Goodwood

Goodwood

Friday 23 September 2011

Imago: Nightmare in Paris

Second Campaigner Challenge from @RachaelHarrie

The Challenge is:

Write a blog post in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, whether flash fiction, non-fiction, humorous blog musings, poem, etc. The blog post should:
• include the word "imago" in the title
• include the following 4 random words: "miasma," "lacuna," "oscitate," "synchronicity,"
If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional and included in the word count), make reference to a mirror in your post. For me this was not possible…

Hope you like my flash fiction:

Imago: Nightmare in Paris

A dustbin lid clanged nosily down a back alley in Montmartre. Mariella drifted home casually until the one person she didn't want to meet turned into the street.

The old man stood blocking her egress. Unwashed. A shabby overcoat tied with string, hid an even dirtier shirt. Grubby trousers and worn out shoes in need of repair. He shuffled closer.

She wondered if there was time to escape. It was beginning to snow. What was she going to do? She needed to blend with her surroundings.

‘What brings you to this neck of the woods?’ Randolph enquired, wreathed in a miasma of scented roses, which swirled about his being.

Her senses kicked into overdrive, eyes changed from amber to steel blue, as her tongue darted out. She tasted the air. Mariella struggled to resist its influence, she could not fall under his spell. Not now. Not ever.

He smiled benignly.

She touched her arm, the lacuna glowed warmer than usual, a sure signal it was time to depart.

Randolph let his mind drift. At that moment he began to oscitate, as synchronicity kicked in and together they recalled his accident. He stroked his collar bone. ‘Where’s your fighting spirit girl?’

18 comments:

  1. This is a completely different style from a lot of the other entries, and I really enjoyed it. Great use of the challenge words! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Not a good dude to meet in a dark alley--makes me wonder how they are connected. Great set up into a tense scene of confrontation!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Really interesting. I want to hear more. Mine is #29

    ReplyDelete
  4. Meeting someone in ally is never good. Hope she lives.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow, I love that Randolph smells of roses. Not the impression I got from the description of his clothing! There is definitely much more going on here, and I'd like to know more! Fantastic job.
    Mine is #3.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ooh, la vache. I liked it. Bonne chance!

    ReplyDelete
  7. More, please! I'm dying to know what happens next!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I want to know what happens next. Great piece.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Very good description of the words. Wonderfully written. Is it a vampire and a bum? Tell me more. I'm #76, come on by and bring your friends, vampires and all.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hmmm, intriguing. Liked the Parisian setting and thought the descriptions were very evocative.

    ReplyDelete
  11. You've got a way of saying more then what is merely called "200 words"
    YOu have a knack with describing more with less.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love the contrast between the description of the clothing and the scent around him. Intriguing, definitely!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh wow! This has sheer mystery written all over it. Now I want to know more about everyone you've introduced. Awesome setting and characters.

    Great job, Kay! :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love the mystery of this piece. Great use of the words. It flowed so smoothly. Good job! :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. The setting, imagery, and tone is wonderful. Great job.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Great setting and contrast between his image and scent. I definitely want to know more.

    ReplyDelete
  17. A mystery of the highest caliber captured in a few words. Great ease in word usage. You are a writer. Excellent and WOW.

    #188

    ReplyDelete
  18. You made me want to know more about these two and the history between them. Great job!

    #189

    ReplyDelete