Drabble Set I - Prologue

These were in response to drabble challenges from Jane Davitt on alt.tv.buffy-v-slayer.creative. The Red Raider Prologue started out here.

Title: Country Lane

Riding. Home again. Shaking off the dust of too many tombs. A country lane in the heat of an English summer. A small form, red hair blowing in the light breeze, occasionally bending down to gently touch the wild flowers growing with abandon. Sadness radiated from the petite figure drawing her attention as she rode by, dredging up remembered sorrow.

Seen again, softly walking among the daisies in a nearby meadow. And later, sitting on a sun warmed rock next to the cold, flowing water of a local brook.

A familiar, welcome sight, suddenly gone in the early fall. Missed.

[05-Sep-2003]

This is the 2nd drabble challenge - "silver'. A bit harder. And what I ended up with wasn't what I planned in the beginning. What I'd planned originally became 6 words spoken on the phone. This would take place before the end of the first drabble if one were to care about such things.

Title: Rain

In London for the day. Meeting with nervous curators to discuss the disposition of her most recent find, her thoughts kept drifting back to sad eyes behind a curtain of red hair.

From her perch, just inside the entryway, she watched the rain begin to fall in silver sheets, driving all but the hardiest indoors. She wondered what the rain was doing to the flowers.

The chirping phone pulled her back to the present.

"Yes. That was expected. I'll wait."

The faint scent of wild flowers mingled with the rich smell of leather as Hillary drove her home from London.

[09-Sep-2003]

Thought I would try it from the other side of the phone call but this doesn't work as well as I wanted. I lost the angst I was aiming for when I shortened it to approx. 100 words. And the transition to the last sentence doesn't work for me. Something to fix.

Title: Flowers in the rain

She was brought back to herself by tires splashing through silver puddles as an imposing car gently stopped beside her and the epitome of a gentleman's gentleman gently addressed her.

"Miss?"

"Yes?"

"Lady Croft requested that you be given a ride home."

"Thank you."

The subtle, oddly comforting, leather seat odor lingered in her hair for days.

[09-Sep-2003]

Title: The Button

It was more deep spring than well. It was old even before the legions trod the nearby hills and built roads and walls. The local coven's lore claimed coins placed in the spring would bring peace and new love to an aching heart.

It wasn't cheating was it ? She didn't need a new love with Tara's love forever branded on her heart. But on lonely nights, crying, alone in her cold bed, a little peace would be a relief. It wasn't a wish. Or doing any magic. Not a coin. Just a silver button from one of Tara's favorite blouses.

[15-Sep-2003]

Title: Sand

It had been a long run up from LA. Two hours in a heavy wind, no matter what size bike, was exhausting and all exposed skin felt sandblasted. Small particles of sand had gotten in everywhere. Uncomfortable in the heat.

It made her yearn for a nice simple exploration of the Parisian catacombs. Or even that pirate ship off the coast of Brazil that Hillary kept pushing at her.

A small town lay ahead. She had pulled over briefly to shake the sand out of her hair, face, and clothes when she saw the sign.

[21-Sep-2003]

Title: Stones

She watched the red headed figure from a distance, from the shadow of a willow tree, trying not to intrude. There was something magical about the scene. Leaves, blowing in a late fall breeze, gently encircled her like butterflies, shielding her from the world.

There was a sad stillness about her that radiated outward like a cold gray rain falling on some forgotten civilization.

Leaning down, she seemed to trace something on the stone in front of her. The gentleness with which she placed something small on top of the stone before walking away was evident even from a distance.

[23-Sep-2003]