Saturday, July 4, 2009

What's the story, morning glory by Bill West


What's the story, morning glory?
by Bill West

Matt resented the sheet. The way it moulded her sleeping form and slithered with each rise and fall of her breasts. He wanted to rip the silk away and wrap himself around her. Slide skin to skin.

And when she woke, would she be disappointed? He'd better bring her breakfast.

He barely recognised his studio flat. Plain green walls now showed a woodland scene. Dryads cavorted in sunlit groves. A Naiad peeped from a forest pool and stifled a giggle with webbed fingers.

Matt shuffled into the kitchen.

It didn't help him any that the tiled floor stretched to infinity in every direction. That the cooker danced a jig, its door opening and closing to the beat by a plucked chicken balanced in a roasting tin.

Thunder clouds massed over the washing machine and on the draining board the Goddess Kali danced upon a silver teaspoon. She looked remarkably like someone he knew. Apart from the arms. She waved at him and kicked an endless shower of sugar onto the counter as she danced.

Breakfast was going to be an uphill struggle.

The kettle cooperated but the cold tap insisted on singing Nessun Dorma before gushing water. Willing bread, on the other hand, cartwheeled down the counter and back flipped into the toaster. Minutes later golden toast sighed as he soothed it with butter and marmalade.

By now Kali was surrounded by a widening lake of crystals that sparkled and pulsated like star clusters on the slate counter. He hoped that his companion didn't take sugar.

Kali unsheathed her tiny swords. She flipped teabags into the air and filleted each one with a swipe, disappearing into a swirl of tea leaves. Each emptied bag unfurled and flew away. When the air cleared Kali was gone. The flat grew quiet.

Perhaps she'd prefer coffee? The percolator bubbled and popped. He prepared egg yolk, milk and brandy. The aroma of Caffè Imperiale wrapped itself around him and squeezed his balls.

Author bio:

Bio: Bill West lives in Shropshire, UK. He is a member of a number on-line writing communities and is Group Host of the WriteWords Flash Fiction One Group. His work has appeared on-line and in print, Sein Und Werden, The Linnet's Wings, Best of Boston Literary Magazine Chap Book, Flashes in the Dark, 52 Stitches and other places. www.writewords.org.uk/bill_west.

4 comments:

Caroline - (Choille) said...

Excellent as ever Bill.

Love the mundane breakfast preparation amongst all the surreal mayhem: sugar glinting as Kali dances on the spoon and fillets tea bags.

Wonderful.

Sarah Hilary said...

Great story, Bill, incongruous details! Loved it. Thanks for a great read.

Bill West said...

Thanks Caroline :¬)

Bill West said...

Thanks Sarah, glad you liked it!