Weekend Serial — Atonement: Bad Bishop, Episode- 7: Strange Magic

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Saturday, February 10, 2024

Lexica

Welcome back to the strange town, Atonement, Tennessee.  Today’s soundtrack is Strange Magic, by ELO.  The song was suggested by Dan Antion, who also offered up one of his favorite photos.  Midweek, Dan’s photo inspired me to do a post offering a writing exercise/challenge.  You’re still welcome to come out and play for that.

Anyhow, I have a couple of other creative projects going right now, so I only have a quick Atonement episode this weekend… and I didn’t incorporate the song into it. (Although the song is perfect for the serial, so it might come back.)

Now, back to the shores of Lake Uktena, where we left our friends.

Previously

“Sirens are at the mill and maybe in the water.  Dullahans are on the other shore,” Honeybell grunted worriedly.

“Honeybell, don’t even think about using the phrase ‘we’re doomed.’  I’m warning you,” Deme grunted.

♣ ♣ ♣

Episode 7 — Strange Magic

CGI Teagan
Maudie CGI by Teagan via Imagine

Maudie Rocket swayed on her feet.  She put a hand to a nearby tree to steady herself.  Her complexion was gray as she cast a cringing glance at the strange cloud.

I followed her gaze to the teeming mass of deformed creatures that Mary Sue termed ganas.

“Oh… It’s like her reaction to scars,” I muttered and helped my friend sink to the ground and put her head between her knees.

“What do you mean?” Deme grunted, snuffling at Maudie in concern.

“Ah,” Mary Sue murmured and both pigs turned to face her.  “Deme, you’ve heard of people who faint at the sight of blood?  It’s not dissimilar.”

“Ever since we were children, Maudie has had a strong reaction to the sight of scars,” I explained.  “It doesn’t mean she is disgusted by the person… it’s only about the scar.  She got help about it, and she’s been a lot better…”

“I admit that—” Honeybell began and motioned with her head toward the cloud.  “Well, anything to do with the appearance of the ganas can be extreme.”

“Honeybell’s right,” Deme said and gave Maudie a friendly nudge with her snout.  “Although some of them don’t look bad at all, just, um, unusual.”

“What did she do when she met Cadence Nix?” Honeybell grunted, as if the thought suddenly occurred to her.

I didn’t understand the pig’s question and they both seemed perplexed by my confused expression.

“Ah… Nix had his hood up the entire time,” Mary Sue commented.

Maudie didn’t seem to listen to the exchange. She gathered her determination and got to her feet.  That ended that conversation before I could get clarity.

Photo by Dan Antion

Insisting that she would be fine, Maudie started in the direction of the fishing boat Mary Sue had mentioned.

That part of Lake Uktena didn’t have a beach-like shore.  Rather it was a deeper area that met a ragged embankment.  Mary Sue’s pixie nimbleness was on display as she hopped back and forth in and out of the boat, quickly putting the two pigs aboard.

“I really could have gotten in myself,” Deme snorted.

“Don’t be proud, Deme.  You know it would have taken unnecessary time for us to get in this boat,” Honeybell told her friend.

“Everyone make sure the beeswax is firmly in your ears,” the pixie reminded us.

Nervously I looked all around at the shores of the lake.  I squinted to see farther up and down along the surface of the water.  Every ripple made me tense.  Spike, however, was sleepily unconcerned as she lay tucked in the crook of my arm.

Both pigs sniffed the air.  Honeybell gave no reaction.  Deme snorted he dissatisfaction, grunting that something wasn’t right, but that she couldn’t say precisely what.

The pixie gave the little boat a surprisingly strong shove away from the bank.  Simultaneously she jumped into the craft, landing so lightly that it didn’t rock at all.

Mary Sue and Maudie took up the oars.  I protested with my hand extended to take over.  I asked my friend if she was well enough.

“I’m fine.  You on the other hand, nearly died.  Your kitten has over done it too.  So just relax and let us row.  It isn’t far,” Maudie stated brooking no argument.

Motion drew my eye.  On the opposite shore a tall tree leaned out over the lake.  In a blur of movement, someone jumped from the tree toward the lake.

I gasped at the sight of the creature.  It was a man with small, flipper-like wings.  His legs were scaled.

The odd wings flapped, but he mostly glided through the air, coming close to our boat.  Then he surged downward.  As he neared the water, his feet shifted into fins.

The siren plunged down into the water, almost overturning the small boat. 

Episode end.

♣ ♣ ♣

Maybe that’s more of a dive-hanger than a cliffhanger…  Anyhow, I’m off to work on my Valentine’s short story, and eventually another song with Tim Price. 

Stay tuned for the story, “Heartbreakers.”  Hugs!

♣ ♣ ♣

Atonement in Zugzwang, Book 1

If you haven’t followed the serial, the searchable Kindle (e-book) is a perfect way to start.  Likewise, if you want a refresher since this new serial is absolutely tied to Book-1, I’ve given you an easy way to catch up.

Universal Purchase Links
Kindle: relinks.me/B0CHNX2X6T

Paperback  relinks.me/B0CHL7DL6Q

The Rest of the Atonement Series

Atonement kindle covers Cat eyes shelf 2023

Atonement, Tennessee

Full series of e-books with one click:  relinks.me/B087JV25JT

Kindle: relinks.me/B00HGWKRA8

Paperback: relinks.me/1481826948

Also in Spanish, translated by Olga Núñez Miret! The title for the Spanish-speaking market is Expiación y Magia

Atonement in Bloom

Kindle:  rxe.me/5RRBLH

Paperback:  relinks.me/1726882128

The Glowing Pigs, Snort Stories of Atonement, Tennessee

Kindle   rxe.me/LTBDNH

Paperback   relinks.me/1725891972

♣ ♣ ♣

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 © 2024 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene. 

Rowboat photo Copyright © Dan Antion

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 used with permission, or from free sources.

42 thoughts on “Weekend Serial — Atonement: Bad Bishop, Episode- 7: Strange Magic”

    1. Urban fantasy tends to redefine mythical creatures, but yes, that’s what I thought of sirens. It turns out I wasn’t completely right. They were not mermaid-like creatures, until the Middle Ages. Before that, in Greek myth they were basically bird women… but not harpies (which were bird women)…
      So I’m stuck with making up my own hybrid version of the two myths. LOL, I’ll probably opt for the easier way out and let the sirens have evolved into various species. 😀
      Thanks for visiting. Hugs.

      Liked by 1 person

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  13. Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to keep this story moving along, Teagan. I’m getting nervous-again. Thanks, too for the shout out. I’m looking forward to the Valentine’s story and to the song.

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    1. LOL. I suppose you’ve heard of talking pigs and kitten-unicorn hybrids? 😁 Why wouldn’t any creature who is part of a general attack go for a boat? Fantasy, especially urban fantasy, bends and mashes up mythology. There’s more to explain this creature next time, but this was the right stopping point.

      Thanks for reading. Hugs.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Yes. I worked with a woman who would stare, cringe, and sick up. Extremely annoying person, especially when I had a tiny mole removed from my chin. Happily, Maudie is a nice person, and at least tries.

      I agree about the lovely photo. Thanks for reading and commenting, Geoff. Hugs.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  18. Smart of these guys to put beeswax in their ears. But then an approach — a splashing approach! — from a siren! Fun and dramatic, Teagan 🙂 Best wishes on writing your Valentine’s story and your new song.

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