The Unicorn Challenge.
A magical new weekly writing opportunity from her – Jenne Gray – and me.
Visit her blog every Friday to see the photo prompt, and post your amazing story in her comments section.
Or on your own blog, and stick the link down in her comments.
The rules are:
Maximum of 250 words.
Based on photo prompt.
That’s it.
To hear me read my story, just click here:
This piece is an edited excerpt from ‘Pingo’, my brilliant new novel
about the life, love and lies of a peripatetic poet.
Shadows
Sometimes Pingo is deeply introspective.
Especially in the night, when the past visits, and the ghosts and memories trample through his soul.
On such occasions Kay can slip uninvited into his mind.
She was known to his friends as ‘the horrible woman’.
To which he would reply, if only to himself, ‘Yeah, but she’s my horrible woman.’
And she was, in all honesty, very often quite horrible.
They said the best thing about her was her absence.
But that was, he reflects, rather harsh.
‘Why do you waste your time with her?’ he was asked, time and again, over a period of about eighteen months.
And he remembers his – usually unspoken – answer.
‘Because, just occasionally, the woman inside shines through.
Deep down, almost lost, almost forgotten, is the soul of a poet.
She is intelligent, and extensively self-educated.
She can be funny.
She can be fun.
She can even, when she forgets all the mostly self-inflicted pain in her life, be warm.’
But he’s aware that those occasions became increasingly less frequent.
The negatives started to outweigh the positives.
The good times became fewer, and the gaps between them longer.
Until, eventually, they no longer spent any time together.
And he remembers again how he felt then, and what he told himself.
‘I’m relieved.
I’ve moved on with my life.
I miss her.’
And so her shadow continues to visit him, with far too many others, in the darkest hours.
Now that is interesting… and also rather sad. Great piece, CE.
Like the relationship, Chris, interesting but sad.
At least there was never a dull moment, unlike now.
Nice one, CE.
Jings, Keef, I don’t do dull moments!
Wait till you see the book!
What a brilliant piece. Those of us who have had the privilege of experiencing a love as difficult as this one, understand immediately. Thank you
Thank you, Violet, you’re very kind. Privilege is an interesting word in this context, one that hadn’t previously occurred to me. Thoughtful.
There is a feeling of privilege when someone who is difficult to love loves you. That’s what I meant.
Valid point, Violet, but I’m not sure she was the only difficult one in the relationship.
“…she’s my horrible woman” — she was safe with him, understood. But misunderstood by so many others. I feel for them both.
Thanks, Sally, but sadly sometimes they just don’t work out.
And the darkest hours are just before dawn
Achingly sad yet sweetly beautiful, CE.
Thanks, Nancy, that’s a lovely comment
Quite welcome.
Lots to think about in this story. Sadness is there and the lessons and regret.
Thank you. I think there is always some sadness when a relationship ends, regardless of the reasons.
When a relationship ends it requires a reset of sorts.
This is beautifully written, sore and sad.
And the music of Jim Croce’s Lover’s Cross is playing in my head.
As aspect of life perfectly captured in your story.
And yes, looking forward to PINGO, coming soon…
‘…life, love and lies…’ – What? Another song playing in my head? Sweet Dreams Are Made of This…
Thanks, belatedly!