Wednesday Writing & #ThursdayDoors Writing Challenge — Come to My Window

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Photo credit: Darlene Foster

Welcome everyone. I have another short story for Dan Antion’s Thursday Doors Writing Challenge.  This one is very short.  Also, since it’s Get Caught Reading Month, I’m including a link to a free Victorian novel at the end. 

Thursday Doors followers were asked to submit “doors” images to inspire writers, and I chose the one above by Darlene Foster.  She writes wonderful children’s books, including the delightful 9-book Amanda stories.  However, the story her photo inspired in me is nothing like her books.  Here’s a little background music for my story.

Come to My Window

By Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

“Just to reach you…” Carmilla murmured to someone who was not there, her head tilted back as she stared intently at the window, impossibly high above.  “If I could just hear the sound of your breath… But here I stand inside my hell.”

Tightening her grip on the hand she held, Carmilla otherwise barely acknowledged the presence beside her.  Her companion made no move, uttered no sound.

Her heartache was the only thing she had left.  Every person had gone.  Each thing that once held hope and meaning was destroyed.  In the absence of all else, the emotional pain was all that remained.  The ache became precious to her.  It meant that at least something had once been there.

“After the moon rises, he told me, come to my window.  He told me to come inside and wait — that he would be there soon.  But as you see, there was no way for me to reach that window.  The place is built into the side of the cliff,” Carmilla softly said.

Her companion moved, but she did not let go of Carmilla’s hand.

“He doesn’t know how far I would go, to ease my heartache,” she spoke hoarsely.  “He tricked me into a promise that no one could keep.  Perhaps that means I am not bound by my vow.  Yet I cannot sleep.”

“But I know.  I also know the preciousness that ache,” Dabria stated beside her.  “I could give you rest. I could let you sleep within the blackness that has seeped into your chest.

Carmilla turned to the angel who held her hand.  If she had been as beautiful as Dabria, then he would have come to her, rather than playing her for a fool, telling her to come to him, yet leaving her endlessly waiting below a window that could never be reached.

Carmilla looked steadily into Dabria’s eyes, in a silent acquiescence.  Holding the angel’s gaze she continued.

“He never knew how far I would go,” Carmilla went on.  “How much I would give… Or how much I could take. Just to reach him.”

“But I knew,” Dabria murmured.

In the darkness nearby, bushes rustled.  Carmella’s wide eyes went to the angel in surprise.

“Naturally there had to be a secret entrance,” Dabria replied to the unasked question, and a few moments later a light could be seen in the solitary high window.

“I’ve forsaken all the rest.  Just to reach you,” Carmilla spoke again to the window.

Dabria sighed.  As she took a step away from Carmilla there was a soft sound, like silk brushing against silk.

“So be it, then,” was Dabria’s barely audible acknowledgement.

“That sigh spoke of resignation,” Carmilla turned toward Dabria and said.  “What do you know about this love anyway?”

“As an angel of death, I know about love that ends badly,” Dabria stated evenly.

Then, with a whoosh, her silken wings unfurled.  The angel swept into the sky and was gone.

Carmilla’s eyes gleamed in the night.  Abruptly she was overwhelmed with a new unquenchable thirst.  With an irritated, clucking sound she sucked at her teeth.  A coppery tang filled her mouth and she realized she had pricked her tongue.

Briefly, confusion whirled within her mind.  It was soon replaced by confidence and sudden knowledge.

Bright gaze fixed upon the light in the window, Carmilla levitated.  She rose far, far above the ground until she was even with the window.  By the light of the moon, she crawled inside.

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The end

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I love to offer something free.  When I considered character names for this story I researched “What was the name of the first female vampire?”  I found the book “Carmilla” and the titular character was remarkably similar to my character, based on the summary. While I have not read this book, it inspired the character name Carmilla. 

Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu is available free at Project Gutenberg.

“Carmilla is the story of a female vampire; it was, in fact, the first vampire story to have a female vampire as its protagonist. Irish writer Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s published the novella in 1872, a full twenty-five years before Bram Stoker would create the iconic Dracula.” The Toast.

Join me and all the zany supernatural goings-on at my serial, Atonement in Zugzwang.  Read free every weekend.  Friendly comments are encouraged.

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You can get Darlene Foster’s Amanda books at Amazon.  Series link.

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If you missed the Syfy story on which Dan Antion and I collaborated, you can get it through the universal links below.

Available as e-book

The Inyan Beacon

The Inyan Beacon 6x9

 

Kindle only:  relinks.me/B0C3Z7G2C6

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Thursday Doors is a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favorite door photos from around the world. It’s hosted by Dan Antion.  Feel free to join in on the fun by creating your own Thursday Doors post each week and then sharing your link in the comments below, anytime between 12:01 am Thursday morning and Saturday noon (North American eastern time).

 

2023 Badge Thurs doors teresa-my-camera-and-i

Thanks for opening this door.  Hugs!

 

This is a work of fiction.  Characters, names, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2023 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved. 

No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author or provided by free sources, unless stated otherwise.

 

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50 thoughts on “Wednesday Writing & #ThursdayDoors Writing Challenge — Come to My Window”

  14. A fascinating story, Teagan. I had the same question as Liz but answered it in my own mind. Whoever forced Carmilla to that window is going to be eventually frightened out of their wits. I loved the characterization of the angel of death. She would be someone that I wouldn’t mind following to wherever she goes.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much, John. Yes, I meant to mostly give hints at a story and characters in a way that the reader would automatically supply much of the story they wanted. Thanks for your feedback about Dabria. I wanted her to be something beautiful and caring in the way that draws people to her — and yet if you look closely you glimpse a really strong “be careful what you ask for” type of power. I appreciate you visiting. Hugs.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  15. The story suits the image perfectly, and it is so intriguing and atmospheric, Teagan. I have read comments about Carmilla but haven’t read it yet, so thanks for the link. Another classic on the list! Enjoy the rest of the week.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks, GP. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
      The only thing from Anne Rice I’ve read was more than 20 years ago. The heroine was named Rowan. I found Rice’s depiction of the heroine liking extremely violent sex to be harmful and lacking in social responsibility. Though it seemed well written otherwise, the story wasn’t satisfying to me. I saw the movie adaptation of Interview with the Vampire, but I don’t remember much about it, other than the scene with two vampire women (one a child) who were put in a cage and left to burn when the sun rose.
      Hugs.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

        1. Sorry… I didn’t mean to sound like an old stick-in-the-mud. She has legions of loyal fans, so I know her books are worthwhile. I really enjoyed her descriptions of the houses and neighborhoods. She brought the places to life. I did try another series not long after I read that one. But it seemed to have a lot of incest in the story. That made me expect the violent sex issue to come up, and I never finished that book. I’ve read complaints (readers complaining about the complaints about the incest) saying it was “secondary.” But with my own traumas, I haven’t found the trust to try her books again.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply

  17. I enjoyed this story, very much, Teagan. It’s moving and emotional. Sad and scary in a short series of thoughts, leading not where I thought you were taking us. Well done! An excellent response to Darlene’s interesting door. Thanks for joining us in support of the challenge.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    1. Hi, Liz. I intentionally left the story open to reader interpretation, all the way down to who was what. Doing so allowed a much larger story to be “told” in the mind. That said, I think Carmilla made a bargain with an angel of death (Dabria). Dabria was reluctant to do anything, but saw a twisted kind of justice in making Carmilla a vampire. Perhaps the first vampire of all.
      Hugs.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

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