(Today, Marian Allen is hosting me at her blog, where I’ve written another piece inspired by the very same WIP as the piece below. Go over and have a look. )
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Rachael Harrie has been running the Writecampaign event, and today I’m doing a post for her 2nd Challenge, which is :
Write a blog post in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, whether flash fiction, non-fiction, humorous blog musings, poem, etc. The blog post should:
· -include the word “imago” in the title
· – include the following 4 random words: “miasma,” “lacuna,” “oscitate,” “synchronicity,”
If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional and included in the word count), make reference to a mirror in your post.
For those who want an even greater challenge (optional), make your post 200 words EXACTLY!
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My post is a flash fiction inspired by the characters of my current WIP: At exactly 200 words and including all the prompts. I have no hope of winning, because I’m not exactly the best at campaigning, but I loved the challenge and had to participate!
My entry is No. 111.
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Imago: The Painted Woman
Something about his signature on the painting bothered Anjali, as if the letters crawled over her skin. Vish smiled at her from the mirror beside the painting.
“Why call it Imago? It is an image of a woman…why go all Latin?” Anjali heard the irritation in her own voice, but could not help it. It is as if the insects were now inside her throat, scratching.
“An Imago is an insect that has just emerged from its last skin,” said Vish.
“And a woman is an insect?”
“I didn’t say that. Would you rather I called it Miasma? That is Greek.”
“Yes, Greek for infection, bad air. Why?”
Vish stood right behind her, and she felt rather than heard him say, “Because you lot infect men,” after a kiss on her nape, “and because painters can’t say ‘Yawn’ they must say ‘Oscitate’, or the work won’t sell.”
“Call it ‘Synchronicity’…for the way we met. I see the man in her shadow, don’t think I don’t.”
“I’ll call it Lacunae, name it after the silences between us.”
She gasped as she heard the blade whisper out from between his fingers. Now she knew what the insects had been saying all along.
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Today, Marian Allen is hosting me at her blog, where I’ve written another piece inspired by the very same WIP as above. Go over and have a look.
And if you like this piece and would like to browse through more of my work, check out A to Z Stories of Life and Death, available on Kindle Nook and Smashwords.
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Wow! You wrote some amazing dialogue. Great story and take on the challenge.
#189
So enjoyed this, and love the use of dialogue and banter. An intriguing, and a bit tongue in cheek, way to use the words. Congrats!
Thanks for reading my entry at Depression Cookies, too.
I really like the way you used the definitions of the words to not only talk about the painting, but to show something about these characters and their relationship. And that was a killer last paragraph!
Oh, that was good! I loved how you used the words and how those few words seem to tell a whole book.
Other than the usual stuff (good application of those tricky words!, nice turn at the end, etc.:)), I have to say I LOVED the title. I can't pinpoint why exactly; it's really beautiful and it works perfectly. Props, start to finish.
Great scene – good dialogue, use of the words, turn at the end – all around!
Great use of the words ! The piece flowed smooth and natural .
My entry is no.#185
~MISH~
http://writer-in-transit.co.za
Fantastic. Wonderful concept to tie in the words. It's really natural and has a beautiful rhythm to it.
You have my vote!
I love how they are romanticizing the names to make the art marketable. Well done! 🙂
Love the tension throughout this and that ending…excellent! Great job with the challenge.
I can feel the tension in the dialogue. Well written. Good luck!
Very intriguing. You went with the 'other' definition of 'imago'. What HAD the insects been saying all along? You can't just leave us there! 🙂
Hi,
This is a clever piece of FF, and so neat the way you spun the threads and led the way to each word with explanations along the way. 😉
best
F
brilliant – loved the twist – the continualy insect feel of it – the weave of it all – well done
Even though I didn't have time to enter this challenge I checked the list and knew you would have something sharp to offer and i was right. You got me from the first sentence. Great use of the words.
Denise
Debating over what the title of the art should be, using those words for the titles. Can I say it? Brilliant!
Great job, Damyanti! 🙂
Thanks everyone for the comments…this is what keeps me going sometimes! Most of the time I genuinely believe I suck at writing.
Nice. Intense and emotive. I love the name Anjali; unique and intriguing.
…….dhole
Ooooh, very creepy! I love how you weave the insect-related imagery throughout the piece, from the beginning with the words that "crawl" over her body, to the final line. Lovely work!
I like the kiss on the nape of her neck. Mine is #29
One word.
Wow.
I like the mystery and that you did it almost all with dialogue. Good response to the challenge.
"because painters can’t say ‘Yawn’ they must say ‘Oscitate’, or the work won’t sell" is kind of funny. The ending is really good, didn't see it coming.
This is a great piece of writing. I love this: "I see the man in her shadow, don't think I don't". Beautiful and chilling.
Mine is #3.
Lovely dark ending that I wasn't quite expecting and yet it fit the story. Interesting use of the words too, explaining their origins, nice touch.
Very intriguing, wanted to turn the page! ; )
Great dialog and tension. The twist at the end took me by surprise, yikes! Love how easy you maneuvered through the "dictionary lines" with the required words 🙂
I like the art element in the story – this definitely earned you my vote.
I absolutely love the dialogue between these two. Love this line, too:
“and because painters can’t say ‘Yawn’ they must say ‘Oscitate’, or the work won’t sell.”
Gave me a little chuckle.
That twist at the end made all the difference. Hmm!
This was wonderfully written. Good use of the words. It flowed smoothly and pulled me in. I gasped at the end!
I loved this, the tension between the two is really good! I was really surprised at the end, nice twist!
– andrea
PS: I'm #108 🙂
Oh! Darkly mysterious with a hint of previously masked violence. Nice! There is such great tension in the dialogue, too. ~ Nadja
Good story. Hypnotic, really.
Wow, it's all greek to me. I like how you took those words and made a unique story.