Post by Dark on May 14, 2004 1:15:22 GMT -5
I HOPE THAT WITH A NEW TITLE SOMEONE PAY ATTENTION TO THIS CR@P.
Some time ago, when I had nothing better to do, I made up a "place" with "characters" where I could place stories. Since I couldn't think of a good name I just called it "The Village", it's a village/carnival inhabitated by many different persons, gypsies fortune tellers, magicians, freaks, and what not. That time I did some of the characters storylines and some good plotlines for future short stories. I intend to write several short stories conecting this characters.
I still haven't thought of a good title for the series of stories, so suggestions are accepted.
I wrote this short story today (I have othes in mind "Two of Hearts" and "The Queen of Spades"), this is about the fist few characters I did. Cassandra, Madam Lenora, and Wolfgang, here I just posted one part so you don't get to see much of Wolfgang. Please feel free to point out any mistake, regarding the grammar as well as the content.
Thanks,
Sergio S.
“Cassandra: The Daughter of the Moon” advertised every single sign near the area. People from all over the world came just to see her, few were the lucky ones who found a way to get to ‘The Village’. She was the major attraction, every full moon she had to perform.
Cassandra’s tent was in utter darkness, late at night the clouds clearing away revealing a pearl full moon; but the show hadn’t started, not yet, not till midnight.
“Cassandra, the time has come,” said a strict voice, Cassandra’s aunt. Madame Lenora was her artistic name, an old lady with leather-like dark skin, rough features and strong olive eyes, all a fortune teller gypsy. She had taken care of Cassandra since she was born, during a full moon. She had told Cassandra that her father ran away when he knew that Cassandra’s mother was pregnant; later, during the birth, Cassandra’s mother died -Few knew the real story. Madame Lenora walked into the dark room holding a candle, hot wax dripped on her hands; for Cassandra could not stand any light stronger than that of a few candles. She walked into the room, the watery fabric of her dress moving back and fort.
Cassandra was sitting in a corner in the dark, staring at the dust flowing through the air.
“Cassandra,” called her aunt again. A dwarf woman carrying a black box entered the room, handed the box to Madame Lenora and left the room. “Thanks, Fiora.”
“Is it the dress?” asked Cassandra speaking for the first time. This was the part she loved the most, her dresses. She wished she could keep them but after every performance her aunt took the dresses away, Cassandra had never been told that the dresses were auctioned the day after each performance, large sums of money were paid for the dresses.
“Yes, it is. It’s a lovely, black silk gown,” replied her aunt, knowing that Cassandra would be interested.
Cassandra stood up and walked toward her aunt, emerging to light like a ghost, pale white skin, silvery long hair, and clear almost blank eyes: an albino. Cassandra took the box and opened it, her aunt was right. Beautiful black silk, more than ever she wished she could keep this one. She pulled the dress out of the box and ran her delicate hand along the dress, her white skin like milk spilled over the silk. She started undressing with the help of her aunt, and then she putted on the black silk dress and looked at her reflection in the mirror, a fragile porcelain doll that seemed out of place in such a cluttered room. Madame Lenora, with a hand gesture, indicated Cassandra to sit down so she could do her hair. Madame Lenora started brushing Cassandra’s silver hair, while Cassandra just stared at her reflection. “Can I keep this one?” her soft voice asked, and the girl stared at her aunt’s mirror twin.
“You know you can’t.” Cassandra had never asked for a dress before, even if she thought they were lovely.
“Please… I’ve never asked for anything before,” replied the girl turning to face her aunt. Madame Lenora could not tell whether Cassandra was looking at her eyes or not, in fact no one could. Gazing into Cassandra’s hollow eyes was like gazing at the thickest fog ever.
“We will ask Madre Deus, and she will tell if you can keep it or not,” said Madame Lenora as a matter of fact, argument over. Madre Deus was the matriarch of ‘The Village’, she never intended to be but her husband, the Master, had died and she had to take his place. She was rumored to be the oldest and wisest fortune teller among all the gypsies, her clients had to make appoints months ahead; but she no longer practiced such art, that’s why everyone came to Cassandra, the Daughter of the Moon. “You’re ready, now the show must begin.”
Cassandra no longer complained about her performances, no matter what she did or say the show must go on. She stood up from the chair and followed her aunt to the backstage, co-workers coming and going like ants defending their anthill. Cassandra could hear, and almost see, the people at the other side of the curtain, the audience waiting for her.
It was a small room with just a few folding chairs placed in front of the stage, about thirteen or fifteen persons, the lucky ones. There was also a table with some food and drinks, and, on one corner, a big grandfather clock, a few minutes away from striking midnight. The audience was starting to get tired of too much waiting, everyone was eager for the show to begin. Suddenly, Madre Deus walked to the stage; she was an old lady, possibly 100 years old, but still strong enough to walk by herself. Pale skin, gray hair, and steel cold eyes; she cleared her throat to make the audience aware of her presence. Everyone was silent in a matter of a few seconds. “Ladies and gentlemen,” she began with her dreamily hypnotic voice, “you are fortunate enough to be with us tonight. All of you have come from distant places just for the chance to see the Daughter of the Moon, you won’t regret this, I promise. As all of you can see it’s almost midnight, I and my associates will leave and Cassandra will come, she will stay in the room for one minute, then you will have to leave, and you will be satisfied I assure you.” Once it was settled, Madre Deus left the room followed by her employees, except Fiora, the dwarf woman. Fiora had to stay to turn off the lights and open the skylight to allow the moonlight enters into the room.
The curtain raised exposing Cassandra in her black gown. The whole audience started whispering to each other in excitement. There were a couple of old ladies, some men and young women, but Cassandra could not stop looking at one young man, tall, handsome, dark skin, dark hair, and shimmering dark eyes. She tried to guess his name, she could. Before she even concentrated, Fiora proclaimed that the show was about to begin. The lights went off leaving the room with a nightmare feel; Fiora opened the skylight but the room remained in darkness, the moon wasn’t in the right position yet. The grandfather clock announced midnight with one loud metallic sound after another, at the same time a ray of moonlight accessed the room and posed itself over Cassandra, a spirit amidst the mortal world. Cassandra fell into a trance: her body arched in pain, her white eyes turned into pitch black, quartz transforming into onyx. Suddenly, she collapsed onto the floor, like a marionette whose strings were cut. The audience was in a trance as well, that’s why they paid so much to be there, for that enlightening minute when they could prophesy their own future and had the chance to know if they could change it. One of them will die on his way back home. One of the ladies will win the lottery. One of the men will become famous. All of them were satisfied and puzzled with their visions. The minute was over; Cassandra’s extraneous power had vanished and would rest until the next full moon.
Fiora walked to the stage to help Cassandra stand up, and take her back stage. Cassandra sat there, and Madame Lenora went to comfort her and give her something to recover some energy. “Wolfgang…” the girl whispered losing her breath.
WILL CONTINUE....
Some time ago, when I had nothing better to do, I made up a "place" with "characters" where I could place stories. Since I couldn't think of a good name I just called it "The Village", it's a village/carnival inhabitated by many different persons, gypsies fortune tellers, magicians, freaks, and what not. That time I did some of the characters storylines and some good plotlines for future short stories. I intend to write several short stories conecting this characters.
I still haven't thought of a good title for the series of stories, so suggestions are accepted.
I wrote this short story today (I have othes in mind "Two of Hearts" and "The Queen of Spades"), this is about the fist few characters I did. Cassandra, Madam Lenora, and Wolfgang, here I just posted one part so you don't get to see much of Wolfgang. Please feel free to point out any mistake, regarding the grammar as well as the content.
Thanks,
Sergio S.
The Daughter of the Moon
“Cassandra: The Daughter of the Moon” advertised every single sign near the area. People from all over the world came just to see her, few were the lucky ones who found a way to get to ‘The Village’. She was the major attraction, every full moon she had to perform.
Cassandra’s tent was in utter darkness, late at night the clouds clearing away revealing a pearl full moon; but the show hadn’t started, not yet, not till midnight.
“Cassandra, the time has come,” said a strict voice, Cassandra’s aunt. Madame Lenora was her artistic name, an old lady with leather-like dark skin, rough features and strong olive eyes, all a fortune teller gypsy. She had taken care of Cassandra since she was born, during a full moon. She had told Cassandra that her father ran away when he knew that Cassandra’s mother was pregnant; later, during the birth, Cassandra’s mother died -Few knew the real story. Madame Lenora walked into the dark room holding a candle, hot wax dripped on her hands; for Cassandra could not stand any light stronger than that of a few candles. She walked into the room, the watery fabric of her dress moving back and fort.
Cassandra was sitting in a corner in the dark, staring at the dust flowing through the air.
“Cassandra,” called her aunt again. A dwarf woman carrying a black box entered the room, handed the box to Madame Lenora and left the room. “Thanks, Fiora.”
“Is it the dress?” asked Cassandra speaking for the first time. This was the part she loved the most, her dresses. She wished she could keep them but after every performance her aunt took the dresses away, Cassandra had never been told that the dresses were auctioned the day after each performance, large sums of money were paid for the dresses.
“Yes, it is. It’s a lovely, black silk gown,” replied her aunt, knowing that Cassandra would be interested.
Cassandra stood up and walked toward her aunt, emerging to light like a ghost, pale white skin, silvery long hair, and clear almost blank eyes: an albino. Cassandra took the box and opened it, her aunt was right. Beautiful black silk, more than ever she wished she could keep this one. She pulled the dress out of the box and ran her delicate hand along the dress, her white skin like milk spilled over the silk. She started undressing with the help of her aunt, and then she putted on the black silk dress and looked at her reflection in the mirror, a fragile porcelain doll that seemed out of place in such a cluttered room. Madame Lenora, with a hand gesture, indicated Cassandra to sit down so she could do her hair. Madame Lenora started brushing Cassandra’s silver hair, while Cassandra just stared at her reflection. “Can I keep this one?” her soft voice asked, and the girl stared at her aunt’s mirror twin.
“You know you can’t.” Cassandra had never asked for a dress before, even if she thought they were lovely.
“Please… I’ve never asked for anything before,” replied the girl turning to face her aunt. Madame Lenora could not tell whether Cassandra was looking at her eyes or not, in fact no one could. Gazing into Cassandra’s hollow eyes was like gazing at the thickest fog ever.
“We will ask Madre Deus, and she will tell if you can keep it or not,” said Madame Lenora as a matter of fact, argument over. Madre Deus was the matriarch of ‘The Village’, she never intended to be but her husband, the Master, had died and she had to take his place. She was rumored to be the oldest and wisest fortune teller among all the gypsies, her clients had to make appoints months ahead; but she no longer practiced such art, that’s why everyone came to Cassandra, the Daughter of the Moon. “You’re ready, now the show must begin.”
Cassandra no longer complained about her performances, no matter what she did or say the show must go on. She stood up from the chair and followed her aunt to the backstage, co-workers coming and going like ants defending their anthill. Cassandra could hear, and almost see, the people at the other side of the curtain, the audience waiting for her.
It was a small room with just a few folding chairs placed in front of the stage, about thirteen or fifteen persons, the lucky ones. There was also a table with some food and drinks, and, on one corner, a big grandfather clock, a few minutes away from striking midnight. The audience was starting to get tired of too much waiting, everyone was eager for the show to begin. Suddenly, Madre Deus walked to the stage; she was an old lady, possibly 100 years old, but still strong enough to walk by herself. Pale skin, gray hair, and steel cold eyes; she cleared her throat to make the audience aware of her presence. Everyone was silent in a matter of a few seconds. “Ladies and gentlemen,” she began with her dreamily hypnotic voice, “you are fortunate enough to be with us tonight. All of you have come from distant places just for the chance to see the Daughter of the Moon, you won’t regret this, I promise. As all of you can see it’s almost midnight, I and my associates will leave and Cassandra will come, she will stay in the room for one minute, then you will have to leave, and you will be satisfied I assure you.” Once it was settled, Madre Deus left the room followed by her employees, except Fiora, the dwarf woman. Fiora had to stay to turn off the lights and open the skylight to allow the moonlight enters into the room.
The curtain raised exposing Cassandra in her black gown. The whole audience started whispering to each other in excitement. There were a couple of old ladies, some men and young women, but Cassandra could not stop looking at one young man, tall, handsome, dark skin, dark hair, and shimmering dark eyes. She tried to guess his name, she could. Before she even concentrated, Fiora proclaimed that the show was about to begin. The lights went off leaving the room with a nightmare feel; Fiora opened the skylight but the room remained in darkness, the moon wasn’t in the right position yet. The grandfather clock announced midnight with one loud metallic sound after another, at the same time a ray of moonlight accessed the room and posed itself over Cassandra, a spirit amidst the mortal world. Cassandra fell into a trance: her body arched in pain, her white eyes turned into pitch black, quartz transforming into onyx. Suddenly, she collapsed onto the floor, like a marionette whose strings were cut. The audience was in a trance as well, that’s why they paid so much to be there, for that enlightening minute when they could prophesy their own future and had the chance to know if they could change it. One of them will die on his way back home. One of the ladies will win the lottery. One of the men will become famous. All of them were satisfied and puzzled with their visions. The minute was over; Cassandra’s extraneous power had vanished and would rest until the next full moon.
Fiora walked to the stage to help Cassandra stand up, and take her back stage. Cassandra sat there, and Madame Lenora went to comfort her and give her something to recover some energy. “Wolfgang…” the girl whispered losing her breath.
WILL CONTINUE....