Wednesday 10 October 2012

Behind the Curtain - Flash Fiction Contest

Once upon a time there was the Once Upon A Time Writing Contest hosted by magnificent Fairy Queens Anna Meade and Suzi Holliday.

There were 88 fantastic entries altogether which were made into a beautiful book still available on Amazon.co.uk.

My story "A Moment Before Moving" is in there.

There was much jubilation as a mulititude of aspiring writers became published authors!

Anna has now set another challenge to write a darker tale under the banner of Behind the Curtain. There is a pinterest pinboard of haunting pictures for inspiration.

Here's my tale...do you dare follow me...?

Behind the Mirror

Red and yellow bunting was strung across the antiques stall at the end of the market. 

A wizened old man with a long grey beard peered out from behind the array of wares.  Most items were tatty, pulled out of a skip probably, someone else’s junk.

Classic books with broken spines that smelled like damp dog. Jewelry that sparkled but on closer inspection gems were missing and fastenings were broken. What appeared to be broken cobwebs was actually dusty fragile lace.

There was nothing terribly appealing but something kept me there, perhaps the hint of pink roses in the air?

Phoebe deserved a beautiful gift for passing her audition, something classic that would last for years to come. Time to look somewhere else.

As I started to turn away the man, held up a finger urging me to wait. He rummaged in a crate behind him and emerged lifting a heavy looking mirror with a gilt frame. Wiping it with his twisted fingers made it shine in the sunlight.

“For you or for a loved one?” The man asked in a rasping voice.

“For my daughter,” the words seemed to tumble out as I told him all about Phoebe, the audition at the prestigous dance academy, her dreams of being a ballerina.

Suddenly the town hall clock struck midday, time had flown, I had to dash.

“Here, take the mirror.” He presented it to me already wrapped and tied with string.

After lunch I gave Phoebe her gift.

“Mum it's gorgeous.” She threw her arms around me. I would miss her so much when she was gone.

“I thought for now we’d hang it from that nail on your bedroom door. You can check your reflection everytime you go out!”

Her carefree laughter filled the air, it lingered while I tidied up wraping round me like her hug.

At four I made up a tea tray, an old fashioned tradition we loved sharing. She must be studying hard there’d been barely a sound from upstairs all afternoon.

When I opened the bedroom door Pheobe was nowhere to be seen. She wasn’t in the bathroom and hadn’t sneaked back downstairs either.

On impulse I turned the mirror over, I heard the sound of familiar laughter, an overwhelming sickly smell of pink roses filled the air.

Balancing on the wire was a ballerina en pointe who looked suspiciously like my daughter.

 (399 words)

24 comments:

  1. Just wonderful, your descriptions of the stall are perfect and I just loved 'wrapping round me like her hug'. Such a feel good story till the kicker at the end, perfect :)

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    1. I like to write happy stories but then my dark side comes out from the shadows - Mwahahaha - evil laugh I learned from Ang!!!

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  2. Oooh, creepy and sinister Sarah, I wonder if she can make it back again? I loved your description of the books, jewellery and old lace.

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    1. Well now Angela has put that mirror picture as her Visual Dare prompt this week you will have to wait and see. She has characters stuck behind her mirror too!

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  3. Beautiful! I absolutely loved the ending and especially this line: "Her carefree laughter filled the air, it lingered while I tidied up wraping round me like her hug."

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    1. thanks for comment, hopefully that virtual hug will sustain her during the dark days ahead....

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  4. Beautiful descriptions. You really evoke the mother-daughter bond they have...and then it all turns sinister! Love it!

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  5. Great Sarah, your descriptions are so detailed they make everything come to life - I could see everything on the stall and more to the point I could smell it, which is even better.

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    1. I am really trying to use all the senses in my writing I'm glad it's working and you enjoyed my tale.

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  6. Absolutely loved this Sarah - I knew the mirror was going to be a much regretted purchase but I didn't know quite why! Lovely descriptions, particularly fond of 'damp dog'!

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    1. Decided to write a character who didn't like books!!! So that is entirely her view LOL

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  7. Gasp--this reminds me of a haunting Twilight Zone episode. Perfectly done and so welll written!

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    1. Thanks Diane, there's a follow up story inspired by Angela Goff's Visual Dare this week. What happens the other side of the mirror...
      http://re-ravelling.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/visual-dare-eclipse.html

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  8. Oh no! I saw this ending coming but when it came it was still tragic! Nicely done.

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  9. Beautiful story and I love the feel of the mother-daughter relationship portrayed in this. Such a sad ending!

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    1. I've been writing funny stories all week to make up for it!

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  10. I, too, loved the mother-daughter connection. What a challenge - you lose your child too young, but get to keep her forever...

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    1. does she get to keep her???? You should read the sequel, look up my "Visual Dare Eclipse" post....

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  11. Gah, twist like a nice. Great use of the image. Thanks for entering, Miss Sarah!

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    1. Why Miss Anna, you do set the most delightful challenges in all of the fairy kingdom!

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  12. OH! I was NOT expecting that. You took me off guard completely. Thank you! Hah.

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  13. Really nice story, but how did she get her back?! lol

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