Cindy Calder

“The Earring and the Gypsy Ghost ” by Cindy Calder

Submitted to Contest #240

How can I find the words to describe it? It was infinitely worth millions, an enlightenment in an otherwise ordinary world. It was an escape into fantasy, an abundance of memories derived from the unimaginable realm of another reality. Thus, my unexpected journey began. It was an ordinary night, like any other, but unusually dark and eerily quiet with an ominous foreboding of the otherworldly...

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“The Goblin” by Cindy Calder

Submitted to Contest #240

Every night at midnight, the purple clouds appeared in the blushing sky. With their arrival, pink flower petals fell from their depths for a solid hour each night. With the rain came a knowledge of things beyond the average person’s ken, but such was not the case with Aoife. Even though she was sixty-four, she awaited the rain each night for she knew it held mystery and power able to change her life. Thi...

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“The Death of Appearances” by Cindy Calder

Submitted to Contest #235

“We have all the time in the world,” Zelda said, reaching across the space betwixt herself and her fiancé. She lovingly caressed his forearm in an attempt to assure that his despondency was due to nothing more than the gloomy weather that filled the streets of Paris that rainy day.“We have all the time in the world to go all the places and see all the things your heart desires, Jacques. In a month we’ll be married and living together right here in this lovely Parisian apartment. Life is young. We are on the precipice of ...

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“From the Shadows” by Cindy Calder

Submitted to Contest #170

Adrienne stepped onto the veranda. It was an unseasonably warm evening in February, and she needed to catch the breeze that came off the water. She had not yet danced, but her face behind the mask was still finely misted with perspiration, and she could feel small rivulets of the same running down between her breasts beneath the heavy eighteenth century costume dress she’d chosen to wear this evening.The masquerade ball was hosted by her eccentric but good friend, Angelique, tonight in honor of Fat Tuesday or the conclus...

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“Heather of the Moors” by Cindy Calder

Submitted to Contest #155

Her name was Heather, like the heather that was scattered endlessly across the beautiful moors.The moors of Dartmoor called to Heather, both in her waking hours and in her dreams. They beckoned as she slept in the comfortable bed that had once belonged to her parents, and each morning as she awoke, the smell of heather along with a fine mist seemed to permeate the room. She knew well enough, however, that these things were merely the remnants of her dreams that lingered so.Born in 1928, Heather...

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“Heikel” by Cindy Calder

Submitted to Contest #155

I don’t really know why I gravitated to the old, dilapidated trunk in the antique store that afternoon while wandering amidst the many vendors’ galleries, but I did. I was compelled and drawn to the old piece of furniture for reasons unbeknownst to me. I remember running my fingers over it, feeling the raised ridges of peeling paint before I lifted the faded, damaged lid. From what I could see at the time, it held an assortment of old clothing, costume jewelry, books, and other such items. It was an intriguing assortment of unknown treasu...

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“Tesoro Mio (My Treasure)” by Cindy Calder

Submitted to Contest #150

It was five-thirty in the afternoon on a Thursday, and Zelda was seated at a café in Florence that overlooked the picturesque Piazza Duomo. The Café Florian had become a norm in her everyday existence during the last year she had lived in Florence. Upon finishing work for the day, she would always stop by the small café to enjoy the beauty of the piazza where she could unwind and watch the diversity of people as she indulged in a rich caffè latte. She had come to cherish the time at the café, but she also looked...

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“The Dream Therein” by Cindy Calder

Submitted to Contest #150

“Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength which will always spring up if thou wilt always look.” - Marcus AureliusThe light was there again, insistent as always and greenish in color as it repeatedly blinked in the far distance over the vast waves. It was just as it appeared in her dream, each and every time. Her dream had been recurring for nearly six months, and Zoe dreamt it at least once a week but sometimes more. Despite the repetition of the dream, she didn’t know what it all...

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“The Death of Appearances” by Cindy Calder

Submitted to Contest #149

“We have plenty of time,” Zelda said, reaching across the space betwixt her and her fiancé. She lovingly caressed his forearm in an attempt to assure that his despondency was due to nothing more than the gloomy weather that filled the streets of Paris this rainy day. “We have plenty of time to go all the places and see all the things your heart desires, Jacques. In a month we’ll be married and living ...

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“The Handkerchief” by Cindy Calder

Submitted to Contest #149

“We have plenty of time,” Zelda said, reaching across the space betwixt her and her fiancé. She lovingly caressed his forearm in an attempt to assure that his despondency was due to nothing more than the gloomy weather that filled the streets of Paris this rainy day.“We have plenty of time to go all the places and see all the things your heart desires, Jacques. In a month we’ll be married and living together right here in this lovely Parisian apartment. Life is young. We are on the precipice of so many possibilities, so ...

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“Twist of Time” by Cindy Calder

Submitted to Contest #146

The day was a formidable one at best with the downpour of rain and the occasional streaks of lighting that stretched across the expanse of the skies along with the ominous rolls of thunder. Looking out the large window that covered the entire wall of one side of the den, Piper yawned, sinking deeper into the cushions of the comfy sofa, the book she was reading perched on her chest. It was such a dreary day that she could not help feeling sleepy again even though she’d risen later than usual that morning.Her ...

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“Masquerade” by Cindy Calder

Submitted to Contest #146

His eyes reflected his anticipation as he lingered from the shadows of the veranda, silently awaiting her arrival, their blueness deepening to midnight black.Adrianna stepped onto the lengthy veranda. It was an unseasonably warm evening in Venice this February, and she hoped to catch the breeze coming off the water. Even though she had not yet danced, her face behind the mask she wore was finely misted with perspiration. She could feel small rivulets of the same running down between her breasts beneath the heavy...

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“Heikel” by Cindy Calder

Submitted to Contest #145

I don’t really know why I gravitated to the old, dilapidated trunk in the antique store that afternoon while wandering amidst the many vendors’ galleries, but I did. It was as though I was compelled and drawn to the old trunk for reasons unbeknownst to me. I remember running my fingers over it, feeling the raised ridges of peeling paint as I gingerly lifting the faded, damaged lid. From what I could see at the time, it held an assortment of old clothing, costume jewelry, books, and other such items. It was an intriguing assortment of unkn...

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“The Personification of Merlot” by Cindy Calder

“Are you there, God? It’s me…again,” Zelda began. “I’d just like to ask you for a tiny, little favor - if you have the time, that is. Maybe you could finagle something here and manage a way to help this incredible man notice me. Maybe. Please. Just a little help tonight, God, especially since I haven’t been able to get him to even glance my way. It’s his last night here, after all. Please, God. Please." Zelda gave a little sigh of hope, and finished her prayer, "Thank you for listening, God.” It was true. In all...

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“From the Shadows” by Cindy Calder

Submitted to Contest #132

His ice blue eyes reflected his anticipation, deepening to nearly black as he lingered from the shadows of the veranda, silently awaiting her arrival.                                                         ****************Adri...

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