Phoenix Rising

08/10/2012 by SAM | 28 Comments

April 15, 2006

There were fifteen pictures left and spare flashbulbs in her pocket. The rumor of a phoenix sighting had drawn a lot of interest locally. She was determined to make her mark in history by capturing a photo of it.

She busied herself finding the best location in the abandoned house. The house itself was a small, one room abode. The windows had long since been knocked out and covered with boards. The paint both inside and out was peeling. A coating of dust covered the wood floor except for one spot.  Here was where the phoenix would rise, and she needed the right lighting for her shot. Slivers of sunlight slipped through two holes in the roof, making a perfect spot to set up the tripod.

She leaned back to survey her work. The camera crowned the tripod and was angled just precisely so. She sat down behind it and waited. It would not happen before sunset, of that she was certain. Unease crept over her as she thought of sitting alone in the darkened house, but it crumbled quickly as excitement mounted. The time was coming. Her bones told her it was true.

A tentative foot stretched towards the cleared section, as if testing. It landed firm and the other soon joined it. A few more steps and she stood in the clearing. A hum resonated from her throat and she began spinning, dancing, spinning. The fingers of her left hand twitched subtly every few seconds, in careful precision. A flash of light filled the room, banishing the shadows for a few seconds. Her eyes closed as a smile stretched across her face. Her body tingled, as if coming to life for the first time. Tears moistened her eyes.

Still she kept spinning. Dancing. Spinning.

She did not stop even after feathers replaced her skin. She danced even as the flames erupted, surrounding her whole body. Her hum turned to a gentle squawk. Her skin glowed brightly, the fire expanding, illuminating. Her wings fluttered briefly carrying her to the ceiling as one last flash lit the room, and the fire died. She tumbled back to earth, fresh ashes joining past ones, the only sign of her rebirth.

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April 15, 3006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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We were challenged by Write on Edge this week to write up to 450 words inspired by the phoenix.

The 3 Word Wednesday challenged me to use unease, crumble, and drawn in a story. You will find all three of those above.

The first line of this story is the prompt from the Bloggy Mom’s Writer’s Workshop this week. It comes straight out of Kim Edwards The Memory Keeper’s Daughter. “There were fifteen pictures left and spare flashbulbs in her pocket.”

I’m always seeking constructive criticism. Won’t you please share your thoughts in a comment?

Thanks for stopping in!!

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