It’s day 20 of the #TopsyTurvyTVTour over on Instagram! Yesterday Tara Parker-Jones tried to convince Templeton to put on a Halloween costume. Today Lucie Bellerose goes for a walk and meets a stranger. Here we go…
(This is a derivative work based on the TV program Penny Dreadful – episode Demimonde.)
Lucie ran her hands over the grey material covering her arms.
Her jacket was fitted at the waist, but flared out over her hips, draping over the top of her long, black skirt. Its buttons secured the clothing tightly around her torso, disappearing under a wrap of dark fur. A braided ribbon twisted its way up from the fur and wrapped itself around her bare neck, ending under the careless chignon holding her hair away from her face.
The afternoon sun was bright as she explored the park across the street from the studio, but it lied – the day held a bitter chill. Upon reaching the other side of the park, Lucie sat on a bench, studying the steeple of a distant gothic church.
“I hope my nanny doesn’t find me,” said the little girl who perched beside her. “She’s a beast.”
Lucie smiled. “Maybe you should tell your mother.”
“She’s in the ground,” came the reply. The child jumped up and ran off.
“It’s Ms. Bellerose, correct?” A man’s voice from above caused Lucie to turn. She gazed upward, shielding her eyes. Blinking against the sunlight, she saw a vaguely familiar face.
“It is,” she answered. She frowned. Where had they met?
He answered as if he heard her thoughts. “Miss Fisher’s party,” he said. He held out an arm. “Come with me into the park’s greenhouse. You’ll be amazed.”
Lucie placed her hand on the man’s arm as she stood. He threaded it through his, securing her to his side.
“I remember meeting you. You were with Anne.” Lucie studied his profile as they strolled. “But I’m sorry, I can’t remember your name.”
“That breaks my heart.” He finally released her at the entrance to the greenhouse, opening the door. “After you.”
Inside the air was warm and thick with the scent of rich soil. The man followed as Lucie wandered rows, her fingers gliding over leaves and petals. She paused at a bloom. “It’s beautiful,” she breathed. “Sensual even.”
“Deadly nightshade,” the man whispered into her ear. “Be careful. Everything has a dark side.”
… Tune in tomorrow as things get Supernatural. (Now posted! Click here.)
Readers – Not on Instagram?
That’s okay! I’ll be sharing my Instagram posts daily here on my blogsite AND daily on Facebook at Writer Tracy Brown so you can read them there, too. Make sure you check for a new story every day in October!
What I’ll be doing: I’ll be dropping Emily Swift and crew into a story, a scene, a situation, etc. matching the “TV show of the day” prompt from this challenge. In those posts you can read about Door to Door Paranormal Mystery Characters trying to make it through shows like: The X-Files, Scooby Doo, Bewitched, Stranger Things, Friends, The Twilight Zone, The Office, Law and Order, Miami Vice, Game of Thrones, The X-Factor – and many more!
If you ARE on Instagram, make sure you’re following me at https://www.instagram.com/WriterTracyBrown/ to see the posts there! But again, as long as you check out my blog list or my Writer Tracy Brown page every day, you can read all the short stories without Instagram. 🙂
Leave a Reply