Since I started NaNoWriMo today with a new story– first time I’ve written in months–I am sharing here on Tuesday Tales. This is the opening scene- unedited of course. This week, the word prompt is arm.
Check out the other tales here.
The park at Seville Square is usually quiet. Sometimes, there are school kids on field trips to the historical district who run off excess energy while eating their sack lunches al fresco under the shade of some of the huge oaks. Other times, when there’s a festival, such as the seafood one in September, there are booths of food, crafts, and activity centers for the children. Shoppers galore visit neighbors and friends as they mill about looking for treasure.
The Gulf Coast Arts Festival the first weekend in November had long been a favorite of Lula Mae Haverstock. But not this year. Not while she was flat on her back next to the gazebo, knowing she might have had a psychotic break and trying to hide it from all the concerned faces of the people looking down on her in dismay.
Vision blurred, she was unsure exactly how she got here, but she was pretty sure she was seeing some strange things. It had been a sunny day, but some kind of fog now lay over the park and wisps of smoke or something flitted in and out of her peripheral vision. Some actually appeared to be people—vaporous and in strange garments—yet not solid and touchable.
Her friend, Amanda Bonds, patted her hand. “Are you all right, Lu? That was a nasty fall. Say something.”
All that came out was, “Thomas Jefferson?” Lu knew she’d probably suffered brain damage as she stared at one of the men standing over her. He was dressed in what she could only identify as maybe colonial garb, with a huge hat that actually reminded her of the style Napoleon Bonaparte wore. It made her head hurt worse trying to decipher what or who he was. Wasn’t Bonaparte older than Jefferson?
The man in the big hat looked at her askance. “Thomas Jefferson? Good Gad, woman. What kind of person do you take me for?”
Lu tried to shake her head, but it hurt too much. And now that she could focus just a little more she realized her left arm was hurting. She reached over to investigate and touched something sticky.
Jillian Chantal 