Flashback Friday – Three Witches

Welcome to the Halloween Edition of Fandango’s Friday Flashback, that master of the macabre invites us to reveal our ancient secrets in the form of an old post. Buahahaha ….

Three Witches

The bus pulled away in a cloud of dust and exhaust fumes. Mary didn’t even notice, she was still standing, suitcase in hand, staring. This couldn’t be right. The ad had requested a housekeeper for a large family estate. It had failed to mention the dilapidated condition. “Must be better on the inside,” Mary assured herself as she wound her way through the dry dead weeds to the front door.

The huge, ancient door creaked open all on it’s own when she approached. Mary stuck her head inside. “Hello,” she called quietly as she entered the house.

It was gloomy inside, she walked deeper into the house and saw three old women standing together. Suddenly, one let out a mephistophelian cackle. Mary stepped back. “Hello, I’m Mary. I answered your ad.”

“Yes dearie, come in. Forgive us, my sisters and I are quite blind,” the tallest answered.

“We wouldn’t be blind if Lachesis hadn’t lost the eye,” murmured another.

The smallest shouted, “That’s why we hired a housekeeper.”

Mary looked around at the accumulation of dust and clutter. “Excuse me, but why precisely did you need a housekeeper?”

All three sisters cried out “TO FIND THE EYE!”

Mary fainted.

Word count 199

This post originally posted October 28, 2018 in response to FFfPP #43 and the word of the day challenge Mephistophelian – because it’s such an awesome word.

Til next time ~Witching you a Happy Halloween ~JP

Death by Jewelry – Friday Flashback

Welcome to Flashback Friday where we reintroduce some of our older posts. Here’s one from 7/8/2021. Originally written for Crimsons-creative-challenge # 139 and published here for Fandango’s Flashback Friday, a peek into the dark alleyways of my creative mind.

Death by Jewelry

Solanj sized up the path, deserted even at mid-day, this would do nicely. A lovely place for a gentleman to take a lady for a moonlight stroll. The symmetrical trees and shrubs concealed many a covert alcove where lovers would be safe from prying eyes. A perfect place for the garroting of an evil aristocrat. Solanj fingered the gold ring on her hand, it’s cabochon stone concealing a poison dart. Her bracelet of lavender silk cord braided with strong silver wire currently wrapped around her dainty wrist, unrolled into an effective garrote. Solanj, the most feared assassin of her age, never concealed a weapon. After all who would presume to question a lady’s jewelry.

word count 117

Til next time ~Stay Wild Moonchild ~JP

Looking for Shade – a micro tale

Crimsons Creative Challenge # 190

Looking for Shade – a micro tale

She saw the sign that forbade entry, but it was long disused and overgrown. At the far side of the meadow were trees that beckoned with the promise of shade, a welcome respite from the steaming undergrowth of the fens. She hopped the low fence and trudged slowly on. Until she heard the rustle of movement in the grass, she stopped and strained her ears to hear the high-pitched pop giggle. “Gaushi! Fens Fairies!” With their sharp little teeth they were quite a spiteful nuisance, so she did what any sensible water witch would do. She RAN!

Word count 98

Til next time ~Peace ~JP

The Lone Sentinel – a Crimson Creative Challenge

For Crimsons Creative Challenge # 167 come join in the fun.

The Lone Sentinel

He had been tasked with protecting the old enchanted forest by the Lady of the Woods herself. To protect this one stand of trees. The years turned to decades and the forest thrived. But then man came with his machines and his fire and the forest fell. Still Kratos stood, a burned and dying stump, guarding the ground. Until the carver came. He stroked Kratos’ bark and cleaned the outer layers to reveal the beauty of his grain. Then the carver gently pulled away dead debris until he found the face of the guardian.

“There you are brave Sentinel,” the man said as he gazed on Kratos’ face. And he walked away, but he left Kratos a gift, magic portals for his eyes to see every intruder, friend or foe. He stands there still in quiet judgement of any who would try to further desecrate his lands.

Word count 147

Til next time ~Peace ~JP

Crimson’s Creative Challenge 145 — a Fairy tail

Meldimeriel was a small child, or a very large fairy, depending on your own perspective. She was a solitary child, prone to fantasy and play acting in her own yard, where every bush held a hidden fortress, and every hummingbird was a winged fairy warrior.

Her parents worried about her flights of fancy and daydreaming, but it was this very trait that would alter the course of her destiny, and the fate of the entire Elysium Forest Clan.

The small brick structure held a large wheel that was ripe for turning, and there came from inside an odd hooting kind of sound. Meldi gave a little jump and grabbed the wheel letting her weight bring it down. A portion of the roof winched it’s way open. Out popped the head of the littlest dragon Meldi had ever seen. Their eyes locked and a lifetime of friendship and adventure was born.

word count 150

For Crimson’s Creative Challenge # 145

Til next time ~Stay Wild Moonchild ~JP

Death by Jewelry – a Crimson Creative Challenge

Crimson’s Creative Challenge # 139

For Crimson’s Creative Challenge # 139

Death by Jewelry

Solanj sized up the path, deserted even at mid-day, this would do nicely. A lovely place for a gentleman to take a lady for a moonlight stroll. The symetrical trees and shrubs concealed many a covert alcove where lovers would be safe from prying eyes. A perfect place for the garroting of an evil aristocrat. Solanj fingered the gold ring on her hand, it’s cabochon stone concealing a poison dart. Her bracelet of lavender silk cord braided with strong silver wire wrapped easily around her dainty wrist, unrolled into an effective garrot. Solanj the most feared assassin of her age, never concealed a weapon. After all who would presume to question a lady’s jewelry.

word count 117

Til next time ~Stay Wild Moonchild ~JP

psssst – new moon in Cancer July 9-10

Crimson’s Creative Challenge 72 – Phoenix Fae

For Crimson’s Creative Challenge # 72

Pheonix Fae

The chains that bound her were heavy, even heavier than the anchor at the end. They intended to toss her off the quay and see if she would use magic to save herself. Because she had done what the village healers could not. What was she supposed to do let the plague wipe them out? Now they judged her a witch. Stupid humans! Fae gathered her magic, pulling the heat from the earth, the stones, the very air around her skin glowing intensely until she burst into flame and dissolved into ash.

The astonished guards stared at the ashes before hearing a voice that crackled with fire as she rose from the ash, resplendent in her flaming wings.

“You dare judge me a witch, I am Phoenix Fae, Fire Fairy. Now, RUN!”

digital art by comfreak on pixabay

word count 132

Fee Ra Huri — Omnia

Til next time ~Peace ~JPP

What Do You See – Redo – Princesses at Play

OK so I don’t normally do “redos” … but I’m making an exception for the What Do You See Challenge this week. Although I needed to write “Moments for Choices” it’s tragic and well… sad. So here is a different take on What I See. You can read another short take on Mrowl in the 2/9/20 WDYS challenge.

Princesses at Play

Princess Willowhair dashed through the corridors of the castle, giggling and screeching with wild toddler delight. Behind her ran her guardian, a large cricat known as Mrowl, Princess of the Crystal Paws Clan. Cricats were a large species of feline with silky fur and crystalline eyes. Many of the cricat clans were bound to the great houses of the Davarian Empire and Queen Subilliet loved them for their sheer beauty and intelligence. She watched with amusement as her only child streaked naked through the halls. With two final great bounds, Mrowl was within distance and pounced on the little princess bringing her down on the padded carpet outside the royal nursery. Willowhair wriggled and laughed as Mrowl dragged her rough tongue across the little princess’ nose. “Gotcha!” Mrowl purred in her silky voice, gently herding the wayward princess back to her mother.

word count 142

Lavender’s Blue Dilly Dilly – Cinderella 2015

Til next time ~Peace ~JPP

What Do You See Challenge – Princesses

For Sadje’s What Do You See challenge

Princess Mrowl was bored. It was such a bother being a princess, she was never allowed to roam or chase mice or climb trees or have any fun at all! Mrowl was currently hiding from a delicate Calico who was her watcher. She delighted in hiding from the old nurse, deep in the castle. Walking along dusty old windowsills, leaving nary a trace of her passage so light and delicate were her pad steps. She stared out the window longingly when a fairy appeared and seemed to beckon her. Mrowl wriggled through the small opening and followed out to the edge of a magnolia branch. There she stopped and stared into an opening blossom. Ethereal light began to glow within it’s petals and Mrowl was entranced.

“Welcome to my kingdom princess Mrowl,” came the dulcet tones of the fairy, “I am princess Aalyiah.”

word count 143

Til next time ~Peace ~JPP

Crimson Creative Challenge and JusJoJan – Days of Chaos

For Linda’s prompt for JusJoJan January 31st, 2020, “chaos.” Our final prompt comes from Robbie Ann.

And for Crimsons creative challenge 64

The Days of Chaos

Sallie sat on a wall and watched. The streets were still, no bells rang from the old church, no children played in the courtyard. Quiet, deathly quiet. In the months since the invasion that’s all there had been, quiet. Sallie wondered how many had survived when Chaos came with their chitinous bodies, like monsters from some dime paperback. Their exoskeletons remained in some places, huge reminders of the days of Chaos and ruin. The combined forces of Earth had defeated them, or so the earthlings thought, but then came the virus, Chaos’ final answer. Sallie still didn’t know how many humans had survived but she had saved some and that would have to be enough. With a nod, Sallie disapparated into a wave of light, headed for her next destination.

Word count 130

Til next time ~Peace ~JPP