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Futures

by Jumbo 

Posted: 13 March 2008
Word Count: 300
Summary: Mine for Bill's Tremor challenge


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The streets are empty and cold. The wind howls like a clutch of castrated angels and hailstones fall in squadrons of iced-diamonds to bounce from liquid-ebony pavements.

At a cross-road there is a long terrace of choices, a row of properties with whitewashed facades and moonlit drapes. Blood-tipped railings protect dark stairwells that descend towards hidden basements.

Beneath a streetlight are steps that lead to a single doorway swathed in molten cobwebs, and I climb the layers of polished marble to reach the portal. My hand reaches for the door but it opens before I make contact with its silken coat.

I see a dark corridor and, at the far end, a table bearing a single candle: its flickering blue flame draws me in. And there is music. The echo of my world falling apart: a deep vibration that resonates across the atrium, the call of humpbacks patrolling the bow-waves of my emotions.

I take a step onto carpets of memories.

To my right there is an archway and beyond its curved entrance we lie together. A chorus of evening symphonies sing to us as love spills from the rent at the centre of my life. Friends hover in the corners of this scene, crying at our shadows. The sound of their grief fades to nothing, leaving only the after-taste of lilac pollen and balsamic.

To my left, the space though another arch is filled with whirlpools of impenetrable mist. As the swirling clouds rise and fall they beckon me to a place and time that I have yet to know. I ask if I will see you there. But there is no reply.

The flame of the candle tells me it is my choice: to move on or to retreat.

I choose the future.

And I leave you behind.






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Comments by other Members



tusker at 16:15 on 13 March 2008  Report this post
So sad, so lyrical.

Jennifer

V`yonne at 16:19 on 13 March 2008  Report this post
That is such an ending! I thought at first the angels were on crutches because they'd been castrated - then of course I realised it said clutch.

I wasn't sure about
carpets of memories.
felt it cloy. I really liked the bitter and dead flower imagery of lilac pollen and balsamic - nice one.
And At a cross-road there is a long terrace of choices,
Lovely phrasing.

Good flash John. Liked

Elbowsnitch at 16:43 on 13 March 2008  Report this post
Wonderful writing, Avis. I love

The wind howls like a clutch of castrated angels and hailstones fall in squadrons of iced-diamonds to bounce from liquid-ebony pavements.

At a cross-road there is a long terrace of choices, a row of properties with whitewashed fascias and moonlit drapes. Blood-tipped railings protect dark stairwells that descend towards hidden basements.


Beautiful! Don't think you need a hyphen between iced and diamonds?

Frances


<Added>

Sorry, I meant John, not Avis!

tiger_bright at 18:47 on 13 March 2008  Report this post
Great rich, sensory detail here, Jumbs. I loved the carpet of memories, by the way, I'd definitely keep that. The only bit I'd consider snipping (apart from the angels - ha!) is the bit about the door's rustic coat. I wasn't sure "rustic" suited all the marble and what not.

The wind howls like a clutch of castrated angels

Brilliant!

Thanks for a great read,

Tiger

Forbes at 23:29 on 13 March 2008  Report this post
Deep stuff John - I can't get the meaning here. I thought the MC had gone to pay respects to a dead lover - and then the sequence

To my right...crying at our shadows.


threw me - were they making love in public I thought?

and that phrase
the rent at the centre of my life


threw me - twice.

I see now you are talking about tear, hole...but I read it as rent - paying a sum of money for the use of..and maybe both fit.

Lovely use of language, even if I can't solve it fully. And in the end, though sad, it seems hopeful for the future.

TFR

Avis

Jumbo at 00:28 on 14 March 2008  Report this post
Thanks, Jennifer.

Jumbo at 00:30 on 14 March 2008  Report this post
Oonah

Hi

Glad you liked it. That means a lot. Thanks for your kind comments.

All the best

john

Jumbo at 00:31 on 14 March 2008  Report this post
Frances

Thanks for your positive comments. They're much appreciated.

I wasn't sure about that hyphen, But if I take it out now I'll blow the word count. What to do? What to do?

Thanks again. All the best

john

Jumbo at 00:34 on 14 March 2008  Report this post
tiger

Hi

Would you believe that 'rustic' is the third adjective I've used to describe that damn door? I guess you would. Anyway, I'll keep looking.

Glad you liked it, your comments are much appreciated - as always.

Cheers

john



Jumbo at 00:37 on 14 March 2008  Report this post
Avis

Thanks for reading - and for your comments, even if this one didn't quite hit the spot.

Interesting interpretation of 'rent'. I hadn't seen that before, but I take your point.

And I'm glad that the spark of hope came through.

Thanks for your time with this.

All the best

john

tiger_bright at 10:09 on 14 March 2008  Report this post
Hi Jumbs - how about ornate? Or have you used that elsewhere in the piece? Or elaborate? Hmm. Good luck!

Tiger

crowspark at 13:53 on 14 March 2008  Report this post

Hi John

Strong attention grabbing opening. Temperature, sound and strong visuals.

Blood-tipped railings protect dark stairwells that descend towards hidden basements.


Loved that.

Wasn't sure about the door's rustic coat - maybe pitted surface?

a deep vibration that resonates across the atrium, the call of humpbacks patrolling the oceans of my existence.


Fabulous, although I'm a little wary of "oceans of my existance" but I cann't think of an alternative at the moment.

Ditto, carpets of memories.

Great ending.

Wonderful visuals which remind me of the work of Magic Realist painter Paul Delvaux.

I really enjoyed this.
Thanks for sharing.

Bill



Cholero at 11:32 on 15 March 2008  Report this post
John

Lovely writing, original, lucid, mysterious and moving, every sense assaulted, even the 6th!

Loved
liquid-ebony pavements.
and
At a cross-road there is a long terrace of choices

Loved the blue candle flame.

Balked at rustic coat didn't know what to I should be seeing.

In writing otherwise so idiosyncratic, I stumbled at impenetrable mist.

Stand-out line for me:
love spills from the rent at the centre of my life

Good ending, with the decision to fight on despite all the pain and confusion. A partner-piece to your last-but-one flash maybe?

Best

Pete

Jumbo at 12:21 on 15 March 2008  Report this post
Thanks tiger.

Leave it with me.

Cheers

Jumbo at 12:29 on 15 March 2008  Report this post
Bill

Hi

As always thanks for your positive and supportive comments.

Glad this worked for you - and thanks also for the Paul Delvaux reference - didn't know him, but I've just googled him and I can see what you mean.

Thanks also for teh points on some of the language, I'll have a look at them.

Thanks again for reading

john ;$

Jumbo at 12:31 on 15 March 2008  Report this post
Thanks Pete

Looks like I'll have to swap 'rustic' for something! Anything!

Thanks for reading - and for your great comments. Really glad you liked it.

All the best

john

Jumbo at 12:45 on 15 March 2008  Report this post
Hi, all.

Thanks for your comments on this - I've changed 'rustic' - and tweaked the 'oceans' line.

Cheers!!

ireneintheworld at 15:36 on 15 March 2008  Report this post
john, this is very beautiful and ethereal. i loved all the mystery of him/her uncovering the possibilities. lovely flash.

irene x

tractor at 17:42 on 15 March 2008  Report this post
Hi John,

great eerie piece that rewards with each rereading.

Cheers

Mark

choille at 20:59 on 16 March 2008  Report this post
Hi John,

Wonderful writing - all the mysteriousness of the descending down into a basement and then the descision to live - great choice of to move on or retreat.

liked it all.
One tini nit - white washed fascias - board running alongside the roof - did you mean walls, as fascias are usually oil base painted.

Loved all the way it was set out like a street of choices.

Nice to reread again.
Great stuff.
All the best
Caroline.

Jumbo at 00:01 on 17 March 2008  Report this post
Caroline

Hi

Thanks for reading and for your positive comments. Glad you liked it.

And you're right - it wasn't 'facias' that I meant but 'facades' - so much obliged for that.

Cheers

john


Jumbo at 00:02 on 17 March 2008  Report this post
Thanks, Irene.

Glad it worked for you

john

Jumbo at 00:03 on 17 March 2008  Report this post
Mark

Hi, thanks for your comments, as always.

Cheers

john


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