July 2023
Where Is That Italian?
17/07/23 13:42
Made up that this story won the community vote at Microcosms for the week. Wasn't really sure how the story would be taken. So thank you for those votes.
300 words. Microcosms No.197 Prompts: Psychic / Subway / Mystery
Where Is That Italian?
‘Communication is all, dear.’ Mystic Gina said, gesturing for Carla to sit down beside her.
Communication and money thought Carla, having just paid for the sitting. She’d heard nothing but good things though about Gina’s talents. She’d foretold new relationships and their breakdowns, accidents & illnesses, births and deaths. If Auntie Annie was right, Gina’s record was second to none in the state. Though Annie was a trifle gullible.
Carla put her hands into Gina’s. She felt a tingle and wondered if she’d picked up static from the carpet.
‘Ah! I see your questions are about your near future. Oh yes, very clearly. I see it.’
Carla said nothing. Not wanting to direct the answers at all. She wanted to hear the future from Gina’s abilities, not from mirroring her hopes.
‘Nice. I foresee an Italian. Do you know any?’
‘I don’t think so. Even the guy who runs the pizza place was born on my street.’
‘You definitely have an Italian in your future. And your love will be total. Brown skinned and six foot.’
‘Sounds interesting! Where will we meet?’
‘The subway.’
‘Oh dear. How will I know? I mean that’s a hectic place to bump into someone.’
‘You’ll know.’
Weeks passed without any love interest. Carla almost forgot the prediction after deciding it was all just a parlour game.
It was only sighing out loud whilst she was eating a Meatball Marinara that she decided that Gina had almost perfectly predicted it. She loved that filling on a 6” Hearty Italian and it was a Subway. Perhaps Gina had simply mixed her feet and inches. That would explain how she hadn’t met the Italian man yet: there wasn’t one. As she chewed the last of the sub she decided that was the only 6”s she needed anyway.
300 words. Microcosms No.197 Prompts: Psychic / Subway / Mystery
Where Is That Italian?
‘Communication is all, dear.’ Mystic Gina said, gesturing for Carla to sit down beside her.
Communication and money thought Carla, having just paid for the sitting. She’d heard nothing but good things though about Gina’s talents. She’d foretold new relationships and their breakdowns, accidents & illnesses, births and deaths. If Auntie Annie was right, Gina’s record was second to none in the state. Though Annie was a trifle gullible.
Carla put her hands into Gina’s. She felt a tingle and wondered if she’d picked up static from the carpet.
‘Ah! I see your questions are about your near future. Oh yes, very clearly. I see it.’
Carla said nothing. Not wanting to direct the answers at all. She wanted to hear the future from Gina’s abilities, not from mirroring her hopes.
‘Nice. I foresee an Italian. Do you know any?’
‘I don’t think so. Even the guy who runs the pizza place was born on my street.’
‘You definitely have an Italian in your future. And your love will be total. Brown skinned and six foot.’
‘Sounds interesting! Where will we meet?’
‘The subway.’
‘Oh dear. How will I know? I mean that’s a hectic place to bump into someone.’
‘You’ll know.’
Weeks passed without any love interest. Carla almost forgot the prediction after deciding it was all just a parlour game.
It was only sighing out loud whilst she was eating a Meatball Marinara that she decided that Gina had almost perfectly predicted it. She loved that filling on a 6” Hearty Italian and it was a Subway. Perhaps Gina had simply mixed her feet and inches. That would explain how she hadn’t met the Italian man yet: there wasn’t one. As she chewed the last of the sub she decided that was the only 6”s she needed anyway.
Smoothly Until That Point
17/07/23 13:31
300 words: Microcosms prompts No.196
Prompts: Mermaid/Astronaut Spaceship/Atlantis Western/Romance
The prompts made me think of an amalgam of Firefly and Stargate Atlantis. So I combined the two sets of prompts into one. Although I didn't use the characters from these series you may spot that I instead used the actors first names.
Smoothly Until That Point
Nathan decided he’d been lollygagging in the outer planets of Sham-69 too long. It was time to get on with something interesting; and get paid. He was kickstarted in the Serenity Bar where he’d overheard a conversation between the two resident exotic dancers, Torri and Jewel (whose enormous assets she named after gemstones). Puzzlingly mesmerised he only caught half the conversation, but it was an enticing one about a mermaid called Morena who lived in the tropical ocean close to Nova Atlantis. A mermaid! Such a rare catch would be worth plenty of planetary credits he thought. He’d found a job.
He’d filled his one bag and left the hotel room in super quick time. When his mind was made up there was no stopping him. His Astrobug, the Aldi Central Isle, was at the nearby airport and as always ready to go; it didn’t pay not to be ready for a hasty getaway in Nathan’s line of work (when he was working).
It took him just two days in various unsalubrious honky tonks in Nova to learn the whereabouts of Morena. His charm and his bribes worked well – and his trusty Colt revolver even better. Two days later he flew Aldi to the area he’d been recommended and found her within half an hour of arrival. Everything had gone so smoothly: until that point.
He’d found his prize to steal away and sell to the highest bidder, but no one had warned him of Morena’s beauty and magic. It was soon clear he’d need an alternative plan of work. Love would do that to a man. Last time he was seen he was living with Morena whilst selling flip-flops and knock-off sunglasses on the beaches of Nova Atlantis – looking the happiest he’d ever been. Serenity: love would do that.
Prompts: Mermaid/Astronaut Spaceship/Atlantis Western/Romance
The prompts made me think of an amalgam of Firefly and Stargate Atlantis. So I combined the two sets of prompts into one. Although I didn't use the characters from these series you may spot that I instead used the actors first names.
Smoothly Until That Point
Nathan decided he’d been lollygagging in the outer planets of Sham-69 too long. It was time to get on with something interesting; and get paid. He was kickstarted in the Serenity Bar where he’d overheard a conversation between the two resident exotic dancers, Torri and Jewel (whose enormous assets she named after gemstones). Puzzlingly mesmerised he only caught half the conversation, but it was an enticing one about a mermaid called Morena who lived in the tropical ocean close to Nova Atlantis. A mermaid! Such a rare catch would be worth plenty of planetary credits he thought. He’d found a job.
He’d filled his one bag and left the hotel room in super quick time. When his mind was made up there was no stopping him. His Astrobug, the Aldi Central Isle, was at the nearby airport and as always ready to go; it didn’t pay not to be ready for a hasty getaway in Nathan’s line of work (when he was working).
It took him just two days in various unsalubrious honky tonks in Nova to learn the whereabouts of Morena. His charm and his bribes worked well – and his trusty Colt revolver even better. Two days later he flew Aldi to the area he’d been recommended and found her within half an hour of arrival. Everything had gone so smoothly: until that point.
He’d found his prize to steal away and sell to the highest bidder, but no one had warned him of Morena’s beauty and magic. It was soon clear he’d need an alternative plan of work. Love would do that to a man. Last time he was seen he was living with Morena whilst selling flip-flops and knock-off sunglasses on the beaches of Nova Atlantis – looking the happiest he’d ever been. Serenity: love would do that.