Tuesday Tales 2024-12-10 Shady

Welcome to Tuesday Tales, powered by a small group of authors, where word prompts inspire passages in the books we’re writing. Today’s word is shady. You may remember a previous version of this scene. Sections of the book are being edited and revised, including the initial gathering that introduced the various ringleaders in this cozy mystery set in fictional Glisten, Georgia. When you finish reading, make sure to visit all the talented authors of Tuesday Tales.

I would eventually have to speak to Luella about her railings against Vonna Lacy. Delicately, of course. A good question was, which woman was lying? General gossip indicated that Vonna’s typical behavior veered toward the shady side, opposite of Luella’s tendency to blurt out any and all opinions, right or wrong. Of the two, I knew which personality I preferred. Still, it was a tricky business. Before I could move toward the hallway door, the light in the tearoom dimmed. My ears popped. An icy sliver trickled down my spine.

Trying to maintain my aplomb in front of the million guests, I clenched my jaw and clutched the back of the chair. From the corner of my right eye, I witnessed an orange blob of light hovering low to the ground. I remained still but tracked the apparition as it loped across the floor several times, veering sharply around and between tables and chairs. The movement looked exactly like a cat on a mad frenzied tear. Then it stopped and spun round and round in curlicues, froze again, shot off, picked up speed, and raced into the hallway.

I came back to myself. My spine retained the icy tingle. With a jolt, I realized that Robin was standing next to me. She nudged me with her shoulder and whispered. “What is it, for God’s sake?”

I glanced at the crowd. One or two people were eyeing me, but most hadn’t noticed my temporary fugue. “Tell you later,” I whispered in a croaky voice. I didn’t look forward to describing a ghost cat performing zoomies. Making a stack of our empty dishes, I headed toward the kitchen.    

The cups and saucers rattled as I placed them gingerly on the kitchen counter.

Luella darted a glance at me over her shoulder, and then resumed the chore of rinsing mixing bowls destined for the dishwasher.

Before I could say anything to Luella, Dovie rushed into the kitchen. “The nurse called. The specialist has arrived and is examining my husband. They want me at the hospital as soon as I can make it.”

Luella spun around to stare at her. She dried her hands on the dish towel tucked into her apron and began twisting the cloth between her fingers.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed the piece inspired by the word shady. If you haven’t done so already, check out the other excerpts at Tuesday Tales.

Cheers & Happy Reading!

Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic with Spirited Stories

All rights reserved, copyright @ 2024 Flossie Benton Rogers