By Prospero Dae
“If you take one step closer, I’ll cut you open.”
“Put the knife down, woman.”
Slashing the air with artless fervor she advanced, grazing the wing of his nose. The blackness of his eyes intensified.
He yanked a ghost-white handkerchief from his pocket and raised it to the wound.
“Damn. Give me the knife, Bea.” Blood soaked the cloth thoroughly.
Instinctively, she recoiled. He grabbed her thin wrist. The kitchen knife fell to the floor. It was no longer a struggle—she had capitulated. And as a gray silence enveloped them roundly, she braced for a face-numbing slap—which never came.
It is scary, in a dance of souls, when one of the dancers is a bit clumsy, and good to get to the deep dip as the orchestra reaches its finale.
A lot of physicality until the end. Gray silence. Nice work.
Very nice, as always. I love the ambiguity at the end.
Nothing says – I love you like – like dead slience. I like your the way you think and express those thoughts.
In so few words you create a clear picture of both players. Love “…the wing of his nose”.
Another Winner, Prospero. Keep ’em coming! Lots of drama in this one–then the final calm of silence. Brilliant!
Particularly enjoyed the final line . . . “a gray silence enveloped them roundly . . .”
Clean, sharp and well delivered … great job
Knives don’t graze people’s snozzes, people do. (People with knives though, so that doesn’t stand up too well on its own, and isn’t sharp enough by half, but tis early (for esme), so bear with (no funny business).
You can get away with no title for the picture. But only this once, it’s perilous stuff.
– esme blunted today upon the Cloud
Great ending. Tells the history and leaves us wondering….