Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Tales on Tuesday – Dark Shadows

Sharon closed her eyes after she climbed into bed and covered herself from toes to chin. She turned on her side, curled her knees to her chest and began her deep breathing ritual. It took so long for her exhausted body to relax and her overactive mind to slow enough for sleep to claim her.After an hour and a half, she lost consciousness and moved into the world she loved best.


The flowers bloomed in neon teal and iridescent pink. Pterodactyls with striped wings chased her to the cliff edge. She jumped into the blue-green air, landed on a cotton candy cloud and raced it over snow capped mountains, down into a valley covered in giant sunflowers with stems as thick and wide as redwood trunks. She skidded to a stop on the moss covered ground, running under pavilion like leaves. She made her escape by crawling into a cave that belched frigid air from the bowels of the earth.


Once inside the grotto, stalactites and stalagmites created temple columns that led her to an old man sitting on a throne formed by nature. Decorated in furs from snow leopards and albino giraffes the regal chair contrasted the man’s pitch black robes and sloe colored hair and beard. His skin glowed in the dim light, mother-of-pearl from the reflected colors of the gems piled around the base of his seat. A unicorn chorus sang lullabies in the background while fireflies danced above her head like thousands of stars twinkling in the night.


“I have come for wisdom and direction, sage advice on the path I should take to fulfill the purpose of my life,” said Sharon. The walls swallowed her voice like warm, liquid tar swallows pebbles. She knelt at the feet of the hermit waiting for him to grant her the knowledge that would bring her peace and comfort.


He stretched an arm, the bones creaking as he moved and pointed a white, long nailed finger at her. His eyes watered, the rims red and swollen.


“Where did you get the idea life would or should be easy, quiet, serene?” He coughed, phlegm rattling in his chest.


“I’m not sure who told me. I just sort of thought there was a secret trick to it all.”


“Nah. Quit looking for a short cut. Go back to the real world and get busy living.”


“Busy is never a problem but is that really living?”


“Who the hell knows?” The light faded, dark shadows enveloped the recluse until Sharon could no longer see him.


She opened her eyes to the indistinct shapes of her bedroom, disappointed in the advice from her spirit guide. At least she had some new images to post on Tuesday.
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tales on tuesday
The theme for Tuesday, April 6, 2010, will be"Golden Girls." Suggested by Thom.
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22 comments:

  1. You painted such vivid images. I never would have guessed the ending on this one.

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  2. Actually I agree with the spirit. Live life to the fullest. But I love her dream world. I felt like I was in Candyland. :) Well done as usual :)

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  3. I loved the ending. And spirit guide knows what he is talking about, tho he sounds like he looks scary!

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  4. Well done, Nessa. The end wasn't what I expected, but it was fitting.

    Funny, my first story has much in common with yours, but it grew far too long and I was still doing intro so I set it aside for later consideration.

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  5. I like the way you use your words to describe images and settings so well, you make my imagination work magic.
    Btw, I totally love the contents of your fridge!;))
    xo
    Zuzana

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  6. I had about three different stories rattling around all week and they were all too depressing so I decided to just do a speed writing last night and see what can up.

    I also wanted to do vampires because Dark Shadows was one of my favorite show. The only soap opera I ever watched.

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  7. I rather stay in your dream world, but as the spirit said "go back to the real world and get busy living!"

    I need to change my perspective!

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  8. I really like the contrast between the set-up and the realistic advice and coughing of the old man.

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  9. Nessa ..you are such a weaver of magic..beautifully written as always!
    Kiki~

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  10. I'm always one to try and live life to the hilt!!

    Your writing talent continues to astound me.

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  11. such wisdom can be found from our dreams.

    I loved your story, btw.

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  12. This is so vivid! And, that's pretty much the kind of advice I'd get.

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  13. Wonderful lines written
    I loved the end :)))))
    Thanks for sharing ....

    (@^.^@)

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  14. Lovely story....very well written.

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  15. Definitely. Wring everything you can from life and live it well. I love the images you create. There's so much color and life in your writing. ;)

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  16. dream world sounds great but life is where we learn, often the hard way...
    enjoyed this story very much!

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  17. I have been doing Haiku Tuesday, Math Monday, Poets' Rally Thursday, wish I have time for tale...

    cool tale,
    beautiful ideas!

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  18. shadows.... great tale - like it very much

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  19. I *love* that spirit guide!
    'Busy is never a problem but is that really living?' -- that's gorgeous, and so true. It does seem that life just passes us by while we're racing to just keep up with 'stuff'.

    I wanted to play this week but ugh, life got in the way big time. I can't wait to play and hope to see you next Tuesday!

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