© Janet Webb
The Sun would be setting soon. The stage was set. The candle and amulet were in place, herbs were mixed and sealed in the urn. Most importantly the painting was there. It was unusual and very rare, the only one not cataloged as part of great-grandfather’s works. Maria had been great-grandfather’s lover for five decades. Enzo fell in love with her through reading his journals. The young man studied years to perfect the art. Tonight, on the eve of her death, Enzo would bring her to life out of the painting and in all her loveliness, she would become his.
Written for Rochelle Wisoff-Lewis’ Friday Fictioneers writing challenge. The idea is to use the photo above to inspire a piece of flash fiction no more than 100 words long. My word count is 100.
To read other stories based on the prompt, go to InLinkz.com.
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Dear James,
Methinks Enzo had best watch his step. He’s liable to get more than he bargained for. Nicely done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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It would be interesting to see how Maria reacts to being pulled out of her painting and the expectation that her lover’s great-grandson wants her as well.
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Whoa! I’m afraid now … VERY afraid of what’s about to happen. I like the atmosphere here. It really builds and the picture kind of offers a suggestion rather than an outright illustration. Very good, James!
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Thanks. the occult always holds great dangers.
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Enzo is headed for a disaster – but then obsession and love can do that to a person.
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This is true, Iain. On the other hand, in the original Terminator movie, Kyle Reese fell in love with Sarah Connor’s photo and traveled back in time for her. Of course he died, but he fathered John Connor, the savior of the human race.
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(Until the fourth and fifth films when it all went a bit rubbish and confusing!) 😉
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True enough. I only mentioned the film because it showed that loving someone out of time can work out…sort of.
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We all know that it never works… I got to think about the Pygmalion myth.
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Not a good idea Enzo. I’d stick to Tinder if I were you!
Just click to read my FriFic
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He’s young and you don’t know how great-grandpa described her in his journals. 😉
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Ut-oh. I think this doesn’t bode well.
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I’m sure it doesn’t, Sascha.
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I think he’s entering into a very dangerous situation here. Nice take.
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Thanks, Sandra. Yes, he is.
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History is often embellished by the person who writes it. What if dear gramp-gramp had lied a lot about Maria in his journals? Enzo better be careful.
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Or maybe he’ll just be disappointed.
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Falling in love with a person just by reading about them is something i have heard about. The next step , however, is so terribly scary. Especially , the idea of fetching them from another world .
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Exactly, Moon. His expectations and reality could be miles apart.
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He should be careful what he wishes for – very careful.
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Agreed, Elizabeth.
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If he succeeds he will lose out on the person waiting for him in his dimension,who will be pulled into the past! Now you have got me thinking again🤕
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Not sure we’re thinking of the same story, Michael.
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Very creative take on the prompt. I like the feel in this, the writing is dark and mysterious just like the painting.
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Thanks. That was my intention.
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Falling in love with a portrait that’s two generations older than you is just a bit hazardous.
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Not the first time: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081534/
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Wonderfully imaginative!
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Thank you, Dawn.
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Shades of Pygmalion! Well done!
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That may be one role he could play, but then again, there are others.
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Even if all goes well, Enzo will have the responsibility of helping Maria survive out of her own time. And I don’t expect things will go even as well as that…
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Probably not, Penny.
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Obsessive love knows no reason. I’m sorry for the woman if he really succeeds in bringing her to life. Very thought-provoking story.
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Thank you. He’s young and youth doesn’t always think things through.
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Lovely take on the prompt
Click Here to see what Mrs. Dash Says
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Thank you.
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Oh dear, I hope the paint doesn’t flake off or smudge and she emerges looking like a zombie D: My other thought is that I trust she’s not Enzo’s great grandmother (a family skeleton in the cupboard, perhaps, that he doesn’t know about?).
I enjoyed this story, James, and long to know what ensues…dreadful as it might be.
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The implication was that she was great-grandfather’s lover, not his wife, so no family skeleton the way you suggest, Sarah.
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I don’t know about that. This bringing back from the dead thing sometimes goes terribly, horribly wrong. She’s liable to come back looking like something from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”. Good writing, James. 😀 — Suzanne
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Thanks, Suzanne. On the other hand, maybe it just won’t work.
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