June 21, 2013

Flash! Friday: Prompt #29

No matter what else is going on, Fridays are all about Flash! Friday fiction.  This week's prompt steps up the game, challenging us with an iconic image.  150 words, +/- 25 on this masterpiece:

For once, I was tempted to read others' takes on this prompt before writing my own, somewhat at a loss. Nevertheless, I have refrained.  Here's my story:



History

Jackie had purposefully waited out the crowds in the cavernous Louvre hall that housed La Gioconda. Throngs of tourists had filled virtually every inch of floor space for hours, jostling each other for a glimpse of the mysterious masterpiece that had sparked infernos of critical debates.

Now, Jackie was the only one left, apart from La Gioconda herself. Guards’ footsteps echoed in the labyrinth of halls. Jackie steeled herself and squared off with the painting.

Masterful draping hid the dislocated shoulder which itself was covered by an intricate birthmark even the artist hadn’t know was there. Jackie’s hand brushed her own shoulder. La Gioconda’s eyes narrowed behind the thin barrier of the painting’s protective glass. Jackie stepped back involuntarily, her hand coming to rest just below her belly button. Her chin lifted a notch, and her eyes took in the soft curve of lips that had benefited from Da Vinci’s love-struck generosity.

Bewitching, she’d been called.

If they only knew…

(160 words)

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