Still no definitive answer to what's considered published and what's not -but I like the idea of having a Fiction Friday, and I know that once I get a website up and running (looking into the future), I'll want to have a page of free fiction. So, why not start now?This was my gift of writing for the Saskatchewan Romance Writers this past year - and I really liked it. Even my brother read it and enjoyed the twist at the end. But bad news, People of Blogland - the story was too long for a full blogpost, so you won't get to read the end until next Friday. It will give you a full week to see if you can guess what Melissa wished for last.
Cobalt Wishes
Janet S. Corcoran
Melissa didn’t believe in Santa, the Tooth Fairy, or the Great Pumpkin. And if anyone had asked, she would have added Genies to the list of the unbelievable before smoke billowed from an antique cobalt vase, thunder rattled her kitchen windows and a naked man magically appeared before her.
A naked man with a drool factor of 10!
Her mother had taught her to never stare, but she was having a difficult time keeping her eyes focused on the vivid blue ones of her surprise visitor.
"You’ve never seen one before?"
She snapped her eyes up from where they insisted on straying. "Huh?"
"A Genie?"
A fraction of a second passed before she realized he was speaking of himself and not that. "No. No, I haven’t"
"Then I will explain the rules. Nothing global! Don’t wish for world peace because I can’t grant you that. And do not wish for more wishes. I don’t how many times people try that."
"But I get three, right?"
"Yes." He crossed his arms. "Three wishes."
Her gaze skittered over sinewy muscles, defined abs and narrow hips. His nakedness distracted her. "I wish you’d put some pants on."
As the words left her mouth she held out her hands and cried, "NO!"
Soft, faded jeans, the top button undone, now covered his lower half. "You have two wishes left."
Did his lip just curl? Melissa braced her hands on her hips. "You’re laughing at me?"
Did his lip just curl? Melissa braced her hands on her hips. "You’re laughing at me?"
"Happens every time."
Money, she should wish for money. Most months she barely scraped by, living on a part time secretary’s wage in order to have the time to paint. That was her real passion in life, but it had yet to pay. But how much should she ask for? She didn’t want to be greedy.
"Perhaps your husband could assist you in this task?"
Now she crossed her arms. "I’m not married."
His ultramarine gaze slid from the top of her head to the tips of her bare feet and the heat he produced sizzled under her skin. "Then you should wish for that."
"Why? So I can be bossed around, told what to do, pick up after him, do his laundry, cook his meals?"
"You have a high opinion of the institute."
A sarcastic Genie, just what Melissa needed. "And you know so much about marriage?"
"From what I’ve seen, I have formed an opinion." The Genie sat down at her table and stretched his long legs out before him. "To have a partner, one to share your dreams with, give you comfort when life is not going according to plan. Someone to hold you in the darkest hour of the night."
His definition of marriage sounded heavenly, but she had seen the other side, the reality of a marriage gone wrong. She was the product of divorce. "And if you could produce such a man, would you guarantee that he would always be loving and caring? Would you grant me a replacement wish if that man broke my heart?"
"You wish to remain single because of the chance a man could break your heart?"
"Yes."
"Done."
Melissa shook her head. Had she just used up her second wish? "Are you serious?"
"You wished to remain single."
"No I didn’t. You wished it for me."
"And you agreed."
"That shouldn’t count."
He studied his fingernails. "It does." He looked up at her, his eyes narrowed and his lip curled. "Now, your last wish, what will it be?"
(Copyright ~ Janet S. Corcoran 2009)
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Leave your suggestions as to the last wish in the comment section. And be sure to come back next Friday (although, I'd love it if you came back before then) to read the end of Cobalt Wishes.
TGIF :)
Holy steaming teapot, Janet! I want to smack that Genie! LOL What a smart-ass. If I were her, I'd wish he'd stop being a Genie hehe.
ReplyDeleteHave a fab writing day!
Would you believe I can't remember? (Slap hand for terrible short term memory, probably because I read all the Christmas Gifts of Writing in one sitting, and rather quickly, too. Loved them all!)
ReplyDeleteGot such a giggle from this the first time. So glad you have posted it for a wider audience. Could you elaborate on your intention for Free Fiction Friday? Would you be looking for contributors?
Look for email with further info on submission guidelines.
I think she should wish to go back in time before she'd made any of her wishes - and start over.
ReplyDeleteHey, everyone! I was in Halifax yesterday and didn't get a chance to come back to the Journal and comment on your comments. Thanks for reading my first installment of Cobalt Wishes.
ReplyDeleteLu - I love my Genie smart-ass. And just you wait and see how Melissa handles him, once she gets her brain back in gear!
Hazel - I did the same with the Gifts of Writing, tore through them with much enthusiasm. Not sure yet how my Friday Fiction is going to go, but having guest writers might be a great idea. I'll give that much thought. Thanks - I'm assuming you would be willing to contribute?
Julia - good guess, but you'll have to wait. I can tell you that when I wrote the thing I struggled with all the ideas for a last wish to make sure they made sense and would work. Time travel/time continuum confuses me beyond belief :)