onsdag den 19. august 2020

Words for wednesday - 19 August

Today, as all Wednesdays in August, Lissa at Memory of Rain is posting the prompts - she actually did so yesterday my time, much appreciated. Today we are given: 

1. light
2. voice
3. lock
4. hunt
5. laugh

And/or

6. wild
7. simple
8. evanescent
9. vulnerable
10. frigid

I pick up Susan's story at an earlier time again. Back to where she and Taavi, the male Finnish professor were to have a talk of stones with holes in them. I did not use all the words. Missing are: Lock, hunt, laugh and wild.

Suddenly Susan remembered that she was supposed to wait for Taavi in the Barn, not hide away in the library. "Return here and read!" he had said. The incidence with the voices had left her a bit shaken. She felt very vulnerable as she slipped into the long corridor with the book firmly planted under her left arm. But the long slightly twisting corridor lay deserted in the gloomy afternoon light. Taavi was taking the lanterns from Marja and Josta the two Finnish sisters, slender and evanescent like the birch trees for which they were named. They were wet and cold, and went directly to the oven, when Taavi let them go. Susan rose, filled two big mugs with hot tea and went over to them.
"Thank you, Susan!" Josta the oldest of the sisters said. "My fingers need thawing up. I'm frigid."
Marja added: "Thanks, but you know, we're not supposed to talk until we've written our experiences."
"Oh!" Susan said. "A simple 'thank you' and polite small talk won't harm. But I'm off anyway," she added as she saw Taavi waving at her. 
  "Yes Taavi," Susan said. I got the book, sorry about reading it in the library, but something strange happened on my way up there."
  "Are you sure you want to talk about it here?" Taavi asked.
  "No, let's go for a walk." Susan said.
  They together they walked out of the barn, following the path down to the beach, while Susan told Taavi about the voices and what they had said.
  "Are you sure you remember correctly? 'Call on him'. What could they mean, and who is he?" Taavi said, as Susan ended her tale.
  "I'm quite sure, I heard them clearly" Susan answered. "They were close to me and angry at that. They were certain no one was near, else they'd not have spoken out like that."
  "And she did not use magic to see if anybody was in the infirmary?"
  "No, And I stood on the stool. Quiet as a mouse - why do you say this? Mice are so not quiet - Anyway I did not move even a little finger. And I clutched the lucky stone."
  "You did, how extraordinary. Maybe it really acts as a counter to magic. Let me try." Professor Taavi drew his wand. "Now imagine that I'm the lady, trying to make you reveal yourself with the aid of magic. Do as you did in the infirmary."
  Susan clutched the stone closed her eyes and imagined herself back in the small niche in the sick room. Oh, please don't use magic, she thought.
  Taavi looked at his wand. Then he shook his head and mumbled a spell. "I see you now," he said. "But I did not feel like using magic. If I had not been warned, I would not have been aware of it. You, or you and that stone, are not immune to magic at all, but you make me not want to use my magic. It's a compulsion, not very strong, but definitely there. This bears watching. And you just keep that stone handy at all times."
  "Thank you, professor, Yes I will."
  Together they returned to the Barn, just in time for the dismission for the day.

5 kommentarer:

  1. I am always thrilled when the prompts feed a new installment of this story. And today is no exception.
    Huge thanks to you and to lissa.

    SvarSlet
    Svar
    1. Thank you for your encouraging comments. They are half the reason I'm writing on.

      Slet
  2. What a handy ability for those who mean no harm, to make someone who might want to cause trouble not want to use magic.

    SvarSlet
    Svar
    1. Yes nice ability. I have yet to find out whether it's the stone, Susan or the combination.

      Slet
  3. A new kind of magic for Susan. I like the idea of being able to make other people not use magic or not do what they want to do. Anyway, good use of the prompts.

    I posted (the last one to come) on Tuesday so that people across the pond, like you, can have them on time. It's really like a some type of magic, people living a day ahead of me, they're in the future, I'm still in the past, strange but interesting.

    Have a lovely day.

    SvarSlet

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