In Time: Lost and Found

You can read the preceding part here.

Pain wrapped itself around Viola and smothered her in its cloak. She found an opening between two willow trees  large enough to accompany her size and lay down. Convulsions rocked her. Beads of sweat moistened her forehead. Her eyes closed. She wanted to die.

*~*~*~*~*

Cage’s eyes searched the town for any sign of Viola Grace. It had been a week since he’d proposed and she’d taken off through the woods. If she didn’t return soon, he would send a search party to look for her. He still couldn’t believe her father refused to help him look. The conversation hadn’t been pretty. Even now, he could hear her father’s voice in his head.

“She’s run off, and that’s her business. She’s never appreciated what I give her. Ever since her ma died, she’s been chomping at the bit to get away from me.” His wizened face loomed at the forefront of Cage’s mind. “She’ll do the same to you, Mr. Ridley. Mark my words. If I were you, I would seek a wife elsewhere.”

The problem was he didn’t want to seek a wife elsewhere. Viola Grace held his heart prisoner. Every day she was missing, a new chain stretched across his chest, suffocating him. He had to find her. His guilt consumed him. If only he hadn’t proposed; if only he had waited, she might be here now.

“Tomorrow,” he thought.

*~*~*~*~*

Vibrations in the ground woke her. Even with her clothes soaked through and still feeling feverish, Viola felt more like herself. She didn’t know where she was and had no idea how she’d gotten there. These woods were unfamiliar to her. With sudden clarity, she realized she was far from home. Her mind raced trying to remember, but the only memory that would come to her was Cage, on bended knee. A new ache filled her heart but before she could dwell on it, a man crashed through the trees and invaded her space.

She stared at him, soaking in his familiar yet strange dress and the markings on his bald head. A feeling of déjà vu came over her, but she had no idea how she knew this man. When he smiled at her, every instinct in her soul told her to run, but she was too weak physically to do it.

“Ah, there you are, my dear. I’ve been looking all over for you.”‘

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This week’s Flicker of Inspiration was: Lost and Found. We were given 500 words to tell the story of something that was lost (an animal, an item, a person) and then found. I chose to continue Viola Grace’s story from my WIP: In Time.

I am always looking for feedback to improve my writing. Won’t you please help by sharing your thoughts in a comment?

Thanks for stopping in!

In Time: The Proposal

This picks up where Touched leaves off from my serial WIP In Time.

Short breaths did nothing to help Viola Grace hide her passion. She knew what they were doing was deemed wrong and could create a scandal if anyone from town were to find out. She knew it was wrong for another reason. Her parents didn’t approve of Cage. His parents were traitors, despite their brilliance, and they faulted him for it. She knew that eventually these meetings would stop so she hungered for every moment she could get with Cage. When it ended, she wanted to remember every one with vividness.

Viola Grace pushed him back, begging with her eyes for pause to regain her breath instead of using her swollen lips to speak. A laugh burst from her chest as his hand stroked down her side once more. She gazed into his eyes, memorizing every speck of the deep blue that swam in a sea of crystal blue. Her eyes moved across his face, memorizing the set of his jaw, the eternal blush of his cheeks, and the curves of his lips until his face loomed close, distorting it as his lips pressed against hers once more.

“Viola Grace, I think I love you,” he whispered between kisses. A single tear braved the landscape of her face, rolling down past her ear and dropping on his fingers still clutching her shoulder. Her heart was stuck in her throat.

“I think I love you too.”

Cage reached up and wiped the tear away tenderly.

“Let’s get married,” he said.

Viola Grace gasped, pushing him up and away. She rose quickly and Cage reached out for her, but she ran from under the willow tree, past the wagon, and down the hill. Cage leaped up and on the wagon, riding hard to catch her, but she disappeared into the woods that bordered the town. Cage let the tears flow openly and his cries fill the air as he pushed his horse harder.

“Oh, Viola Grace, my sweet!”

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This week’s Flicker of Inspiration from The Lightning and the Lightning Bug was Short and Sweet. Begin your story with one word and end with the other, in 350 words or less.

And this week’s Trifecta challenge was to use the word scandal in its 3rd definition (3   a: a circumstance or action that offends propriety or established moral conceptions or disgraces those associated with it
b : a person whose conduct offends propriety or morality <a scandal to the profession)within 33 and 333 words.

I am still building up the moment of Viola’s rebirth, which is coming soon. Thanks for stopping by and reading, and as always I welcome your reaction. Won’t you take a moment and share your thoughts in a comment?

In Time: Flocked

This piece picks up where Devil Incarnate left off.

“You’re no God. You are the Devil Incarnate.” Viola seethed.  “It was you who ordered the hit on Cage Ridley, wasn’t it?”

Father Lee sniffed. The girl restraining her arm moved slightly and answered instead.

“He is God. He can do anything.”

“A loyal subject, I see.” There was no disguising the disdain in Viola’s voice. “Tell me, would you kill for him, too?” Viola winced as the needle bit deeper into her flesh. It was as if Father Lee did it on purpose.

“I have and I would again.” She flipped her long ebony braids over her shoulders. She wore a bright red wool flat cap that was brightened by the darkness of her hair. Viola noted that her clothing had a more modern approach but fit in with the Victorian dress code she was familiar with.

“This is my devoted disciple, Nieve,” Father Lee said without looking up or pausing in his work. “It was actually she who put out the contract on Mr. Ridley.”

Viola could feel the rage brewing like a virus in her belly. She felt the adrenaline flow through her veins. Another prick of pain was ignored as her fingers curled together into fists. Viola felt her fist make contact with Nieve’s chin and the pressure on her arm release as Nieve stumbled backwards. Father Lee sat up just as Viola  swung out and caught her fist in his empty hand. He laughed again.

“You always  were a feisty one, even as babe.” He said as he clamped her free arm down and returned to his task. “I know this is not what you want to hear, but it was necessary for Mr. Ridley to die. He knew it would happen. He even knew it would be you that would betray him.” Viola felt fire in her cheeks. She knew he was right, but she still regretted her actions. “He is serving his purpose much better as the Time Keeper. We did him a service.”

“You took his heart away and gave him a steel one in exchange. I hardly call that a service,” Viola spat.

“I had no part of that, just as I had no part in your rebirth. I merely summoned the players and hold the playbook.” Father Lee pulled the gun away and paused to look at his handiwork. Viola saw satisfaction cross his face and his head bob as he nodded to Nieve. Nieve responded by bringing him a roll of white gauze, a thin magnet, and a small tube filled with a clear gooey substance. Viola glanced at her wrist quickly and admired the intricate weave of the ink that created the small Celtic cross engraved there.

When it was wrapped, Father Lee released her and helped her sit up. “This tattoo will be your saving grace. All those you encounter from this point on will know that you belong to me. Only the boldest dare slaughter a sheep from the Desmond Lee congregation. You will have greater success collecting my trinkets.”

Viola felt rage in the pit of her stomach again. “Your trinkets? What makes you think I am doing this for you?” She  pulled up her sleeves revealing numerous marks and scars along her arms. “You may have put your mark on me but as these others quickly learned, I belong to no man.” She rose to her full height standing in front of him and stared into his eyes. “I don’t need your ‘saving grace.’ I have my own.” She pulled a small swatch of black velvet out of her pocket and covered her wrist with it.

She felt the shift of power as he eyed the large magnet framed with rubies, emeralds, and sapphires cresting the top of the swatch. His eyes narrowed into slits and something small and round pressed into the middle of her back. She  had forgotten Nieve.

“You’ve just signed your death certificate,” Nieve said. Father Lee shook his head, but it was too late. Viola raised her arms and let the words fall silently from her lips. Her image flickered, then became solid, before flickering again. Her voice remained even as her body disappeared.

“No, you’ve just signed yours.”

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Last Thursday I posted the piece introducing Father Lee and it was supposed to meet 4 prompts. It fell short of one, which was to write about an anti-hero (or antagonist if you prefer). It was an inspiring prompt from Write on Edge, and this is how it turned out. All of these characters are essentially bad guys, and all of them could be anti-heroes to the Time Keeper.

I think this also meets the challenge from The Lightning and the Lightning Bug Flicker of Inspiration prompt: Killer First Line so I am linking up with them also.

I really appreciate your feedback. It really helps improve my writing and shows me what I need to work on. I welcome it with open arms. Feel free to share your thoughts in a comment. I’m really interested in knowing who you think the antagonist is here and in the long run. Between this story and Devil Incarnate did I develop both Father Lee and Nieve well enough that you can picture them in your head?

Thanks for stopping by!!

The Cycle of Life

A small yet famous fairy sits among pink flowers interrupted by purple and green. It is small, yet special. Its back is black with a felt covered extension that doesn’t quite support its weight. The center is a rectangular hollow. A newborn babe dressed in blue, fists gathered tightly by a round face, thin dark hair crowning over big dark eyes, lays on a white background. The whole package rests gently on the corner of the white built-in bookshelf over my head.

 

I look to my right at the thick dark hair crowning over big blue eyes, his body lean and tall as he removes the cover from my mattress, tosses my pillows to the floor, and wraps himself in my quilt. He bounces once, twice, then drops the quilt to the floor, wrapping the sheet around his body, and making vampiric faces as he opens it like a cape. I look back at the small newborn babe, so innocent on the white, and smile.

 

Life is good and I am blessed.

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Pick one thing that you can see at this moment, in the room with you, and write something down somewhere. Take that starting point and finish by Wednesday; 350 words is the limit.