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.
*
This is a Friday Fictioneer 100-word piece of flash fiction. This week’s picture is provided by our hostess, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.
*
I wrote an article this week about copy editing and proofreading a novel. Read it here.
Claire Fuller 
Ohhh! I like this. Is Peter’s interest in the contents of the tomb professional or more mercenary?
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You know him so well… mercenary. Thanks Louise!
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Somebody had got there earlier. The dimming candle is a bit spooky.
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They had. Thanks Patrick.
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I wanted to share on Twitter but the share button wouldn’t work…
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Oh, that’s odd. Because that’s how I shared it. I’ll take a look.
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Now that’s what I call comedy!
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Oh no!! I forgot. Hah! Next week, I promise (if I remember!)
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But nonetheless, mausoleum hooked me and at “two wives” you had me in the palm of your hand
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Thanks Neil. One week I will write something happy. Oh dear.
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I say that every week Claire!
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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!
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Thanks Felicity. These character appear in my third novel…
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Very atmospheric piece, even if Peter wouldn’t appreciate that!
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Thanks Iain
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Oh I recon Peter is a tad late… but he might get the girl at least.
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Maybe… thanks Bjorn.
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When I read that the candle dimmed I expected his hand to fall off!
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Hah! Now that would be scary.
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They need to move fast, stakes through the heart, vampires?
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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.
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Thanks Margaret
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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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