Running away on a night like this was never going to be easy. As soon as father realises what we’ve have done he’ll send his people after us. “We won’t be able to relax,” I say, “we’ll never really be able to stop.”
Aine nods.
A touch of guilt holds my chest tight. It won’t let go as I continue to speak. “That’s half the fun of it though, right?” I grin as I take their hand and we run from the hall.
I can see the expanse of space beyond us through the clear walls of the corridor. The swirling galaxies seem so close it is almost as if I can reach out and touch them. As we near the end of the corridor I can see the sleek black side of Aine’s ship. The last of the guilt almost melts away as I notice the excitement on their beautiful face. We’re nearly at the ship when I see a familiar figure standing there, his mouth cut into a cruel sneer.
“Leaving so soon?”
“Dance with me.” Aine asks calmly, as though it is the easiest thing in the world.
The question seemingly comes out of nowhere, but because it’s Aine asking, it makes sense. I manage a quiet yes before they lead me to the centre of the dance floor.
With my hand in theirs, even I – short, broad, with very little waist – can feel graceful. My dress does billow out beautifully as Aine spins me, but it is still no match for their suit. The two piece looks as if it has been spun from the fabric of space itself. For an event like this, of course Aine brings out their finest. Their long ivory coloured hair is tinted to match their eyes, which today I can see are a gorgeous deep purple.
As we weave in and out of the dancers Aine leans in close to whisper to me, “I thought it would be easier to talk like this. When you dance with someone you make your own world. No one will hear us talk here.”
I smile, not sure what to say.
“So then, Zahli, will you to run away with me?”
“When?” I gasp, not quite believing what I’m hearing.
“Tonight, I brought my own space-craft, we can leave right now if you want to.” Aine watches me carefully, her deep purple eyes never leaving my own.
“Is that you asking me?” I smile wide. My grin almost sly.
“Is that you saying yes?” They mirror my question, a knowing smile on their face.
“If you’re asking, then yes, more than anything else in the world, yes!”
“In that case,” Aine pulls me in to brush a light kiss to my cheek, “I am asking.”
For just moment, I consider what could happen if I did, what would happen if I didn’t. That was all the time it took me to utter a soft, but definite, yes.
After that we run.
We run from the hall, and from any responsibilities held there. My chest feels lighter than it has in days. We make it outside only to see someone standing between us and Aine’s ship.
“Leaving so soon?”
The drawling voice of what I call my father’s second shadow reaches my ears. He’s a cross between my father’s bodyguard and his personal assistant. He is also a galaxy class stickler for the rules.
“That docking station won’t work,” the Shadow says loftily, “I told your father something like this would happen,” he continues, “but he didn’t believe me. No matter, I locked all the docking stations in case.”
He didn’t think I would.
I glance back at Aine but they don’t seem to be concerned. They’ve torn out a panel at the back of the docking station, and they are pulling out the bunch of wires and examining them. The Shadow must not have noticed because when I turn back he is grinning.
I’m about to say something when Aine cries out triumphantly behind me.
There’s a small crack and a fizz as I see a small burst of light out of the corner of my eye. It must mean something good because I watch the Shadow’s smug smile falter and contort to a look of panic.
“Time to go Zahli.” Aine takes my hand again as they press their other hand to the lock on the side door to their ship.
“No!” The Shadow yells out, “You can’t- when your father finds ou-”
“When my father finds out he will be able to contact me, and I will explain then.” I reply with a lot more confidence in my voice than usual when dealing with the Shadow.
We turn back as the Shadow stares at us, mouth agape, and we step inside Aine’s spaceship. The clean white interior of the spaceship calms any anxieties I may have had. The craft is small, so the space feels almost cosy despite all the tech and the white walls.
“Good evening Aine.” The ships AI speaks over the intercom as Aine starts up the ship.
Aine smiles, “evening Bo.”
“Where are you wanting to go tonight?”
“Anywhere.” They reply brightly, then look to me for confirmation.
“Sound wonderful.” I smile, savouring Aine’s bubbling excitement.
“Then please Bo, get us out of here,” Aine takes my hand and gives it a light squeeze, “take us somewhere beautiful.”
Aine is pronounced ‘AWN-ya’ Zahli is pronounced ‘ZAHL-ee’
This was written for the 20/20 Hindsight project with YeahWrite. The July prompt was to re-write January’s 1000 word piece out of chronological order.
This was a very fun process! I liked taking the story apart to work out what I wanted to keep, and what I wanted to add before ordering it again. I am happy with the changes I’ve made, I hope they run smoothly for you too!
Tom never thought he could be this happy. He held Caroline in his arms as they swayed in time with the slow beat of their wedding song. Their first dance. Tom spun her out, still while holding her hand. Then as the lights cut out he was shoved sideways and Caroline’s hand slipped from his fingers.
There was a soft thud of someone hitting the ground.
“Who cut the lights?” Yelled the best man.
“Caroline? Caroline!” Tom called in panic but there was no response.
“Somebody get those lights back on!” Another voice called out between the screams and cries of the unsuspecting guests.
Moments later Tom was blinking in the bright lights of the community hall. “What the he-” Tom stopped in his tracks as his gaze finally fell on Caroline.
Caroline was lying motionless in the centre of the dance floor. The handle of a knife visible between her delicate fingers. The skirts of her wedding dress were spread messily over the linoleum floors. The blood had soaked into the delicate white lace of the bodice of her dress, while more started pooling out from under her.
“Caroline?” Tom managed a broken whisper as someone rushed past him.
He watched as if in slow motion as Sarah skidded to a halt and knelt beside her. She placed her shaking fingers on Caroline’s wrist, then glanced back up at Tom, her eyes wide.
“There’s no pulse.” Sarah cried out, her voice stricken.
A strangled scream reached Tom’s ears as though through a thick fog. He only realised it was his own once he’d run out of breath. His legs suddenly losing all strength, Tom crumpled where he stood. He managed a whispered “no!” as he stared blankly at his wife’s lifeless body. Why?
It was only as he was pulled away from where she lay that he recognised the knife as the one they were meant to use to cut the cake together.
Earlier That Morning.
“Do you think he’ll believe it?” Caroline asked as she and her Maid of Honour, Sarah, mixed the fake blood in an old ice-cream container in the small kitchenette of the B’n’B where they were getting ready.
Sarah snorted. “You’re recreating a scene from one of those English village murder shows you love? Course he will.”
“Good,” Caroline grumbled, “I’m ruining a good dress for this so he better.”
“I just want to see the look on his face when you stand back up.” Sarah grinned as she poured the deep red liquid into a small bag.
“Same here.” Caroline hummed back, then paused. “This would have to be a murder mystery original,” she thought aloud as she took another sip of her champagne.
“The corpse waking up?”
“Nah,” she laughed, “the bride planning her own murder for a change.”
This was the criteria for Furious Fiction this month:
Each story had to take place at either WEDDING or a FUNERAL. Each story had to include something being cut. Each story had to include the words “UNDER”, “OVER” and “BETWEEN”.
“Honestly, Aine,” I fall back onto the bed, arms splayed out, “he can’t expect me to marry just because he feels we need to our expand our trading routes. Apparently this is the only way to do it.”
“He is your father.” Aine replies with a sigh, then says, “not that I agree with him.” They are my closest friend: brutally honest, but not to a fault. Not when it comes to me anyway.
“So you’ll come to the party tonight then? Even if just to fight off the self-righteous men that will be jostling for my attention.”
Aine smiles. Their eyes – which today are a pale blue – are shining as they stare down at me on the bed. With how well I know Aine, I’d say they were plotting something. I leave them to it.
“How do you know for sure that you don’t want to get married?”
I throw a pillow at them, but they side-step it easily, their long ivory coloured hair catches the air as they do so.
“You are such a child!”
“Am not!” I retort with a huff.
Aine frowns pointedly.
“When I was 11, maybe, when we both used bed sheets as wedding dress trains.” I roll over onto my stomach. “Things change,” I mutter, “feelings change.”
Aine doesn’t reply, but I feel the bed shift slightly as they lie down next to me. After a while they speak.
“I’ll come then.” They don’t sound reluctant, just thoughtful.
“You will?”
“Of course, Zahli,” they reach out to rest their hand on my own, “it’s you who asked me.”
The dress I’m wearing is far too tight in all the wrong places. I’m short and broad, with very little waist. You would have thought that the earth colonies wouldn’t have reverted back to the clothing of the 1800’s yet here we are. Even if it is fancy dress, it’s a bit much.
The hall has been fitted out to mirror that of an old earth period dance hall. The pale wallpaper stretches neatly to the ceiling from which hangs a delicate chandelier. It would be almost believable, if it weren’t for the glass ceiling which stretches out above us. A glass ceiling looking out into space. The darkness beyond is spotted with stars and distant planets, all surrounded by swirling galaxies of stars, rubble, and space dust.
I am always happy to be at a party, especially one with an intergalactic guest list such as this. There is just one problem. As the eldest daughter of the leader of this galaxy sector, I am expected to marry outside of our sector to a wealthy suitor et cetera, et cetera. My father is trying to broaden trading borders and apparently he needs to marry off his daughter to do so, and soon too. Soon being tonight, but that is the last thing on my to do list (if it is there at all). The need for young women to marry well, or to marry at all is archaic, even if it is for a greater cause.
I consider running (always a suitable option), but I haven’t even had a drink yet, or a dance. That’s when I spot Aine through the crowd and all thoughts of running disappear instantly.
Aine looks stunning, as usual. Their midnight blue suit looks like it has been sewn from the fabric of space itself, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was. The Lakree family have incredible talents when it comes to all things sewing, they’ve been in the business for generations. Aine is clever about her work, but almost reluctant; they have about as much desire to follow in the family business as I want to choose my future tonight.
I notice the swirling galaxy over their heart is the same deep purple of their eyes. Clever, I can’t help but think, Aine is always trying out the latest body-modification trends. Only in little ways though, and never all at the same time so no matter how many times they change their appearance I can always recognise them. Tonight is no different, though in addition to their eyes, Aine has added a purple tinted shimmer to their white blonde hair.
My own dress is a deep red. No stars or galaxies here, but the trimming does shine. Thanks to Aine, of course. They sewed the trimming on for me. I’d been rifling through their box of offcuts and took a fancy to the pearly trim. It is much too extravagant, even for the daughter of a sector leader, but Aine insisted.
We stand off to the side of the party, near the refreshments table. The table itself runs along one side of the grand ball room. Even the usually plain wooden floors manage to look impressive amongst the beautifully dressed people and candle lit walls. On closer inspection however, I realise the candles are actually delicately spun wires shaped to look like candles.
Aine’s gaze flits around the crowded room, but they never actually move from their position beside me. They seem nervous.
“You’re looking for someone…”
“I’m scouting out the quality of possible partners for you.” Aine replies in a tone that clearly says, ‘I’m plotting something’.
I can’t help but sigh. “My dad put you up to this didn’t he?”
Aine smiles apologetically. “He knows I know you well, and he trusts my judgement, shurely, or he wouldn’t has asked me to do this at all.”
“Oh?” The sound is out of my mouth before I can stop it.
“I have a different plan.”
Aine’s smile brightens the already well-lit room. When they look at me it is as if the room just slips away.
“There are plenty of handsome men who have noticed you,” they continue.
“Don’t lie to me!” I gasp dramatically. “They’re all looking at you.” And I don’t blame them. Not when it comes to Aine.
Aine rolls their eyes. “Slander,” they joke, a small chuckle leaving their lips.
I laugh with them, not quite able to keep my eyes from their wide smile.
“Dance with me.” Aine asks calmly, as though it is the easiest thing in the world.
The question seemingly comes out of nowhere, but because it’s Aine asking, it makes sense. I manage a quiet ‘yes’ before they lead me to the centre of the dance floor. Once my steps are synced with Aine’s I can’t help but feel like I’m just as graceful as they are. We spin in time with the music, weaving in and out of the other dancers with practiced ease.
Aine draws me closer and whispers, “I thought it would be easier to talk like this.” They spin me out and pull me back in close.
“Uh huh.” I deadpan, not quite following.
“When you dance with someone you make your own world. No one will hear us talk here.”
“I see.” A smile flickers on my lips as I try not to seem as confused as I feel.
“Zahli,” Aine begins, they miss a step, stumbling slightly but I steady them easily and lead us on.
“Yes?”
“I want to ask you to run away with me.”
My breath catches slightly. This isn’t what I was expecting at all, yet it’s all I want to hear right now. “When?” I ask. My voice an excited whisper.
“Tonight, I brought my own space-craft, we can leave right now if you want to.” Aine watches me carefully, her deep purple eyes never leaving my own.
“Is that you asking me?” I smile wide, my chest feeling lighter than it has in months.
“Is that you saying yes?” They mirror my question, a knowing smile on their face.
“If you’re asking, then yes, more than anything else in the world, yes!”
“In that case,” Aine pulls me in to brush a light kiss to my cheek, “I am asking.”
Aine takes my hand again as the song finishes and we run from the crowded dance hall. It’s strange, I expected there to be gasps of shock, an uproar as the guest of honour leaves the room at a run, but there is nothing. I’m sure my father will notice soon that we are nowhere to be seen, but even then, he might not realise we aren’t coming back until much later.
A bubble of nervous laughter rises in my chest as I run. Even as a stubborn teenager, no matter how many times I planned to run away from home, I never actually did. Aine joins in my laughter as we stumble to a stop at the entrance to the series of lift-pods down to the parking bay.
“Are we really doing this?” I ask breathlessly.
“Only if you are sure this is what you want to do Kahli.”
I swallow. This isn’t going to be easy. As soon as father realises he’ll send people after us to get us back. Well, to get me back. “We won’t be able to relax properly. We’ll never really be able to stop.”
Aine nods.
A touch of guilt holds my chest tight. It won’t let go as I continue to speak. “That’s half the fun of it though, right?” I grin as I take their hand and we run again towards the lift pods.
I can see the expanse of space beyond us through the clear walls of the lift pod, it’s so close it feels as if I can reach out and touch it. The door of the pod slides open again and I can see the sleek black side of Aine’s ship. The last of the guilt almost melts away as I notice the excitement on their beautiful face. We’re nearly at the ship, but then-
“Leaving so soon?”
The drawling voice of what I call my father’s second shadow reaches my ears. He’s a cross between my father’s bodyguard and his personal assistant, and he is also a galaxy class stickler for rules and I groan internally and turn back.
“That docking station won’t work,” the Shadow says loftily, “I told your father something like this would happen,” he continues, “but he didn’t believe me. No matter, I locked all the docking stations in case.”
He didn’t think I would.
I glance back at Aine but they don’t seem to be concerned. They’ve torn out a panel at the back of the docking station, and they are pulling out the bunch of wires and examining them. The Shadow must not have noticed because when I turn back he is grinning. I’m about to say something when Aine cries out triumphantly behind me.
There’s a small crack and a fizz as I see a small burst of light out of the corner of my eye. It must mean something good because I watch as the Shadow’s smug smile falter and contort to a look of panic.
“Time to go Zahli.” Aine takes my hand again as they press the other to the lock on the side door to their ship.
“No!” The Shadow yells out, “You can’t- when your father finds ou-”
“When my father finds out he will be able to contact me, and I will explain then.” I reply with a lot more confidence in my voice than usual when dealing with the Shadow.
We turn back as the Shadow stares at us, mouth agape, and we step inside Aine’s spaceship. The clean white interior of the spaceship calms any anxieties I may have had. The craft is small, so the space feels almost cosy despite all the tech and the white walls.
“Good evening Aine.” The ships AI speaks over the intercom as Aine starts up the ship.
They smile, “evening Bo.”
“Where are you wanting to go tonight?”
“Anywhere.” They reply brightly, then look to me for confirmation.
“Perfect.” I smile, savouring Aine’s bubbling excitement.
“Then please Bo, get us out of here,” Aine takes my hand and gives it a light squeeze, “take us somewhere beautiful.”
Aine is pronounced ‘AWN-ya’ Lakree is pronounced ‘LACK-ree Zahli is pronounced ‘ZAHL-ee’
This was written for the 20/20 Hindsight project with YeahWrite. The June prompt was to re-write January’s 1000 word piece in up to 2000 words.
This was an interesting process as I edited it back a little first then added the sections I wanted to. I hope you enjoyed the additions. Please let me know if you think anything doesn’t quite fit.
Jacob was exhausted. Surely there had to be another way. Even another road, or a quicker route. Anything. All Jacob knew was that he had to get there first.
All in one night; his car had run out of petrol, the bike he’d been lent had got a flat tire, and even while walking that damned road he’d managed to roll an ankle. He was no closer to the jetty than he had been an hour ago when he’d started this journey.
Well, that and the fact that he didn’t have enough money for another round of drinks. He had spent all he had the last couple of times he’d lost. There was no way in hell he’d go into debt with Kayla again. “Not today.”
“Just roll the bloody dice!” Andy cried out, staring wildly at Jacob. “A quick game is a good game!”
Jacob let out a strangled scream of frustration and rolled the dice. “C’mon, c’mon, roll a fix or a booster. A fix or a booster!”
This stupid game had taken over their lives every Friday night for the past month. The group had found it on the shelf at their local pub. None of them had ever thought to ask why it was there, but they’d read through the rules, thought ‘why not?’, then started to play.
First to the jetty won – but to get there you had to make it through multiple rounds of an absolutely insane game. The only tools at your disposal: cards, dice, and a whole lot of luck (though with the number of times he’d lost Jacob thought the game was possibly rigged).
“Took you long enough.” Kayla snapped.
The dice slowed to a stop on the symbol of a small question mark.
“Nooo!” Jacob shuffled the vehicle cards he had and then picked one at random to put in the vehicle discard pile.
“You really should work on your poker face Jacob,” Andy laughed, “it doesn’t take much you just managed to put your best card on the discard pile.” He rolled the dice, then grinned as it rested on the side with the small fire detailed on it.
“You have got to be kidding me!” Kayla groaned. She was only doing slightly better than Jacob, even though she’d nabbed the airplane early on. Only three turns later she’d rolled a hazard and that plane had lost an engine.
A picked up a shiny new vehicle card and slammed it down on the table narrowly missing her half full beer. “Yes!” The new limo with the high-speed points got her across the last few squares to pass Kayla and join Lou at the jetty. Moments later Kayla managed to use her broken plane to make it to jetty in one piece.
Jacob lost all hope for his bank account as his four friends cried out in unison.
“YOU MISSED THE BOAT JACOB!”
This was the criteria for Furious Fiction this month:
Each story’s first and last words had to begin with J. Each story had to include a game being played. Each story had to include the phrase MISS/MISSED THE BOAT.
Loved the criteria this month, it was a lot of fun to play around with.
I park my craft below in the bay below the deck just like everyone else, but unlike everyone else, I am the one who steps out of the drivers hold and gets stared at. If you are at this party you have enough money to have someone else pilot your ship. I prefer to drive myself, and tonight I needed a way out. It mustn’t help that I am not usually found at one of these elaborate parties – but Zahli insisted I be here as support.
When I finally make it past security and into the main hall it isn’t difficult to see that someone has put in a lot of effort to replicate a period dance hall. The cream wallpaper isn’t much to be desired, but for anyone not from this is a minor oversight. The immense glass ceiling is the main feature, and the proof that this isn’t the old earth at all. The galaxies and space dust beyond stretch on as far as the eye can see.
I am unsurprised to find Zahli over at the refreshments table, she once told me that ‘a party without a good drink isn’t a party at all’. She turns back around to see me and the most beautiful smile lights up her face. Her lipstick matches the deep red of her dress, and the dark curls of her hair brush the top of her shoulders as she turns; as always, Zahli looks gorgeous.
While we talk I let my gaze wander. The room is filled mostly with people I’ve never met before, but that doesn’t bother me. I am here for Zahli.
“Oh Aine, can’t you relax?”
Zahli’s warm voice brings me back from my thoughts. “I am relaxed.” I lie.
“You’re looking for someone…” She frowns, following my gaze with her own.
“I’m scouting out the quality of possible partners for you.” I choose my words carefully, Zahli knows me well.
Zahli sighs but it is almost too quiet to notice. “My dad put you up to this didn’t he?”
“Sure did,” I smile apologetically.
“Oh.”
“I have a different plan, though, if you’ll come with me.” I continue anyway. Offering Zahli a wide smile. She is watching me intensely, but doesn’t reply, so I speak again. “There are plenty of handsome men who have noticed you.” That captures her attention, but not in the way I think it will.
“Don’t lie to me!” She gasps dramatically. “They’re all looking at you.”
I roll my eyes. Zahli must be wrong; she is the woman they are here for after all. “Slander,” I joke.
Zahli laughs with me, but only half-heartedly. She doesn’t believe me. I take another drink then put down my glass. “Dance with me.”
Zahli replies with a nervous sounding yes and so I gently take her hand and lead her to the centre of the dance floor. She dances beautifully, I’m honestly not suure what she was nervous about.
I pull Zahli in closer. “I thought it would be easier to talk like this. When you dance with someone you make your own world. No one will hear us talk here.”
“I see.” She smiles.
“Zahli,” I start, but then manage to stumble over my own feet. Zahli catches me.
“Yes?” She encourages.
“I want to ask you to run away with me.”
Zahli’s eyes widen. “When?”
“Tonight, I brought my own space-craft, we can leave right now if you want to.” I wait, watching her reaction.
“Is that you asking me?” Zahli gives me a wide smile, and even then I know that she’ll say yes.
“Is that you saying yes?” I ask anyway, letting my words echo hers.
“If you’re asking, then yes, more than anything else in the world, yes!”
“In that case,” I pull her closer so I can brush a kiss to her cheek, “I am asking.”
I take her hand again as the song finishes and we run from the crowded dance hall, to a much brighter future than before
Aine is pronounced ‘AWN-ya’ Lakree is pronounced ‘LACK-ree Zahli is pronounced ‘ZAHL-ee’
This was written for the 2020 Hindsight project with the May prompt to re-write January’s 1000 word piece from a different point of view. I chose to keep this piece in first person but write it from Aine’s perspective instead.
Writing(s) by Anna 