Friday Flash Fiction #6
Today's supernatural Friday flash comes with a bonus drabble. It was the first piece I wrote that didn't quite fit in with my running theme of supernatural flash.
Photo by zoezo
LAMP
The lady in the lamp is weeping. Her tears are oil drawn up the spout, burning as light for the table. I’ve tried to release her—despite the beatings, despite the seal that binds her—too many nights to count. Tonight, as the gentry feast, her tears shine for me their true faces and I know what must be done.
In darkness we flee together; the hounds quick at my scent till we fall into the keeping of the dark and quiet lake. The lady seeps from the spout. Her tears are seductive as she draws me down into dark.
100 words
©Quinn Smythwood 2011
100 words (Drabble). Is it a story? You decide. Is there a mythic being/beastie you would like to see tackled in these Friday Flash Fiction pieces? I’d love to hear about your favourites and maybe you’ll see them in a 100 word flash soon! If you've written a Friday Flash Fiction piece why not let me know about it in the comments? I'd love to read your offering.
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bonus drabble
LAMP
There was no return address. Inside the parcel was a brash coloured lamp all fire and gold and oil-sheen-peacock. There was no note. Still, I kept it. At first only for its beauty until it consumed me with primal obsession.
The lid of the lamp is sealed. The spout is a narrow pinhole. Yet a filament light twinkles within. My certainty grows as it shines day and night. I polish it, yet no genie is summoned to hear and obey my every command. I don’t give up.
Sometimes I hear him laugh as I rub and rub my fingers raw.
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Featuring my contribution: Night Job
9 comments:
Yes, there has to be a genie if there's a lamp, right? These were both good. Great twist on the second one, where the genie doesn't come out!
Verification word: "flonot" — describing what the genie isn't doing. :-D
The first one was very compelling. I might be wrong, but it sounded like true love?
I agree with Larry. I liked your take on the genie.
I liked them both - so much psychological drama in the narrators.
For the first, I'd question what the narrator is doing to release her if it's only despite the seal. Focus on the seal, dude!
Poor lady in the lamp.
I was totally absorbed by the ethereal nature of the first story, then loved the line "all fire and gold and oil-sheen-peacock." in the second. Great stuff.
Well they feel like the stories! Espiaclly the second one - like how the genie won't come out and just laughs at her.
The first story had an unearthly feel to it and I loved the desire in the second one to keep keeping on in the second especially this line "yet no genie is summoned to hear and obey my every command. I don’t give up"
You fit a lot of story into a few words. Evocative stuff. I too enjoyed the genie refusing to come out.
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