Muddy Waters
Remote is not a good enough term for this marina. Before the marina had been built time had stood still for centuries. Even though four buildings graced the track that terminated at the marina. The first a church without a clock, the second an abandoned blacksmiths shack. Third was a house without inhabitances. Last was a farm without a farmer.
So when a old gypsy caravan rolled up to the marina, the six people who relaxed aboard the boats should have been prepared for what might happen. The caravan brought two of the strangest people imaginable. The first might have been a fine figure of a man but he was bright red from head to toe. The second a woman had red hair that touched the ground.
Relaxing at this remote marina had seemed a good idea, till this pair turned up. As each of the boat owners attempted to untie the hawsers that held their craft to the land, they recoiled in horror as the hawsers became snakes.© Michael Humphris.
Word count 170. Welcome to the new year dear readers, but please be wary when any place looks as perfect as this marina.
This Post Has 26 Comments
Suspense unabated! Good writing!
Thank you Reena,
Intriguing write.
Thank you yarnspinnerr. Muddy Waters was an attempt at rewriting another story. In that story the red man is a Victorian seller of iron oxide, whilst the woman is a run-away bride!
Crikey, abrupt end to a relaxing holiday!
Thank heavens that there was a word limit, for I was planning to include giant eels and worse.
Yikes. That escalated quickly.
Sounds like this couple brought black magic with them! Great story, Mike!
Thank you so much PJ. Black magic or they sold psychedelic mushrooms.
What if these two new arrivals were ‘normal’, while the six existing ones had already gone crazy, and so saw them like that 🙂
Now I hadn’ Seen it like that, which is such an interesting way of seeing it. Thank you so much for finding new possibilies. Mike
Very creative take Mike. As an aside, the photo was taken a few miles away from the former winter base of Ringling Bros’ circus. Maybe the ghosts of some of the sideshow characters came through the lens into your imagination?
It was good to know where the photo was taken. Sometimes I marvel at where these prompts take me. Now I am thinking of writing about a visit to the circus!
That would open up a lot of possibilities!
It certainly will. Thank you again Mike.
I like the descriptions of the town buildings – each one missing something important that would make it ‘real.’ -farm without a farmer etc. At first the story seems sleepy and slow, gradually infiltrated by the slow-moving gypsy van. The image of the two people intrigues me; the red man and the woman with long red hair. What are they? Why red? Why snakes? Great way to capture the reader’s attention.
Thank you athling. I had several differing outcomes in mind for this story. However I have since found out that a circus had its winter home near the marina. So perhaps they might have been a clown and a snake charmer.
I do have a alternative very much longer story in mind. Which I intend to put online later this spring, with it own dedicated web site. I will let you know when this occurs.
Bravo! I love the unexpected, dark turn this takes.
Thank you Pamela, but the dark fore water in the prompt picture deserves all the credit.
Very creative and had me rapt wanting to find out why this little town is cursed, why no one lives there. Stopping at the marina was soon I think. Really enjoyed.
The story of this small place is trapped in my mind. Given time I hope to tell all.
I can’t wait to hear it, it’s fascinating 🙂
Then I will try not to disappoint you.
Creative and intriguing take.
I was so pleased to read this this comment Jacqueline.
My pleasure Michael.