The Old Vampire

Chris Hall52 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

previously

She had been looking at her smartphone many times, but there was nothing there, the two gargoyles had not moved at all and the cemetery was also silent in the moonlight, apart from a couple of young people who had almost shed all their clothing; the red-head woman had looked away, and up over the city into Montmartre, as she sighed and got into bed.

The next day was the weekend and it was particularly busy: the bells had been ringing around the two cathedrals and there was music everywhere, there was even a very tall clown wearing bangles, bows and buttons, and he was playing a tambourine; the red-head looked down from her tiny flat, she rubbed her head, as she decided to go out and down.

Meanwhile the two gargoyles laughed out loud as the red-head woman walked away; they knew that this would only work if she went on her own.

Too much noise still, thought the red-head woman, as she began to walk down one of the cobble streets; the music was strident and strange, as the frequency began to build like a big beat on the drum – faster and faster – the noise was unbearable, and then suddenly… it stopped.

‘Who is this?’ – she looked around, and then she saw a high window in the old house, she looked again to see a young girl.

Suddenly she remembered what the gargoyles said, and she realised this was a vampire – but she was not expecting this one.

next episode

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Posted for The Unicorn Challenge, a magical challenge hosted by Jenne Gray and C E Ayr, where they provide a photo and we, in turn, provide up to 250 words.

Di of Pensitivity 101 – Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: BELLS, BUTTONS, BOWS

Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge
Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: FREQUENCY

My Mask

Chris Hall77 Comments

she hides behind a mask
not revealing herself
she moves sedately
most of the time
but sometimes
she’s free and lithe
she dances
around in the dark
no one can see
and then, in the morning
she hides her face again
behind her mask

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Image credit: Michael Dziedzic @ Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows a mechanical mask held by a metal hand. Both the eyes are staring in different directions.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #242 photo prompt.

What do you see # 242- June 24th

Unfinished Business

Chris Hall45 Comments

Photo by Andrew Stutesman on Unsplash

previously

The two gargoyles had nodded sagely, as the red-head woman watched both of them, a moment later one of them took out a smartphone and began to messaging, while both of the gargoyles chatted quickly; meanwhile, the red-head woman seemed rather astonished – a phone?! – she peered at it, and it was even newer than hers.

‘We’re busy now – and we have moved into the 21st century – who wouldn’t? but anyway, we need some help too, since we now know that this place goes back to 1789 and the Revolution, not that it matters any more, probably; but never mind just now, we need the old vampire – no, don’t worry – he is on our side.’

The red-head woman raised an eyebrow, as she wondered where she was needed any more, and anyway she was getting restless, although a vampire sounded interesting; she decided to focus on what was happening, ‘you said only two days, what was that?’ – just as her vision cleared – ‘oh, of course, the full moon.’

The two gargoyles almost giggled to each other, ‘now, we need a proper plan, it will all go swimmingly (not like last time… definitely not), okay?’ – ‘yes indeed, and especially since this is the summer solstice, very special in our calendar, don’t you agree?’

The red-head woman was about to explain for the people who live in the southern hemisphere, but she decided not to complicate it, instead she stared over the roof where she saw the beautiful view… how lovely.

next episode

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Di of Pensitivity 101 – Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: VIEW, SAW, VISION

Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge
Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: MOVE

Up into the light

Chris Hall53 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

You hanker down wondering what to do, as you look right and left. It’s a lonely, dark and strange place, and the road is steep and narrow. Slowly you go up, as it twists and turns, you are not distracted, you keep going.

You trudge on, feeling anguish and pain. It’s taking so long, but still you’re going in the right direction, even though it’s so arduous. You’re feeling that you’re falling away, but you have to go on.

Don’t look back (whatever you do) keep going.
Don’t look too far.
Don’t look up, not yet.

You want to go into the sunshine but it’s still too dark and too frightening.
You are desperate to see the sunshine… please!

You want to go into another place.

You start to climb.
Going up and up again and you’re feeling more confident at least.
As you go into this special place – at last.

You turn around this time and you look back.
Now it’s time. Definitely.
Be bold, be happy – it’s coming…

You go into the light now. The sky is blissful.
And you walk into the sunset now and later you run into the moon and the stars.|
You will be a new star… yes!

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Posted for The Unicorn Challenge, a magical challenge hosted by Jenne Gray and C E Ayr, where they provide a photo and we, in turn, provide up to 250 words.

Back up to the roof

Chris Hall42 Comments

Photo by daveygravyouis on Unsplash

previously

The red-head woman had been poring over the ancient documents, doing her damndest to make any sense at all, she had been searching for clues and she had made some headway, but not enough.

She looked out from her tiny balcony where she could just see the old building round the corner; it was going dark – time to go – she closed the screen and put her tablet on the table, it seemed unlikely that she’d need that up there.

She had made her way to the old building, making sure no one was around, as she quickly opened the door with her key, and shut it again; she could already hear the two gargoyles bickering on the roof, as usual, but what were they saying?

‘Well, we’ve both heard on the grapevine that this old place would be replaced with a grand and tall building, but where can we go? – they were wringing their hands.

As she got up and so close this time, she realized how huge and ugly they were, quite terrifying in fact, but she was hardly the type who would faint; so she smiled as brightly as she could, and said, ‘I think you could help me… please?’

The two gargoyles did their best to smile back, ‘we are happy to help, as we can talk and read in several languages, so let’s see,’ – while the red-head woman spread out the ancient deeds – two gargoyles peered at them – ‘August 1789’ sacre-bleu!– so you know what this means…

next episode

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Di of Pensitivity 101 – Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: TABLET, SCREEN, KEY

Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge
Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: FAINT

Back in her cubbyhole

Chris Hall49 Comments

Photo by Louis Paulin on Unsplash

previously

The red-head woman climbed up the rickety stairs to the top level of her tiny flat, as she lugged her big bag which contained all those interesting things, which she had brought from that antique safe in that old almost empty building.

Earlier she still could hardly believe what had happened just by the spooky cemetery around the corner; one of the graves had exploded, as a chasm appeared, for several minutes it was chaos, but then the chasm had closed and the large grave looked just the same as before.

She had been about to go back down from the roof, when she saw the two gargoyles flying away; she felt rather sad to see them go and she wondered if she would see them again, but then she heard one of them shout back to her – see you later!

She shook her head for a moment, but now she was busy again; she had removed everything from her bag and spread them around her bed; there was an old beautiful book, various important documents and nestling in the little box – a ring – she quickly put on her finger, it was set in a lovely ruby, maybe an engagement ring, she’d thought?

She looked at the deeds that were very difficult to read, she scrolled down – French was not her first language – but she could tell that this was something about the old building where the gargoyles stay.

Now there is a thought – do gargoyles read?

next episode

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Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge
Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: ENGAGEMENT

Beautiful Babe

Chris Hall58 Comments

eyes so large and blue
tiny hands and tiny toes
she smiles at the camera
what a pretty pose, she grins

she wonders who she’ll be
will she be a painter or a poet
maybe a doctor or a judge
she can be anyone at all

she laughs out loud
and gives a little wink
but just for the moment
she’s busy with her blocks

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Image credit: Colin Maynard @ Unsplash 

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows a Caucasian baby around one year old, staring into the camera with her big blue-grey eyes. In her hands, she’s holding a wooden block that she is trying to eat.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #241 photo prompt.

What do you see # 241- 3rd June, 2024

Notre-Dame

Chris Hall69 Comments

Photo by KaLisa Veer on Unsplash

previously

The red-head woman ducked down from the roof, it was all very well to watch all this stuff around the cemetery and the two gargoyles were still bickering (she had been thinking about that though, especially of this old building would be razed to the ground) but something more important needed to be done: it was the antique safe – last push more to open it.

But first she needed to drink; she opened her flask and poured, then lifted up her hot cup of coffee, she took several gulps, then it was time to finish that job.

She had tried this several times, turning the lock back and forth, and she was pretty certain it would open this time: turn to the right ‘C’ 4 times, left ‘L’ 3 times, right ‘E’ 2 times, left ‘F’ 1 time, then right to stop; and there it goes, the mechanical combination safe was open!

She grinned for a moment, then dived in; a little later, she created a little dance around the room, then she pocketed several chosen things.

She was about to leave the back entrance of the old building, but she decided to go up onto the roof once more; it was dark again, as the moon was obscured, she peered over the roof where she could hear voices down in the cemetery, but what was happening?

Suddenly, one of the large graves exploded, ash poured out as a deep chasm appeared; fire licked up around the buildings; it was chaos.

next episode

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Di of Pensitivity 101 – Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: CREATE, CHAOS, CHASM

Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge
Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: LIFT

Let’s Write

Chris Hall45 Comments

What am I going to do today?
Perhaps I could make a list
I drift around the house
And I ponder.

There’s so many things in my brain
What should I choose first?

I’m busy on my laptop
And I’m busy on my phone
And then I walk around the garden
Hoping something will come out in my speech.

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Image credit:  Dollar Gill @ Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows an open book lying on a flat surface, its pages ruffled as by wind. Behind we see a luminous blue globe, and some fuzzy fairy lights, and in the distance a cloudy sky can be seen.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #240 photo prompt.

What do you see # 240 – May 27, 2024

Full Moon

Chris Hall48 Comments

Photo by Abdullah Ahmad on Unsplash

previously

‘That can’t be,’ she she thought, ‘two gargoyles moving around on the roof?’ she stared for several minutes, but the gargoyles stood completely still, as she had expected; she clambered over the shallow roof, it was time to get busy – as she went back down the rickety stairs, she was going to pick a lock.

The red-head woman had been all around the old building – twice – where she had been casing the joint; there was not much there anymore, but in the basement there was something useful, it was an antique safe – all she needed was some time and patience: she had done this before.

She had her torch and her picking things; she had been at this for more than an hour, but it’s almost there; suddenly she heard a noise on the roof; a moment later she was taken back with amazement – the two gargoyles were very much alive – and bickering.

We need a new place because the old one would be replaced with a grand and tall building, and that’s no good, but where will we go?’ – ‘I don’t know where and it’s too dark to see,’ but then suddenly the full moon breaks out and all the roofs were almost light here in Montmartre.

The red-head woman could hardly believe it, she stared around wondering what might happen next; it was almost midnight as she looked down to the cemetery – just behind her – bats and owls, and mythical things – very spooky.

next episode

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Denise Farley of Girlie On The Edge
Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: LIGHT