This is Charli Mills latest prompt
May 20, 2015 prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write about an old mystery in the current time. Is it a discovery? Is it solved? Does it no longer matter, or does it impact innocent generations in between?
We all love a good mystery, which is really a good story at heart. A tale with a twist. What is not to like? It’s a rare treat to read something, particularly a well constructed novel that has such a ‘wow’ twist at the end. I’m still looking I think. As a child I loved adventure mysteries, like the Secret Seven books of Enid Blyton and later the terribly British hero books like John Buchan even if Richard Hanney his main hero was I think South African (or at least had been in Southern Africa, making him the classic outsider). Best of all, perhaps, I loved the Philip Marlowe Books of Raymond Chandler. My current wip, that is going through its final edit, has it’s main protagonist with a voice a little like that of, and as a small homage to, Marlowe. At least I think so!
And so to my flash. And Mary. And there have been enough mysteries in her life already haven’t there?!
Unravelling the knots in life’s knitting
Rupert looked smug, Mary thought but bit her tongue for Paul’s sake.
Rupert took his time. ‘We know you were one of twins. I have found the birth certificate.’
Mary looked up. ‘Sharon?’
Rupert shook his head. ‘Katherine.’
Mary felt a huge sense of loss; she was so sure. Aunt Gloria said it was just Mary’s childhood imaginary friend.
‘Is she’s dead?’
‘It’s not that easy – it’s not an uncommon name – Katherine Johns.’ But he was smiling
‘What about adoption?’
Rupert pushed an official looking slip towards Mary. Paul nudged her, ‘Good grief, go on before we all self-asphyxiate.’
In the story so far – here – we had heard Mary had a twin – from her father, Peter’s affair with Amanda, whose sister Angela also had an affair with Peter and gave birth to Rupert. Mary found all this out after her father died; in a dream she was sure the twin visited her and was called Sharon. She was also sure she was dead. When a body was found in her father’s garden she was sure it was her twin but it was another child possibly the victim of a ritualised killing. Mary is pregnant and still struggling to come to terms with all these revelations.
Even Paul is losing patience, but I think Rupert is trying to bask in the big reveal. Now we have to wait, don’t we?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Fraud so.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Old Mysteries « Carrot Ranch Communications
You sure know how to make us keep waiting in suspense. Mary’s is a story full of twists and turns.
I do hope you’ll put these together in a book for us to read in the end.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is entirely possible.
LikeLike
Keep it in mind.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Will do
LikeLike
LikeLiked by 2 people
My husband’s bookshelf is overflowing with Raymond Chandler books. 🙂 Great job on the flash, moving Mary’s story along. But what is going to happen?!
LikeLiked by 1 person
He went to school about 200 yards from where I live now. Small piece of fame.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love Chandler, too! But my favorite from that era is Cornell Woolrich 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m ashamed to say I know him not.
LikeLike
He wrote more creepy, fatalistic pulp fiction. Both authors had a number of their works made into films noir, which was how I got to know them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I will look him out
LikeLiked by 1 person
Omg! Its more complicated than Eastenders! 😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hope so!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Seems we both loved EB Geoff 🙂 I wrote a post last year about my obsession with James Hadley Chase and his noir detective thrillers and loved Phillip Marlowe (Raymond Chandler accused Chase of plagerising I think, but I loved both their books!). And as for your flash, can’t wait to read the next installment…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Sherri. Hugh has just come out of the closet on EB too! We need a fan club starting
LikeLiked by 2 people
Haha! Yes, Hugh and I had a little chat about EB too…let’s do it 😉 PS Re the gathering in London, do you have Sacha’s link, as I don’t seem to have saved it? I’m hoping to join in…
LikeLiked by 2 people
here’s the link http://sachablack.co.uk/2015/05/07/first-possibly-annual-bloggers-bash-its-on/ Be great if you were there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much Geoff, I really hope to get there and meet everyone 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ive been out of the closet for years now, Geoff. Now there’s a story… 🙂
The Bloggers gathering in on 1st August, meeting outside The British Library. I dont have the link to Sacha’s post but I’m sure she’ll send it to you. It would be lovely to see you both there. I’m already counting down the days. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have it in the diary too, though I read today about a professorial protest about people crowding the academics out of the BL to use the free wifi. We may walk into a wigs and gown shit storm – which of course may be right up your street.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was only talking with Sherri about Enid Blyton’s Secret Seven a few days ago. I read everyone of those books at least twice, but never caught on to The Famous Five.
I’m beginning to think Mary is hiding a deep dark secret.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear EB much and unfairly maligned. She was one factor in me reading. As for Mary, do you think so? Maybe.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha, you, me and Sarah have all picked on adoption as part of the mystery. What I’m wondering is whether you know the answer yourself, or are waiting with the rest of us to find out!
LikeLiked by 1 person
No idea. All down to Charli. The picture clue this week may well take me somewhere unexpected.
LikeLike
I’ve just entered the NYC Flash Fiction competition and the first round kicks off on…you guessed it 1st August. I have 48 hours to get my piece of flash written and submitted. I’ll be looking for plenty of inspiration on the day 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You will be inspired. I guarantee you will meet characters galore.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh Mr Le Pard, you are awful! Poor Mary. There have been so many twists and mysteries, what is one more? I can’t wait to find out what Rupert is about to reveal. Bring it on!
LikeLiked by 1 person
;-))
LikeLike