Wednesday's Words on a Friday

 

The original Words for Wednesday was begun by Delores and eventually taken over by a moveable feast of participants when Delores had computer troubles. Sadly, Delores has now closed her blog forever due to other problems.

The aim of the words is to encourage us to write. A story, a poem, whatever comes to mind.

If you are posting an entry on your own blog, please let us know so we can come along and read it.

This month the words/prompts are supplied by  ME and can be found right here

This week's words/prompts are: 

1. pipes and drums band 

2. patch 

3. setbacks 

4. garnish 

5. rubble 

6. costly 

and/or: 

1. dropout 

2. espalier 

3. sari 

4. cloudless 

5. trace 

6. fabric

My story carries on from last week's beginning, so for those that missed it I will include it here.

I stood uncertainly in the gloomy shop, searching the shelves for something I didn’t know yet. A voice from behind said, “it’s on the second shelf from the top, right beneath the handwoven dreamcatcher.” I spotted it right away, even as my own voice replied, “but it doesn’t belong there.” “It knows,” said the voice from behind and I felt a shiver, knowing there was no one there. I was being helped by a ghost. Again. The memory of my previous supernatural encounter had left me miserable for weeks, it had been unexpected and I’d felt out of my depth. Maybe this time would be better. I felt a quiver in the air as the ghost reached past me and pulled the tiny gold box from the shelf where it shouldn’t have been, although I didn’t know why or how I knew that. This path hadn’t been properly explained to me and I wasn’t ready, yet here I was, holding out my hand for the tiny gold box as it floated down to me. I clasped it gently, bowed my head as the required thank you, (how did I know I should do that?) then walked back out into the sunshine. Never before had its warmth felt so welcome.

I sat on a nearby seat where I could see the espaliered pear tree at the side of the shop and turned the small gold box over and over, looking for a way to open it. It had been so skillfully made, I almost couldn’t see the tiny hinges at the back, so the lid must open on the other side and I turned it again, but could see no trace of a catch at all. The etchings were very delicate and I imagined the box must have been very costly, so how and why had it ended up here in this gloomy shop? I looked up at the cloudless blue sky, but of course there were no answers there, just as there had been no answers when I stared out of the classroom windows while pondering exam questions.

I remembered my teacher back then warning my parents I was in danger of becoming a high school dropout and the horror on my mother’s face at the thought. There were quite a few setbacks along the way to my graduation, but I did get there in the end.  This reminiscing wasn’t going to help with the mystery of the box though. As I stood up, the voice from the shop whispered, “Follow the box Morgana. It will show you the way.” I spun around so quickly I almost fell over, but couldn’t catch a glimpse of the ghost who was helping me. Follow the box? What on earth does that mean?

I put the box in my pocket and began walking home, passing the heap of rubble that had so recently been an old Victorian mansion, and passing too, the park where I could faintly hear the practising of the Pipes and Drums band, as they prepared for the annual music festival. The sound stirred the tiny drop of Scottish blood bequeathed to me by my ancestors, along with a love of tartan fabrics and men in kilts. Reaching home I set the box on the table as I began to prepare the evening meal. Nothing fancy, a three cheese omelette with a simple parsley garnish and no dessert. 

As I ate, I stared at the box, wondering what secrets it held and how I was to discover them when I couldn’t even open it. I pulled from the cupboard a patch of silk, neatly hemmed, that had once been part of a sari, and set the box upon it. The rich ruby silk reflected in the side of the box and it seemed to feel warmer in my hands because of it.


Comments

  1. You would think the helpful ghost would tell her how to open it. Sure hope you continue this story, I'm curious to know what is in the box also.

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    1. Arkansas Patti; maybe the ghost doesn't know how to open the box, it might be a magical box.

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  2. I'm curious too. Tantalizing story, I hope next Wednseday will let us have a peep inside.

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  3. So, he had had a patch of bad luck lately, a few a nasty setbacks. But this? “No need to garnish, varnish, or tarnish the truth.” Jim admitted. The rubble that had been the chemistry lab would prove to be a costly mistake. Fortunately, it also meant that he would be pulled from pipe and drums band, hallelujah. He hated band just a little bit more than he hated chemistry.

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    1. Susan Kane: Big, big smiles. I am with Jim. I am not a fan of the pipes - and of drums in moderation.

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    2. Susan Kane; this is excellent, glad he didn't destruct himself as well.

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    3. Excellent! It was a blessing i didn't do something similar.

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  4. Loving your tale and like everyone else anxious to read more.

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    1. Elephant's Child; I'd like to read more myself. I wonder how it will go?

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  5. An excellent continuation of your story. Hopefully, there will be more to come. I'm sure I'm not alone eager to learn more. :)

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    1. Lee; I'd like it to keep going, but it isn't up to me. The words will decide.

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  6. Maybe it's not meant to be opened yet, until it leads her somewhere. You never know.

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    1. messymimi; that's the general idea I think, or maybe it opens magically when the time and place are right.

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  7. I hope good things come in small, delicately-etched, gold boxes...

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    1. Val; I think the box itself is a good thing, I'd love to have one.

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  8. Now I´m not only curious, I´m also very hungry! Hope next Friday to find out more.
    Three cheese, YUM!

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    1. Iris Flavia; I hope there is more to this also, but we'll have to wait and see.

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  9. I didn't use too many of the prompts today. Couldn't quite fit them in to my dragon story. However, here is my effort, better late than never.

    Without even discussing it, both Alcalador an Eleuthera both decided, separately to forget their imaginigs about one another and to get on with their mission. They were not here to indulge their personal fantasies. So in the morning, on a lovely day with a cloudless sky They flew off to visit the industrial centres of the world. On their first visit, they discovered that the skies were no longer cloudless and these centres of industry were belting out noxious smoke and other dangerous emissions. Whilst flying, they had already been disturbed by planes which were also dispensing noxious gases into the air. The surrounding countryside of these industrial areas were showing the traces of these poisons. They also visited areas which were embroiled in wars and viewed the rubble of destruction. They flew up into the wildlands of many countries and discovered the odd patch of emerald green grass which had not been spoiled. They also visited jungles and savannahs an talked to the wild animals. The plight of many of which made the pair of them weep. It occurred to Alcalador, that if there were more like him they could enhance the efficiency of the patrols of such areas. The setbacks encountered by those who were trying so hard to protect these animals particularly upset Alcalador knowing how his own race had suffered persecuring by unthinking humans although a message had come through to him that a witch had found a long hidden cache of dragon eggs which gave him hope for the future.

    Whilst in India, they talked to the tigers in the wild areas and got into a bit of an argument over the justification for killing human in these areas. They discussed the great floods which caused many deaths upstream and washed humans down into the mangroves where the tigers lived. Whilst they were there, there was a flood and pathetic human remains were carried into the area by the raging waters. One body was still partly draped in the ragged remains of a sari. The tigers took advantage and Alcalador decided that, at least, was a beneficial service provided by the tigers.

    Whilst on their travels they discovered a virulent disease rife in Whuhan, China, and decided if this was released among the human population it would cause untold damage to humans, but because everything would have to shut down, It would help the earth. They thought of engineering the release themselves but decided it would probably happen naturally. So they left it alone. They felt dragons and witches had carried enough blame for thing without taking on this extra burden. They rested for a while in a place which had felt the turmoils of war and found a pleasant garden where they would be undisturbed where there was a sad looking espaliered apple tree which was struggling to produce fruit despite being abandoned. Eleuthera helped herself to some of the deliciously juicy apples whilst they were there. Resting.

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    1. Oh Jo. This is very topical, and very sad. I do hope that Alcador and Eleuthera find a way to fulfil their fantasies - while healing the earth.

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    2. Actually I did think about making them resposible for spreading the virus as it didi in fact do so much good in the way of clearing air pollution etc. etc. But decided against it. I didn't want anyone to hate the pair of them.

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    3. Jo; are Alcalador and Eleuthera dragons? I do hope they find ways to heal the earth or at least improve it. I'm glad you didn't have them spreading the virus.

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