Things happen in a house by the Sea...

Submitted into Contest #122 in response to: Start your story in the middle of a traffic jam.... view prompt

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Fantasy Creative Nonfiction Fiction

Stories always start with {Once a Time}, well not this one, it's about a silent house by the sea...cozy fire, sitting snuggled up, and a very stormy night, clouds rolling in, thunder just right around the corner!


On this stormy night; in the garden of a forbidden forest, the pathway goes for miles and miles. There is a story I should share, but before I get ahead of myself, where I was, I was in, warm, cozy little silent house by the sea. A warm fire, burning, lights were low, thunder roaring and by myself deep in thoughts...  


Out of nowhere a crash broke the silence, then smoke appeared, like magic, as quickly it appeared it disappeared and the ground got foggy.   

As I walked to my room, {little bird told me} on this particular night, thunder clouds rolled in, gnawing through my bones, a hush behind me was a grayish puff, a cloud I thought was following me, but I woke up and nothing was there.  


After the rain went down the stairs, something was bugging me, like I was sleepwalking, fog covering me and a beast within. I saw this in a dream, grabbing a coffee, sitting thinking about that dream, and never did say; {I believe it is Superstition, but it was true}. 


Back to the forbidden forest, that took place in my home town, that was when I was very little, my parents lived in {Land of Spirit Falls} so what I am trying to say; {my parents are King BAZAAR and Queen Icewind so that makes me Princess Laurana!


Now that I have forwarded my name; the storm passed, my family went to the Kingdom, the year was 1763, I’m 20years of age, starting out as a writer, because I don’t follow in my parents footprints! I didn't want to be known as a Princess!


So it turned to evening, cold in the air, putting wood into the fire, picking up a little novel, covering up with a warm blanket, and started to write, but then a loud crash? Magic was in the air, very darkness and foreseen, of blood dripping from everywhere, “Mark of Cain” as the story goes; {Cain-took his own life, but the Mark would not let him be}!


But that was just a dream. I woke up to rain hitting the window. It was a very weird dream, but I picked up my pen and paper and started writing! My mind couldn’t stop thinking about that dream, what did it mean, what was it about, why did the image come to me? Many questions but no answers, not here or there, back to writing, and once it was finished put the kettle on.


Took a walk by the sea, the warm air hitting my face, the waves crashing on the rocks, it’s was that way after a storm, it is a beautiful time of year, it was hard to remembering the fun times having family around, was too close to water, wave splashed me knocking me off my feet, if it wasn’t stranger, running by I would have drowned so would have to say; {he saved my Life}!! 


Looking at a 7” man; asking if I was okay? Clearing my air from my lungs, spitting out water, said: yes, if it wasn’t for you wouldn't be here, shaking he picked me up, took to back to his inn, like a fairytale, “when a girl meets a guy, so the tale says happy ending, could say; “he is my Knight and Shining Armor”, but the truth is I couldn’t tell him I was a Princess, so said was just a writer”! I sat in the inn with the stranger, that saved me, no words comes out, looking around, very quit, there was like five people, the stranger, took my coat, told me to warm up by the fire, the stranger walked over to the counter, pouring glass of water, all eyes on me, being confused, I got my coat and ran out. 


Lost my shoe, so yes you could say; fairytale, trying to find my way back, was a little hard, but I did it, it was evening now, my home sweet home, and curled up just thinking about my shoes.


Falling asleep, the moon shining bright, asking; “why am I dreaming about shoes’” anyway that is not important, what would have happened if the stranger didn’t show up, would have I drowned or any way waking up getting a coffee, there was a knock at the door and saw the stranger holding my shoes!


Opening up the door, there standing the stranger said; {I believe these shoes are yours}? Thank you, would you like a drink? No; answered the stranger, I would like to know your name I asked? Of course sorry; I should have introduced myself. You can call me “black Knight.” a little chuckle came out of my mouth, you sure?


No joke; people call me that, what is so funny? Sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, it’s just never met a Knight before and you saved my life. You have to admit it's kind a funny, like I’m living in a fairytale, what happened, why were you out by the sea. It was kind a chilly today, I know why I was there, this is my home and I have never seen you in my lifetime. 


So I ask” why were you there? I am not complaining. I am very thankful you were there, but don’t you think I deserve an answer? {yes you do, but “you will think I’m nuts” and here goes nothing} I was there because of rumor, that a Princess was living near here!


Oh; you believe in rumors? Well, no Princess lives here, I quickly replied, but it did get my curiosity juices flowing, who knows “asking myself”, I’m a writer, nothing less, guess I was trying to fool myself, but I didn’t let on and no one else will ever know!


Ok; the “black Knight '' left, he said; sorry to bother you and I am glad you got your shoes back, but know that your secret is safe! What did he mean by that? Glad you are safe, you got your shoes back, I will leave now but please if you hear that the princess is here please give a message; {anywhere you go, where you are you will always be safe}, and with that he was gone never heard from him again.


Wow; never thought this would have happened, back to the forgotten forest, it leads behind my house, under the waterfall. I want to tell you why I hide the truth of being a princess and because of my heritage, I am the keeper of the unknown…


That is why I am a writer; I want to forget everything that is Good or Evil so I can be safe and not hold the burden of people living their own lives. Now let’s get to the bottom of the truth? The truth is; it is the 2021 century, here in a shopping mall, tis the season where crowded as can be and no consideration is offered.


To each is their own, would be kind a nice to have peace again, but like I said “it’s the 2021st century” and back to the shopping mall where noise rings, full of Christmas bah-humbugs, also deck the halls.


What it is, it’s that the world has come to a Commercialized Season, to one's opinion, but that is neither here nor there, I was talking about Laurana, she is the person I wanted to be, fearless, bold person, and here is me, and Kathy best buds forever.


This girl, I would do anything for her, she has lived like a princess, worked her tail off, to be the best at all she can be, Kathy; always on the go, never stops, to take time to smell the roses, as the old saying goes, and now she has no choice to stop for she now has caused traffic jam!


Life has meaning, has anyone been in traffic jam, swear words, anger arises, getting out then sees that we are all in it together someway it works it out, how to give my life meaning, it does not the meaning of why the traffic jam accrued, this bring out the ugly in humanity and no trust in humans.


That everyone was not hurt! Bruises, bumps, that is all, fines and community service. So Kathy comes up with the best community service idea, like I said she is go getter, know that is why she is the best friend ever, and it all will work out in the end. 


With that said; take your time and enjoy life, there will be mistakes, changes are good things, since the stroke, I have been working each day to better myself, there is room for improvement, there are bumps along the way, these are what I call good and bad days so it is a rollercoaster.


So that is my life in fantasy, thinking that fairy tales are real, that there is a happily ever after, life is what you make it, believers “will stand up for what they believe in”, you know that you can accomplish anything and only you can change for the better don't change for anyone!


November 29, 2021 18:59

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1 comment

Graham Kinross
13:57 Dec 09, 2021

Hi Kathy, Supernatural fan? Nice story, more so as it gets going. I was recommended this by the Critique Circle so I thought I’d take a look again for some constructive advice. At the start you spend some sentences introducing how the story will start, it was better once you got to the story itself. You can skip past introductions a lot of the time and drip feed some of the details. I struggle with that as well so I’m not going to pretend I’ve mastered it. You said most stories start with (Once a Time) did you mean Once Upon a Time?

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