Sue Vincent runs an excellent weekly writing prompt called #writephoto, where she shares a wonderful, evocative picture from her collection, and you have until the following Wednesday to write something inspired by it. Here’s this week’s photo, and this is my response:
He liked to leave the house at sunset. Once the lamps had been lit, the dying sun painting licks of fire against the clouds. It hurt, to be outside at such a time, but it was worth it, to feel his soul twist and open against the beauty of the world, a reminder of something he could no longer have.
He remembered hours spent lying under blue skies, golden sun warming his skin. Lazy summer days drifting on rivers, nursing a beer in a pub garden, the sweet-sour taste on his tongue. The way the ocean shifted hue with the sky, the bright green of sunlight through leaves, the miraculous coloured arc of a rainbow.
All that was lost to him now. No beer, no warmth, no sunlit skies. It had seemed like such a good deal at the time, immortality an irresistible lure. And she had been so lovely, with her pale skin and red lips and dark promises – how could he have denied her?
But now she was gone. Vanished without so much as a by-your-leave. He was alone, confined to his house by day, wandering the streets by night. He had no taste for blood, despite his endless thirst – and besides, these were his neighbours. The thought of feeding from them was repugnant. So he made do with what he could find, small scurrying creatures that tasted of soil and berries, better than nothing, but nothing like the ecstasy she had promised.
He had no fancy for capes, nor for lurking in coffins. He left his house each evening, taking the curving road that reflected red back into the shimmering sky. One day, he thought, he might just keep walking, see if he could find her again. Or, failing that, someone else like him.
Eternity, after all, is no fun spent alone.
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Beautiful take Helen x
Thanks, Ritu 🙂
Nice. I figured it out early, but still nice. You paint a nice image.
Thanks, Craig 🙂 I knew you’d get it!
Love this: “tasted of soil and berries”. Wicked fun read. 😉 Though weird she left him, huh? Where did she go? Why did she go? Great take on the prompt.
(I’ve been meaning to tell you how much I love your banner. Excellent job on placement of the different covers. It’s lovely.)
Thanks, Sarah 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for the kind words about my banner, too! Funny when you see all the books together…
As for why she left him, I got the feeling she was some sort of vampire recruiter, meeting her targets and then moving on. There might be a longer story in it…
Haha! She met her quota? Sounds like she’s a vamp for hire. 😉 Longer story…if you have time.
Hmm, yes, I think there might be a longer story there… Just need to find the time, which is in short supply at the moment! 🙂
Vampires are fickle. Being so long lived, they get bored so she just moved on. Maybe that’s what’s happening to him now.
I think so – maybe more of the story will come to me and I’ll find out what happens to him… 🙂
You created them. You ought to know, Helen. 😉
😀 Well, they came to me… so maybe they’ll tell me at some point!
I like the twist of a vampire who is alone and seemingly bored with immortality. A different perspective and beautifully written.
Thanks for your kind comment, Iain – I’m glad you enjoyed the twist in the tale 🙂
Tell me it’s from Silver and Black!!!!
It’s not! But I do seem to have vampires on the brain at the moment… Silver and Black first draft is now finished though. Need to do some serious edits and see where it goes next. As for this story, I feel like there might be more to it… 🙂
Please publish it!!! 😀
I will when I write it!
I often wonder what happens to vampires as they age and become isolated. Good take Helen.
Thanks, Michael 😊 Me too – think there might be a longer story there…
What it is about this lovely photo that has everybody’s thoughts turning to horror and disaster scenarios? Good one, Helen 🙂
Haha, I’m not sure, Jane. I suppose a fiery sky leads to thoughts of apocalypse and death for some 😀 It is a lovely photo though, I agree – whether sunrise or sunset I’m not sure.
Maybe it’s just too glorious to be true.
🙂
I always felt that physical immortality would be overrated…
Like Craig, I had it with the first paragraph…but a neat twist took it back again 🙂
Thanks, Sue. I like the idea of it, but I do think the reality would be quite lonely 🙂
It would have to be as all your loved ones passed… over and over again…assuming immortal vampires still feel.
Yes, that would be the worst part, I think. It would be very isolating. I do think there’s more to this vampire’s story… 🙂
I think there ought to be 😉