Dark Past – Flash Fiction

Dark Past

Her honey-colored hair reminded him of the late afternoon sun when he had first seen her.  She was standing at the lakeshore looking across, as if searching for something or someone.  He had often caught glimpses of her in the long shadows, always looking out at the water.  She was a visitor, not a local, he was sure of that.  He found himself timing his schedule to coincide with her afternoon walks just so he could see her again. His interest in her was almost becoming an obsession.

Attracted to the mystery surrounding her he felt those old familiar urges stirring in his body.  Resurfacing from that dark, cold place he had vacated long ago.  It frightened him.  He could still hear his therapist’s voice in his head, “Remember Robert, for beauty is nothing but the beginning of terror, for the other person    

Copyright © 2023 Christine Bolton - Poetry for Healing
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Mish is hosting Prosery Monday at D'Verse Poets.  Her prompt tonight is:

The line I have chosen for you to include in your prose is from the poem, “The First Elegy”, Duinos Elegies by Rainer Maria Rilke. You can find the entire poem here.

"For beauty is nothing but the beginning of terror.”

Prosery is a piece of flash fiction consisting of no more than 144 words total excluding the title.  The piece should include the prompt line from Mish's chosen poem