Select Wares

With the month rapidly coming to a close, the moment I finished crafting Partners I turned my attention to the second genre selected by my patrons, Science Fiction. While I have crafted several worlds that could serve as the basis for this tale, one of them jumped to the front of the list. Despite knowing the genre and the location, I was having some trouble crafting the ultimate storyline. With the block fully in place, I plucked a prompt from NYC Midnight’s collection. Of course, this is duel edged sword, because it provides me with a scaffold for the tale, but sometimes weaving the narrative through that structure is difficult.

While the location for this narrative is an amphitheater, it also needed to highlight a painkiller. As the concept percolated in my mind, I wanted to keep this tale focused on the interactions rather than the technology of the world. While I let my mind rest, the episode of Futurama where Fry is pulled into an alley to purchase a set of lungs popped into my mind. With that scene in mind, the storyline crystalized in my mind and the initial draft flew through my fingers, giving me a wonderful starting point for the following drafts.

So, grab a chair and get cozy while Isabella tries to attend an event.

Excited by the upcoming show, Isabella arrives at the amphitheater, but before she can enter, a peddler sidetracks her with his trinkets…

Select Wares

When the illumination vanished, Isabella stepped off the small dais as her hands flew to her chest and her eyes widened. With her breathing quickening, she dashed toward the amphitheater in step with the flowing crowd. As Isabella walked through the opening, a hand grabbed her elbow and pulled her back through the throng.

As the mysterious stranger hauled Isabella down an alleyway, she swiped at the firm grasp, stealing her away from the initial notes caressing her ears. “Let go of me!”

“Our business will be completed soon enough,” a gruff voice said as the towering individual guided her through side streets. After a few frantic moments, the pair stepped into a small courtyard littered with a collection of tables. When they reached the last in the line, the thin man released her and strode behind his table, waving his hands over the assortment of baubles littering the slab of wood as his head dipped slightly. “Do any of my trinkets capture your interest?”

Isabella’s eyes flicked over her shoulder while her arms wrapped around her chest. As a shiver ran down her spine, Isabella stepped away from the peddler. “I didn’t make the trip to Aurora to peruse some stranger’s goods.”

“No matter how hard you search, you won’t find a better collection anywhere on Aurora.”

“I’m not interested,” Isabella said, inching towards the exit, thrusting a thumb over her shoulder as she removed a slender rod from her pocket. “I am going to leave. You can stop trying to peddle your trinkets. If you try grabbing me again, you will regret it.”

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