I see them at night.
You may say they’re not real, but in the dark hours when you’re not sure if dawn will truly come, they’re as real as anything else. Wraiths, spirits, ghosts? Or the manifestation of a troubled mind? Survivor’s guilt the psychiatrist called it. I have witnessed true evil, and now I carry it with me, always ticking, like a pocket watch that never needs winding. It counts the minutes and hours till I see those tortured souls. Yet, they’re with me always. I dress in their stories patterned and purple as night. I wear them like a second skin.
I’ll never know if I might have saved more people–only that I was betrayed, and that I was fortunate enough to escape. Finding my betrayer has become my purpose for living. In the meantime, I see the dead. Every night.
(144 words)
A continuation of my disjointed, non-linear spy series for Prosery where Lisa is hosting. The line she selected is:
“I dress in their stories patterned and purple as night.”
–Kimberly Blaeser, “When We Sing of Might”
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Wonderful, Merril. You managed to incorporate it into your on-going story but still honour them.
Thank you so much, Dale!
🙂
Forcefully drawn character. Survivor’s guilt is a hard thing to overcome.
Pax,
Dora
Thank you, Dora. Yes, it is.
Powerful and evocative words, Merril: I love how this story is shaping up!
Thank you so much, Ingrid! 😀
Merril, you’ve captured the haunting well. I hope when she finds her betrayer she can find some measure in solace after dealing with them.
Thank you so much, Lisa. I hope so, too.
Clever weaving of prompt and your spy tale. The Hopper painting is so apt. One day you will gather up all the slices of story, and create a novella, or some such (we hope).
Thank you so much, Glenn.
I think it would take way too much work to turn it into something, but you never know!😀
I vote for the novella or some such!!
😘
🙂
This prosery takes a dark turn (and rightfully so).
Thank you so much, Liz. Yes, that line made me think dark.
You’re welcome, Merril.
Are we heading into revenge territory? I’m thinking she is going to take some kind of action all right.
Hmmm. . .I wish I knew. 😏. Thank you for reading, Claudia!
Powerfully written, Merril. A creative take for certain.
Thank you very much, Bill.
Nicely done, Merril. You deserve a big glass of wine. 🙂
Thank you, Jill! 🤣
Too many are haunted in this way. Visceral and full of sorrow. (K)
Thank you so much. I imagine that is all to true.
Full of intrigue!
Thank you!
Edward Hopper’s art is so evocative as is your prose. I used his art as a prompt in composition classes, and the students’ response were all different. (I probably mentioned this before, but I can’t help mentioning the thought here once again—striking!)
Thank you very much, Marian, for the kind words. I’ve used his art several times–and in this spy series.
Very well done!
Thank you, Dwight!
You are welcome!
oooooh. sounds like an excerpt from a really good whodunit!
Thank you so much!
The way this unfolds is deeply disturbing…so great writing, really superb…the tension rising…and the ticking clock…really some gorgeous lines! Of course in context anything but gorgeous…this is SO good because you did not attempt to shock, or hit, just carefully let the tension tighten, line by line…
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment, Ain. I truly appreciate it!
Brilliant. It only took a line or two for me to realise it was your next episode.
Thank you so much, Derrick!
Tense; fast paced; leaves lots to the imagination. Looking forward to reading more.
Thank you so much!!
This delves more into the psychology of your character. I like the touch of alienation, as if she’s become slightly unhinged. Normal, given the circumstances!
Thank you! I love that you think all that. 💙
I feel as though I’m getting to know her 🙂
Probably as well as I do. 😏
🙂
Hi, Merril. As others have said, the Hopper was a perfect accompaniment, and maybe it even gave a little of the inspiration; the Hoppers always look like such haunted night scenes. Frankly, I can’t recall a Hopper I’ve personally seen that wasn’t a night scene. You probably know his work much better than I do. Maybe another part of your spy series could be based on or involve a daytime Hopper, if any? Anyway, this is definitely a good piece of flash fictiion, as far as I am a judge of it (which is not much, it’s a new form for me, but I do like reading it. Yours compares favorably with much of it that I’ve read).
Hi Victoria, thank you so much for your comment! I truly appreciate your reading. I’m certainly not an expert on Hopper or flash fiction either. For dVerse prosery, we always use a line from a poem that the host provides, and then we incorporate it into a prose piece. It doesn’t have to be fiction. (Feel free to join us anytime! I’m hosting Poetics there today.) For some reason, I started writing about these spies, and I have no idea what happened or where it’s going, but it’s fun. Thank you again for taking the time to read and comment!
I did find I had used a daytime Hopper for another piece of the story: https://merrildsmith.wordpress.com/2021/01/18/the-heaviness-of-secrets/
Relating this line to PTSD is brilliant!
Thank you very much!
nice to see a regular character with the tension building … nightmares, guilt, ticking away like a time bomb!
Thank you so much, Kate!
a pleasure Merril!
AAAAaaahhhh! I LOVE this storyline. Love. Love. Love.
❤
David
David–THANK YOU! 💙💙
Fascinating read, Merril! And it really echoes the Hopper image so well. You definitely get the sense of someone working undercover, putting together all the pieces, scheming and seething! The prompt line slips in so well too 🙂
Thank you so much. I appreciate your kind words.
Reblogged this on Graffiti Lux Art & More and commented:
Merril is a wonderful writer of stories, prose and poetry. I am particularly smitten by what she refers to as “disjointed, non-linear spy series for Prosery.”
To read more entries in this “non-linear spy series”, click on the Flash Fiction category link at the bottom.
Wow–thank you so much, Resa! That is so kind! 💙
I’ve wanted to reblog a piece of yours for awhile. This disjointed series is perfect! 💙
Awww—thank you!
Dear Merril, this is such a moving narrative, such a deep subject and experience, written as only you can do. 💙
Thank you for your very kind words, Rene! Much appreciated!
Always a pleasure!
💙
This is a great piece.
Thank you very much! I’m so pleased you think so.