blurbesque

[blurbesque]

Ascend

The rider takes aim for one of the bladders keeping the beast aloft, arrow striking true. With the sudden loss of gravity-defying power, the beast falters, wings dragging across the sand.

He urges his horse towards one wing, leaping off to grab hold and clamber upwards joint by joint - just as the beast recovers and shoots back up towards the clouds. He clings to fur as thinning air rushes past him, pushing towards the beast’s head. Glyphs shimmer blue beneath hairs, betraying its weakness.

At the peak of the beast’s rise in the sky, he raises his blade once more.

[blurbesque]

Humongous

Cresting the dune onto crumbling ruins, he pulls back the reins of his steed, hooves clip-clopping to a halt. He raises his sword, sunlight glinting off the edged blade onto the desert.

But: no beast in sight.

Until a growing rumble breaks the sands open before him, unleashing a seemingly endless rush of fur and bulbous bladders unto the sky. Rising taller than any tower, the beast unfurls dozens of wings like a centipede - then drifts in slow circles above, shifting from absolutely terrifying to… graceful.

He grips his reins tighter, digging heels into the horse’s side. Time to ride.

[blurbesque]

Serenity

The scent of salt and sulphur drifts in the air, wafting up from the steaming pools of water. You lay back against the basalt rock wall, letting your body sink just a little more under the surface, up to your ears, warming your weary bones. A light breeze caresses your forehead, bringing a light contrast to the hot springs.

Stars twinkle in the night sky above, the only thing keeping you company. The quiet brings much needed rest to your usually buzzing brain. Tomorrow, the work begins again - but for tonight, there's simply… nothing.

You bask, you glow, you heal.

[blurbesque]

Antihero

Third try’s a charm, he thinks in an attempt to bolster his own morale. Jeering peers overcome only by loud tha-thumps in his chest, he stares at his hand and sucks in a breath - then thrusts his palm forward.

“Fireball!” he calls, ignoring the desperation in his trembling voice.

A flash fills him with momentary hope - dashed by a light hovering calmly before him, in distinct lack of fiery force.

A hand on his back, a familiar voice in feigned sympathy, “Well, champ. We can’t all be naturals.”

And the weight falls away, leaving only the heat of seething hate.

[blurbesque]

Theekopje

“Stel je voor, je wordt omgetoverd tot een levend huisraad artikel, wat zou jij dan worden?”

“Waar heb je ‘t over?”

“Nou, ik zat net de vaatwasser op te ruimen en kwam dit theekopje tegen met een barst, zonde. Maar dat deed me denken aan Barstje, je weet wel, van Belle en het Beest…”

“Chip! Ja, die is zo schattig. Wat ben jij dan?”

“Weet ik nog niet, wat denk jij?”

“Jij bent ook heel erg schattig, dus misschien ben je ook gewoon een theekopje.”

“Da’s lief, maar wat ben jij dan?”

“Jouw schoteltje.”

“Awww. Slijmbal.”

“Ik ook van jou.”

[blurbesque]

Interlock

A hook, a thread of yarn, a pair of hands. Eyes intent on a screen showing another pair of hands, ears tuned to a bubbly voice-over. A slipknot around the hook, then a twist of yarn - the voice-over pitches in, “yarn over” - and finally, a pull through the loop.

Yarn over, pull through.

Yarn over, pull through.

Yarn over, pull through.

Left hand straining, right hand shaking, locking each loop into place. The voice-over encourages the next row. But danger lurks there - tension lost, thread unraveling. Hands rest around the single chain blossomed to life between, contently treasuring momentary victory.

[blurbesque]

Discombobulates

She curled up on the windowsill, dainty paws and fluffy tail tucked in for warmth. Her humans stared at that big glowing rectangle, rhythmically chanting. That's fine, she decided: humans are silly creatures.

Until their chants turned into cheers, interrupted by sudden flashes of light exploding in the night sky with a series of bang, ba-bang, crackle pop BANG! She jolted upright, scattering off the windowsill, out the room, up the stairs.

But the explosions boomed louder here. She scurried underneath the bed, hairs raised as she hid with the plushies left there. Waiting for the world to stop ending.

[blurbesque]

Magnificent

A line of red carpet cuts through rows of cushy seats to billowing curtains, their red velvet folds hiding a frantic scene from the audience’s anticipating eyes. The actors in the midst of taking their final positions, some still hoisting up costumes and props in whispered directives and shuffles. Familiar tuning notes reverb from the orchestra below the stage, string and copper tweaked by their handlers, wailing in protest until they sound just right.

And then, at last:

The light dims.

The music swells.

The crowd hushes.

The curtains open.

The cast shines.

The show starts.

[blurbesque]

Music was my first love

Sitting at the station tunnel entrance, hands working the steady rhythm of the accordeon bellow, fingers pressing upon keys. Packed up warm for the winter, a cart waiting to catch any coins passersby are willing to hand out for the sound of music carrying further down into the hollow of the tunnel. Good pick: good acoustics for good music. This man knows what he's doing. A musician who never got the chance. I drop my coin in his cart and incline my head with a smile, one musician to another. He thanks me and I move on.

[blurbesque]

New Beginnings.

A blank page on a glowing screen, fingers hovering above the keyboard. A vertical line, black on white, blinking in and out of existence. A goal set, a thought in mind, only needing to be poured out onto the digital canvas where words are allowed to flow freely into the open world.

A hundred words a blurb, no more, no less. A new theme at least once a week, to keep that flow going, open to suggestions from anyone reading. An exercise in thought, in writing, in creativity, in being neat and succinct, yet still imaginative.

Let the stories begin.