Fowl play
She floats into the office like she owns it. A classy blonde with deepwater eyes, and a trick of arching her long neck and pinning you to the wall with an uppercut look. The type my mother warned me about. Says her name’s Helen and never mind about surnames. That’s her point, she says.
She claims her mother’s been spouting a tale that would ruffle the feathers of an angel. A mishap, Mother’s calling it. Years ago some handsome fellow flew in needing comfort and Daddy didn’t seem to mind at the time.
Now twenty years on Mummy dear suddenly gets the urge to come clean and the family’s in uproar.
Never pays to give in to the guilts, I always say. What’s done is done.
It isn’t just paternity or inheritance issues, claims Helen, there are higher stakes.
These types worry about such things. Bloodlines, who’s entitled to lord it over the others. The upshot is the kiddos are in a dither trying to work it all out.
I ask for details and she describes a stately home, lakeside, with egg collections under glass. Is that a clue? I make a note to follow that up.
Whatever’s gone on, the family reputation has nosedived and the doll wants answers. Can I help?
She leaves with a flick of her long white feather boa and I figure I need some thinking time. I collect my sandwiches and a flask of tea and head to the lake to watch the swans.
*****
If your word count’s two–fifty or fewer,
there’s a risk of becoming obscure.
Click the picture right here
and all will be clear.
Flash fiction makes ancient tales newer.
🦢🦢🦢
This 250 word story is for The Unicorn Challenge, hosted by Jenne Gray and C. E. Ayr.
‘A classy blonde with deepwater eyes, and a trick of arching her long neck and pinning you to the wall with an uppercut look.’ Great line, Margaret, and a clever story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Doug. Glad you enjoyed it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t mind her classiness or her assiness, but why do they always have to be blond?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha. That’s funny. She’s only blonde because the swans are white. If the story (or the photo) was set in my corner of the world, she’d be raven-haired. We have black swans here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t always catch the nuances of the story. But I did check to see if swans could have gray feathers. They do when they are young.
We never know when or where a post might lead our readers.
If I were a swan I would be quite young. 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
I didn’t know about the juvenile feathers. Now I must check whether our black swans start out the same way. And yes, I think I’d be with you – a baby swan.
LikeLike
I love the voice in this, Margaret. The descriptions of the ‘blonde doll’ take me right into Sam Spade’s office… I can just hear it all.
And a fine dig at the rich and entitled.
As for the title – excellent!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Jenne. I really enjoy writing like this. I’ve used this character in a few little stories, but I realised for the first time with this one that I’m much happier using first person for him, so I’m happy to have discovered that. My husband is a Raymond Chandler tragic, and although I’ve never read a detective novel in my life, he often shares his favourite bits.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey, I was thinking about Ol’ Bogey too, but Jenne beat me to it!
Love the profusion of ‘jeux des mots’, I think you had fun writing this!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had a ball with this. I’ve used this character before, and always love revisiting him. Thanks, C.E. And now I can add ‘jeux des mots’ to my little lexicon of schoolgirl French. So thank you twice.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Never pays to give in to the guilts”. A brilliant line …. and I couldn’t agree more.
An absolutely brilliant piece by you, Margaret; I’ve come to expect nothing less!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh Nancy, you’re so kind. I did enjoy writing this one. Thank you so much.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think we enjoy everything we write, some pieces more than others, but we do love it; why else would we write day after day? Without writing, there would be a huge gap in my life and I believe you are the same way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re right. I do have long periods where I let the spark die, and then it’s a struggle to get it back, but boy am I happy when I do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent, Margaret! I read it a second time after following the link and appreciated it even more.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Keith. And thank you for exploring the link and re-reading my piece.
LikeLike
I like how you used the inspiration from the photo. And I think heading to the lake to watch the swans is the perfect remedy to just about anything! This: “Never pays to give in to the guilts”… do you have instructions on how to do that?!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you liked it, Michael. Thanks for your response. I agree – swan watching is a guaranteed strategy for de-stressing, but I’m afraid I can’t enlighten you regarding the guilts. I think my MC is a bit naive in his belief that you can just shrug them off. Sigh.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe not naive at all? Maybe just shrugging them off and moving forward is the real
answer?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pulp fairy tales!
Excellent.
(Tricky thing you’ve managed: the ‘just the facts’/spare dialogue of the genre with a healthy dose of ‘words? they’re like a Whitman’s Sampler for the action.)
cool
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha. I love your comment Clark. I had fun writing this. Thank you.
LikeLike
Very poetic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Dawn.
LikeLiked by 1 person