Good morning everyone, the sun is shining here down Wexico Way, the children slept ALL night, so Mrs H is indeed happymrsh this morning! And as I drank my early morning cuppa I had the pleasure of reading the next entry for our Flash Fiction Challenge. This one I am especially happy to share, because while I have never met the writer before, we have spoken on Facebook quite a bit and I know how nervous and excited she has been about taking part in my little challenge. If you need to play catch up, click here!
http://carmelharrington.com/category/flash-fiction-2013-series/
She need never have worried though because Grainne Plaxton, today’s emerging writer, has a voice. She has written a lovely piece called The Silver Bracelet and I love the fact that when I finished reading I was imagining all sorts of ‘what happened next?’ scenarios. So in other words, she has achieved exactly what every writer hopes they can do, she has hooked the reader. Sit down and enjoy!
The Silver Bracelet by Grainne Plaxton
She stepped out of the taxi into the warm June evening, grabbed her single suitcase and due-fully paid the driver. Beyond the walls to her left, she saw a huge white house rising out of the dark woods. She shuddered; a sensation she had grown accustomed to over these past few months. Opening her shoulder bag she searched inside and retrieved a single sheet of paper on which was printed the address. There was nobody in sight. As she approached the electronic gates, she was suddenly blinded by floodlights. She froze. After what felt like an eternity, two guards, accompanied by two ferocious Alsatians, appeared at the gate.“Name and nature of business!” snapped the taller of the two.Willing herself to respond, she stepped forwards and heard herself speak; “Maria Edwards. I havereceived a message from Senor Ramos. I believe he is expecting me”.The other guard signalled for the gate to be opened and as the taller man pulled her across the threshold, they were once again thrown into darkness. Escorted by the guards and their fearsome beasts, she fumbled her way through the dark woods until they came to a half lit concrete tunnel.They began to negotiate this somewhat easier terrain and her thoughts returned to Margaret. It had been over a year since there had been any news of her sister. Margaret was the youngest of the Edwards Family and the apple of her fathers eye. She had rang home every week without fail since she had taken the job in Venezuela. Her letters described how happy and settled she was. Maria had followed countless leads trying to find her younger sister but to no avail and the authorities would not cooperate with organizing a search party. Having spent the past six months travelling, often in hazardous conditions, Maria had found no trace of her beloved sister. The search was becoming hopeless…until three weeks previously, when a letter had arrived by courrier. It had contained the address and some type of cryptic message which had taken weeks to decipher. Its true meaning had yet to be revealed and Maria dared to dream that it would reunite her with Margaret.They came to a small door in the tunnel which was opened by another guard, who pulled her inside the building. They were followed by the taller of the two other men.“Senor Ramos is expecting you. Please follow me” he said whilst eyeing her with interest and a chilling half smile.Senor Ramos was clearly a very rich and powerful man, she thought as she took in the splendour and size of the enormous house. Private investigators had failed to come up with anything on the man prompting her to almost not make the journey, believing it to be yet another hoax. However she had to come. She could not ignore any little piece of information that might prove significant. Coming to a halt before large double doors, the guards entered a code on a panel nearby. The doors slid open and she found herself alone. Cautiously moving forwards she could hear the softest music coming from the far corner of the room. It was drawing her forwards and she felt almost hypnotised by it.“Hello….Senor Ramos?” she called out. “Can you help me find my sister?” she asked desperately.There was no response. No sign of Senor Ramos but a faint sound of soft cooing was penetrating the melodious music. Still drawn to the corner of the enormous room, she could see an infants cradle and as she peered into it she was astonished to find the most beautiful baby girl gurgling and smiling up at her. Her heart skipped a beat. Nobody had ever seen a more beautiful baby. Maria noticed a pretty silver bracelet on the child’s wrist and reached down to take a closer look. She could just about make out the engraving and all of a sudden she felt the blood slowly drain from her exhausted body as she read, “Margaret Elizabeth Edwards”….
Grainne Plaxton,40 years old and mother of two little boys, Alex {2} and Matthew {7 months}. I am from Dublin and living in Kildare and I am married to Rick since 2009. I have thought about writing a novel or two for years and the plan was to attempt it when the children were much older. I have written poetry in the distant past which was very liberating. I have enjoyed this flash fiction challenge immensely and hope to be able to produce some better work with experience. My pre-mammy years were spent as a nurse in Ireland and abroad.
