Sunday 15 April 2012

Flash Fiction - 'Once Upon A Time' Writing Contest - 'Three Simple Words'


Anne Meade and Susi Holliday, of the wonderful Yearning For Wonderland Blog, regularly host writing competitions for Flash Fiction Once Upon A Time. Here is my entry, at 350 exactly...

Three Simple Words

“I can't do this!” Anna cried to herself, gazing at a picture of that young, handsome man on her computer screen. Max. His perfect blue eyes, and shoulder length blonde hair promised so much, as much as his tender words, shared with her over countless phone calls and emails over the past four months.

“You can, my dear....” came a cheerful reply from behind her.

She turned her head to see Rael, her imaginary friend since childhood, perched on the windowsill with his arms folded as tightly as the black wings on his back. His piercing green eyes seemed to burrow into her soul.

“He's going to say those three simple words, I am certain!”

Anna shook her head angrily, wrenching her gaze from that infuriating idiot. How could a personification of her own inner-thoughts exude such confidence?

“But he hasn't seen the real me, hasn't seen....” Her voice faltered, as she brushed away a strand of brown hair to reveal a deep scar, trailing from the left side of her forehead down to her cheek; her left eye made of glass.

*

Rael's words stuck in Anna's head as she hurried through the busy town to meet Max for the first time. Her stomach was doing somersaults. How could Rael be so certain of Max's reaction? He was a guy. Guy's went for looks. She'd been bullied all her life because of the scarring, nobody had looked at her twice. Why should that change now? Because she'd told him her life story?

She found him, leaning against a wall outside a coffee shop, his eyes as blue as the sky. Her blood ran cold, and she wanted to turn and run, but too late. He'd seen her. He was already standing before her. His gaze already lingering on that badly-hidden scar.

Okay, she thought, blushing severely, let me down gently...

Then Max's eyes met hers, he smiled a big, broad smile. Then he leaned forward, whispered tenderly into her ear...

“You are beautiful....”

The three simple words she had always wanted to hear.

 *

Theme: Unexpected Fairy Tales
Length: 350 words
Details: yearningforwonderland.blogspot.com & www.sjiholliday.com
Timetable: Contest open from April 4 till midnight, April 29th
Twitter: @ruanna3 & @sjiholliday & #ouatwriting