PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
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“Spanish dancer in green cap. What the heck?” Al set the pen down on the greeting card and envelope trying to work out why Emmie liked this kind of art.
“Looks like some sort of mermaid stuck in the muddy Mississippi to me.” Then after a moment, “Oh, well.”
He picked up the pen and opened the card. After all, it was her birthday and getting her a card he knew she’d like was the least he could do.
Alastair wrote the expected greetings and added a few designs of his own. She’d appreciate the new circles for binding demons.
It’s Wednesday and time once again to participate in Rochelle Wisoff-Fields’ 2 August 1024 edition of Friday Fictioneers. The idea is to use the image above as a prompt for crafting a poem or short story no more than 100 words long. My word count is exactly 100.
I’ve been reading Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files novel series lately, so I have magic and wizardry on my mind. That’s why I put that particular twist at the end of my tale. I really can’t see the “Spanish dancer in green cap” in that image (yes, I know it’s supposed to be a swimmer).
Anyway…
If you want to read other stories inspired by the prompt, visit inlinkz.
My 16-part science fiction serial Our Legacy, The Stars: A Tom Corbett Adventure is now completely published. You can read the entire saga chapter by chapter, just like how the old pulp novels first appeared serialized in magazines. Now that the full story is available, readers (hint, hint) can leave a review as well.
Just so you know, my latest science fiction short story “Confluence” has been accepted for publication. Here’s the Full Announcement.
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The title intrigues me too, I’m guessing it’s a personal reference to swimming being like dancing. I’m glad your character decided to go with a card he thought the recipient would like though – it’s too easy to pick out gifts based on our own tastes, isn’t it?
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True, although they apparently have sorcery in common. Thanks.
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I enjoyed the stream of consciousness in your story, and that last bit was the icing on the cake.
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Thanks. One of those things I didn’t plan out so much as just put my fingers on the keyboard and started typing.
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Whatever your process, it worked 🙂
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Very thoughtful to get the card she likes, and a nice gift as well.
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Indeed. Thanks, Dawn.
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Hey, he shows he cares by giving her what she likes, not what he does…
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Circles for binding demons, huh? Well, to each her own 🙂 I could truly feel the stream of consciousness in this piece, perhaps because that’s what I did today, too–just put my fingers on the keys and started letting them do what they would.
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Thanks, Linda.
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From a stream of thought that seems like one we’d all be able to experience to that magical twist at the end – quite a turnaround. Interesting characters here.
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Thanks, Margaret.
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And congratulations on the publication of your story.
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Thank you.
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oftentimes, we tend to buy something we like for ourselves. glad he didn’t go that route.
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He already knows how to make one. Thanks.
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Dear James,
For clarification, a Spanish Dancer is the name for a nudibranch…a jelly fish. It’s nice that he’s sending a card she’ll enjoy.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Didn’t know that. Thanks.
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…circles for binding demons. – I’m intrigued!
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I lifted it from this series of novels: https://www.jim-butcher.com/books/dresden
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Intriguing read. The end took me by surprise.
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Thanks.
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I can empathise with this as I agonise over birthday cards and occasionally Christmas greeting cards.
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I bet not over which magic binding circle to choose. 😉 Thanks, James
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Love it James! My kind of twist at the end. I enjoy those books too.
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That’s good to hear. So does my grandson. Thanks, Laurie.
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This was a great, unexpected twist. And yay to all the other points, knowing what she likes and all that. I had wondered about that title as well. And the JB books… I listened to them as audiobooks because I like James Marsters’ narration and enjoyed the story a lot.
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My grandson prefers audiobooks as well.
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Binding demons? That escalated quickly! But I enjoyed the story. I’m glad he chose something she liked, even if it wasn’t his taste!
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The card wasn’t. The binding circle certainly was. Thanks.
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