Category Magpie Tales

The Girl – Magpie Tales

freyathewriter 9 Comments

socks

The Girl had given up long ago. You could see it in her eyes.

She had decided – as young girls often do when life turns on them, viper fast and twice as deadly – that self-protection was her only option.

She pulled up her drawbridge. She armed her battlements. She opted for ‘No’ when she desired ‘Yes’.

Oh, The Girl’s life was safer, alright. How could it be anything more when she had turned her back on the world? How could she take risks with her arms folded tightly across her chest and her hands clenched into tiny fists?

She looked, but she did not see. She observed and noticed nothing.

She turned inwards. She defended herself from anyone and everything.

And so, she disappeared.

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Here’s my latest entry into Magpie Tales. I don’t know why this picture of cosy winter socks took me down this road. Sometimes, the muse is slant-eyed…

Please visit Magpie Tales for more creativity – you know you want to!

False Lights – Magpie Tales

freyathewriter 23 Comments

boots (2)

We struggle for money, aye. It’s always hand to mouth and Mum says it was the same for her growing up, and for Granny and Grandad, and for their parents too, Old Sam Trelawney and his wife, Smiling Nell.

They called her Smiling Nell after the scar that pulled her mouth upwards into a grin. When she was just been married and carrying my Grandad in her belly, she tripped on a rope and cut her face on her filleting knife down at the wharf.

Dad didn’t want us to be short of money and didn’t see why we should just be poor. He always said that times needed to change.

Well, they have now, with him in a sailor’s uniform, firing cannon and all.

Thing is, we have even less than before – a sailor’s pay ain’t so grand, not even half he got for setting down to the shore with his men, waving his lights and pulling the boats on to the rocks. I followed them all, silent as a ghost, lying on the cliff top out of sight of the Wrecker’s Moon. Yes, he risked his life and liberty then, but the rewards were mighty fine. I still have a silk shawl to prove it – it smells of the sea.

Now he’s away, earning the King’s shilling, and he might never come back

Nan says he brought it on himself and he should be thankful he didn’t swing for it.

Nan’s not always right, just like Mum never wants to hear the truth. Wrecking is mighty exciting, I think. I’m going to be the best lady wrecker in all of Cornwall when I’m old enough.

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Here’s my latest entry into Magpie Tales – I hope you enjoy it! If it feels like you’ve stepped part way into a story, you’ll be right! Here’s the first instalment submitted to VisDare, and then the second instalment submitted to Five Sentence Fiction.

This week, they are all told by the same young lady, and we are treated to her own firm but (probably) fair views on life, death, truths and falsehoods. I hope you enjoy the stories – please do visit Magpie Tales for more!

What You Wish For – Magpie Tales

freyathewriter 10 Comments

morning curtains

“Clara, this hotel really wasn’t what I was hoping for. I’m really rather disappointed. I thought the Swiss were all about precision, order and cleanliness? Aren’t net curtains supposed to cover the entire window?”

For goodness sake, Beatty! All you’ve done since we got here is moan. First it was the food, then it was the snow, then it was the language barrier. Now, it’s the hotel. Do you even know how much it costs to stay in hotels all the time? We’re running out of money!”

“But why didn’t you say? Graham always handled that side of things….”

“I’m telling you now. Honestly, do you think money grows on trees?”

“Oh, you’re so mean? You sound just like Graham!”

“Beatty, I’m sorry, but I’m starting to hav some sympathy with the man. You really are clueless.”

“And now I know what Jeremy meant when he told me how hard you are. Poor, poor man!”

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Here’s my latest entry into Magpie Tales – In a similar manner to last week, I wrote two tales earlier for VisDare and Five Sentence Fiction, and thought it would be good to round them off with this little offering.

This week, we have first, Little Women, second, Little Men, and to round it off, this tale.  Did anybody get what they wanted?