Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
This is the Six Sentence Story bloghop.
This bloghop is hosted by Denise.
Denise sets the rules for these stories
Stories are to be six and only six sentences in length
The length infers that a serial format is permitted.
Given this permission, what follows is the next installment in the (serial) story, ‘the Case of the Missing Fig Leaf‘ (For continuity, you might want to click on this link, for Chapter Twenty.)
Prompt word:
RIVALRY
“Tell me again why I should trust you,” I was beginning to get pissed-off; not so much because of her assertion of a common interest, as wanting a sense of the woman who stood over me as I sat, admittedly more punch-drunk than I prefer for a first date.
The genius of the religious habit she wore lay in how it eliminated all distractions while denying information; the shapeless vertical folds of the black tunic took care of the traditional, leaving the face framed in stiff white linen and softly draping veil; as attractive as her eyes were, they teetered between whispering and screaming, ‘Look at me, I’m not the one you should be worried about.’
“If I might make a suggestion, Mr. Devereaux, while your client, Dr. Thunberg, is of no interest to us, the woman in Chicago that she sucessfully inveigled upon you to contact is; it would be ever so helpful if you would call her, …now.”
Character may develop from adversity, but most wounds and permanent scars to the psyche are the product of elementary school, so I took my cell phone from her outstretched hand; I began to falter in my resolve to get the upper hand over the very confident woman standing in front of me, when, remembering the details of my interactions with ‘the woman in Chicago’, preventing Leanne from becoming collateral damage took precedence, “Ok, Sister, it’s your funeral,” as I pressed the contact on my phone, I looked up, “You know I don’t know your name, not that it matters that I know it when Anya answers, but to indulge in maybe the last normal interaction before we get to the bottom of the rabbit hole, what do I call you?”
Her smile rang the dissonant emotional chimes of third grade in my head, but what I saw in her eyes had me looking for a door, “Call me, Sister Aclima,” the mirror’d hall depth in her eyes spoke of timeless ages and unmeasurable suffering.
“Ian,” Anya’s voice, creeping from my phone, was as close to friendly as Twenty-first technology can achieve, “Now you know I enjoy a joke as much as the next girl, however, if you didn’t pick up on it when we were together in Chicago, I am not a fan of contrived rivalry, so start talking and don’t leave anything out.”
About clarkscottroger
I loved the last line, always spoken by a Scot.
Great imagery also.
Thank you.
You always pack so much into these. Great job. Great imagery
thanks, Paul
Nice description: “Character may develop from adversity, but most wounds and permanent scars to the psyche are the product of elementary school”. My most dissonant memories came from third grade also.
You’re the first (but, apparently not the only one) to identify with that description. Interesting
This makes me wonder how universal this is. “Character may develop from adversity, but most wounds and permanent scars to the psyche are the product of elementary school.” Perhaps when children are young, it is much more difficult for them to make sense of it all. So is Ian going to tell all?
I’ll have to ask him… lol (I have no idea what going to happen next. But, on the plus side, we’ve got ourselfs an interesting group of characters)
(Not such how universal, but in the context of those who participate in the Six fairly prevalent)
Gads, but the elementary school line hits home.
yeah, huh
Holy Sh%#! I looked up the name and to reiterate, insert first 2 words, lol. Not having done my historical research, I did not see that one coming.
Most excellent “chapter”.
Sister Aclima vs Anya Claireaux. I will have gobs of popcorn ready for that one 😆
Thank you, that part (finding the best name for a character who appears without one) is really fun
Multi-layered and full of inner meaning. Having read Denise’s comment, I too did a spot of ‘googling’. Now then, expecting sparks to fly!
A reasonable expectation… but then again, knowing Anya from previous stories better than I know Aclima, I expect it should be interesting
Yes, elementary school has a lot to answer for. How many people I know who are scarred by encounters with women in long black robes. Mind you, i was equally scarred by a woman in ordinary clothes! You’re really developing the tension and I need to go back and find out how we got here. Like Denise and Chris, I had to look up Aclima. That’s going to make for an interesting development
As I alluded to in my reply to Denise and Chris, the fun, when a character ‘shows up’ without a name is the best part… the right name becomes a hint at the future (of the story and the character’s role).
Funny, the effect she has on him because of third grade.
Another fine installment sir(s).
Thankee Ms. Avry
The plot thickens*
*very much in the sense of an amateur cook managing to create a sauce (or a gravy) and as the ingredients are added, the product become more variable, unpredictable and (potentially) better than the person could have hoped for… lol
School days scars are long to heal, and I have a fear of women in long black robes – not because I went to Catholic school but was run over by a nun driving a Fiat Panda on the pavement. A true story, and not something from Father Ted. lol.
Dude!*
* respect, admiration and (a touch of envy) for enduring (and surviving) such an event!
Thanks, Clark*
My younger brother came off far worse than I and spent 2 months in hospital, but survived and recovered well. We made all the local newspapers. It was a pretty nasty and scary accident, but looking back quite funny given the improbable circumstances, characters and marque of car. 1980s Fiat Pandas had huge fenders back then, thank goodness.
*for allowing me to grasp past trauma with a smile thru your always excellent Sixes!
yow!
that raises an interesting question. could any of us (those we are encountering here in Sixville) have written at earlier age. The answer, I suspect, would be more focused on style than technique. Yet, ever as I type, I suspect an element of the proposed thought experiment, i.e. that it is not merely the acquisition of sufficient life experience, it is the willingness to mine one’s memories (biography and psychology) and, then the will to write it out loud.
huh
Another well done installment.