Saturday, August 14, 2010

stone garden, part II

Tatyana, how many times I’ve said I love you. One year later, the dog is now brave enough to follow me every time I intrude into that cool solitude nestled beyond those white stone steps. I follow the dog stealthily hoping to catch a shadowy vision of the girl. I manicure the ivy from her cottage and pull weeds, but the next day it is re-grown and impassible. Except for the beautiful rose, you see. That sulfur bloom, mirroring the shade of Tatyana’s skin.

Why is the rose untroubled? It does seem my only connection to touching her again, I’m glad it is there. So, I’m clearing one day to allow it to breath untouched, and digging with the spade I hit something hard twice and it’s a shallow corroded line. Laid in 1899 by an amateur without a permit I figure by the looks of all those wayward elbows. The dog gets it just as bad as me, we’re soaked. The flow halts somehow and it is quiet.

Dripping and shivering, I look into the dogs eyes and before I can plead for her to be still she shakes and sprays me a second time like a museum fountain on a windy day, the scattered sunlight piercing the droplets and flashing a prism of colors in the shape of a young girl. Is that laughing I hear? The dog’s tail is wagging furiously. She knew all along. The cottage door squeaks ajar. Tatyana, I shall return with an oil can. I promise.

8 Comments:

Blogger Tess Kincaid said...

Lovely. ((sigh)) and you've thrown in just a pinch of Russian for good measure. There is a network of old pipeline connected to the old well, that runs just underneath the lawn. Every now and then we hit a piece of corroded line. How do you know these things?

8/14/2010 10:43 PM  
Blogger ninotaziz said...

Pregnant with possibilities...enjoyed it immensely.

8/15/2010 10:39 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

a love struck gardener and the coquettish Tatyana, a perfect magpie. you have such a talent for flash fiction, delightful glimpses into stories needing to be told. great one.

8/15/2010 10:55 AM  
Blogger Brian Miller said...

oh the vision of the little girl..such a nice touch...i did chuckle a bit at the struck pipe and the dog...nicely layered mag!

8/16/2010 9:23 AM  
Blogger Tumblewords: said...

A sweet story - magical!

8/16/2010 5:53 PM  
Blogger Everyday Goddess said...

i read part two first since i missed part one, but now i'm glad i've read both. excellent writing, beautiful images in both pieces. magging at its finest!

8/16/2010 9:45 PM  
Blogger phil said...


Thanks to you all. My pleasure.

8/17/2010 12:06 AM  
Blogger Linda said...

That was quite a story, and a very good use of the prompt. I like it a lot.

8/17/2010 11:22 PM  

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