Flash Fiction Friday (46)

Dottie over at Tink's Place have come up with the idea for a Monday Morning Flash Fiction challenge. Each Monday a new picture prompt will be posted and if you choose to participate you post your story on Friday - 350 words, give or take.

I have to thank Blodeuedd at Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell for introducing me to this fun meme. I don't know if I'll be able to keep up with every week, but I'll give it a try from time to time.

The Image This Week:

(we don't have the artist of this lovely, haunting picture. Sorry)

Story By:  Melissa

I walk into my sparse study, with a stiffness I haven't felt in years, lifting my restricting skirt to my waist, I try to lounge as comfortable as I can in this hard high back chair.  It's the only chair here, at the moment.  I need to add some flare to the room, since I'm starting to make more money.  My adoring fans will want to meet with me in private so I'll need more furniture, maybe a chaise lounge, love seat, or a couch.  But now I need to relax.

I can feel her rising against me.  The dark shadow I've pushed away, hidden in the recesses of my darkest shadows of a thought.  She is growing stronger now.  So much so, when I look in the mirror I take a chance that I won't recognize myself.  In the place of my sun struck blond hair; oily raven dark hair.  The dark side of me, the one that made all this possible for me.

She once was a beautiful girl, looked like I do now and I her, but I couldn't have her wandering around.  Not when I wanted the life she had and she wouldn't share with me.  Now she's the darkness hidden in me, becoming a vampire of sorts.  She lives off my energy, sucking it from me more and more these days.

I'll have to find someone to help me contain her again.  I can't lose everything to a little whelp like her.  She was kind and trusting once, but now I can feel the loathing and dark desires stirring.

With a sigh, I lay my head back on the decorative carving at the top of the cherry wood chair, and stare at the ceiling.  She has exhausted me today.  She is stirring greatly.

In the corner of my eye I see the shadow move.  I jerk, there in the corner of the mirror over the ornate fireplace; she's watching and surfacing easier.

My time might be running out.  Then what?  She will kill me, its plain as that.  I feel her thinking, planning.

I growl, reach for the tea cup on the table.  I watch it shatter against the mirror, leaving a little spider crack on the mirror.  I realize, now I'm yelling and my chest heaving.  Damn her!  She might have started this life, but she is not hard enough to live it.  She can not come back!  I've been protecting her this long, I will win out again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, I was having a moment yesterday.  I don't know if this flash will make any sense to anyone, but it felt good to get it out, and twist it to that picture.

415 words and I felt better.

Don't know if I'm really back to the flash stories again, I seem to be off my game with stuff here around home, but its a try.