For a moment, the startling glare obscures her vision. She winces, but does not turn away. The reflection of the sun dances across the shield as she stares into it.
Fright and realization traverse her face like waves, she does not utter a sound as she recognises the frightful visage as her own.
She tenses, the corners of her mouth still as her flesh begins to tighten and bone turns to stone. Letting out a final whimper, her fate now sealed, you raise the sword above your head, its weight majestically diminished under the exacerbating feeling of power, and deliver an earth-shattering blow.
She remains standing - statuesque but deprived of her head; that rocks slightly in the floor, features directed at the sun, her mouth agog. Her traumatised countenance balances on the snakes protruding from her head, each of which frozen in a state of attack. Walking toward it, you raise your right foot bringing it down squarely on her head, a gorgon reduced to rubble.
Thanks for the mention! So behind due to COVId, but have something for the prompt -
Paeonia Leitourgia
Clarissa was careful to vacuum around the body taking up most of the lounge floor. She always felt it a comfort, vacuuming - a way to cleanse the dirt trawled through the house, to rid the home of outside germs. It was routine, almost a ritual.
Stepping over the corpse, duster in rubber gloved hand, she swipes at the immaculate mantel piece, her anxiety brushed away with each rigorous stroke.
Eleven thirty, she moves to the sink, there is nothing to wash up, but the bowl holds a bouquet of cream peonies still held together with cellophane. She sighs and runs the kitchen scissors across the plastic; turning on the tap, she reaches for an old vase from under the sink. Humming, she measures their stems against the glass to ensure they fit - she drops them in one by one until she’s left with a sole flower. Picking it up, she delicately removes the shrivelling leaves and rests it on the draining board.
The vase is lifted to the windowsill, the heads fussed with until they meet her aesthetic demands. She puts in on her coat in preparation to catch the 12.02 bus and returns to the kitchen.
The gentle petals of the peony tickle her nose as the sweet scent elicits a smile of remembrance; twenty years prior, at just 18, she’d carried a bouquet of them to marry the love of her life. Twenty years.
She walks to carcass, steps over it and bends down,
“Happy anniversary,” she whispers, placing the single flower upon his chest. She leans forward, places a kiss upon his forehead, rises and heads to the door.
Thanks for the mention! It’s been fun using your prompts to revisit the world and characters of my upcoming novel. I’m in the throes of editing and publishing tasks, so this is a nice way for me to stay “in the world” and explore at the same time. (And maybe get some people interested in reading the novel once published…)
I’m also in the trenches of editing and funny enough the whole micro fiction thing started with me taking a break from editing 😀 I’m glad I can be of help 😁
Thanks Miguel, for bringing such a good vibe to substack. I appreciate it.
I Love the idea of a new name (although microdosing is cool too). The Batch, or perhaps The Stash, retain your theme as a Dealer of Fiction which is a splendid idea.
I mean, Microdosing will stay, just the recaps would change from Microdosing - Recap to The Batch. And funny enough The Stash has been in my drafts for a long time, it's supposed to be the "table of contents" type of post, which as a new subscriber you can check out to find your way around haha.
Thanks for the Special Shoutout! I really enjoyed the 'overdose' last night. It was a fun challenge, and I guess, a little early preview of the 'Brick of Fiction'. Haha. 'The Batch' sounds good, but 'Recap' works well, too, and nicely explains what it is. Some great contributions here, as always. Well done everyone... 😎
Reflection
For a moment, the startling glare obscures her vision. She winces, but does not turn away. The reflection of the sun dances across the shield as she stares into it.
Fright and realization traverse her face like waves, she does not utter a sound as she recognises the frightful visage as her own.
She tenses, the corners of her mouth still as her flesh begins to tighten and bone turns to stone. Letting out a final whimper, her fate now sealed, you raise the sword above your head, its weight majestically diminished under the exacerbating feeling of power, and deliver an earth-shattering blow.
She remains standing - statuesque but deprived of her head; that rocks slightly in the floor, features directed at the sun, her mouth agog. Her traumatised countenance balances on the snakes protruding from her head, each of which frozen in a state of attack. Walking toward it, you raise your right foot bringing it down squarely on her head, a gorgon reduced to rubble.
PROMPT: REFLECTION
THE RETIREMENT SPEECH
It’d always been tradition for retiring employees to say a few words, to reflect on things.
But after thirty torturous years, he just wanted to leave.
So he simply turned towards the company logo and raised his middle finger.
And then he walked out, to the sound of rapturous cheers… 😎
Thanks for the mention! So behind due to COVId, but have something for the prompt -
Paeonia Leitourgia
Clarissa was careful to vacuum around the body taking up most of the lounge floor. She always felt it a comfort, vacuuming - a way to cleanse the dirt trawled through the house, to rid the home of outside germs. It was routine, almost a ritual.
Stepping over the corpse, duster in rubber gloved hand, she swipes at the immaculate mantel piece, her anxiety brushed away with each rigorous stroke.
Eleven thirty, she moves to the sink, there is nothing to wash up, but the bowl holds a bouquet of cream peonies still held together with cellophane. She sighs and runs the kitchen scissors across the plastic; turning on the tap, she reaches for an old vase from under the sink. Humming, she measures their stems against the glass to ensure they fit - she drops them in one by one until she’s left with a sole flower. Picking it up, she delicately removes the shrivelling leaves and rests it on the draining board.
The vase is lifted to the windowsill, the heads fussed with until they meet her aesthetic demands. She puts in on her coat in preparation to catch the 12.02 bus and returns to the kitchen.
The gentle petals of the peony tickle her nose as the sweet scent elicits a smile of remembrance; twenty years prior, at just 18, she’d carried a bouquet of them to marry the love of her life. Twenty years.
She walks to carcass, steps over it and bends down,
“Happy anniversary,” she whispers, placing the single flower upon his chest. She leans forward, places a kiss upon his forehead, rises and heads to the door.
Lookin real good there, as I gaze into my reflection. Maybe even better than when I started lookin into the water some days back.
Cheeks a bit more sunken, showin off those gorgeous cheekbones. Bright eyes in deep eyesockets, delicious. That tooth wasn’t needed anyway.
Lookin real good there, Narcissus.
Thanks for the mention! It’s been fun using your prompts to revisit the world and characters of my upcoming novel. I’m in the throes of editing and publishing tasks, so this is a nice way for me to stay “in the world” and explore at the same time. (And maybe get some people interested in reading the novel once published…)
I’m also in the trenches of editing and funny enough the whole micro fiction thing started with me taking a break from editing 😀 I’m glad I can be of help 😁
It is a welcomed brain break!
Thanks Miguel, for bringing such a good vibe to substack. I appreciate it.
I Love the idea of a new name (although microdosing is cool too). The Batch, or perhaps The Stash, retain your theme as a Dealer of Fiction which is a splendid idea.
I mean, Microdosing will stay, just the recaps would change from Microdosing - Recap to The Batch. And funny enough The Stash has been in my drafts for a long time, it's supposed to be the "table of contents" type of post, which as a new subscriber you can check out to find your way around haha.
In light of this new info, I vote for The Batch.
Thanks for the Special Shoutout! I really enjoyed the 'overdose' last night. It was a fun challenge, and I guess, a little early preview of the 'Brick of Fiction'. Haha. 'The Batch' sounds good, but 'Recap' works well, too, and nicely explains what it is. Some great contributions here, as always. Well done everyone... 😎
I hope you'll enjoy the Brick as well :) Thank you for the feedback!
FANTASTIC reads! Thank you, Miguel.
Thanks @Miguel, you're the best.
Right back at ya ;)
Happy birthday! 🎂
Thank you Rena!
Thanks for the mention, Miguel and bringing together all these great stories. Happy first birthday! 🥳
Thank you, Dan!
A wheel of fortune.