Sunday, December 25, 2016

Christmas Special

Amar


Sit down and close your eyes. Listen to the sounds of the season. They’ll ask questions, many questions. The glitter on your nose? DIY presents. The wound on your thumb? Damn sharp box cutter. The red on your hands? Painting stuff red. There should be some green somewhere. The purple bite on your lower lip? An over-excited kisser who spotted mistletoe and plunged into your arms. The ripped Rudolph-sweater? An over-zealous security guard at the entrance of the building. Nothing much. You’re not even angry that he destroyed your favorite Christmas sweater. But, remember, whatever they say, deny it all.

Sunday, December 18, 2016

Dark

Milk Wood

Passports, check. Boarding time, check. “Here we go!” Flying wasn't always an easy endeavor but the enthusiasm was big. A small group united in their will to win, as they had so many times in a recent past. They kept their eyes on their future, as they should. Then, a horrifying twist of fate put an end to everything. It put an end to lives... Children lost their fathers, wives lost their husbands. Mothers and fathers, families, friends, had to mourn their loved ones. It was raining. The pages of the passport fluttered in the strong wind amongst the wreckage.

Sunday, December 11, 2016

Scream

Milk Wood

The old man reached out his hand. No one paid attention to him. They wanted nothing to do with an odd-smelling bum.
The old man put his hand down and waited for someone else to walk by. Then he reached out his hand once more. Everyone avoided him.
Finally, a young man walked closer and stood right in front of him.
The old man reached out his hand and the man shook it. Then, he pulled the old man closer and gave him a hug.
The old man smiled.
“I had a scream stuck in my throat. You changed that.”
100 Word Stories

Sunday, December 4, 2016

Moment

Home

The lights by the pink boxes took her back.
It was a rainy day.
She complained that she needed sun, that she absolutely abhorred winter.
He smiled. It wasn't even winter yet but he knew her well.
He grabbed one of the boxes and said there was something special in it. She played along.
Inside the box, a string of white lights was neatly stored away.
When he plugged them, they flickered happily.
Here’s the sun for you, he said.
The lights stayed on since that day. And the sun was his smile offering her a string of white lights.

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Paint

Concrete Cube Light

The agitated middle-aged chubby painter waved his arms while he explained what happened.
“The man said hands in the air. Drop the paint. And when I did, the can exploded. There was paint everywhere. I thought he was going to kill me but I couldn’t quite understand why. It’s not like I’m worth a fortune...”
The cute policeman nodded but the distraught painter suspected he was probably doodling instead of taking notes.
When the officer walked away, nodding, the painter sighed.
“I wish that wasn’t my last can of paint. Police uniforms can be amazing canvases,” he whispered to himself.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Turning a Box into a Home


Introduction



Second Life® (SL) became a part of my days at a time of unwelcome changes, both personal and professional. The changes stirring my Real Life (RL), and the resulting financial uncertainty, prompted me not to spend RL money in SL. So, I created a Free account and paid for everything inworld with money generated by my inworld store (yes, I co-owned a clothing store for a while).

Eight years after setting foot in this mysteriously captivating virtual world, my SL life crumbled to pieces. I won’t mention the reasons why because there was another person involved. About a year ago, I was homeless (how dramatic) and had close to no money in SL.

While I was distracted with my pain, unexpectedly and in an instant, my SL life (and my RL as well) took a turn. Someone listened and cared. That changed everything and I decided it was time to enjoy SL again. In the meantime, my financial RL had stabilized and I upgraded to a Premium account. I got a house (one of the perks), and I had someone special to share it with.

The funny thing is that I never really thought much about the Linden Homes. Everyone kept saying how ugly they were and how they allowed for only a very small amount of prims. It didn't matter. I had years of training in managing the biggest amount of objects for the least amount of prims, and a lot of determination. I rolled-up my sleeves and got to work.


When one thinks of a Linden Home, the wow-factor is non-existent, true. I had even heard someone refer to living in a Linden Home as living in the projects.

Well, this very expression prompted me to show you that I have a pretty nice life in SL’s projects!


My house is a two-floor box with a small veranda. Next to the entrance door, there’s a covered area that includes a little pond. This is my immense kingdom, 512 square meters and 175 prims, recently upgraded from the initial 117.


Outside



The exterior of the house is quite interesting but unusable. The door doesn't stay open and the windows cannot be opened either. Perhaps if the building had a sliding window we could control, overlooking the pond, more residents would lounge in those areas of their residences. I decided to leave it as is.


Lower Floor



The interior lower floor started off as a very traditional and predictable living-room. I quickly realized I’d have a problem though. Mesh furniture is tiny and Linden Homes are still built in the old mind frame of hugeness. Adding to that, the relentless prim count was tyrannical. 


So, the living-room disappeared and an interior garden took its place (notice the ugly Linden fireplace; more remarks about it below).

Note: The extra wall at the back is no mod... So, I couldn't play with the prims. But it does work well there. It makes the huge area look smaller. This means I don't need a lot of prims to decorate it further.


The corner underneath the stairs would be a great writing room. I tried several options but it just didn't make any sense to have the writing room there now that the lower floor had become a semi-exterior area.

I’m not a Buddhist but Buddha has had a place in my life ever since I was a child (long story, not the right time to tell it). So, the Buddha took residence there.

Note: I played with tones, matching the different elements, and added light here and there to the objects to give everything a feeling of warmth.


Upper Floor


This corner became the bedroom from the get-go. Not much has been changed and I think not much will change. Its stability is kind of symbolic, actually. And I’ll leave it at that!

Note: The pink pile of boxes in the corner doubles as a Q&A chatterbox. Prims saved.


Challenge number one. I have always had a fireplace in my SL home(s). The Linden Home proved to be a challenge though. It comes with a terribly ugly round shiny fireplace located in a corner of the lower floor. I can’t move it or delete it. I considered somehow covering it which would cost me a few prims if I wanted to do it nicely. So, I gave up on that idea and just embraced it.

Challenge number two. Where could I have a nice fireplace? Next to the door to the veranda? Across the small corridor? No, nope, nope... So, it ended up here, in this otherwise lost corner. I think it works.

Note: A house without animals is not a home for me, so I spared a number of prims to have a fox, a raccoon, a Siamese cat and a black cat. I also paid close attention to details. A book here, a slice of pie on a plate, an open notebook. Well-spent prims. They make everything look "lived in".


The upper floor was an open area. I decided to add a wall and that created an extra room. A see-through mesh wall with an entrance made the room feel cozy. Plenty of books, and words, and colors did the rest.

Note: I fiddled with the transparency %, darkening it a bit.


Veranda


Finally, the veranda. I used a pergola to cover the whole veranda, the same see-through mesh wall (also present in the lower floor as a divider to the interior garden), a C-shaped prim to darken the sides, and I had a pleasant environment where I could place a tempting hot-water tub. 

Note: The C-shaped prim was hollowed, cut-pathed, and set to 40% transparency over black. The butterflies add movement and color.


Conclusion


Linden Homes are a bit of a challenge. Their build is somewhat crooked. The windows are not aligned. It’s not easy to add walls or hide parts of the house we’d like to eliminate. However, if we think out of the box (pun intended), they do work.

The boxy house feels welcoming and warm, and is now a home I share with someone very special.

Note: I still have 40+ prims available for seasonal decorations! 

Pretty awesome for the ugly, sleazy projects, wouldn't you say?


Sunday, November 20, 2016

Idiot

Highlands

Millie sat at The Tea Room, a beautiful picturesque café while a friendly waiter served a tea, his belly struggling inside a tight vest.
She watched the couple in the corner whispering, the elderly woman reading a book, the teenager checking his phone.
When the flash mob invaded the café singing The Sound of Music, the couple smiled and the elderly woman clapped enthusiastically.
Millie covered her ears in horror and waved to the waiter for the check.
The Tea Room had just become a nightmare and the resident idiot was still checking his phone, oblivious of everything around him.

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Zoo

Octoberville

“Welcome, ladies and gentlemen! Step right up! Tramps, haters, free thinkers. Everyone is welcome to the Twiddle Zoo, the place to channel your deepest frustrations and experience the catharsis of those gruesome fears, burning you up inside. Step right up! Twiddle your thumbs and wiggle your toes. Sing a song of despair and join the fun. We have scary rides and dark labyrinths. We have sickening beings that will eat you alive. We have hunger and famine and many more exciting events for you. Step right up to the Zoo of Life where no one does anything but be horrified.”
(Prompt: Pick Two -Tramp, Hate, Free, Burn, Channel, Catharsis, Zoo, Twiddle)

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

NaNoWriMo Pep-Talk

Milk Wood

Despite the fact that I am taking a break from NaNoWriMo this year, I was invited to write a short pep talk for those who took up the challenge. Follow this link to the Virtual Writer's website to read "Stop and Smell the Roses". Thank you, Harri, for asking me to write this!

Sunday, November 6, 2016

Watch


Those watchful eyes knew the time had come for things to change. Drowned in doubt, she weighed the terrible consequences. Then she opened the window. It was a bright winter day. The sun was shining. She smiled, packed her bag and looked at the watch he had given her for her birthday. When he beat her up, she used to watch the minutes go by, just passively waiting for him to stop. She used to add them up too. She placed the watch on the table and smashed it. Then, she opened her front door and entered a new life.

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Halloween Special

Milk Wood

“There’s a creepy clown behind you. No one will survive. The clown is lifting his arm. Food, food. He’s hungry for you. Forget the time. The time. The time. Time…”
They looked over their shoulders and couldn't see any clown but this was to be a “horrifying experience” said the brochure, so they thought it was all part of the show.
Suddenly, the room went dark. A dreadful slashing sound... Peter laughed nervously.
When the lights were back on, he was the only one alive.
The Ouija board slowly wrote “Congratulations. Your ticket had a special prize. Come back soon!”

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Express

Asalia House

Would you like to offer a special someone a trip to an unknown destiny? We have what you’re looking for. Rates for all budgets. We have a promo with our Express Rate. The ride might not be first class, the company somewhat off but… it’s all part of the adventure, right? We’ll take your special someone to vaguely puzzling yet strangely calming accommodations where he’ll be able to enjoy the serene tranquility of our lodgings, alongside a large crowd of other peaceful campers. Oh, and we’ll even provide a sturdy shovel for the… gardening hours, a highlight of our program.
100 Word Stories

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Bottle

Leroy

“And a bottle of wine,” he ordered. “You’ll love it. Super expensive.”
She didn't drink. He knew it but didn't care. He went on to talk about his expensive new suit. Didn't he look smart, he asked, scanning the restaurant for familiar faces.
“This is the best place in town, very hip, super expensive too. Oh, hey, Vincent,” he waved hellos left and right, turning his back to her.
When she walked away, he didn't even notice it. And now he had that super expensive existence all to his radiant, perfectly pathetic self. And she was free. Wasn't life grand?

Sunday, October 9, 2016

Murder

Borgatti

“The unicorn police captain was shocked to find that two of his fox deputies were being held hostage. Who has them? Did they ask for a ransom? The werewolf SWAT team was ready. The fairies answered the phones. The goblins were in the way. So, when…”
“Stop right there, Mom. What kind of a story is that?”
“Well, you asked me tell you a story of unicorns and fairies…”
“Yes, but… the fairies answering the phone? Really… Mom? Rewrite it. It’s crap.”
And that’s how the fairies ended up in the SWAT team, preventing the murder of two fox deputies.

Sunday, October 2, 2016

500 Word Snatch Writing Sessions End

Home
The Monday-Friday 2am SLT and the Saturday 12noon SLT writing sessions, started in 2013 and hosted by me at Milk Wood, come to an end. New writing adventures will no doubt come by. Keep on writing.

Field

DaDDesigns

After a day’s work in the fields, Ronnie would say “Turn right”. Mike complied in silence. The path took them back to town. But there was also a path to the left.

“What’s over there?” asked Mike one day, pointing to the left.

Ronnie shrugged.
“Never felt curious?”
Ronnie shook his head.
However, Mike went back to the crossroads and, taking a deep breath, took the path to the left.
He never came back. He went to the big city. He became rich. And he never stopped being curious, especially about all the “paths to the left” he came across.

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Underwear

Home

The light was on and no one answered. The police found her in her bedroom, sprawled on the bed. She had been stabbed 16 times. A lover, a stalker, her dealer? An intruder, perhaps? Then, they arrested the neighbor because he waltzed into the precinct and confessed. “I killed her with the kitchen knife. It’s still there.” Simple, right? Nope. The police searched the house. They couldn't find the knife. Circumstantial evidence. Not enough. He was released. At her funeral, he wrapped the knife in her panties and stuffed it in the coffin, under the froufrou laces, and walked away.

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Indigo and the Blanket

Asalia House

The truck traveled slowly. Attracting unwanted attention was the last thing Indigo wanted. Released after twenty years in prison, and… He steals a truck... He walked around the corner and there it was, keys in the ignition, begging to be stolen. When Indigo spotted the police behind him, he knew he was in trouble. However, it was only when they lifted the blanket that he realized how serious it was. In the back, there was the body of one of the jurors in his trial. He sighed. He’d have plenty of time to figure out who had framed him.
(Prompt: Pick two - Blanket, Center, West, Boobs, Salt, Kentucky, Indigo, Xylophone)

Friday, September 16, 2016

Of a Sim Creator and a Writer

Sometimes, magic happens.

A few weeks ago, I published a short story called "The Toy Maker". This story was inspired by Boudicca's HestiumOne of my favorite places in Second Life, Hestium had recently been rebuilt. New houses, new fictional residents, new lives and, of course, new stories. Hestium has been a source of inspiration and ideas for many of my projects. But this time, I decided to write a whole story based on it.

Boudicca read my story and had a few ideas of her own. Mind you, we didn't talk about any of our projects but, somehow, one thing led to another and...


I had to read this line twice before it hit me! That house had become Claire's home. My story had triggered a new life for the house and, after Boudicca read it, for my character as well.

I visited Hestium once more to check for myself. And this is what I saw.

 Claire's new home.

 The toy is still there.

 The upper floor.

 Claire still has her animals.

 And the sea...


Before I left, I took a moment to think this through. I took what Boudicca created at Hestium and brought characters to life. And Boudicca read my story and "wrote" it further. And we never talked about this, or planned anything.

Sometimes, magic does happen.

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Virtual Inspiration at Milk Wood

Milk Wood
Are you looking for a bit of inspiration for the upcoming NaNoWriMo? Check the new Milk Wood Inspiration Booth. Click the Picture Machine for a Notecard (below).


And click the tickets for a destination. Happy writing.


A Story Waiting to Happen
Virtual Writer Author


Sunday, September 11, 2016

What was the worst thing you ate?

Milk Wood

The Fairy Children had a dismayed expression on their sparkly faces.
“This is a healthy veggie soup,” said the Fairy Mother.
The children looked disgusted. The mysterious objects floating in the thick liquid looked rather suspicious.
“Taste it.”
As soon as the most adventurous of them swallowed some soup, he turned brown.
The suffering of their sibling was hilarious. The other kids laughed.
After holding his tummy with both arms for a few minutes, he finally threw up.
Alarmed, the mother threw the soup away.
The child winked.
And that was the end of healthy food for the Fairy Family.

Sunday, September 4, 2016

Cast

ChangHigh Trinity Sisters

When Violet fell off the stage, everyone panicked. Two nights till the Opening of the musical and the star actress had broken a leg. After much research, they found a young actress to substitute her, Mattie, who also sang and danced. No one had heard of her but she knew the part by heart. She was hired immediately.
When Violet returned to work, Mattie disappeared, but Violet found a list in a drawer, the list of actresses Mattie had substituted with name/type of accident. The police investigated the matter with little results.
Years later, the actresses started showing up dead…

Sunday, August 28, 2016

Flash

Pixel Dreams

Perched on a tree branch, the model posed dramatically, one hand holding her hair away from her face, the strong wind insisting on contradicting her.
The hairdresser went up and down the steps of a ladder, frantically trying to help her. The assistants snickered. The photographer yelled at everybody.
When they finished and everyone was ready to leave, the photographer broke the news. They’d have to redo everything, quickly. They were losing the light.
Eyes flashed dangerously and, after much deliberation, the photographer ended up on the tree branch, posing dramatically, and one hand holding his hair away from his face.

Sunday, August 21, 2016

Mind

Borgatti

The light coming from the fragile paper lamp didn't matter anymore.
As she stood, waiting, the crowd gathered to watch, whispering words.
She couldn't hear them but she knew they spoke.
Then, unexpectedly, it was decided.
“Burn everything.”
And the torches were lit when she wasn't looking, the blinding light killing a soft glow coming from the frail paper lamp.
The words were shushed. The crowd was silent.
“Let it commence.”
In a matter of an hour, everything was gone, the ashes thrown about randomly.
She didn't mind.
She thought it had been a fitting end to a sad story.

The Toy Maker




The waves crashed against the rocks and the seagulls screeched loud, signaling there was food around. But the toy maker hardly noticed the sea anymore.

“The house is not ready, not ready.”

He paced left and right behind the counter. He repositioned the dolls on the shelves, rearranging their posture. One of them slouched against the shoulder of the other and he didn't notice the mischievous act of rebellion.

“The cat’s outside. He wants to come in, come in, but I have to work. And the dresser is not ready. The house, the house. Focus on the house.”

He was just the toy maker, that’s what everyone called him, a middle-aged man who mostly kept to himself. No one knew his name in the small village. Well, everyone had forgotten it. However, everyone loved him. He always had a word of comfort to the sad, a small toy for the restless child, a bag full of toys for the village’s Christmas party. Although a bit of a peculiar loner, he was as much part of the village as anyone else.

“I have to finish the duck, the duck, at least, the duck.”

He rushed to the back and opened the door.

“The cat, the cat,” exclaimed the toy maker, trying to prevent the cat from going inside but he quickly gave up on contradicting the feline’s perseverance.

And then, the toy maker held the wooden duck carefully, a sudden wave of calmness taking over him. He painted layer after layer, slowly.

“Just one more,” he finally whispered.

He would always lose track of time when he was making a toy. He would completely immerse himself in his thoughts about shapes and colors.

But the toy maker had an emptiness in his heart, a sadness he never talked about with the other villagers. He had a wife and she had gone missing years ago.

Claire was her name. Her captivating blue eyes had revisited his memory many times. With her by his side, everything made sense. She got pregnant and then tragedy struck. They struggled together. But he was helpless and she sank more and more.

When she disappeared, he got lost inside of himself. Nothing mattered anymore and he hid in his toys. Whenever he saw a mother or a father hold a child’s hand, struggling to contain the kid’s enthusiasm picking up a toy, he saw the smile of his wife, the woman he would have had children with. He missed her terribly. And he had made an effort to forget her name too.

When he was done painting the duck, he went back inside.

The wealthy Mr. Huntington from across the plaza, grandfather to a bright little girl, commissioned him to build a doll house for his granddaughter and the toy maker was dreadfully late. He found himself being somehow stuck. The house was ready but all the interior details were missing. He usually worked fast and this was totally atypical.

His mind wandered back into the past. A few days earlier, not paying attention, he had taken a different turn when returning home and he had seen the poster on the wall. It was still there after all those years, her face still smiling a soft smile. What an unusual trade, and how beautiful too, she had said about his job and he was in love with her straight away.

“Ok, so… Let’s start.”


The toy maker leaned forward, his hands on the counter, and tilted his head to the left, like his Claire used to do when she was pondering about something.

It was exactly then that Mr. Huntington’s maid peered through the front door.

He was to drop by the house. Mrs. Huntington would like to talk to him.

“Mrs. Huntington? Why Mrs. Huntington?”

The maid shrugged and curtsied shyly, disappearing immediately, fearful of the toy maker’s odd behavior.

“Oh, dear. Oh, dear. I’m not presentable,” he mumbled, a wave of nervousness taking over him again. He noticed that splatters of paint covered his sleeves and fingers. “Change, change your clothes.”

And he rushed upstairs, tripping over cardboard boxes already packed with toys to be shipped to their destinies. Christmas was still a few months away but he always made sure everyone had their deliveries early.

He changed into his best clothes, a three-piece suit he had bought a long time ago for the opening of the Cat and Mouse, the local pub.

He hated social gatherings of any type. When he was invited, he fought back, excuses shooting out of his mouth randomly. However, Mr. M, his next door neighbor insisted, vehemently denying every justification the toy maker managed to produce. 

“Where’s the other shoe? The other shoe…”

A frenzied search for the twin shoe set the whole upper floor in disarray. A pile of boxes tumbled down, triggering the curiosity of the yellow tabby, who rushed to inspect their contents. 


“Kitty, quickly,” he said. But the cat had no intention of getting out of his way. “My shoe, my shoe. Oh, dear.”

He scrutinized every corner; he even looked inside the mail bag filled with tons of postcards and letters sent to him by children from all over the world.

He never threw any of these cards away. He cherished them. They were spread all over his private quarters. Somehow, they comforted his soul and he always found it endearing when kids addressed the mail to Mr. Toy Maker.

In his haste, he nearly knocked down the empty mug with the mark of her lipstick which sat on the engraved side table since she had disappeared.

In cold nights, he would enjoy the warmth emanating from the wood stove, as he smoked a pipe. He felt that Claire kept him company and he never took the mug away.

“Ah! There you are.” The sneaky shoe was hiding under the sink.

Finely dressed and with both shoes on, the toy maker rushed downstairs and hurried across the plaza, scattering about a flock of doves while trying to button up his jacket. When he arrived at the Huntington’s he took a deep breath and knocked at the door.

“Do come in.” It was Mrs. Huntington. Well, that was unusual. She personally welcomed him at the door and gently pulled him inside. 

“I have something to tell you, Mr. Randall. Please, do sit down.”

Hearing his name out loud after so many years startled the toy maker. How did she know? No one remembered his name anymore.

And that was when his life changed.

“I know you’re quite busy preparing the dollhouse for my youngest.” She paused and smiled.

His heart was pounding.


“So, I’ll go straight to the point. You are such a gentle man and you always have a kind word and a small token to offer. So, the village folks decided that it was time for us to do something for you instead and I was put in charge of that. I must admit, I had absolutely no idea of what to do until Mr. M made a suggestion.” She sat closer to the edge of the sofa. Her sphynx cats stared at her peacefully. “He told me about your deepest wish.”

The toy maker mimicked his host and sat closer. He had no idea what his neighbor might have told Mrs. Huntington.

“I hired someone to review everything, every bit of documentation available.”

He was even more lost.

Mrs. Huntington smiled the brightest smile the toy maker had seen lately.

“I don’t know how to tell you this.” Her voice started failing her a bit and her eyes became teary.

“Oh… There, there, Mrs. Huntington.” He tapped on her knee softly. The toy maker didn't know what to do.

“It took us a while, but…” She took a deep breath. “We found her, Mr. Randall.”

Her? Her, who?

“We found Claire. She lives a few miles away from here.” Mrs. Huntington leaned forward and held the toy maker’s hands. “We have found your wife, Mr. Randall.”

The toy maker’s mind was racing. He stood up abruptly and started pacing back and forth. The sphynx cats followed his movements.

“A few miles away? How a few miles away?”

“Yes. When she went missing from your home, she was found wandering in a town many miles from here, naked, and she was taken to the psychiatric hospital where she struggled so hard. She couldn't remember anything. She couldn't remember her name or where she lived. She became extremely violent and they transferred her up North to a mental institution for severe cases. After an experimental treatment went bad, she survived years of a deep coma. When she was finally released, just a few months ago, she was adamant. She wanted to live close to the sea.” Mrs. Huntington smiled softly. “No one understood why and no one cared. She was not their responsibility anymore. They did have other concerns like investigating what had gone wrong back then, fearful of legal problems, I’m sure. But my father has asked his lawyers to take a look into that as well.”

The toy maker continued to pace back and forth.

“I don’t understand.”

“Mr. Randall, she’s alive. We can go to her right now.”

Right now?

“She lives in the neighboring village. Her small cottage has a remarkable name, New Beginnings.” Mrs. Huntington smiled again. “Sit down next to me, please.”

He did. The tone of her voice soothed his anxiety.

“How do you feel about this?”

He shook his head in disbelief. Then, he turned to her and looked her in the eyes, something he never did with anyone, except Claire.

“She’s alive?”

Mrs. Huntington nodded.

“Are you sure it’s her?”

Mrs. Huntington nodded again.

He just couldn't believe it. He stood up abruptly once more. 

“How can you be sure?”


“Throughout the years, she let go of everything, including herself... But she never let go of you. She refused to part from a toy.”

The toy maker stood behind the sofa, motionless.

“A rabbit, stuffed? Two mismatched buttons for eyes and a hastily sown cross for a mouth?”

Mrs. Huntington nodded slowly.

“I made it in a hurry when we first met. She loves animals.”

“Yes, she does. She has chickens; she has dogs, a cat and a rabbit, that I can think of!”

The toy maker sat next to Mrs. Huntington and, after a pause, gave her a tight hug. She laughed.




When the toy maker visited his wife Claire that afternoon, he wasn't nervous. He didn't repeat his words and he didn't hurry to button up his jacket. He didn't do anything abruptly. 

He felt her breathtaking blue eyes and her soft smile on him again, and he was at home.

Mr. M playfully complained that he had lost his good neighbor. He loved sharing his adventures and the toy maker loved listening to them. So, they decided on a weekly Friday evening get-together, just the two friends, for a glass of whiskey, a bit of smoking and travel stories. 

At least, that was the official story. The reality was that they were plotting a thank you party for the village. Mr. M would take care of the logistics and Mr. Randall, now addressed by everyone by his real name, would take care of the gifts.

He carefully thought about each family and crafted a toy, a token of his gratitude and friendship.

And then there was the dollhouse.

He worked hard on it. He created every little object inside of it, from the rugs and paintings to the cutlery on the dinning-room table. On the tiny coffee table in the living-room, he placed a tiny card with the words “Thank You”.


***

Note: This story was inspired by Boudicca Amat’s Hestium

When I arrived at the recently renewed location, I had no idea who the new residents were. I was curious and excited to meet them. However, I wasn't sure I’d have a story to tell.

Well, I did, many, as a matter of fact. I had to stick to one!

Boudicca’s creation offered me so many wonderful details that my main problem was to avoid cramming too much information into my story. And what an awesome problem that was!

If you’re a writer and need a new character, drop by Hestium. You’ll be surprised to see all the characters who have taken up residence there recently, their lives, their dreams, their pasts and their secrets. They are right there, before your eyes, within the walls of their homes and in the objects they own. Perhaps you can write their futures!

Have fun writing!

***


Thank you. <3


Sunday, August 14, 2016

Stars



To Old Jack,
Jack Fenton Moore

Sometimes, there’s someone who believes in you.
Sometimes, that person calls you Dreamer and everything seems possible.
And you dream and you create.
Then, suddenly, you close your eyes and you can’t understand.
That hug was too short...
The echo is still there though, reverberating in your memory, pushing you forward.
A word of encouragement was enough for you not to give up back then.
So, you look up and smile. The old owl is somewhere, up there perhaps, reading your stories. He’s nodding, happy that one single word made you believe.
“Dreamer, write. Don’t stop. Write.”
One word.
Dreamer.

Sunday, August 7, 2016

Jar

Octobeville


“What do you keep in that jar, Bernie?”
“Lard.”
Connor got closer to the shelf.
“That doesn't look like lard.”
“Oh, right. That’s an eye.”
“Human?”
“Of course, human.”
“Whose eye is it?!” asked Connor, shocked.
“It’s Parker’s.”
Connor took a step back.
“Why?”
“My wife was having an affair with him.”
“Shouldn't you have plucked your wife’s eye instead…?”
The second Connor uttered these words, he regretted it bitterly.
“I did, both of them, and ate them too.”
Horrified, Connor watched Bernie flip a piece of meat on the grill and realized he hadn't seen Bernie’s wife in weeks.

Sunday, July 31, 2016

Prayer

Milk Wood

The old woman huffed and puffed. The path was rocky and steep.
“Pray. It helps, they said.”
Yes, she did pray. However, that didn't help. t made things worse. The animals died and the small green garden dried up.
“I’ll tell them.”
When she reached the castle, she was ushered into a large ballroom, a pale gloomy figure staring at her.
“I bring you a peace offer.”
The figure nodded.
“It’s a broth. I hope you enjoy it.”
A few days later, the green garden started sprouting but the castle was eerily quiet.
“Our garlic, who art in my broth…”