A Rainbow On A Cloudy Day (midweek short story)

This is my prompt. A black stain on your skin that is where your soulmate first touches you. Once the touch happens, that mark turns to a rainbow of color..... There is a girl with her mark as a hand print across her face.




After years of trying to find a foundation that would cover the black shape
of a hand that covers half her face, Darcy is in the store to find a new brand
to try. She hated makeup, but covering the mark that was still as black as tar, was
easier than having people stare and ask her if she was ready to be hit.

Why couldn’t she just find her soul mate? Get the smack over with. Being
as they were soul mates, they would work past whatever it was that she
did to upset him....right? It was bad enough to think that her soul mate would hit her.
But to have others make fun of her for it. It just made it all worse.

“Millions of colors would be easier to color match with makeup than it
is to find a foundation that is thick enough to cover the black unloved
hand print that is on this cheek!” Darcy thinks to herself as she stands in
the checkout line. She slowly zones out thinking of how much money
she has spent just trying to cover up a major part of herself. A part
that others are so very proud of.

After receiving her card back from the clerk, Darcy pushes open the door
and walks out onto the sidewalk and looks up to search for her car. Loud noises surround her
in an instant. Her world shakes as all she can see are bright flashing lights and the sounds
of fireworks going off echoing off the building. A tall, muscular man locks eyes with her and
reaches toward her. “Look Out!” he shouts as he places his hand across her face and presses her cheek into his chest.

Suddenly there is a loud, unmistakable bang of a gun and the arms that hold
her grip tighter around her head and shoulders. He jars forward, but doesn't
fall. As the man pulls his hand away, Darcy sees the beautiful rainbow
across his palm. Her heart skips a beat and she searches to look up at the
man who is her soulmate. Just then her nose is filled with the sweet, musky
scent of Old Spice mixed with a warm, metallic smell. A warm heat
began to spread across her stomach.

As his eyes flutter to make contact with her’s, Darcy struggles to make
sense of the words that are coming out of his mouth. “Are you……
okay?” He asks as he struggles to breathe.

“Yes, I think so” Darcy quietly replies as the strong arms fall away from
her and his whole body begins to fall. Darcy is shocked as this mountain
of a man starts to become a heavy weight leaning on her. With no other choice, she 
guides him to the ground.

“Thank goodness….. *gasp* …. I at least......... got to…...*gasp*.......
see you one time.” The muscles pull into a shallow smile as he continues
to talk “The rainbow……. *gasp* …. Is beautiful….. On your……
cheek…..”

Darcy holds on to him with all her strength as the warm sticky liquid
begins to pool around her knees on the ground and watches the light
in his eyes fade away.

-Chelsey

Professional Criminal (Short Story Sunday)

Here is the story prompt that I chose for this week's Short Story Sunday:

Professional Criminal
"You don't strike me as a professional criminal."

"That's what makes me so good at it." She states in a matter of fact way.

Not only is grandma completely serious as she is telling me about what she calls 'the family business,' she is barely even looking at me. She is more concerned with getting the cookies off of the pan that she just pulled out of the oven.

"But I don't understand. You murdered someone?" I ask.

"Oh dear! More than one! I have been doing this since before I married Grandpa!" She giggled at the thought.

"Martha, You remember when I was late with your birthday cake last month?" She looks up from her spatula.

"Yeah, you said that the train ran late." I know that is what she told me, I'm sure of it. Although now, every excuse she has ever given me is being questioned in my mind.

"I was never on the train dear. And Marsha Dillinger will never see that mansion again! Oh, and that cake took all night for me to decorate and I didn't get a thank you! You need to use your manners. When was the last time you did thank you cards?" I can see the smile in her eyes as she reaches across the counter to hand me a piping hot chocolate chip cookie.

"Martha Dil....... THE BANK OWNER??? No. No way. They said that someone broke into the office and killed her with her own purse strap." I can't even lift my cookie to my lips due to the shock of it all.

"That job brought in enough money to buy you a house outright." Grandma shakes her head at me. "Eat your cookie dear, they are better warm. I hate doing jobs so close to home, but it was a slow month and I was getting bored. You have chocolate on your chin."

I wipe my chin with my napkin as the thought crosses my mind that everything I thought I knew about Grandma is wrong.

Grandma reaches into the bowl of dough to start filling the cookie pan back up again. "Get used to the idea. Your dad isn't too bad at all this either." she says. "Sometimes he is a little messy in his work, but he enjoys it none the less!"

"Does MOM know about all this?" I hold my breath because I am not sure if I want mom a killer or not.

"Of COURSE dear! Who do you think keeps his knives sharp?" She is actually laughing at all this. "Now finish your cookie and get to packing. Dinner will be at 7, and you leave to start your training with Uncle Joe at 6 am tomorrow"

-Chelsey

Help With the Rent (2 stories, 1 prompt)

I just got a wild hair and saw this prompt on pinterest. It struck in my head and I made up these 2 really quick half short stories. I hope you enjoy. I liked writing them, but while I liked it, I don't feel they are very good. Fun none the less! -- Both stories are written by Chelsey

Story #1

It was on the door. Hanging for all the neighbors to see. The rent is due again. Didn't I just pay that last month?? Oh, yeah. that is a monthly thing. Darn. I unlock the door and step inside. Well, it will be alright till next week. I toss it across the room. I watch as it sadly slides under my bed.

As I start for the kitchen, movement catches my eye. A hand. Green skin with bloody knuckles and dirt under the long yellowed fingernails. I watch as it pulls back under the bed leaving behind a stack of slightly bent up bills.

"Dang it Marcus! I may be frustrated, but I am not that bad off! I will get it paid next week and pay it then. You take that back!"

From under the bed I hear Growl..... Grumble grumble

"What do you mean Shirley pitched in? Shirley? Where did YOU get money?"A shriek comes from the closet.

"Shirley, you can't take money from my jacket and call it yours. That is still stealing and we talked about that."

Growl / Shriek

"FINE! I will use the money and pay the rent tonight! You will get your money back on Friday."

Growl

"Yes, I bought Cheetos."

Snarl

"You're welcome." 

Cry

"Shirley, you give me that sewing kit that you are using to make my clothes smaller, and I will give you the Herseys."

Squeak

"YES! Actual Herseys. You think I would buy the cheap knockoff CHOCOLATE? I'm not a monster! ..... Oh. Sorry guys."

Story #2

It was on the door. Hanging for all the neighbors to see. The rent is due again. Didn't I just pay that last month?? Oh, yeah. that is a monthly thing. Darn. I unlock the door and step inside. Well, it will be alright till next week. I toss it across the room. I watch as it sadly slides under my bed.

As I start for the kitchen, movement catches my eye. A hand. Green skin with bloody knuckles and dirt under the long yellowed fingernails. I watch as it pulls back under the bed leaving behind a stack of slightly bent up bills.

As I watch the claw slide back under the bed, I slowly slide my way to the floor. I didn’t really see that did I? No. I…. just…. Forgot that I placed a pile of money next to my bed. I mean, I don’t recall taking the rent out of the bank since I usually pay with a check. But I could have done that….. Right?

As my shoulder softly matches up with the soft plush of the carpet, I brave my fear and tear my eyes from the money to the darkness that is the shadow under my bed.

Two green eyes stare back at me.

As I start to shake out of pure fear and inability to move I feel, more than hear, a rumble “Don’t worry. I like it here. You don’t throw socks at me and you smell nice.”

“Ummmm…. Thank you?” What else is there to say at that point?

“I will do my best to not be a bother, but since I am here, I’ll help.” I noticed that the sharp look to this captivating scary eyes is starting to soften. While my heart has yet to begin beating again, the monster decides to continue talking. “You are not mine to haunt, so don’t worry. But if you don’t want me here, just say so. I will try to find somewhere else to go.”

I slowly turn my head back and forth. “If you are not here for me…. “ I say as I will my voice not to shake.

“Oh, there is a little girl in the next apartment." He states. "I only go there at night. She has some seriously stinky feet and my nose just can’t handle it for long!” 

“Oh. Okay then….. Ummm, thank you for helping me out…. Can I get you anything I guess?” I ask, visually relieved he is not there for me.

“Well, since I got your attention, Can we keep Taylor Swift music to a minimum? Unless it is her country stuff of course” The monster rumbles.

“Aaaa….. Of course…” I stammer. Who knew the monster under the bed would be a country fan?

“And there is extra in the pile, can you pick up some Cheetos?”

Let me know what you think! (I personally just noticed that I am apparently hungry for Cheetos!

hehehe)

Thanks for reading!

The Wish

Story Prompt.

At age 15 you told your girlfriend you were "in love" with that you'd always be there when she was in need. Aphrodite heard you and made it a reality. Problem is you and the girl broke up after 3 weeks but you still appear...... It's still happening 10 years later.




     "APHRODITE!!! This is more than enough! I am TIRED of her always calling on me. I can't have a life for myself. She lives in another COUNTRY! I don't have the money, time, or desire for the amount of travel this has taken!"
     It doesn't matter how much I beg, plead or yell. The Goddess has granted this "wish" and for 10 years I have cried and yelled trying to get it to stop. Trying to get her to "un-grant" this...... curse. "She doesn't love me. She never has." I cry to the cold statuette.
     It has only been a week since I was last taken by the curse to Kaylee's side. She was crying when I arrived. She wouldn't say much, just that she was hurt. That is all it takes. Her being hurt and I feel a pull. One that makes my head spin and I make a jump halfway around the world to wherever Kaylee is. I can feel the calling as I stand in front of the statuette in my living room.
     Why Aphrodite think Kaylee "needs" me at these times, I have no idea. I get having someone there when a guy breaks her heart. Or when that one John guy was ready to abuse her..... but then there are the times that just don't make sense. Those are the times that I just wanna punch the younger me. Times when she is watching a movie and it has a really sad scene in it. Times when she has been alone to long. Times when other people would just go to a bar and drink away the problem, I get pulled to her side.
     10 years ago I looked into the eyes of the girl I loved. Kaylee. She was beautiful. Maybe not in the normal sense of the word to you, but to me...... My eyes could see no one more amazing. To this day I still can't. She was plump, but not fat. She was short, but not overly so. She wore glasses, but to me they just brought out the gold flecks of her green eyes. I looked past those lenses that day and uttered words that I soon learned would change my life. "I will always be there when you need me. No matter what."
     Little did I know that Gods and Goddesses where real and my love at the time was so powerful
that we were being watched. I was hated for loving Kaylee to much... She was adored because she believed the legends, stories, and everything Greek. While I thought she was just going through a "phase" about being a follower of Greek Gods and Goddesses..... She was actually doing everything right. Or in my case, wrong.
     See, any woman in her right mind would LOVE having a guy at her beck and call right? SURE! no. just no. We where 15 at the time I said those fateful words. FIFTEEN! We didn't know what love was! At least, she didn't.
     I still love my Kaylee. She has made it very clear to me that she doesn't want me and that she will never love me. No matter the curse. No matter how many times I get called to her side. No matter how many breakups I have to console her from. She doesn't want me and being called to her just annoys her. She has better things to do. A career that she is studying for. A house she is trying to make her own. No matter how much I long to be with her. Just to hold her. To hear about her day. To know that she is mine.
     Which is why I have tried to stay away. Why I don't just move around near her. It may be a year or two before she finds herself with me outside of her room. We could almost forget. Well, she could almost forget anyway, that I was even alive. I decided to go to a school that was near where I grew up. No where near the one that she wanted to get into, the one that she ultimately got into. I have a free lance job. One that doesn't care that I have "on a whim" gone to England. One that I can do my job anywhere in the world. Believe me, I don't forget to keep my passport on me even when I SLEEP. You think I joke, but I have a tailor who regularly puts a pocket on the inside of my pajama shirt! I have a imprint of the book... Not something I tote about on dating sites, that is for sure! Because I never know where she is going to be. Not for sure anyway. She is able to live her life. The curse only goes one way. Me to her.
      I don't know what you think is wrong, but it CAN'T be as bad as you think! SHE DOESN'T WANT ME!" I scream in desperation as I feel the pull of the curse that I know will soon take me in a flash. It does no good and my skin flushes warm and the room spins. I hear bells. Those bells that haunt my dreams. The ones that secretly make me happy, even as they break my heart.
     My eyes and head begin to clear as I start to take in my surroundings..... but..... this is wrong. nothing changed. I am still in front of the statuette of the goddess. The one that sits on the mantle of my living room. This is still MY living room. This doesn't make sense. Why didn't I go anywhere?
     "Daniel?" Kaylee quietly speaks behind me. "I know you usually are at my side if I need you, but this time..." She is just as beautiful as ever. Her eyes now standing out, no glasses anymore but it only seems to make her eyes look so much bigger. I could loose myself in them. Her lips, plump like she has been chewing on them again. I can tell by the pink around her nose along with the scarlet flush of her cheeks that she is nervous and has been crying again. I could stare at all the little things that make her beautiful in my eyes. Right now though, my mind has left me because she is in front of me.
     "Kaylee" I breathe. In awe of her beauty, even now, only a week since I have seen her last. "Why are you here?"
     Her eyes fill with tears, but they never break contact with mine. She takes a deep breath and begins to whisper, her voice shaking over every word. "Because Daniel. I don't want to wake up in an empty bed, thinking of you. I don't want to date a random guy when my soul mate is in front of me. I don't want to fight with myself every time I look around and see that you are not there. I don't want to be in an empty house wondering how you would help decorate it. I don't want to cry every night because it's cold there without you. I need to be with you, because... Because... Because I love you"

-Written by Chelsey