In this week’s unsettling flash fiction, we go back to the “good old days” to take a good hard look at ourselves. Join me?
Strap could never be sure she was real, but spent his life looking for her.
Strap was Lord Heaney’s eldest, a black-haired, thick-bodied bully. His father wouldn’t have him in the house, leaving Strap to pretend he managed the estate. He prowled the boundaries of his father’s land with his riding whip in hand. It twitched at every rustling leaf, any animal that didn’t move out of his way fast enough.
He was looking for her.
He had first seen her when he was 14 and decided he wanted her. She had white skin, green eyes, red hair, and the smile she had given him had promised cruelty. Whether it would be gladly given or gladly taken, he did not know.
Despite his family’s wealth, he had not a single friend in the village. The villagers kept their womenfolk, and their livestock, away from him. Even the priest had referred to him as “the unholy Strap” after finding his favourite horse blinded and bleeding from cuts to its face.
He was finally betrothed to a girl from the next county. In return for marrying the aging spinster, her family would give him control of the estate. It was a shame for the girl, but no one said a word so they could be free of him.
Strap wondered what his love would make of the marriage. She would know all about it by now. He could feel her wherever he went, even if he couldn’t see her.
Several times, she had come close enough for him to think he had caught her, but it had been a trick. She liked to lend her face to poor animals to suffer for his love.
She came to his wedding and wore his wife’s face for the ceremony, while witnesses surrounded them.
Their house too was never at peace, for they engaged a battery of nurses to look after the children, for she took turns to wear their faces, too.
He was happiest away from all of them. In the bathroom, she looked out at him from the mirror.
The most beautiful woman he had ever seen, trapped in his brutal, lumbering body.
If you liked that, you might like the exclusive short story coming in the July edition of my newsletter. It also involves a lot of staring, and someone’s very unusual… talent. There’s still time to sign up right here!
(If you didn’t enjoy this story, you might enjoy the exclusive short story coming in the July edition of my newsletter anyway. It involves someone’s very unusual… talent, and some staring. Sign up here to check it out! )
Otherwise, you might like to check out and buy this amazing cardboard gorilla puzzle.
Stehe vor dem Strahlencentre in Freiburg.
Kann die Sonderausgabe Juli diese Deine Geschichte noch toppen?
Bin freudiger Erwartung!
Übrigens die helle Haut mit den grünen Augen etc.würde mir auch gefallen-mal sehen was so noch kommt;schaue mich mal um.
Viel Freudiges wird auch Dich erwarten in der kommenden Umgebung-aber hoffentlich nicht ein Wesen mit grünen Augen.
Hat nicht Pudding solch einen stechenden grünen Blick-aber stets liebevolle Zuneigung ausstrahlen.
Werde mich nochmal in Deine Geschichte vertiefen…geniessen!!!