The land wraps itself in the warm embrace of the autumn sun. A kind, warm smile from above to soothe the last flowers shivering in the cool morning winds.

I close my eyes, I wish to forget myself in the warmth, to be a particle of the ever-flowing warmth pouring from above. Cold shivers run down my back; autumn sun is unreliable.

The warmth of the autumn sun is illusive. The shade on an autumn’s morning is freezing cold.

The kind smile of a hypocrite might create the illusion of kindness, but I’d rather choose the cold cruelty of winter frosts. Winter stares you straigth in the eye, while its cold hands choke your breath.

Somebody asked me if I don’t have anything nice to say. No, sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I do. I choose to be honest. May the winter frosts come! May the leaves turn to bloody gold! May the skies cry silver tears, may they turn to dirt, soaking the rotten land, I will not be a nice hypocrite smiling warmly on the surface while cursing you behind your back, until the cold shivers of death run down your spine.

Now some new pieces of flash fiction and poetry.

Mist

She stood in the mist shivering. She didn’t dare to move, she tried hard to control her breathing; don’t breathe so loud! Don’t breathe so loud! Or they’ll hear. They’ll smell your fear, she thought. The mist is my friend. The mist will save me. Maybe they won’t see. Yes, yes, the mist and the darkness will hide me! Not long after, she heard quiet growling surrounding her. There was no escape. Red eyes glared through the mist moving nearer. She closed her eyes crying, the mist had betrayed her.

Find me in the woods

The sweet exhales of the pines fed her every breath. To become one with the woods, to sink into the moss, to be a part of the silence, the pine-scented air, the warm whispering winds…

“Wake, my Lady!” A soft voice spoke, and a gentle hand touched the cheek of the maiden lying in the soft bed of moss. The curse was broken. Only a man with a gentle heart and brave spirit could walk through the woods without breaking a twig beneath his feet. She smiled at him, freed from the sleep of the curse, while the woods shook with a violent gust of winds, the dark spirits holding the maiden captive, retreated forever.

“Those who came with swords never succeeded,“ the maiden whispered.

“They laughed at me when I left my sword before entering the woods. Wisdom and patience took me further than a sword ever could have,” the handsome man said, taking the maiden into his arms gently.

The witch

When they come for me

With their torches blazing,

With pitchforks of justice.

I’ll be waiting.

 *

I’ll laugh in their faces,

Time’s a’wasting,

Take me to your pyre,

I’ll dance in the fire!

*

Go on, show me your hate!

The night is dark,

And the hour is late,

You only fear what you create.

*

When the flames touch my skin

You may think you’ll win,

But my honesty, my mortal sin,

Is the fire burning you within.

*

You may grit your teeth,

You may shout your rage,

Cover your ears! Nothing

Will change the truth.

*

I’ll drink a toast

To this beautiful mess,

And I’ll dance on the grave

Of my success.

Nothing much to say about my writing/ ugh…self-publishing progress. Since my tech-stupidity is reaching a new level, I asked hubby to help. He said “easy, peasy!” Meanwhile, here’s the cover sketch I’ve been working on:

My Substack publishing schedule this week:

• On Thursday, October 3, I’m sharing a contemporary romance/short story Bright Green Note. It’s a bit spicy.

• On Friday, October 4, I’m posting another flash fiction chapter from my Sci-fi novelette The Gravediggers of Orpheus.

• On Saturday, October 5, I'm sharing the next chapter from my dark fantasy novella The Last Daughter of Dragons.

• I might share a piece of horror flash fiction tomorrow, but I can’t promise anything. Busy, busy, busy…

• I have some ideas for non-fiction essays lying around my notes half-finished, I might publish a rant at some point.

• On Sundays, I usually share my thoughts and some short bits and bobs/flash fiction, and information about my publishing madness here on the Stack. Thank you for reading! Thank you for joining me on this wild ride!

Love,

Kathrine 🩶