It was the opening exhibition, and she was a teensy-weensy nervous. She was wearing her good clothes (for once), and she had her best beret on her bonce (naturally). She held her champers while holding her pinkie out to look posh, as she helped herself with some dainty morsels.
It was terribly busy as everyone slowly milled around the various interesting (and uninteresting) paintings. It was always nice to see other artists, and many knew each other.
Then there was a loud couple of claps. An art critic appeared. There was a silence for a moment.
And the winner is…
~~~~~
Thanks to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers Genre: Historical Fiction Word Count: 100 (Not counting the lengthy title)
All of them were back in Paris, and how lovely they felt now – Joan had a long and relaxing huge bath, she loved to float around it; Scatty had a very hot and quick shower, she was almost buzzing; while the guys had been freshening up.
It seemed that none of them were bothered about those gems anymore, maybe because they don’t need any dosh, since they have oodles of cash around several banks and vaults, and also several countries – old and ancient vampires and other creatures have always looked after their money.
But where was the red-headed woman, and where were those two gargoyles? and maybe you might wonder about that too, so let’s listen in for a while.
The red-headed woman was making a plan and a plot (as often she would); she was not into the territory yet, and at least she wasn’t at the end of her tether, although this was going to be tricky, she glanced at the two gargoyles, ‘well, we have many teachable things, including getting those diamonds to Monsieur Bourbon.’
‘We need to get across several streets, including that busy boulevard, and definitely no talking, taunting or anything else; just keep quiet… remember, mums the word.’
The two of them said, ‘we will try to look as normal as we can, we will wear proper clothes and put on trilby hats; we will blend in as we walk – plus, we won’t talk to that monkey just there… oh gosh, it’s Clouseau… again!’
‘That’s odd.’ ‘What do you mean?’ ‘Well… look.’ They both stopped.
‘It’s a new building.’ ‘So?’ ‘All those structures feel unreal.’ ‘What??’ She continued to stare. ‘Definitely peculiar.’
‘But I wonder whether we could get a coffee there?’
They walked up to the building, but then they were both stumped. ‘There’s no doors.’ They peered into the coffee area, although there was no coffee brewing. ‘I don’t think they are real people. They’re definitely busy, but I’m sure they are all bots and artificial cloning things.’
Suddenly all the windows became opaque. ‘More than weird.’ ‘Let’s back away… and quickly.’
~~~~~
Thanks to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers Genre: Historical Fiction Word Count: 100
There was an announcement from the loudspeaker on the train which said, ‘it will arrive at the station in four minutes’ – ‘that’s our cue,’ grinned the red headed woman, as she looked outside to see the station car park, where she could see that elegant limousine.
The red headed woman could also see those two gargoyles who had been skulking in the car park right by the wall, and now she was certain they would be able to get into the limo as usual, while Mr Cushing would open the rear door, as the two of them trundled to the end of the very long car.
Meanwhile, Mr Cushing and The Old One had been talking about movies, – ‘I did like a meaty role,’ explained Mr Cushing – ‘great actors, like Clouseau and Cato,’ as they both grinned.
‘Come on, we need to get off this train,’ said the red headed woman, as she grabbed her big bag and made her way to the exit doors; she smiled to the little girl who she’d met in the other coach, while saying, ‘thanks mate’, to the dad.
Scatty, Joan and Francis also followed as they all alighted from the train, as they made their way to the station car park; it seemed there was a mass of people around there, but there was no problem to find that gorgeous car.
‘Everyone in,’ smiled Mr Cushing, as he glanced back at all of them, ‘we’ll be flying soon (figuratively speaking, of course).
It was the first of March and a rather chilly day, but I decided to have a little walk in the fresh air. It had been wet and muddy underfoot so I put my wellies on. I trudged across a few roads before I came to the park and the smallish river.
I stopped in the middle of the bridge, and peered across and down to the river. Not much to see though. No fishes unless they were at the bottom, but that was probably true. No birds around either, as I turned to look and the other side of the bridge. This was the upside of the river, the right place to play Pooh Sticks, as I grinned to myself, although it’s not much fun to play on one’s own.
It was time to head back. And time to think about some hot coffee and a couple of Hobnobs!
They stood together watching another glorious sunset, and saying nothing for several minutes.
‘So why did you mention aliens?’ ‘Whoa. Look.’ She pointed her finger as a bright light zoomed across the sky. He said nothing. ‘Didn’t you see it?’ ‘Nope.’ ‘Hmm,’ she huffed.
She was still looking around the sky, when another one happened. ‘It’s that little bright green light again.’
But then it dawned on him. ‘Our son’s sitting just inside. He’s playing with a laser pointer pen and it’s green.’ ‘Well, at least he’s stopped doodling on our walls!’
~~~
Thanks to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers Genre: It’s been one of those weeks. Words that Don’t Particularly Count: 100
Mr Cushing had continued to drive, as a smallish town appeared; then The Old One said: ‘the signpost, look, that will be the station just down there, and next to it will be the station car park,’ -the Old One was still using his smartphone on GPS as he said, ‘take a left… indicate, now!’
Mr Cushing just raised one eyebrow a little, as he smoothly drove down to the station car park, while carefully looking in his rear mirror – still no gendarmes and no Inspector Clouseau, a small smile appeared.
Meanwhile, the red-headed woman had been using her own smartphone to ping to WhatsApp as another phone pinged back; she grinned as she started an important conversation.
And this is how it went, but using condensed words and useful emojis:- I’m not sure that faith comes into this – not faith, just practical things, hmm, gems… diamonds – well I know what to do, I know a former jeweller who became a fence, he’s called Monsieur Bourbon, it’s near Montmartre, just a few streets from where I stay, as she winked and used a thumbs-up sign.
The red-headed woman pocketed her smartphone, as Scatty, Joan and Francis all looked at her with various very quizzical questions – who, what and why… and when?
She held up her hands with a radiant smile – ‘all of us, plus Mr Cushing, the Old One, and of course, those two who we know very well, we’ll be back in Paris, very, very soon – mark my words.’
‘Come on, another race?’ ‘I’m game, let’s go further into the woods.’ The two of them pedalled as fast as they could until both of them stopped… dead.
‘What a fantastic tree. It must have been chopped down.’ ‘But that’s a shame.’ ‘I guess so… but, well…’ as he trailed off with a thought.
The two of them dropped their bikes. They walked around that huge broken down tree. They climbed up for a while, until both of them dropped down again. They stood together just a few metres away, and they stared and stared again at that upside down tree. For a while, they seemed to be mesmerised, but then they started to giggle.
And who can draw something as good as they did? Now that end of the tree has a proper face, a big nose, a sad mouth, and two tiny eyes.
Barbeque? Well, not usually called it here. We prefer the word ‘braai’. But it’s just a way to say, ‘howzit’.
It’s time to open some beer… naturally, and to make sure all the meat is arranged around the grill, since everyone has something different.
The women have brought salads and stuff. They’re already ‘skinnering’ (gossiping), and very happy with that. Now it’s the perfect time for ‘sundowners’ for the girls… some lovely white wine – and chilled.
Route 66? Almost. This is Route 62!
Thanks to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers Genre: Historical Fiction Word Count: 100
Meanwhile, The Old One and Mr Cushing had managed to get across all those sheds without being noticed by those many gendarmes around that large farm, and they had a hairy time while that bumbling Inspector Clouseau had been laying across that gorgeous limo.
‘Outrageous,’ muttered Mr Cushing, as he clenched his teeth, while both of them hid in some bushes until Inspector Clouseau somehow or other managed to fall down to the ground from that very expensive car; he stood up rather quickly, as he moved away to catch up to all those gendarmes.
‘Now’s our chance,’ grinned The Old One, as Mr Cushing pulled out his keys; ‘no wishful thinking with this perfect purring car,’ as he gunned into reverse, and very, very quickly, he swung a right, and then put it onto drive, ‘zoom on, we’re on the move,’ as both of them grinned with glee, ‘what wits we are!’
They were racing through the countryside, Mr Cushing drove swiftly, while The Old One used his smartphone: ‘hear we are,’ he said, ‘I’ve the GPS, we can find them near the rails and then to the nearest station, hmm, excellent.’
Then The Old One started a soliloquy, almost like a fourth wall he thought to himself: ‘I think I might be a writer, I feel I should write my memoirs, but only the highlights,’ as he took out his posh pen and beautiful notebook.
Mr Cushing glanced at him, and said: ‘you’re going to be busy then.’