The world is a mess, and the nice thing about being a writer is that we can seek refuge in our work.  We can right the wrongs, we can create better worlds, and hopefully in the end, help others in some small way.

That’s not to say that’s what I’m doing here today…I merely escaped.

I haven’t written a whole lot the last couple of weeks, GISHWHES and stress were big deterrents, so I’m just getting back into my groove.  I’m not sure how much I love the flash fictions I wrote last night, but sometimes you’ve gotta take a little bad with the good.

For the first image I had two distinct ideas, so I decided to explore them both.

Shanghai, 1939

War was imminent. The lifestyle she had become accustomed to would soon cease to exist. That didn’t frighten her as much as losing the man that sat across from her now. As she took in the appearance of her English lover, her eyes softened, and she became lost in thought. She wondered what would become of them as the orangey glow of her cigarette continued to burn and draw closer to her fingers. She felt the warmth grow, but she ignored it as she reached out her other hand to rest it upon his. It was a small gesture, but one that seemed to reassure them both.

Shanghai, 1939

Wei was a natural at deception. She had born to a hard life, but she could easily fall into the role of a proper lady or a courtesan depending on what the mission called for. A nice dress and a little makeup were all the disguise she required to obtain whatever she needed, be it access or information. She wasn’t one to ever be considered a threat, and she used that to her advantage. Her current target was completely taken with her, and as she sat there demurely, steeling herself against his longing gaze, she wondered how much longer she would have bear the leers and wandering hands of those in her agency’s sights. She held her right hand up, letting the lit cigarette burn as the signal to her fellow operatives that the target was ready for removal. She kept her eyes level and smiled to herself that he would never know what hit him.

The Trials

The Greenlee family had been the guardians of the final trial for five generations. It was very much a part of who they were. They tended to the stalk, cared for it, and aided the warriors who came from great distances to tackle it as part of their final test. It was dangerous, it took preparation, and those lucky enough to survive could count themselves amongst the most honored. When the eldest Greenlee daughter saw the knight and his horse coming over the horizon, her heart fluttered and sank. It was his time to take on the trials, and if they were both very lucky, their lives would never be the same.

And lastly, I thought I’d share a little of the new chapter of the Dragon Age fanfic I’ve been working on, but it was just a little too long, so I’ll save it for another day.

Happy Friday, and be well my friends!

*Quick edit, and total blonde moment, I accidentally called the first piece Singapore it’s supposed to be Shanghai.  Oops.

Again, no submissions this week, which I was a little disappointed about.  C’mon friends, join me in a little free for all writing.  I decided to do a few more, six actually, of those flash fiction pieces I’ve been enjoying so much.  No forethought.  No real editing.  Under 200 words each.  I wrote these last night…goodness, can you tell I was in a certain mood?  *Cringes.  I would like to expand upon a few them now though.  I hope you enjoy anyway.

The Dark Queen

The Dark Queen looked out upon her subjects and felt nothing.  She had lost everything that had ever mattered to her, and she now ruled with an empty heart.  Tragedy had not diminished her beauty, and she felt this might be taken as a slight, so she pulled her hair back, dressed in dark clothing, and removed all traces of adornment, except for her crown.  She was, after all, the queen.  The herald called her subjects to attention, and she came forward, somber, as she had done everyday for the past year.  She was at a loss of how to proceed.  What could she do to move forward, beyond the pain of loss?

Lovers on the Stairs

Each time they met endangered them further, and yet neither could stay away.  The secret tunnel system within the castle allowed them glimpses of moments, but it would never be enough.  Each encounter lasted longer and longer until it was unbearable to part.  If only they were free to choose their own destiny.  If only Fate were that kind.  He was being sent abroad.  War was at hand.  They met for what they believed to be the last time and he held her close.  Her emotions were on the brink of shattering her, and she clung to the wall for support.  How ever would she bear it?

Remnants

I’d been traveling what was left of the upper world so long; I knew it like the back of my hand.  The dark days were all any of my people knew, except for the elders, who spoke of a different time, the time of the light.  It was a time when the buildings had reached for the heavens, as had we.  Now it was covered in ash, torn down, brick by brick.  What remained were the ghosts of the past.  What now inhabited those remains were unlike anything anyone had ever seen, except for me, and the few members of my team.  Each time we surfaced we risked not only exposure, but also discovery.  There was life here; tiny green tentacles of life making their presence known.  There were stories of such things, but it was best to keep it to ourselves, at least for the time being, because the rest of the upper world held no place for us.  Maybe it was as the elders said, our time had passed.

Getaway

The view from the window gave the impression of peace and solitude, but in fact, it had become the view of her torment.  Perhaps if she leapt out the window she would survive the fall, but then what?  She was under constant surveillance, and had yet to find a lapse in security that she could use to her advantage.  She would spend hours staring out to the water that had once enticed her, but now taunted her.  It was paradise, and yet…She had never expected to be seduced, to be swayed, to be taken.  Rumors could never have prepared her for such a fate.  Her fingernails dug into the cracked and molded windowsill as she decided what course of action might be necessary.

Paradise

She had to be dreaming.  Nothing of such vibrancy could ever exist in her land.  The image swirled before her eyes, teasing her, tempting her to cross over.  Her body swayed ever so slightly forward, her eyes closed longer than they should have as she took a deep breath to smell the fresh air.  Her body ached with longing to move forward, to taste, to feel firsthand.  She shook her head hard, hoping to clear the fog overcoming her.  She would not submit.  Pleasure was not to be so easily attained.  But her foot took the first step, without her acknowledgment, and it found a solid foundation.  Without further persuasion, she was off, running as is she were being chased, and maybe she was, but they would never catch her.

The Festival of Lights

They had met under the lights, and it was in the crimson glow that he had known he would spend the rest of his life trying to make her smile as she had that first night.  They were so carefree then, a symbol of their youth.  Each year, hand in hand, they would walk under the lanterns, sit on the same bench, and enjoy one another in silence.  It was their moment to reflect on their time together, at how under the rosy glow, a young couple so different from one another had found happiness.  As he sat on the bench alone for the first time in many years, he smiled the sweet smile that only a life well lived can offer, and he thought of her.  For a brief moment, he saw the girl in the yellow dress dancing in the glow of the red lanterns.  When she turned smiling at him, giggling breathlessly, he gasped.  She ran up to him then, taking him by the hands to lead him down the crimson path.

I’ve added what I’ve written so far of the Dragon Age fan fiction under the Excerpts section, if you’re interested.  Also, I’d love to read the stories, poems, or creations from the images you’ve been inspired from, so please, remember to share!

Happy Wednesday!