Fortune's Sundrops

 

Arthur's two older half-sisters had taken him for a walk in the wooded area surrounding their father's estate. It was a warm, sunny afternoon. The recent rains had kept them huddled inside for so much of the preceding days that they all craved sunlight and time outside in the fresh air. Not only that, the household in general had been busy with preparations for the imminent arrival of a new brother or sister for Arthur, and a new half-sibling for the two girls. The three of them were now playing with their dog, an spirited Jack Russell terrier named Blackjack. Arthur happened to glance towards the main house, and noticed two cars coming through the gate and up the shaded drive to the front steps of the house. "Look!", he cried to the girls, pointing his finger towards the arriving cars. Blackjack noticed too, and was barking at the intruders and wagging his tail. "Wonder who's here?!", he asked excitedly. The two girls looked at one another, and then Mary said to him, "It's probably the rabbi and the doctor. It must be time for the baby to come." "Come on, let's go in, then!" , Arthur said, as he tugged impatiently on Mary's hand. Blackjack circled them, still barking. She laughed and shook her head. " Not now. We'd be in the way if the baby is coming. You know Dad wouldn't like it. We should stay out here awhile. Once the bsby's here and your mom's alright, they'll call us in; you'll see. It's such a nice day, anyway. Let's stay here and play with Blackjack. He's been cooped up in the house so much lately. He needs to be able to run and play some. You do too.", she told Arthur.  He tilted his head sideways and gave her a skeptical glance, as though he was thinking about what she had said. "Well, I guess so. It HAS been kind of boring inside lately. We won't miss anything being out here, will we? Will my mom be ok?" His sister's laughed.  "We won't miss anything but grownup talk." Mary looked at Arthur and added, "Your mom will be fine. You'll see." Arthur looked up at her, and a smile brightened his face.  "Alright. ....Let's play with Blackjack!" Inside the house, things were far different than they were for the children outside. Arthur's father, also named Arthur, stood by his wife (Marilyn)'s bedside. His very pregnant wife clutched his hand tightly in hers. At the moment, her grasp was such that he wasn't sure if he wouldn't suffer permanent injury from it, but she seemed so immeasurably comforted by his touch that he didn't mind the pain. However, when the rabbi and the doctor enter the room, he does breathe a sigh of relief. He extricate his bruised hand from his distressed wife's iron grip, and kissed her forehead. She smiled, as if to reassure him that she was alright. He moved into the background, so that the rabbi and doctor could see to his wife. The rabbi spoke with him, while the doctor attended Marilyn.  The doctor glanced at the rabbi and nodded. Arthur came over and kissed Marilyn on the forehead again, and said, "I'll be right outside." Marilyn gave him a timid smile. After a time of what to his mind were sounds of pain, Arthur heard another sound: that of his newborn child. He is moved beyond words when the rabbi brings his newborn son out of the bedroom and lays him in his arms. Meanwhile, the doctor is inside the room with Marilyn, wanting to give her something to help her sleep. "I want champagne, not sedatives.", Marilyn told him. The doctor laughed and shook his head in amusement. "Alright, then. Champagne it is. Doctor's orders." "Thanks ever so.", Marilyn said, giggling. Almost by magic, a bottle of chilled Dom Perignon champagne and Marilyn's monogrammed cocktail glass appeared, along with a fruit and cheese tray. The doctor poured her some champagne and handed the glass to her. "Eat something later if you feel like it, but try to get some rest. Arthur asked me to stay here overnight to make sure you and the baby are fine. It's just a precaution. But if you don't need anything else , I'll give you some time to yourself." Marilyn nodded and smiled. "I'm fine. Just tired. Are both of my sons alright?" "They're fine. I promise. Don't worry.", he reassured her. "Thank you for everything.", she replied, in a voice that sounded happy but fatigued. "Anytime.", he said, then left her alone. As she lay propped on pillows in bed, Marilyn sipped her champagne and looked out the window into the cool sunlight. It amazed her that it was still light outside. Fortune's sundrops had smiled on her today. ReplyForward

The Face in the Mirror

 The Lady Alexandria was abruptly awakened by the shining light of the full moon reflecting into her bedroom window.

Her eyelids blinked open quickly as the light touched them. Light always awakened her. She smiled softly, and lit a nearby candle in a golden candleholder to light the black room a bit more. She took a small sip from a still warm cup of spiced black tea, and patted her beloved companion's soft fur as she laid curled on the end of the bed, still sleeping. In this case, it was a charcoal grey cat with sapphire eyes, named Noor, for indeed she was light. The response that she received was a soft purr. She stroked the sleeping cat's fur gently.

The still night air was extremely cool, so after Alexandria sat up in bed, and untangled herself from the bed sheets, she deftly slid her feet into a pair of soft wine-dark velvet slippers waiting beside her bed, and drew an equally wine-dark velvet cloak that was at the foot of her bed around her, against the night chill. She wore other wine-dark adornments: an anklet of gold, studded with garnets, and solitary garnet studs in her ears. Wine-dark suited her.

Her tiny feet touched the cold stone floor with a soft thud, and the light of the moon drew her to the nearest window in her bed chamber to admire it. She shivered in the dark cold of her room. The embers of a fire would have been most welcome. So would more warm spiced tea, or warm spring water with spearmint leaves and rose petals.When she reached the window, Lady Alexandria

propped her elbows against the pane of the window and just stared out into the dark starless sky for a bit. There were indeed no stars in the midnight sky tonight, not even a single tiny one, that she could see; the only light was the light of the full moon.

After a time had passed, she finally drew away from the window, and made a half-turn, headed back to her warm bed.

However, as she turned, she saw a flicker of light out of the corner of one eye. It aroused her curiosity enough that she walked in the direction of the light. She crossed the room to her cherrywood dresser, over which there hung a beautiful mirror, also made of cherrywood, with its beautiful beveled glass edges. It was truly a work of art unto itself.

She glanced in the mirror, and picked up a sterling and ivory comb to brush out her dark tresses. Once they gleaned with raven luster, she tied them back with a wine-dark ribbon, so they wouldn't tangle while she slept in bed.

She then reached for a bottle of lavender attar, and tabbed it behind her ears, at the base of her delicate throat, at her cleavage, and at each wrist. She smiled, her dark eyes reflecting pleasure as she inhaled the fragrance.

She looked behind her at her bed just then, as she heard Noor purr softly.

Alexandria lived in a world where dark hair and dark eyes did not find favor with those that her world said that she was destined to find favor with...whether she liked it or not.

She wondered what an Alexandria that did find favor with those that she was supposed to please would look like.... Unshed tears filled her beautiful, expressive dark eyes , as she closed them and imagined.. What was so very wrong with not being light? It seemed as though all in her world loved light.

She kept them closed for a time, and then slowly reopened them. When at last she opened them and again looked into her mirror, she couldn't believe her own eyes! It seemed as though the mirror itself wanted her to see the "beautiful" Alexandria that everyone seemingly so desired.

This golden Alexandria was pure light. She shined so bright that the reflection in the mirror nearly blinded her as she looked.

She had flaxen hair in waves, and emerald green eyes. To Alexandria of the dark hair and eyes, everything about her looked golden.

She wore an emerald crushed velvet dressing gown, trimmed in gold thread and ecru lace. Her petite feet were clad in matching emerald velvet slippers, lined in green satin of a slightly lighter shade. A solitary emerald stone hung at the base of her delicate throat by a gossamer golden chain. Unless the light caught the gold of the tiny chain, it appeared as though the stone sat there on its own, suspended in air. Her wavy , cool blonde locks were held loosely by a fine golden net, studded with pearls, emeralds, and peridot. She wore a gold circlet at her forehead with a large emerald stone at its center. She carried an ankh in one hand, and a golden flute in her other one. This was the Alexandria that seemed worthy of those in her foretold destiny.

"Dark" Alexandria blinked as she kept looking into the mirror at her "Light" reflection, and then closed her eyes, and again imagined.

After a time of calm, silence, and reflection, she slowly opened her emerald eyes, and saw that her golden reflection was still there, the golden reflection in the mirror. It wasn't her imagination; it was real! She couldn't believe it.

It was only when Alexandria looked away from the mirror, and at herself in candlelight, that she realized that she was now "light" Alexandria! Permanently! She was overwhelmed at the knowledge of the changes it would mean in her existence in her world. She looked into the mirror again, and saw "dark" Alexandria, in wine-dark velvet looking at her.

She closed her eyes and imagined....she wondered if "light" Alexandria could look as she wished, when she wished. She saw a fleeting thought of an auburn Alexandria with sapphire, blue topaz, or emerald eyes. Was it truly possible? Or was it indeed merely a face in the mirror?

The Window

 Written for a Summer 2018 online creative writing class through Gotham Writers....

Creative Writing 101 (Online) - Summer 2018

Camille Green - Booth - Week: 6

My love is a modern day Merlin, trapped by an evil mermaid who beguiled him and tricked him into marriage. He watches out the window of his office, waiting for the day when his Morgana thinks of a way to rescue him. I WILL NOT disappoint him. It will take all of his power, as well as any I can muster, for us to accomplish this feat. But make no mistake: it IS possible, and we WILL do it. It is worth everything we have to give.Being under the spell of this wicked siren has harmed Merlin greatly, and his forced slavery has made him believe that he is powerless against the evil surrounding him. But Merlin is as powerful as he always and ever was, and Morgana is determined to make him see that. After all, Merlin was the one who taught HER. If it has to be thru a window that she reaches her love and teacher (her EVERYTHING!), so be it.

In-Class Comments

4 new comments

Katherine Jones

Well you've got my attention!  I want to know who these people are and how they came to be in relationship to each other.  Or, if they're even in a relationship. I'd like to know more.

Linda Krsnak

Camille, So excited to see where you will go with this piece.  It has caught my attention and left me wanting more!

Renee Marrano

Camille, I must admit I'd never heard of flash fiction before. After reading your piece, which I find fascinating, I did some googling. I'm intrigued! 

I would love to read the rest of this.

Nelsie Spencer

Camille,

Yes! Very intriguing! with elements of magic and secrets and mystery! A very unusual way to take the title "The Window" and pull us in!

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The Meeting

 Susanna lit an old candle in the carved turnip, and

placed it by the cracked window, causing shadows
to dance across the log walls. Her dog, a small fawn and white terrier, pressed its nose against the damaged window, and shivered, and Susanna reached down and stroked her soft fur affectionately. Then, she squinted through
the glass with soft moss green eyes, and pushed a strand of dark auburn hair out of her line of vision. A cold wind was pushing dying red leaves
across the stone path. It was getting late!

She'd heard whispers of a mandatory town meeting. That meant of course  she had to attend, whether she wanted to or not. The consequences of not attending were almost as bad as the consequences of what transpired in the meeting. At least this way she was forewarned and could defend herself, for whatever good it did.
Dressing in layers, her dress in mostly shades of grey and black, but with an elegant emerald green cloak over it. With the thick cloak, she hoped to ward off the cold, as well as hiding most of her red hair from view with its hood. It would also insulate her against the disapproving glares of her neighbors, at the meeting.

She knew that her green cloak, her auburn tresses,  even the homemade rose perfume she wore, would cause her to incur the derision of the others at the meeting. But she wasn’t about to stop being herself, and looking like herself, at this late date.

At last the hour came that she could no longer avoid going to the town meeting, so she walked towards the door of her sparse cottage, preparing to leave. On impulse she picked up her beloved dog, and wrapped her in the folds of her green cloak. Other special belongings were sewn into the black and grey panels of her gown, as they always were, for protection and safety. Before she opened the creaky door to leave, she took a last look around. There was nothing else that she needed here.

She opened the door and stepped out onto the porch, then down the few steps to the ground. A heavy mist was falling and it was foggy. There was a definite chill in the air. She decided not to take her horse and carriage, as it was only a short walk to the common building, where the town hall meeting was being held. As she walked, she snuggled her dog close against her. “Don’t be afraid.”, she whispered to the small animal. “We will be fine. I promise.”

As they walked, the grey mist became heavier, but it still wasn’t really raining. Susanna clutched her dog, took a deep breath, and opened the door of the building where most of the town had already gathered. As she took her first step inside, a handsome man all in black, with equally dark hair and eyes, grabbed her arm. Her green eyes glittered, and she gave him a brief smile. “Miss, could I see you a minute, outside?”, he said in a tone that was loud enough for most of the townspeople to overhear. She nodded and followed him outside. He closed the door firmly after them, trying to make sure that none of the townspeople followed after them. They rounded the side of the building, and heavy fog and mist enveloped Susanna, the man, and her dog. By the time the mist and fog cleared, there was no trace of Susanna, the man, or the dog. It was something the townspeople would talk about for quite some time to come. Susanna had been a mystery. Indeed, most of the townspeople had presumed her to be a witch, anyway. But it was quite a subject of interest.

Seven Years to Nowhere

 Seven Years to Nowhere

April 1952, Beaumont, Texas

Maggie Black had spent the morning cleaning and preparing her house for the arrival of her husband, Luke, who was expected to arrive in a few days time, after spending seven long years in prison. Maggie’s boss, Tony, had generously given her a couple extra days off to prepare the house….and herself….for Luke’s homecoming. Tony was very good to her.

Late that evening, when a tired Maggie was sitting on her front porch admiring the twilight, Tony walked up her front steps with a bottle of wine and a picnic basket.

“Figured you would be pretty pooped, Sweetie. I thought that a bottle of wine would be just the thing for you.”, Tony said, grinning. He spread out a blanket on the front porch, and while he opened the white wine, Maggie took the food out of the basket. There was cold fried chicken, potato salad, coleslaw, and biscuits. For dessert there were frosted pecan brownies.

“Any word on when he’ll be home?”, Tony asked her, as he gnawed on a chicken leg.

“No, not really. Within the week, though.”, Maggie told him.

When they were ready for dessert, Maggie suggested, “Hey! Why don’t we take these inside and put vanilla ice cream and fudge sauce on them?”

“Sounds good to me!”, agreed Tony. He helped Maggie with clearing the remains of their picnic from her front porch before they went inside.

Once they were inside, Maggie pulled down the shades, put on some music, and poured them both two fingers of bourbon over ice. Tony pulled her into his arms, and they danced, slowly.

“Oh, Tony, what are we going to do once Luke gets here?”, Maggie asked, distraught.

Tony cupped her face in his hands. “We’ll figure something out, beautiful. Until we do, we’ll just have to see one another while you’re at work.”, he told her.

“But we will figure out a way to be together, won’t we, Tony?”, Maggie pleaded.

Tony laughed, and kissed her forehead. “Never doubt it, my Maggie.”, he promised. He kissed her again, this time on the lips. The kiss, light at first, quickly turned passionate.

Simultaneously, piece by piece while the music played, Maggie and Tony stripped off their clothes. Tony carried her to the bedroom, and tossed her on the bed, then slowly eased atop her.

“I love you, Maggie.”, Tony whispered in her ear, kissing along her jaw and down her neck. “God, you’re so hot!” He kept kissing her, and slid a hand between her thighs, opening them.

“Oh, Tony, I need you so much!”, Maggie cried in his ear.

Tony eased into her, and kept pressing forward until he was fully sheathed in her. The couple were so involved in their lovemaking that they didn’t hear the door open…….it was Luke, Maggie’s husband.

Luke stood over the bed and watched them for a short while. He cleared his throat, and said, rather calmly, “Fine way for a wife to welcome her husband home.”

Tony and Maggie both froze, terrified to inaction for a few minutes. Maggie wrapped a bedsheet around her; Tony took a blanket for the same purpose. By the time they had done this, Luke had a gun pointed at them.

“Which one of you wants to go first?”, Luke asked.

“Luke, wait…..”, Maggie pleaded.

“Wait for what, Maggie? I just finished waiting seven years for my freedom. I’m not waiting for anything else.”

“You’re the one who soiled my wife, so you’ll go first.”, Luke told Tony. With one well-placed shot, Tony’s head was displaced from his shoulders.

Maggie screamed, and threw herself on the bed, crying.

Luke grabbed her roughly, and pulled her to him, giving her a savage kiss that made her lips numb. “It’s your turn, my dear. Don’t worry; you’ll be joining your lover soon enough. But I want something else from you first. After all, you are my wife.”

“NO!!!!!!”, Maggie screamed.

Luke slapped her face hard, and pushed her back on the bed. It was a brutal rape. When he finished, Luke strangled his unfaithful wife to death. Unfortunately for Luke, neighbors had heard the commotion from Tony and Maggie’s murders, and summoned the police. Less than two hours after he had returned home from seven years in prison, Luke Black was arrested on two counts of murder. Seven years was only the beginning for him

Love at the Celtic Pub and Brewery

 Caitlin O’Hara worked in the pub attached to the Celtic Brewery. Today she was wearing faded blue jeans and a dark green hooded sweatshirt, with a green apron over them. Green was alright with Caitlin; it accentuated her auburn hair and emerald green eyes. Caitlin loved her job here. She could bring her beloved dog, Finn, a small terrier, to work with her. Plus, she was also a blogger, but working at Celtic Brewery and Pub provided extra income, and she loved interacting with the customers. But there was one special customer that she especially enjoyed interacting with, and that was Christopher Ryan. Christopher was friends with several of the men who worked in the brewery, and he came by frequently to have a drink with them once their shift was over. Then too, lately he had been coming to flirt with Caitlin. Just then, while Caitlin was wiping down a couple of tables, he came in and sat down at the bar.

“Bring me a cold ale, would you, love?”, he asked Caitlin.

“Coming right up!”, Caitlin told him, giving him a wink and a smile. A few moments later, as if by magic, a chilled ale appeared before him. “Anything else?”

“No, love, this’ll do me…..for now.”, he teased lightly.

Caitlin went on about her work, but she kept her sharp green eyes on Christopher. She sighed softly; with her luck, he probably had a girlfriend.

Soon the brewery workers came out and joined Christopher. Caitlin brought bottles of ale and beer to them, as well as another ale for Christopher. Things had slowed a bit in the pub, so she listened to the young men tell stories and jokes. She got herself an ale and petted Finn while she drank it. It was a fun, relaxed evening.

Caitlin’s evening got even better when, just when the pub customers were leaving and she was helping close the pub, Christopher came over to her and asked for her phone number. It was all that Caitlin could do not to grab him and kiss him right there! She scrawled her number on a pub napkin. She grabbed Finn, her purse, and her jacket, and they walked the short walk home to Caitlin’s flat.

Caitlin showered, and slipped into flannel pyjamas, then she fixed dinner for Finn and herself. It was simple: corned beef hash. She switched on the television, and she and Finn settled on the sofa to eat dinner. For dessert, they shared a few shortbread cookies. When they finished eating, Caitlin opened her laptop, and began reading email. Her thoughts drifted to Christopher, and a smile curved her lips. He had asked for her number! That meant he was going to ask her out! Caitlin tried, but failed, to talk herself out of getting excited.

She and Finn stayed up very late. She was off tomorrow, and could sleep in, then get up and work on her blog some. She’d take Finn to the dog park, too.

Caitlin and Christopher quickly became a couple. He spent every evening that Caitlin worked there, often helping her look after Finn.

One  evening, just before closing the pub, it began to snow. Christopher has gone out to clean off his car, only to find that it won’t start.

“How will I get home now, Love? The bus?”, he asked Caitlin.

“You can walk home with Finn and me, and stay with us tonight. It’s only a short walk.”

Christopher grabbed a small bag out of his trunk.

“Clean clothes.”, he grinned.

“So we’re set.”

Christopher, Caitlin, and Finn make the short walk to Caitlin’s flat. Caitlin fixes meatloaf and stewed potatoes for dinner. Later she collects a bowl of snow and makes snow cream for them.

Caitlin brings out some sheets and a blanket along with a pillow for Christopher to use for sleeping on the couch. Christopher is clearly disappointed; he thought he would be sleeping in Caitlin’s bed, with her.

“Christopher, I’m a virgin, and I don’t plan on changing that condition until I am in a committed relationship. I’m sorry if I misled you.”, she tells him.

Christopher has a big erection, which he is struggling to hide from Caitlin. “It’s alright, love, I understand.”, he told her.

“Thank you. “, she replied. “If we  ever do get to that point in our relationship, I think the sex will be all the much better for having waited.”

Christopher tried to convince himself of that, as he curled up on the sofa.

“Come along Finn!”, Caitlin called, and the small dog trotted into her bedroom after her.

The next morning, Christopher asked Caitlin to marry him. He suggested a wedding date of New Year’s Eve, at the pub.

“It’s perfect, my love! I will marry you!”, Caitlin said happily.

Caitlin wears a Celtic wedding gown to be married. Finn carried the rings in a pouch around his head. Surrounded by all their friends at the pub, Caitlin and Christopher become man and wife. Later, at Caitlin’s flat, they become joined in every sense of the word. Like Caitlin promised, it was great.

I, Ginneyya

 

I am El Naddaha, the so-called Siren of the Nile. In my native Egypt’s Arabic, I am called Ginneyya, the caller. I call men to join me in the Nile’s dark depths, never to be seen again. Some call me mermaid. Others say I am a Djinn. Some compare me to Lorelei. But only those who I call to me know for sure, and they have no tales to tell. I am told that I am breath-takingly beautiful, with alabaster white skin, long dark hair, and equally dark, haunting eyes. They hypnotize and beckon; once seen, no man can resist them, or me. There are those who have tried to stop other men from following me into the deep river, and woe to them, for they are the next ones that I call to me. It is said that I devour and eat the men, after they drown in the Nile’s murky waters. But no one really knows for sure, besides me, anymore than anyone knows why I am possessed to do what I do. Only I can tell you my reason. I am the great-granddaughter of Isis, through Horus, and then my father, Hapi, the God who brings the inundation of the Nile each year.  I wanted nothing more than to live as a Nile entity, as my father did, but the god Set had other plans for me, and sought to make me his pleasure slave. I refused his advances, wanting the love of a Nile merman instead, who Set killed. He then condemned me to this eternal life as the deadly nymph of the Nile, causing men to jump to the deaths in search of me. It horrifies me, but I am powerless to end the curse upon me. I am Ginneyya; Look into my eyes and love me. ReplyForward