Hello everyone!
I hope your week has been good so far, I've been very busy between work and spending time with friends. A lot of editing and writing has been put on hold for the moment, but I always have time for a 400 world flash fiction story! This week our prompt was as follows:
Character 1: A man in his early 20s, who is breakable.
Character 2: A teenaged woman, who is not bewildered.
Setting: The story is set in an abandoned shopping mall.
Situation: Someone is left at the alter.
Theme: The story is about winter.
Action: Your character drives a car.
With all these elements in mind, I decided to write about Fox's youngest sister, Reese. I made up a setting, some characters, and a ghost story because it felt like a ton of fun. I hope you enjoy!
I hate the way the winter makes Cole's Addax from 3993 creek. But with my car in the shop, I get stuck with the depressing bubbly sedan version of a name badge that's seen better days. I'd rather take Nat's hypercar but he'd kill me for that.
Callum's got himself in big trouble, he's been mind controlled by an Alexandrite. I told him she was bad news, but he's been dating her anyways. Now she's trying to wed him.
Winter makes the abandoned mall Nat used to explore more dreary than it normally is. I drive into the ruined food court and see two sets of footprints, a pair of stilettos and a dragging pair of combat boots.
I summon my bow and nock an arrow as I follow them, checking for any sign of the delusional Alexandrite. It doesn't take long for Callum's wailing to catch my ear, his cries are enough to guide me to the old bridal store, where he's fighting to keep control of his mind.
“Why don't you let him go and take me instead?” I send a laugh echoing through the empty shop. The Alexandrite is wearing a torn up old wedding dress, trying to get Callum to wear a suit.
“He's mine!” She hisses, “You'll regret messing with us!”
I only smirk as she steps closer, aiming and loosing my arrow at her foot as it appears from under the dress. Even though she stumbles, her advance isn't stopped. I move to the right to get more light on her face, noticing her body is translucent.
I'm not surprised that Nat's ghost stories are real— this must be the Wailing Bride, who steals Life Force to retain her physical form. To take her down I'll have to shoot her pendent. That is, if Nat's right for once in his life.
Nocking another arrow, I jump back and perch on the railing overlooking the main floor.
“You think you'll take me down with a little blue arrow?” she smirks.
“Sure, why not?”
I loose the arrow, the pendent crack. While performing her namesake wail, she evaporates into thin air.
“I'll be back someday!” Echos into the empty mall.
Callum stands there looking stunned.
I jump onto the floor and grabbing his wrist, “let's get the hell out of here.”
“Good idea,” Callum's voice quivers as I escort him out of the cold haunted mall.
I wonder if I should expand the myth of the Wailing Bride. I'm not good with ghost stories, but I'd be happy to try.
Have a wonderful week,
-Rosetta 💖
Image by Patrick Tomasso