LikeBtn

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Z - Zebra #AtoZChallenge

My A to Z Challenge: Micro fiction, using 300 words or less, inspired by selected words along with a photo for inspiration. The words were chosen in reverse order from this lesson plan page.
(For example, for the letter A it was the 26th word on the list, for Z it was the 1st word on the list)



"Isn't she striking?" Charlotte pointed out the ancient statue of a warrior women standing beside a zebra to her BFF, Analise, who shrugged. It hadn't been Analise's idea of a good way to spend an afternoon but it had been Charlotte's turn to choose an activity.

Museums made Analise queasy. The strange items, the unusual smells combined to make her dizzy. "I need to go sit for a minute. Can I meet you in the next exhibit room?"

Charlotte couldn't tear her eyes off the figurine but responded, "Sure, go ahead." I wonder what life was like for her? Maybe she was a princess, or a queen. I mean, she had her own zebra. How cool is that?

Someone behind her cleared their throat and she turned to face a wizened old man, skin as dark as the night, with a smile as charming as any she'd ever seen. She smiled in return.

"You like Queen Amina?" he asked.

She turned back to the display case and sighed. "Oh yes. I want to learn more about her. She is magnificent."

"You are interested in African history?"

She nodded. "I recently did my DNA and discovered I have roots there. I need to learn more about my ancestry."

"The good or the bad?"

She thought for a moment. "I guess I'd have to say both. After all, you can't live life with just one of those."

"Agreed." He muttered a few words she didn't understand, swirled twice and then stamped his right foot. "It is done. Walk through that door."

She looked in the direction he pointed and when she looked back, he was gone. With a shrug she walked over, grasped the doorknob and inhaled. Closing her eyes she opened it and stepped through.

She looked down at her strange garments, then up to a new past.



Monday, April 29, 2019

Y - Yak #AtoZChallenge

My A to Z Challenge: Micro fiction, using 300 words or less, inspired by selected words along with a photo for inspiration. The words were chosen in reverse order from this lesson plan page.
(For example, for the letter A it was the 26th word on the list, for Z it was the 1st word on the list)



"Do you know what he said next? No? Well, let me tell you..."

Blah, blah, blah. This man is can yak more than any woman I know. I really need to finish my shopping. Why won't he give me my cane back?

"Can you believe it? I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to tell him..."

My legs hurt. I shouldn't have come this way. Blah, blah, blah. How can one person yak for so long?

"Then she smacked him and he fell backwards in the chair. Can you believe it? Her, such a sweet, tiny thing. Knocked him flat over." He threw his head back and laughed.

"I really-"

"Yup, then when he got up she told him he was drunk and should go home. Oh, did you hear about..."

I can't get a word in edgewise. I need to rip my cane out of his hand and leave. I shifted my shopping bag to my other arm and reached for my cane.

"Oh, wait, there's more..."

Can't I just smack him? Yak, yak, yak. And they say old women are the gossips.

"But don't tell anyone. I was sworn to secrecy. Oh, did you know old Widow Johnson is trying to hook me. Yup, she thinks I'm a catch. Brought me over a blueberry pie the other day."

"I really need-"

"She's a bit old for me though. But she's a good cook. Then again, there's always..."

"John! I need to-"

"She's a peach though. Grand-girls are sweet. But you can't take them fishing. Not that I can do much of that anymore. My hip pains me..."

"JOHN! I have to leave NOW!" I tugged my cane away from him.

"Huh? You say something? Forgot my hearing aids today."




Saturday, April 27, 2019

X - Xylophone #AtoZChallenge

My A to Z Challenge: Micro fiction, using 300 words or less, inspired by selected words along with a photo for inspiration. The words were chosen in reverse order from this lesson plan page.
(For example, for the letter A it was the 26th word on the list, for Z it was the 1st word on the list)



They were known as the Rodrigo brothers. They were born in Portugal on September ninth, one year apart from each other. They were itinerant musicians, playing their vintage xylophone at carnivals and other traveling shows.

Tiago and Paulo were now in their eighties and still touring. Wherever they went, rumors flowed about what happened when they played. Some said they were hypnotized and only woke when the duo stopped playing. Others said they had never felt better, even after the music ended.

But not all the rumors were good ones. You see Tiago and Paulo had a few disabilities from birth. Tiago, the oldest, was blind in his left eye. Paulo, the youngest, was blind in his right eye. They never wore sunglasses to hide these issues and they never hesitated staring at their audience.

Needless to say, their stares could be a bit creepy. The more superstitious among the crowd accused them of casting the evil eye and bewitching some of those watching.

Today was no different, except for the fact it was their first time back in Portugal since they were youngsters and their final performance anywhere. They stepped up to the xylophone, tapped a few notes, and broke into a lively folk tune. Soon everyone was clapping and stamping their feet.

Their final song was subdued, somewhat eerie, and as they played they stared into the crowd. Each brother seemed to seek out one specific person. A young person.

The tune lingered in the air and vibrated with the notes. A strong wind arose, blinding everyone with dust and debris. Once settled, the stage was empty.

Stranger yet, three young people in the audience were seen strolling off arm in arm. One blind in the left eye, one blind in the right eye, and one totally blind.



Friday, April 26, 2019

W - Wall #AtoZChallenge

My A to Z Challenge: Micro fiction, using 300 words or less, inspired by selected words along with a photo for inspiration. The words were chosen in reverse order from this lesson plan page.
(For example, for the letter A it was the 26th word on the list, for Z it was the 1st word on the list)



"What a happy mural. Don't you just love that couple? Makes me want to dance." She twirled her boyfriend around in a circle. "How long has it been here? I don't remember seeing it last time I visited."

He stood back and stared at it. "I'm really not sure. I don't think I've seen it before."

"Play some music on your phone and dance with me."

He looked around and seeing no one near, he pulled out his phone and asked, "Fast or slow?"

"I think slow. That's much more romantic." She wrapped her arms around his neck as he chose a playlist, set the volume and swayed them both towards the bench under the brooding elm tree where he set it down.

They danced the night away....


A few days later, another couple came by. "Oh honey, look at that great mural! Don't they look happy?"

He didn't respond and she looked back at him. He had stopped by the bench under the tree and showed it to her. "Look! Someone left their phone here."

"Wow, any ID on it?"

"Let me look." She stared at the mural and sighed. "Looks like all that's on here is music."

"Oooh, goody! Play something slow and let's dance!"

So they did, and before the night was done, there were now three happy couples dancing in silhouette on the mural.


The phone waited on the bench...



Thursday, April 25, 2019

V - Vase #AtoZChallenge

My A to Z Challenge: Micro fiction, using 300 words or less, inspired by selected words along with a photo for inspiration. The words were chosen in reverse order from this lesson plan page.
(For example, for the letter A it was the 26th word on the list, for Z it was the 1st word on the list)



Now that Dad was gone, it was time for us to clean out the house and barn. I left the house to my two older sisters while my younger brother and I tackled the barn. We tended to be the pragmatic ones and I didn't want to listen to my sisters wail and lament over each item. I, for one, was glad those days were gone. Joey was young enough he didn't remember the worst days before our mother went away.

Back then she was politely described as outlandish. She dressed in weird outfits and said inappropriate things. Now we know she was schizophrenic. We took the brunt of the voices in her head telling her to do things to us, bad things. Joey wasn't a year old when they found some of her clothing beside the lake.

"Hey, Molly, come look at this?" Joey shouted and I left my memories behind.

"What's up?" I ambled over to one of the side windows.

He pointed to an old horseshoe beside a vase on the sill. "Think Dad kept this for good luck?"

I shrugged. "He was a farrier for many years. His anvil should be around here somewhere."

"Really? Those things go for lots of money nowadays."

"Huh, didn't know that. Let me know if you find it."

We continue culling items into three piles. Sell, trash, keep and divide between us siblings.

It took us the better part of a week but we were done. Our sisters were still in the house bickering on what went into each pile.

I looked over the three piles and picked up the single horseshoe. "Joey, didn't you find Dad's anvil or farrier tools?"

"Nah, he musta sold them."

I had another thought. Those would have provided enough weight to keep a body underwater.



Wednesday, April 24, 2019

U - Unicorn #AtoZChallenge

My A to Z Challenge: Micro fiction, using 300 words or less, inspired by selected words along with a photo for inspiration. The words were chosen in reverse order from this lesson plan page.
(For example, for the letter A it was the 26th word on the list, for Z it was the 1st word on the list)



All little girls love unicorns, right? Even some big girls do. But eight year old Suzie wasn't a fan. She never told anyone why. But then again, no one bothered to ask. After all, kids will be kids, right? Some love koala bears, others love cats. Teddy bears or dogs. The list goes on and on.

But Suzie was different. She used to love unicorns, back when she was little. Real little. Like maybe four or five years old. She really, I mean, REALLY, loved unicorns.

So why did she stop? What could cause that?

Suzie had lived in several foster homes before she was placed with her new parents. Their first year up, plans were underway for adoption. She'd never been happier. Well, until they gave her a stuffed unicorn for her eighth birthday. She'd screamed, thrown it across the room, and ran upstairs to her bedroom. Surprised at her reaction, her parents weren't sure what to do. Make a big deal about it? Talk to her? Ignore the incident?

They opted to ignore it. That might have been a mistake. After that encounter, little Suzie wasn't the same. She stayed in her room except for meals and school. She lost what few friends she had. She started having nightmares. They realized it was time to discuss things.

After much prodding, they got their answer and no one could have prepared them for it.

"He did it."

"Who did what?"

"My foster brother took my favorite unicorn and put a spell on it."

"A spell?"

"Yes, so she had my face. Then he speared me with a big stick and stuck me in the yard looking into my bedroom window."

"Couldn't someone take it down?"

"I tried." She wiped her face. "But it hurt me inside when I did, like it was really me. I hate unicorns!"


Tuesday, April 23, 2019

T - Tea #AtoZChallenge

My A to Z Challenge: Micro fiction, using 300 words or less, inspired by selected words along with a photo for inspiration. The words were chosen in reverse order from this lesson plan page.
(For example, for the letter A it was the 26th word on the list, for Z it was the 1st word on the list)



I watched her gnarled hands as she lifted the old tea kettle into the sink and filled it from the hand pump before placing it on the ancient wood stove. Pulling a rusty tin down from a high shelf, she held it towards me. "Choose."

I peered inside and saw several hand-wrapped packets of what I assumed were tea leaves. I pulled out several, sniffed each, and put two back.

She dropped the contents into a teacup, filled it with boiling water, and sat down. I wondered when she would give me the tea. As though she knew what I was thinking, she said, "Three minutes."

I sat and tried to be patient.

"Here." She thrust the tea cup into my hands. "Don't drink all. Leave a little." She sat back and smiled, well, I thought it was a smile. I did as I was told, setting it down on the table between us when there was a little left.

"Hold in left hand. Swirl three times. To the right."

I swirled the contents, mesmerized by the agitated leaves. Some drifted to the bottom, some stuck to the sides. I held the cup towards her but she shook her head. "Upside down on saucer. Slowly."

I followed her instructions, wondering if all the leaves would drop into the saucer but wouldn't that mean it would be a saucer reading?

Again, as though she read my thoughts. "No, leaves stay." This was getting a bit eerie but I was in for the full measure.

Eventually she lifted the cup and peered inside. She looked up at me, eyes wide open. "GO!"

"What?"

"Now!"

I tried to argue but she pushed me outside the door. What had she seen that so terrified-

My thoughts were cut short by the bullet that killed me.



Monday, April 22, 2019

S - Sandwich #AtoZChallenge

My A to Z Challenge: Micro fiction, using 300 words or less, inspired by selected words along with a photo for inspiration. The words were chosen in reverse order from this lesson plan page.
(For example, for the letter A it was the 26th word on the list, for Z it was the 1st word on the list)



We'd been stuck for hours, sandwiched in like sardines in a can. The smart ones turned off their engines. The social ones got out and chatted with others who were stranded. The busy ones stayed glued to their phones and tablets. The musically inclined turned up the sound and bopped in their cars. Some even got out and danced on the highway.

Me? I'm shy. I stayed in my car until some music wafted my way. How long can you sit and ignore it? Not me. I love to dance. So I got out and stood beside my car, sort of swaying with the beat.

It wasn't long before several people gathered together dancing. No one was doing the same thing, but they were all having fun by the looks of it. I moved a little closer.

The music got louder. Several cars had tuned in to the same radio station and the music grew louder, drifting further down the long line of vehicles. More people got out. The highway was alive with  shimmying bodies. I was reminded of my uncle's worm farm. Oops, not a good analogy.

Someone pulled me into the fray and before I knew it, I was shimmying away with the rest of the crowd. Hot and sweaty, we all kept moving. The song didn't matter as long as there was a good beat. Smiles abounded, good humor flowed from person to person, from car to car.

A couple of folks in motorhomes passed out cold drinks and offered snacks to the kids. It felt like a neighborhood party.

But like all things, it had to end. The traffic moved, folks climbed into the cars, life went on as before. I only hope they remember the time we all got along. A good day indeed.



Saturday, April 20, 2019

R - Raspberry #AtoZChallenge

My A to Z Challenge: Micro fiction, using 300 words or less, inspired by selected words along with a photo for inspiration. The words were chosen in reverse order from this lesson plan page.
(For example, for the letter A it was the 26th word on the list, for Z it was the 1st word on the list)



I stared at the old photo of my younger sister, Samantha. I remembered the day I took it with my brand new, to me, Kodak Brownie. I asked Sam to pose for a photo and this is what she did. Being six years older and thus, I thought, wiser, I became mom and told her, "If you don't stop making faces, it's going to freeze like that." She stuck out her tongue again and proceeded to make a loud raspberry sound.

I set the photo aside and shuffled through the rest of the pictures chronicling my life. As I got older, the photos got fewer and fewer. Other interests came and went. College, marriage, divorce, re-marriage, children, another divorce. We lost touch for several years. She fell in with a rough crowd for a while, adverse to any personal advice.

She'd lived a hard life of her own choosing and ended up alienating family and friends. By the time she was thirty-five, she looked fifty-five. As my dad used to say, she looked like she'd been ridden hard and put up wet. I never understood the expression until I worked with our horses.

I flipped back to the first photo and looked at the back. I had written "Sister Samantha 1976". She had scrawled underneath, "My face isn't gonna freeze this way."

When water dropped onto the back of the picture, I realized I was crying. Crying for my sister Sam who had been found dead after a massive heart attack. Her facial features had been distorted from the pain she must have suffered before she succumbed. I was the one that ID'd her.

It was only now that I realized her facial contortions at the time of death meant it had frozen that way.


Friday, April 19, 2019

Q - Quill #AtoZChallenge

My A to Z Challenge: Micro fiction, using 300 words or less, inspired by selected words along with a photo for inspiration. The words were chosen in reverse order from this lesson plan page.
(For example, for the letter A it was the 26th word on the list, for Z it was the 1st word on the list)



"Guess what I learned today?" my eight year old son asked me at the end of a very long and very trying day at work.

"Um, what?" I continued preparing dinner as he bounced beside me excitedly.

"Can I do it? Can I, Mom? I'll be really careful, I promise."

It was the words 'be careful' that got my attention. I stopped and wiped my hands, taking the opportunity to sit down for a minute. "So what did you learn today?"

"I wanna make a pen."

"A pen?" I was still a bit perplexed, blame it on fatigue.

"A quill pen! We learned how they did it in school today and I remembered the feather I got at the turkey farm last year. So can I? Please?"

I stood and turned back to getting dinner ready. "We'll see. Right now I need to fix dinner. Do you have any homework?" My back to him, I never saw the look of disappointment in his face.

"It's already done."

"That's good. I'll call you when dinner is ready."

I was almost done with the dishes when I remembered the conversation. "Scott, can you come in here?"

"I'm watching my show. Can it wait?"

"No, please come here now."

He shuffled in, dropped into a chair and let out a huge sigh. He tipped the chair back onto two legs, knowing how that irritated me.

"Four legs, please." The chair landed with a thump. "Thank you. Now, before dinner you were telling me that today you learned how to make a quill pen. Let's go over the details and maybe we can make that our new project."

His eyes lit up. "Can I get my feather?" I nodded and he raced out and returned with the turkey feather.

I smiled and my fatigue melted away as he outlined what needed to be done. "Let's do it!"



Thursday, April 18, 2019

P - Parachute #AtoZChallenge

My A to Z Challenge: Micro fiction, using 300 words or less, inspired by selected words along with a photo for inspiration. The words were chosen in reverse order from this lesson plan page.
(For example, for the letter A it was the 26th word on the list, for Z it was the 1st word on the list)



"What a beautiful day for a skydive," Dave thought as he double checked his gear. This was his fifteenth solo jump and yet each one was just as exhilarating as his first. It had all begun with a dare from his college buddy. Once the jump was complete, the next challenge would be issued.

If he were to admit it, this one was the trickiest. And the scariest. But what good was a challenge if it wasn't scary?

He closed his eyes for a moment and let his senses soar. Such an exhilarating feeling. But all too soon the jump was going to end. It was time to slow his descent. Adjusting his posture, he pulled on both controls. They seemed a bit stiffer than normal, but he wasn't concerned. He still had plenty of time to slow and continued tugging. As he slowed, he got a better look at his target area.

It was then he realized his landing was way off course. Their bet included how close to the designated landing point they touched down. But that wasn't his main worry now. Now he was in danger.

He pulled harder on the left toggle to change direction. Nothing happened. He tugged again and the line snapped. Now what to do? He tried to gauge his speed and direction but no matter how he figured it, he was going to land exactly where he shouldn't.

Inside the prison yard....



Wednesday, April 17, 2019

O - Onion #AtoZChallenge

My A to Z Challenge: Micro fiction, using 300 words or less, inspired by selected words along with a photo for inspiration. The words were chosen in reverse order from this lesson plan page.
(For example, for the letter A it was the 26th word on the list, for Z it was the 1st word on the list)



The onions sizzled on the grill as he attacked them with the spatula, flipping them repeatedly, on auto-pilot having done it hundreds of times. He sighed, watching his long-time employee mixing ingredients. "George, how long have you been working for me?"

The elderly man smiled. "Too long, maybe time to retire."

"Nah, you wouldn't know what to do with yourself, would you?"

George let out a deep laugh. "True dat!"

Another sigh. Might not have a choice soon. Things are so slow and it's the high season. Just not sure how long I can keep the place going."

The place was The Onion Slice, a food truck he'd established while still in college. He'd taken his grandmother's traditional recipes and, in some cases, had added his own twist. Kicky onion rings, cheesy onion flat bread, breaded onion petals, and grilled bacon wraps. But his signature item was caramelized onion pear tarts, a recipe he'd tweaked for three years before putting it on the menu.

Initially business was brisk with most coming during his attendance at local festivals and fairs. But copy cats soon joined in and his pear tarts were now the only item no one had been able to replicate. His accountant had warned him if things didn't pick up in the next month, he would have to close or sell.

His girl friend rushed in the side door, waving a newspaper. "Did you see this?" she screamed.

He wiped his hands. "No. What's up?"

She shook it in his face. "You did it!"

"Did what?" He frowned and reached for the paper.

"You got a rave review for your tarts in the Foodie's Blog today. I've taken six specials orders this morning and there's a line building outside."

He peeked outside and smiled. Maybe his lucked had turned. Stranger things had happened.



Tuesday, April 16, 2019

N - Night #AtoZChallenge

My A to Z Challenge: Micro fiction, using 300 words or less, inspired by selected words along with a photo for inspiration. The words were chosen in reverse order from this lesson plan page.
(For example, for the letter A it was the 26th word on the list, for Z it was the 1st word on the list)



"I hate night shift, gives me heebie-jeebies," I whispered, looking in the rear view mirror at my latest passenger. "So where can I take you tonight?"

"The Pit," a voice rumbled from the back.

"The Pit, huh. I hear stuff about that place."

He grunted.

"All kinds of weird things. People go in and freaks come out."

"Don't believe what you hear, believe what you see."

"Well, I'd rather not see those kinda things." I sought his face but it was obscured by his hood.

The Pit was an old mansion about 10 miles outside the city. For the last dozen years it had become a gathering spot for the fringes of society. Kids conforming in their nonconformity for the most part but it was the elders who gave me the creeps; tonight's passenger was one.

I slowed as I approached the gate. "Um, I usually stop at the gate." My voice betrayed me and I shook with fear.

"Drive!"

I hesitated, "Okay. But I'm stopping on the other side of the gate."

"Keep driving."

A shiver ran up my spine and ended with a tingling at the base of my skull as I passed through the gate, "It's a higher fare..."

"Just drive," he boomed.

"Yeah, okay." The mansion hovered in the mist that suddenly appeared. Lit only by candlelight  strange shadows danced on the walls inside. I shuddered, "Could this place get any creepier?" He paid his fare, slid out of the cab and glided towards the house.

"Thanks. Have a good evening," I shouted as I drove towards the gate. Strange laughter erupted behind me and I looked in the rear view mirror. Slamming the brakes, I screamed. The face in the mirror wasn't mine and it wasn't human.

His words echoed back, "Believe what you see."



Monday, April 15, 2019

M - Meat #AtoZChallenge

My A to Z Challenge: Micro fiction, using 300 words or less, inspired by selected words along with a photo for inspiration. The words were chosen in reverse order from this lesson plan page.
(For example, for the letter A it was the 26th word on the list, for Z it was the 1st word on the list)



Her life was hell. Anyone who thought hell was after death was nuts. This was it. Here and now. Married and pregnant at fifteen, six kids before she was twenty-five, living in a shack with no electricity most of the time and no running water. Her husband was a drunk who spent most of their money on beer and cigarettes.

She'd had no skills, no money, and no way out for too many years. Now the kids had all left home to deal with their own hells. It was just the two of them. At forty, she looked more like sixty. She was exhausted with no hope for anything better out of life. She knew of only one way out now.

It was their twenty-fifth anniversary. She knew he wouldn't remember, but she still planned a special meal. She'd scrimped enough for a cheap bottle of wine and a little extra ground hamburger. She made his favorite meatballs, dug out the last jar of marinara sauce, and a box of spaghetti. Then she took a shower, put on her well-worn but much loved outfit, then added a dash of lipstick.

She pulled out three pill bottles. Three refills of the prescription her doctor had given her for sleep. She ground all the pills into a fine powder and added it to the meatball recipe. She set the table and waited.

He'd eaten twice his normal amount of spaghetti with double the meatballs. She had eaten more of the meatballs than spaghetti herself. She smiled when he belched, scratched his belly, and stretched out on the couch. It was the bed for her. The first and last good sleep in years.


Saturday, April 13, 2019

L - Lemonade Stand #AtoZChallenge

My A to Z Challenge: Micro fiction, using 300 words or less, inspired by selected words along with a photo for inspiration. The words were chosen in reverse order from this lesson plan page.
(For example, for the letter A it was the 26th word on the list, for Z it was the 1st word on the list)



"Pop-Pop, tell us a story."

He looked at his three grandchildren and smiled. "What story?"

They chimed in unison, "How you named your company!"

"Well, I was barely able to drive and I found this old car for sale really cheap. It was painted an ugly yellow and had rust and dents all over it, but it ran. Most of the time, anyway. I had been saving my money for a long time, starting when I was only eight."

His youngest interrupted. "You and your sister had a lemonade stand. Right?"

He chuckled. "Yes we did. We made good money every summer by setting up near construction sites. When we got into high school, we started making lemonade all year and bottling it."

This time it was his oldest that barged in. "But you had a special ingredient, didn't you?"

"We did. Do you remember what it was?"

"Vanilla!" all three exclaimed.

"You're right. A dash of vanilla extract in each pitcher added a bit of exotic taste. Many told us it was addictive. For years, we never let anyone know what our special ingredient was. Back to when I found the car. It was what we would call a 'beater' car but I loved it. I knew I needed to do something more than just bottle and sell lemonade so your great-aunt Shelley took over that business and I started a small taxi company with my one beat up yellow car.

Because I didn't want people to know I only had one car, I named it the Lemon Cab Company in honor of both the car color and our childhood lemonade stand. In a couple of years I had several cars, all of them old yellow beaters. We became the ugly ducklings of the taxi business."

"Pop-pop, can we have some lemonade now?"

"Sure thing."



Friday, April 12, 2019

K - Kimono #AtoZChallenge

My A to Z Challenge: Micro fiction, using 300 words or less, inspired by selected words along with a photo for inspiration. The words were chosen in reverse order from this lesson plan page.
(For example, for the letter A it was the 26th word on the list, for Z it was the 1st word on the list)



Maylin slammed the door and ignored her nanny's pleas to come back. "NO!" she shouted over her shoulder. She was tired of being pampered and protected. She didn't want to be a princess anymore. She wanted to play with the other kids, just be one of them.

She walked for what seemed hours and stopped to rest underneath a blooming wild cherry tree. The warm sun lulled her to sleep. She woke with a start to a strange voice calling her. She looked around but didn't see anyone. When she realized the sound was coming from over head, she looked up and saw a woman sitting in the tree wearing the most beautiful ceremonial kimono she'd ever seen.

"Oh, hello. Who are you? Your kimono is prettier than any I've ever seen."

"I am Xi-Wang-Mu. Have you heard of me?"

Maylin gasped. Xi-Wang-Mu was the goddess of immortality. "Oh, yes. But why are you here?"

"I heard you crying. I need a princess to live with me forever and forever. Would you like to be my princess?"

Maylin thought for a minute. "What would happen to my parents? Would they live forever, too?"

Xi-Wang-Mu laughter tinkled in the air. "Oh my, no, child. They are mortals and will die when their time is done."

"Oh. I'm not sure. I have to think about it."

"Hurry, child. I need an answer soon. Don't delay." Don't delay or I will just take you. Xi-Wang-Mu's leopard tail twitched beneath her kimono as she held onto her anger at a possible rebuff.

Maylin stood and stretched. "I think I'll go home now. Thank you for your offer but I still don't want to be a princess, not for anyone."

Teeth bared, tail swishing, the old woman leapt down from the tree and jumped in front of Maylin. "You're mine now!"

Inspiration: Guide to ancient Gods & Goddesses of China


Thursday, April 11, 2019

J - Jewelry #AtoZChallenge

My A to Z Challenge: Micro fiction, using 300 words or less, inspired by selected words along with a photo for inspiration. The words were chosen in reverse order from this lesson plan page.
(For example, for the letter A it was the 26th word on the list, for Z it was the 1st word on the list)



He rounded the corner and slowed in front of the former jewelry store. Sixty years ago, he had scrimped for a wedding ring. Forty years ago, he had bought her a new set with a beautiful diamond engagement ring for their 20th anniversary. Ten years ago, he returned to get an infinity ring for their 50th celebration.

He studied the new store now converted to a stained glass shop. The colorful bits of glass flashed sunlight back at him through the front window. He hesitated, then walked inside. The ancient bell over the door pealed out a welcome. The display cases now held different items but not much else had changed. The floor still creaked and the air still smelled of lemon oil.

A young man emerged from the back room, wiping his hands. "May I help you? I'm Gavin, the owner."

"Oh, I'm just browsing. I used to buy from the jewelry store that was here." He held out his hand, "Mr. Bradshaw."

"By any chance, you wouldn't happen to be Jacob Bradshaw, would you?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"Hold on. I need to get something." He returned with a package covered with tissue paper, setting it on the counter. "My grandfather commissioned this about five years ago. He said you would eventually stop by and I was to give it to you as a final gift from him."

The old man hand shook as he unwrapped the gift. "Your grandfather, he owned the jewelry store?"

"He did. He left it to me with the provision the name would remain."

Jacob thought he'd never seen anything so beautiful. A large stained glass box with the silhouette of a couple along with the words Until We Meet Again on the lid.

Jacob brushed away a tear. "For her ashes, thank you."