Write...Edit...Publish, Photo Me

Time for another Write...Edit...Publish flash fiction post. To read more excellent stories go here.

So sorry I'm late in posting. I hope you enjoy my story.

Photo Me

“I’m in the picture! Whatever will I do?” Tulip said, brushing aside her golden hair that had streaks of peach coloring running from the green tips at her roots.

     “What do you mean, you’re in the picture?” Lily asked, a frown squished her delicate brown and caused her faerie eyebrows to almost look human.

     “Picture! Do you mean the humans have a picture of you?” Daffodil asked, her yellow hair drooped past her shoulders.

     “I was curious,” Tulip said. “When I heard them talking about taking the woman’s picture in front of her garden I wanted to see, so I peeked out from within the tulip I was tending. The picture shows me and my wings. Now the woman is trying to find me with a magnifying glass. I had to hide under the dandelion.”

     “That’s not good, that’s not good at all.” Lily stomped her foot.

     “If the fae council learns of this you’re---“Daffodil began.

     “I know!” Tulip said.

     “There’s only one thing to do,” Lily said. “We’ll have to break into the woman’s house and steal the picture.”

     “Do you think we can?” Tulip felt hopeful.

     “What do you mean ‘we?’” Daffodil asked.

     “It’ll take all three of us,” Lily said.

     “When? I mean when should we do it?”

     “The sooner the better. Don’t give her time to show a lot of people.” Lily sat at the table in her parent’s bungalow and proceeded to draw a map of the woman’s home.

     “What is this?” Daffodil asked.

     “Really Daffodil, have you never peeked in the window?” Tulip asked.

     “You mean this is the woman’s home? Oh my great grandfae!”

*

The plan was simple. They’d wait until the human turned off her lights and went to bed and then slip through the dryer vent. Tension spread through Tulip as she waited.

     “Do all humans stay up so late?” Tulip asked. “We have to do this before the others show up to tend the garden.”

     “I’m going to pee my socks,” Daffodil said.

     “I’d like to see that,” Lily said. Daffodil punched her in the arm.

     “Quiet you two,” Tulip said. “She’s walking by the window.”

     The faerie girls held their breath and fluttered as low as possible into the evergreen bush.

     “She’s going to bed,” Daffodil said.

     “Finally,” Lily said.

     All three flew toward the dryer vent, entered and used their wands to light the way through the dark tunnel. At the dryer door Lily used her wand to magically open the door. It shot out and banged against the dryer.

     Daffodil jumped and covered her sensitive fae ears. “Owe.”

     “Oh no, that will surely wake her,” Tulip said.

Before they could fly out of the dryer a big scruffy cat leapt up on the machines door. His eyes turned amber as he surveyed the three.

     “Scoot,” Lily said and sent a flash of colored sparks at the cat. “Meow.” The cat fell over backwards as the girls flew from the dryer.

     “It’s fallowing us,” Tulip warned. Sure enough the cat wasn't far behind.

     “Where is this picture?” Daffodil asked.

     “She had it out on the table the last time I saw,” Tulip said.

     “It’s not there now,” Lily said. “What now? Should we ask the cat?”

     “As if we could,” Tulip said. “We’ll have to search.”

     Daffodil and Lily went into the living room and began to search through the bookcase. Tulip investigated the kitchen. The cat decided to follow Tulip and jumped on the counter watching her open the drawers with a flick of her wand. He growled whenever the faerie dust came close to his nose. Tulip felt a little nervous with the animal close so she kept watch on his movements.

     “We found it,” Lily called from the living room.

     Tulip flew toward the girls.

     “Nice picture,” Lily said and held up the photo that was nearly as big as she was.

     Tulip saw herself emerging from the flower just behind the woman’s smiling face.

     “You’re really very pretty,” Daffodil said.

     “Thanks,” Tulip said.

     “Now what? It’s kind of heavy,” Lily said, her wings fluttered wildly as she tried to hold the photo.

     “Put the picture down face up on the table,” Tulip said.

     Lily did. Tulip hovered above the likeness of herself, pointed her wand, screwed up her face in a mask of frowns and shot out a violent blast the swooped the photo off the table, caused it to spin in the air violently, hit the cat on the back before landing on the floor. The cat howled and ran from the room.

     Lily went to inspect the image. “There’s a bright spot where you used to be.”

     All three girls studied the photo, nothing of Tulip remained.

     “Time to leave before the others show up,” Tulip said.

      All three headed back to the dryer, shot through the vent and landed in the evergreen bush.

     “Ugh,” Lily said removing a twig from her hair. “I hate these bushes.”

     “Don’t let Spruce her you say that,” Daffodil said.

     “I won’t,” Lily said.

     “Let’s get out of here,” Tulip said. She flicked the portal between the human world and the fae open and all three flew home, their adventure over.

Word Count: 869

I think I will expand on this when I have more time. Hope you enjoyed it.

Nancy

I won! So excited.

I won the Write...Edit...Publish challenge hosted by Denise Covey for my flash fiction story, Romancing Wisteria. If you'd like to read it just scroll down one post.

I have a prize coming as well. A $10.00 gift card to Amazon. Oh, which books should I buy? I know of one for sure to fulfill a promise made and so any of you have books out as well just waiting for my Kindle Fire. Leave me a comment with the link to your book and I'll check it out. I promise to leave a review after I'm done reading.

Happy dance!
Nancy

PS.. In case you are new to my blog, I have many flash fiction stories you can read. Just remember, everything is copyrighted.

To read other stories from this bloghop go here.

Write, Edit, Publish, Moving On

It's time for the September edition of the flash fiction challenge for Write...Edit...Publish. A great place to practice your writing skills. Created by Denise Covey, a great lady from down under. When you are finished reading my submission I hope you leave a comment and then go check out the other great submissions here.

For those of you stopping by to check and see if I'm still breathing, I am. I lost internet, phone and TV services when our apartment transformer blew three weeks ago and the energy company came to replace both electric and gas lines and dug things up cutting through our cable. We do not live in the flood zone that occurred here in Colorado and my entire family is okay. Thanks for your concern.

Challenge: Moving On.


Whisper gazed out across the golden wheat that swayed with the early autumn breeze. She knew when the rain would fall, not for three more days. Time enough for the humans that lived on this farm to harvest their crop with the noisy and smelling giant machine they owned. No amount of education could give her the ability to understand these creatures.

The cat had spotted her lingering on the rich soils of Minnesota. She hurried to finish setting the spell of protection that would end her time on this farm.  Golden wings the color of wheat to mask her appearance fluttered quickly and gave her lift off. She soared between the wheat stalks toward the river that wound its way between farms and gave sustenance to the crops and the faerie den nestled in the apple grove. Nutmeg waited for her there. He had arrived last evening with news from Whispers parents. They had called her home. What awaited her she didn't know. Perhaps her brother had found a faerie bride, or maybe her parents had reached the end of time and would soon pass on into the next world where rumors held the elves had gone. She didn't want to lose her parents, even though she hadn't seen them for over a year. The journey would take her across many states into South Carolina. They would need to catch a flight with a flock of geese who journeyed to warmer climates this time of year.

"You're late," Nutmeg said when she arrived back at the den. All her friends had gathered from their homes well hidden under the trees and rocks. No one could take better precaution from the humans and their animals than this place.

"The spell of protection takes some time," Whisper said.

"The geese have gathered near the pond. They won't wait forever." Nutmeg used the sprig of grass to hit his leg as if that threatened anyone. Whisper shook her head and went to the queen of the farm. "I have been honored by your gifts," Whisper said and curtsied.

"We are the ones honored by your presence Whisper. I hope to see you again in five years."

The spell of protection that Whisper cast lasted five years. This was her gift to faeries all over the Americas. Not so many could cast it and those that received her services treated her to many special nights of song and dance.

Nutmeg led her away. When they reached the geese the birds dipped their heads so that the two faeries could climb on their feathered backs.

"Why have my parents called me home?" Whispered asked Nutmeg as he settled into warm down.

"You'll find out," Nutmeg said short tempered.

Whisper sighed. Now that they had left the faerie den and no other ears where close you'd think that Nutmeg would be more forthcoming. The geese made amazing time and two days later they arrived at the den where Whisper had grown up.

Her parents waited along with many of their family and friends. After kissing both her parents Whisper waited for more news. Neither spoke beyond the welcoming song they sang for her.

"Why have you called me home?" Whisper finally asked.

"It is time for you to wed," her father said.

"We have given Nutmeg permission to wed you," her mother said.

"Nutmeg!?!" Whisper turned and glared at the faerie who had brought her home and displayed only disdain for her. He bowed. "We wed tonight."

"I don't think so." Whisper marched back to the geese before they could lift off. It was time to move on.

604 Words
Full critique acceptable.
Copyright 2013

I hope you enjoyed it.
Nancy