Inside the mausoleum we held our candles high.
‘Two wives?’ Cara said, her shadow moving between the three tombs.
‘One after the other,’ I said. ‘Not both at once.’
In the gloom we saw that holes had been punched in each stone woman, above their hearts. Peter’s candle dimmed as he lowered his hand into a chest cavity and peered inside, like a surgeon rummaging inside a patient for their heart.
‘Empty,’ he said. ‘All turned to dust.’
‘So awful.’ Cara kissed the dusty lips; a tear fell.
I never said that the women would have been buried with their jewellery.
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This is a Friday Fictioneer 100-word piece of flash fiction. This week’s picture is provided by our hostess, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.
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I wrote an article this week about copy editing and proofreading a novel. Read it here.
Ohhh! I like this. Is Peter’s interest in the contents of the tomb professional or more mercenary?
You know him so well… mercenary. Thanks Louise!
Somebody had got there earlier. The dimming candle is a bit spooky.
They had. Thanks Patrick.
I wanted to share on Twitter but the share button wouldn’t work…
Oh, that’s odd. Because that’s how I shared it. I’ll take a look.
Now that’s what I call comedy!
Oh no!! I forgot. Hah! Next week, I promise (if I remember!)
But nonetheless, mausoleum hooked me and at “two wives” you had me in the palm of your hand
Thanks Neil. One week I will write something happy. Oh dear.
I say that every week Claire!
Lol, “not at once”. I love the dungeon crawler feel to it — checking every book and cranny for loot. Great story, too! I would love to read more!
Thanks Felicity. These character appear in my third novel…
Very atmospheric piece, even if Peter wouldn’t appreciate that!
Thanks Iain
Oh I recon Peter is a tad late… but he might get the girl at least.
Maybe… thanks Bjorn.
When I read that the candle dimmed I expected his hand to fall off!
Hah! Now that would be scary.
They need to move fast, stakes through the heart, vampires?
I wasn’t expecting that. I was in the mausoleum with them, wondering about the ‘two wives’, and not suspecting jewellery and grave-robbing. Excellent.
Thanks Margaret
That was a great surprise twist at the end, Claire. Good writing as always. I read your post on editing and proofreading. That really became complicated. 🙂 — Suzanne
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