Image credit: GonzoVeritas – found at reddit
It was after two in the morning and a light rain fell on New Orleans’ French Quarter.
Sean Becker walked into a small jazz club. He was almost the only white person here, but his bond with those around him went deeper than race.
“You da one wantin’ to see Mama Marie.” She could have been about fifteen, coal-dark skin and hair, but her eyes burned emerald.
“Yes.”
“Come.”
They walked through curtains and then down a dark hallway, terminating at a door. “She’s expectin’ you.” The child who could have been centuries old left as Sean opened the door and entered.
“What you got to offer?”
The voodoo queen whose mausoleum was just a mile away lived up to the legend.
“Release my mother and I’ll tell you where you can find Lilith.”
“The vampire queen. If you give her to me, your mother lives. Marie Laveau swears it.”
I wrote this for the What Pegman Saw challenge. The idea is to use a Google maps image/location as the prompt for crafting a piece of flash fiction no more than 150 words long. My word count is 150.
Today, the Pegman takes us to New Orleans, Louisiana. There is so much that could be written by this iconic city, but is also figures into my unfinished first draft of a horror novel featuring the vampire Sean Becker. You can read about him in such stories as Approaching Advent and The Beginning of the Fall.
My wee tale was actually to be part of the climax of my novel, with Sean facing the ancient voodoo queen Marie Laveau who is now the matriarch of a clan of vampires. I did a bit more research and came up with How to Experience New Orleans’ Voodoo Culture. I even looked up the weather, and yes, it’s raining in the Big Easy today.
Oh, and although Lilith is often characterized as the mother of all the succubus, in my tale, she’s the worldwide queen of all vampires.
To read other stories based on the prompt, visit InLinkz.com.
poweredbyrobots.com 
I like the way you describe the scene and the characters. The voices are good too.
LikeLike
Thanks. The original version was over 220 words long, and I had to cut out some characterization, scene building, and identity to make it down to 150.
LikeLike
Most interesting take, James.
LikeLike
Thanks, Dale.
LikeLike
Glad to see a Marie Laveau story this week. There are a number of great Nolo songs that feature her. I’m a big fan of jazz and New Orleans both. Well done.
LikeLike
Thanks, Josh.
LikeLike
Good imagination and story telling. Thanks for sharing
LikeLike
Thank you, Sadje.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very atmospheric. I did a double take when you said the young teen could have been centuries old, but at the mention of vampires, i understood. Love the name of the voodoo queen and the picture. Typo in paragraph 6 I think (“threw.”)
LikeLike
Oops. Fixed. Glad you liked the story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Scary stuff, James! Sounds like an exciting conflict, the ancient voodoo queen up against the even more ancient queen of the vampires. And a bloodbath, I’d guess!
LikeLike
That’s what’s brewing, though I have no idea when or if I’ll revisit this as a potential novel.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have several things brewing that I’m not sure will see the light of day either, so I can relate.
LikeLike
I still think you have the advantage, Joy. I’m quite in newbie phase still.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel pretty newbie myself most of the time. But that’s a good sign, I think – to surround myself with people who are smarter and better and more successful than I am, to help inspire me forward.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh! I’ve been jonesing for a Marie Laveau story too. Like the way you put this together.
LikeLike
Thanks, Karen.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is a game of give and take. Who dares to antagonise a Voodoo Queen?
LikeLike
A vampire whose mother is being held hostage.
LikeLike