Something True

Later she wondered how the needle came to her in the first place. Surely something that powerful would never have been tossed in the trash. Was it an accident? Still, she had never heard of any Legitimus wielding power like this. The theory that made her smile was that maybe it was a combination of the needle and some spark in her, something more powerful than even a Legitmus could wield.

She found it on a cold night, rummaging through the trash. Shouts of ‘Mendacium’ were accompanied by the usual hurled objects and she fled, taking what she salvaged, none of them big enough for a blanket. Then she saw the needle. A pull on a ragged edge got her the thread she needed to stitch the bits together. The resulting blanket was the warmest she’d ever felt.

Next she tried making it into a coat. It was more beautiful than the blanket. She wasn’t surprised when a Legitimus accosted her, demanding to know how trash like her had such a thing.

That’s when the true power revealed itself. A portion that was part of an animal pelt tingled. When she struck back it was with a lion’s paw, leaving a bloody claw mark on his chest. She didn’t remember too much afterwards, but when it was over she sewed in new bits of cloth and bone. Those made her stronger too.

After that, she started frequenting the fight arenas. There was no shortage of cloth and bone there. She wept over the discarded corpses, but took the choicest scraps—skulls, wings—even an ogre’s eye and a lion’s head to match that first piece.

She knew when Legitimus mothers whispered to their children about a monster they were talking about her. Good. She understood there had always been fear behind their contempt. But now here was something true for them to fear.

Emperor of the Dawn
Quincy Washington
Used with Permission



This flash fiction piece was created for Imaginary Gardens With Real Toads' Art Flash 55 and Poets United's Telling Tales with Magaly Guerrero

40 comments:

  1. I love how you have stitched together all the fragments of Quincy's illustration into this magical, dark tale. Especially, "She knew when Legitimus mothers whispered to their children about a monster they were talking about her." An inspired turn of events.

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    1. Thanks Kerry. Quincy's imagery was wonderful food for my imagination.

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  2. You chose an interesting and effective name for the emperor’s soldiers, Rommy., and I love the idea of a powerful threaded needle combined, of course, with your protagonist’s spark. My favourite part is when she strikes back with a lion’s paw.

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    1. Coming up with names for something as brief as this piece was fun but challenging! I wanted to get across a specific feel. I'm glad you felt it was effective.

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  3. I love that she makes herself. She might've found the pieces, but she crafts the whole and makes it more.

    There is something about the facial expressions that I also love. They sparkle out of the sentences, in smirks and knowings, as recognizable non-masks...

    You use of the image totally rocks!

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    1. Thanks! I'm glad I was able to convey exactly what I needed to here.

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  4. Fun reading, suspenseful, Rommy, great story. I think several of us have dug a little out of the spirit world of magic.
    ..

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  5. Masterly written, Rommy. I love the layers, and progression of the story that leads to a powerful ending, "She understood there had always been fear behind their contempt. But now here was something true for them to fear." A great message is conveyed.

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    1. Thanks Khaya. I'm stoked that you saw the layers. :)

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  6. In a flash, it leaps up with economy and surprise into ferocity. A feral combination and a perfect fiction for the challenge.

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    1. Thank you Brendan for that lovely description of the tale. I hope that the surprises felt true when they sprung up.

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  7. But now here was something
    true for them to fear

    They finally got to know of the power and strength of the Legitimus mothers.

    Hank

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    1. That's one interpretation. I think it'd be cool to expand upon this world to see what other aspects of it I can discover.

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  8. Yes this is beautifully written Rommy, it a has a feel of well written fiction that we can read just a sample.

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  9. A wonderfully crafted fairy tale

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  10. Really loved when she struck back with a lion's paw. Yeah. A lovely read.

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  11. i really like this gothic tale, and how you weave it with the prompt picture. i think, in a dangerous world, one would try to fashion the best armour for protection. :)

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    1. And it's definitely a dangerous world the protagonist lives in. I might have to tinker with it a bit more to find out a few more details though.

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  12. Me, too. I was delighted when her hand became a paw. This was such a wonderful read, Rommy.

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  13. A fun tale of strength, magick and becoming! I love the last bit... "there had always been fear behind their contempt. But now here was something true for them to fear."

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  14. Oh I love the magical powers that progress in this Rommy! Such a wonderfully written story that it left me wanting more!!

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  15. Wow! I cannot believe what I've been missing in music and imagination. Thank you, thank you! A sure cure for bullies!

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  16. I love the world you created here. I love the suspense and horror built up by the stitching and adding bones for a better, warmer coat/blanket. You really did justice to the Quincy's painting.

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    1. Thanks Vivian. I wanted to try my hand at something with a horror vibe. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

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  17. Wow! This is really fav. Some brilliant strokes of the pen, here … some subtle … some bold … the piece literally pops in nuanced overtones … metaphors to be culled as the reader fancies.

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    1. Yay! I am glad that people got the nuances.

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  18. What wonderful empowerment! With a needle like that, even I might want to sew.

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    1. I could see how that needle would be tempting.

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  19. A woman's powers tightly stitched - YES! What a wonderful tale, Rommy!

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  20. Wow, this is amazing Rommy!! Fantastic story! Your words complement the art piece so well!! Big Hugs!

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    1. Thanks Stacey. It was fun to get lost in this art piece and see what sort of worlds it suggested.

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