awakening feelings and desires she’d never experienced before. A longing to touch him overwhelmed her. She stepped closer.

“Hello Zelus.”

He eyed Scott.

“Who is your companion?”

“This is my husband Scott.”

“Husband?” Zelus’ brow creased. “Are you tied to another?”

“Well I wouldn’t say tied …”

“We’ve been married for several years.” Scott interjected. Zelus ignored him.

“Felicity, I asked you to meet me, to join me. We are soulmates. We have been for centuries – it has taken me two to find you. You can not stay with this mate.”

“Hold on a minute–” Scott began.

“Felicity please, you know it to be true.” Zelus’ right wing opened and he proffered a hand.

Felicity felt a pull in her gut. She knew he spoke the truth. “But Zelus, I can’t. I’m not like you, I’m mortal, human.”

Zelus smiled, a laugh leaving him like the sound of distant thunder. “Felicity, you are spirit, we all are. You simply need to take my hand. Come.”

Felicity hovered, her hand coming up.

“Felicity!” Scott shouted.

She glanced back at Scott.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m sorry Scott, but I …” When Felicity’s hand met Zelus’ there was only bright white light and his face. She was home.

400 Words

Read the other entries here:

Five Sentence Fiction - Thief

Another word prompt from Five Sentence Fiction that I couldn't miss. And I tried to take a less conventional route with it, delivering a different kind of theft, which resulted in me providing a different picture too, as the other didn't seem as appropriate.

By Vincent Van Gogh

Emptiness consumed Abigail as she sat on the side of the bed, staring at the wall, not daring to look down at her thoroughly washed body and feel the disgust again.

She tried hard to argue the voices in her head that told her this wasn’t her doing, that she hadn’t deserved it, and had done nothing wrong, but they weren’t easily quelled; she had invited him in after all, and wanted to sleep with him – it’s what she’d angling for every time she’d seen him out at the club.

But something had gone wrong half way through; something he had muttered in her ear in the midst of it making it clear it meant nothing to him, turning it cold and meaningless as though she was just providing a service.

And although in that moment she had pushed it away and carried on, the following morning when he had woken and leapt out of bed, dressing and vanishing inside of a minute, claiming he was late to meet some friends, Abigail had known she’d allowed herself to be used and violated.

Two baths later and she fought those feelings, beginning to rock gently back and forth to comfort herself, and tell herself that no-one had managed to steal a part of her soul, she was better than that. 

Rehab - MWBB WINNER!

I had to write for last week's Mid-Week Blues-Buster as the song had to be captured in writing. But as I struggled with how I wanted to end it, I didn't expect it to get ranked, let alone win!! It has made my Monday morning! Hope you enjoy it.

Song prompt: 

Rehab, by Amy Winehouse. 

Annabelle giggled as she stood up, and attempted to make her way through the crowd that seemed to have magically formed in the tiny club. How long had she been here? She didn’t know anymore … and didn’t really care. She pushed through a group of guys and staggered as one pushed back. Her laugh was cut short by the pain of her bony hip hitting a pillar. She growled and shook a fist at the pillar, causing the guys to laugh. She laughed with them and continued to move towards the toilets. 

She fixed her eyes on the door and made a beeline for it. She remembered being twirled around at one point, and she was sure someone put a hand up her skirt, but before she knew it she was staring into the dimly lit mirror in the toilets, trying to focus on her reflection.

She ignored the bags under her eyes, and how her cheeks had sunken into her jaw line, while she attempted to tidy up the lipstick that had smeared during the last line of coke. She wasn’t sure if she improved it, but it wasn’t important; what was, was the rock she had just scored. She pulled it out of the tiny pocket in her tiny skirt, and held it up between thumb and forefinger. She licked her lips. This could finally do it!

She reached into her other pocket for her little foldable pipe and lighter. Then, taking a surreptitious look round the toilets to make sure no one had seen her, she lurched into one of the cubicles and banged the door shut, fumbling with the lock to secure it.

She pushed the little rock into the pipe bowl, imagining the rush before she’d even brought the lighter up to it, and fell back onto the toilet seat once she did.

When she woke, Annabelle cracked open an eye, but immediately closed it again due to a harsh white light that glared down from the ceiling. She tried to move her hand up to shield her eyes, but found it tied down. Another peep revealed wrist straps tying it to the side of a metal bed.

“Morning Annabelle. How are you feeling?”

She didn’t recognise the voice, and wasn’t going to risk opening her eyes again – the pain of the light was too much. She tried to ask her own question, but gagged instead.

“Easy honey, don’t try to speak, we need to take you intubation tube out first. Come, help me sit you up and breathe out hard as I pull, okay?”

An arm came round her back and Annabelle felt herself being lifted.

“One, two three, and blow hard!”

Annabelle did, feeling something hard drag along her throat, reducing her to a coughing fit.

“It’s okay honey, drink this and it’ll feel better.”

This time Annabelle opened her eyes and squinted at a paper cup being handed to her. She took a sip and managed to croak, “Where am I?”

“You’re in the Mount View rehabilitation hospital.”

“How did I get here?”

“You were brought in by your family after you were resuscitated by paramedics two days ago.”

“Resuscitated?”

“Yep. You OD’ed I understand. You were found unconscious in a toilet in a club. For a while they weren’t sure they would make it. You’re lucky to be here.”

Annabelle groaned.

“You hurting, honey?”

Annabelle nodded, a tear running down her face.

“Where’s the pain?”

Annabelle tapped her chest on the left, and mumbled, “My heart.”

The nurse checked her pulse. “Is it a sharp pain?”

“It’s broken.”

“What?” The nurse was looking at her watch, counting.

“They know I didn’t want to come here, but they brought me anyway.”

“They care about you, honey.”

“No, they don’t. They only care about their ‘good name’. Daddy’s little girl can’t be seen to be on drugs.”

More tears tumbled down Annabelle’s face. She looked down at herself, the bag of bones she had become, and then at the wrist braces holding her. If only they had left her just a little big longer, it would be over. Now she had to start all over again. 

 

Horror Bites - Tower Terror

For this Horror Bites Challenge I provided the photo, so I knew I had to come up with something special. And after reading some of the other entries the pressure was on, and the story slowly unfolded in my mind. It went very dark, and the punchline gave me chills. Hope it works for you too.

 

Emmaline pulled the chains harder, trying to reach the window, leaning over as far as she could, feeling the coarse metal cuffs cut into her wrists. She could only make out the tops of the trees, but it was enough for her to recognise where she was.

She’d been fascinated by the tower for years, photographing it every time she passed, and then getting bolder as it became more derelict by squeezing through a break in the wire fence to get closer shots. She knew when she had found the sinkholes that it had been a mistake, but she had always been the curious type. So had he it seemed.

She gave up trying to see any more and retreated back to the chair. She sat on it – the wood of the seat as bare as she was, and pulled up her knees, clasping them tightly as she wondered when he would be back, trying not to allow her mind to rest on what he might do when he did.

She thought she heard a scuff of feet below and held her breath. The dusty disused circular room reflected the silence as she strained to hear anything more. Then there was a clink, and she knew.

Her stomach felt like it had dropped into her naval, and her bowels loosened. She resisted the urge to urinate. She started rocking as the footsteps grew louder; the scuffing sound on each step working like a ratchet in her brain, turning it tighter, so that by the time they arrived outside the door she was giving off a low moan to try and release the pressure.

The door swung open and there he stood – all smiles. Her eyes flitted to the tubing in one hand and the bucket in the other, not missing the assortment of metal implements poking out the top. Her moan escalated into a high pitched whine, and then a scream as he walked towards her.

“Shhh, my lovely, shhh. Don’t worry, I’ll take my time. We can enjoy it together.”

Words 341

Visual Dare - Perspective

A word and photo prompt that couldn't be missed on this week's Visual Dare. 

 

It was only when David watched his child that he realised he’d been looking at his marriage all wrong. As the toddler pulled the lens end of the camera to his face, David saw how, instead of bringing her closer and focusing in on the best parts of their life together, he’d been pushing her away, keeping her – and all the things that were stressing him out – at a distance, making them fit into one picture, when they didn’t.  

He gently removed the camera from his son now he was attempting to lick it, and turned it over in his hands. So just like he did with his camera, David needed to take it apart, cleaning and repairing each little piece and appreciating its value, so he could start afresh. It would be like having a whole new camera, and just as exciting too.

144 Words

Returning - MWBB

I managed to snag a third place in last week's Mid-Week Blues-Buster, and the feedback from the judge Louisa Bacio was interesting. She asked, "It’s tough in a short piece, but would like to see some emotions. Is he jealous? Does he love her or does he just not like to be rejected?" Because I am not a planner with flash, I just write what comes, I hadn't really thought that far, and in fact didn't know what he was going to do until the end. I hadn't really explored his character, which can often happen with flash as it is just a moment in a story or a character's world. But I am glad she still felt it warranted rating. Hope you do too.

 

Song prompt:

Cat People, by David Bowie

They didn’t question him at the entrance, letting him take priority over the established queue, ignoring the protests of those at the front.

He entered the foyer of the nightclub, handing off his coat to a waiting attendant who looked at him in awe. It had been a long time since they’d seen him here, but he hadn’t been forgotten.

As he stepped through the double doors into the nightclub, Kennedy surveyed the dance floor from the first floor landing. It was busy tonight and in full swing, but he still managed to spot her out there; her hair flying out as her dance partner swung her round. He took in the dance partner, seeing the sleek, black hair, toned body and striking eyes, knowing it was her ‘type’. But he was back so this stand-in would be leaving shortly.

Kennedy strode round the landing, ignoring the gasps and stares from the staff who rushed to make way for him and serve him a drink as he walked. He grabbed the glass and threw the liquid down his throat, thrusting it back in moments, swinging round the stair banister and making short work of his descent to the dance floor.

She still hadn’t noticed his arrival even though everyone else had. Crowds parted to make way for him, knowing his destination. Even her partner stopped dancing on sight of him, stepping back and trying to melt into the people behind in the hope of getting away unscathed. Kennedy didn’t worry about him; he had people that would take care of that.

It was only once he stood in front of her that she saw him and jolted to a stop mid swing. Unlike everyone else she was unfazed by his arrival seeming to have expected it. She simply stepped forward, pressing her body up against his and turned her face up to his with a grin. He didn’t return it.

“Aralia, where were you?”

“Around.”

Her hands crawled up his sides. He grabbed her wrists and held her arms down.

“You think you can just play me?”

She opened her eyes wide as though innocent.

“I haven’t been playing anyone. I got bored. You didn’t have time for me with all your businesses. I need attention and excitement.”

He gripped her wrists tighter. “You can’t just up and leave me like that!”

Aralia yanked her hands out of his. “Well apparently I can – and did!” 

She stepped back, rubbing her wrists. 

Kennedy glared at her. She returned the look.

“Okay, have it your way then.”

He stormed off the dance floor, and snapped his fingers at two of his men standing up on the landing. Each of them had a jerry can and they started unscrewing the lids as Kennedy climbed the stairs. They looked at him once more for confirmation and he nodded curtly as he joined them. They started showering the people below with the contents.

Their protests could be heard over the music, but nobody understood what was happening until after the men retreated from the landing. Kennedy pulled out a cigarette and a lighter. He flicked the zipper open in one movement, and swept it across the cigarette as he flung the lighter below. The poof of the gasoline drew a smile from him as he too exited, mumbling, “I’ll give you excitement.”