Helena Stone's Blog, page 7

Monday Flash Fics: Caught

Caught
Lars enjoyed the feeling of the cooling sand between his toes as he slowly walked towards the entrance of the party area. He stared at it while trying to work out whether the gate constructed out of crates and paddles combined with the flashy lights and bright colours made the place look garish or delightful. He’d never seen it from this side before tonight.
A loud burst of laughter, coming from inside the area almost made him stop walking. Would he get away with it, or would someone take one look at him and realise he didn’t belong?
He’d noticed this activity on what used to be a deserted beach for the first time a month ago. He’d kept an eye on the people who’d taken over the island. One person in particular he’d been studying very closely.
He took a few more steps towards the entrance, realising that standing still and staring at the place was far more conspicuous than just walking in would be. It was almost disappointing when nobody gave him a second glance when he entered. Nobody that is, except for a tall, blond, broad-shouldered, and very handsome young man.
Three hours later Lars knew he had to leave. The longer he stayed, the bigger the chance he’d be found out. He could feel the moment drawing nearer, and he wanted to be back where he belonged when it happened.
“Do you really have to go?” Stephen looked at Lars imploringly. “Surely you can stay?”
Lars shook his head. “No, I’m sorry but I can’t. Not tonight.”
“I’ll see you around tomorrow then?”
He wanted to say yes. Stephen was the reason he’d come here in the first place. He’d spotted him on the beach, and swimming in the sea and he hadn’t been able to keep his eyes off him.
“No,” he said, the regret in his voice genuine. “You won’t see me tomorrow. I may be back next week though.” He took a step back, the knowledge that he’d almost run out of time battling with his reluctance to say goodbye.
“I’ll be counting the days.” Stephen bent forward and surprised Lars by pressing his lips against Lars’s.
He didn’t look back as he walked away from the party and didn’t relax until he got to the end of the short beach, rounded the rocky outcrop, and found himself alone again.  The water was warm and welcoming as he walked into the sea. The change started as soon as the sea level reached his hips. Within seconds his legs had merged together again. One powerful flick of his tail had him below the waves, back in his element…but alone again.
Yes, he would be back. And if the myths were right, every subsequent time he left the water it would be easier to stay in the human form.
Unable to resist taking one last look he emerged from the water, a safe distance away from the still crowded party area.
“Hey!” A blond head appeared from the water in front of him, a wide grin brightening Stephen’s face as his legs kicked below him to keep him from sinking. 
“You didn’t really think I’d let you get away, did you?”
****
536 words
When Theo Fenraven suggested this picture I commented that ‘even I should be able to stay away from the dark with this one…I think.’ Whether or not I succeeded, I leave entirely up to you. J

Don’t forget to check out the Monday Flash Fics group for other stories inspired by this image.

Monday Flash Fics: Training

Training
I watched him closely as he walked towards me, two mugs of coffee in his hands. It was our fifth meeting that week, and I searched his face for signs that he was happy to see me and might even be looking forward to these all too short moments we would spend together. My soldier's expression gave nothing away.
“Hey.” He smiled at me, and bent forward to softly brush his lips again mine.
My hands ached to pull him close to me, hold him tight and devour that delectable mouth of his. Not wanting to burn both of us with spilled hot coffee I reigned myself in and accepted the mug when he handed it to me.
We talked, we kissed and we drank coffee. I fought to keep the anguish I felt from showing on my face as he, not for the first time, shared his thoughts with me. He couldn’t hide his excitement whenever he spoke about the day first contact had been made with Cidra. He’d been ten at the time, and from that moment forward his one goal in life had been to go there. 
As soon as my mug was empty I made my kisses more demanding. His response was instant and hungry; the soft groan escaping his throat delighted me as much as it scared me.
I deepened our kiss further and stroked the inside of his thigh, allowing my hand to move ever closer to his crotch. His breathing changed, his kisses became more frantic and I wasn’t surprised when my hand encountered his erection. A flash of pure joy shot through me. I’d done that. My touch had brought him there.
The piercing sound of a whistle shattered my moment of happiness.
He pulled back and for a moment I allowed myself to believe he did so reluctantly.
“I have to go.” His voice was toneless. “The sensor must have received the required information. I’ve passed the test.” His lips curved upwards, but I wasn’t convinced he was really happy. “You trained me well,” the smile he gave me then was genuine. “Thank you. I don’t think I could have done it without you.”
While I sat there, lost for words, and desperately searching for a reason to keep him around for just a few more minutes, he bent towards me, gave me one last kiss and took the cup out of my hand. “Goodbye.”
I stayed schtum as he got up, turned and walked away without a backwards glance. The next day he’d get on that spacecraft and leave for Cidra. He’d passed his final test. He would have no problem fitting into a society where the vast majority of the population was pansexual. The fulfilment of his dream—to be part of the first exchange group to travel to that distant planet—meant the end of mine.
It had taken him five days to learn to appreciate being intimate with a man. It had taken me the same amount of time to lose my heart to a man I would never see again.
***
513 words.
Trust me to take what looks like a happy picture and…. J
I hope you enjoyed my take on this image. As always, more stories can be found in the Monday Flash Fics group on Facebook.

Monday Flash Fics: A Tide of Change

A Tide of Change
“The boat is back.” The words moved from mouth to mouth through our settlement. “Did you hear? The little rower is back in the tree, just as it was the last time.”
I allowed the words to wash over me, while trying to make my excitement match that of those surrounding me. Appearing curious and intrigued would be good, but I couldn’t allow them to see how delighted its return made me.
Most of us spent that day watching the vessel in the tree. Just like the last time it had appeared, exactly a year ago, people wondered where it had come from and how it had ended up in the branches. The ground was dry so the only thing we knew for sure was that it hadn’t been a tidal wave stranding the boat there. And while my knowledge about the vessel and its owner—I had to fight hard to repress a shudder every time I thought about him—exceeded that of my neighbours, I had no real answer for those questions either.
Day turned to twilight before darkness descended, the boat turning into a barely visible silhouette in the pale moonlight but nobody returned home. A year earlier the boat had arrived one day only to have disappeared the next morning. This year people were determined to stick around and find how it would dislodge itself and where it would go. Their presence worried me.
A fragrance moved on the soft evening breeze, something barely perceptible yet heady and alluring. Excited speculation became interspersed with yawns and people dozed off around me. Within minutes I was the only person left awake, excitement coursing through my veins while I waited.
“Have you decided?” His voice came from behind me and was exactly as I remembered it; deep and seductive. A shiver ran down my spine and the hairs on my arms stood to attention but I didn’t turn around.
“Yes,” I replied while still looking towards the tree-bound rowing boat. “This time I’m coming.”
I’d tried to forget the night we’d spent together a year ago. I’d done what I could to purge him from my mind, but like a virus he’d inserted himself in my body; always present and conjuring up his voice, touch and embrace in my memories without warning, at the most inconvenient times.
“Get in the boat then.” He’s still behind me, where I can’t see him but he’s clear as day in my mind’s eye. Slim, tall, with long flowing white hair, he mesmerised me a year ago. I would have gone with him then, but he told me I had to be sure, that the decision would be irreversible. I wasn’t sure what he meant then, and I still didn’t know how to interpret his words but the question had become meaningless. I would go anywhere with him.
He wrapped his arms around me as soon as I sat down on one of the narrow planks in the boat. I knew without a shadow of a doubt he hadn’t walked past me, but my mind refused to worry about how he’d gotten there before me, too busy watching in wonder as a giant wave reached out for the boat and carried us away from the island without a drop of water touching the ground.
I relaxed into his body as the water carried us away from the only life I’d ever known. His lips touched the sensitive flesh on my neck and those few inches of skin became my sole focus.
“You’ve chosen me,” he said; his voice a hypnotic mixture of awe and possessiveness.
“Forever,” I replied not sure why I’d chosen that word but certain it was the right answer.
“You’ve no idea how right you are.” His words were the last thing I heard before teeth replaced his lips and bit down hard, changing me and my destiny irrevocably.
****
650 words.
I think I may have outdone myself when it comes to weird this week but hopefully this flash will leave you intrigued, if nothing else.

More stories based on the same image can be found in the Monday Flash Fics Group on Goodreads.

Monday Flash Fics: Solitude

Solitude
I followed him onto the coach, staying close while trying not to intrude. Just as I’d kept a safe distance while he waited for the bus to pull up. I wanted to go where he went, but I tried not to spook him in the process. He seemed tense and distracted.
I contemplated taking the seat next to him before rejecting the idea as too stalkerish and slipped into the seat across the aisle from his. Would he have noticed if I’d sat down next to him? As I looked at him I couldn’t escape the feeling he’d closed himself off from his surroundings, choosing to concentrate on the world outside instead.
I wondered about what might be going on in his head. What were his thoughts? Why did he hug himself like that? The way he’d turned his body towards the window suggested he wouldn’t welcome interaction from anyone.
To have him so close and yet so far away ate at me. He’d been my world—my everything—for the past ten months. My last thought before I fell asleep was for him and the first image in my head after waking up in the morning was always his. Apart from one confused glance while we waited at the bus stop, he hadn’t acknowledged me.
I might as well not be here. The thought screamed in my head
When he rubbed his eyes before sniffling loudly my heart skipped a beat. Something was wrong. I had to do something. Suddenly keeping my distance, being smart and inconspicuous didn’t matter anymore. Fuck the consequences. I got up, crossed the aisle and set down next to him. I only hesitated for a few moments before lightly gripping his upper arm and squeezing.
“What’s wrong?” I held my breath as soon as the words left my mouth. What would he do?
He turned to me with an apologetic smile on his face, his eyes red-rimmed and glassy. A cold sweat erupted across my brow. I’d been right. Something was seriously wrong.
“I’m so…” He sneezed loudly, caught his breath and sneezed again. After the fourth time I stopped counting and settled back to wait him out.
“I’m really sorry,” he picked up my hand and squeezed it. “I always turn into a solitary bastard just before my hay fever kicks off.” He tilted his head, “Forgive me?”
****
394 words

More flash fiction based on the same image can be found in the Monday Flash Fics group on Facebook.

Monday Flash Fics: The Audition

The Audition
“Okay,” Scott the director said. “If you two are ready we’ll start the read through now.”
I stared at the pages in my hand. This was the first time I’d auditioned with this company and clearly they did things differently from others I’d worked with. “What is this play?” I asked. “There’s no title, no author.” I skimmed down the lines before adding “and these pages don’t give me any idea what the play is about.”
“It’s something new,” Scott replied. “First time author and a recently finished play. I would have been shocked if you’d recognised it.”
I’d only met Scott ten minutes earlier, when I walked into the rehearsal room. Two minutes later I’d been introduced to Peter, the man sitting next to me, although I couldn’t help feeling I’d seen him before somewhere. It wasn’t just the play confusing me either. Why had I been told to take my shoes off when Peter was still wearing his?
I glanced at the phone on the floor in front of me, silently cursing the impossible timing of this impromptu rehearsal. I couldn’t miss the message. Over the past eight weeks I’d been receiving mysterious but alluring texts from an unknown number. When the first one arrived, my initial instinct had been to delete it and block the sender.In the end I’d saved it without replying. I just didn’t have it in me to delete a text saying: *I’ve been watching you. One day we’ll share a kiss…and more.*
My silence hadn’t deterred whomever the sender was. The texts had kept on coming, each subsequent one more alluring than those I’d seen before, as if the person behind them knew how lonely I was, how much I craved attention.
*Two o’clock, Market Hall auditions. The veil will be lifted.*The words of that last texthad sent excitement coursing through my veins. My mysterious sender had coxed all my secret dreams and desires out of me over time, rewarding me with words describing how he—I assumed it was a ‘he’—would make those wishes come true.
“Very good so far,” Scott interrupted us once we’d gone through the first page of what appeared to be a budding romance between two men, except there was a dark edge to everything we’d read so far. “I like the fear in your voice, Josh,” he said to me. “Even without knowing the full story, you’re getting the tone just right.” His words made me glow inside.
“It was easy,” Peter read. “He was so desperate for attention I didn’t even have to try.”
I stared at the page, expecting to see my character’s name in front of the next line but finding a different one instead.
“Desperation will do that,” Scott’s voice speaking the next line took me by surprise.
My phone vibrated on the floor next to my feet and I reached forward to glance at the screen and read the message, only half-listening to Scott continuing his lines, barely aware of him slowly walking towards me and circling my chair.
“It just takes finding the right subject. There’s so many lonely people out there who’ll do just about anything to end their isolation.” Too busy fiddling with my phone, I noticed but ignored the tone of his voice changing from engaging to threatening.
*Got you* I read on my screen moments before something was pulled over my head and my world went dark.
“That’s how you get them.” Scott’s voice was the last thing I heard before a needle broke my skin and I lost consciousness.
****
594 words
Yes, I moved over to the dark side again. Considering the book I finished reading today that is hardly surprising though.

As always other—and possibly happier—stories based on the same picture can be found in the Monday Flash Fics Facebook group. Please join us there. The more the merrier.

Hop for Visibility, Awareness and Equality

Today is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia and I am proud and delighted to take part in the Hop for Visibility, Awareness and Equality. I hope you’ll enjoy my post on the aftermath of the marriage equality referendum in Ireland and that you’ll enter my give-away at the bottom of this post.
If you want to know more about the Blog Hop and the numerous blogs participating in this fabulous initiative, please click on the link below this image:  Hop for Visibility, Awareness and Equality.

****
As you may (or may not) know I live in Ireland. Today it is almost a year to the day since this little country I call home said yes to marriage equality in a referendum. With that in mind I decided this blog hop might be a good occasion to take a look at what happened after the result was announced.
I thought about it for a while and realised I couldn’t remember anything relating to the referendum result hitting the headlines since then. Yes, I’m fairly sure there was a report on the first same sex couple to tie the knot, but other than that, nothing sprang to mind.
While I do try to stay in touch with current affairs I’m the first to admit that I don’t catch everything, so I took to Google and entered ‘Ireland after the marriage equality referendum’ and found no stories other than those relating to the day the result was announced. Just to be sure I also tried ‘Ireland, marriage equality referendum aftermath’, but the search result was the same.
As far as I can tell nothing changed. I mean, of course things changed for those in same sex relationships. They now have an option they never had before; they have reached a level of equality that is still a dream for too many people around the world. But there hasn’t been a backlash, there have been no cases of civil servants refusing a couple their marriage certificate because they happened to be the same sex, the priests stopped talking about the subject, and there has been no stalling on the part of politicians. The referendum was passed, the law was changed and gay and lesbian couples could and did get married.
And that is because equality really isn’t that complicated. All it means is that those who are human all have the same rights and the same obligations. Equality doesn’t take anything away from those who were privileged before; it ‘only’ gives to those who were disadvantaged. I will never understand what drives people to deny others the rights they themselves take for granted. A world in which all are equal is a world with less strife and conflict and therefore a better place for all. It really is that simple.

**** 
Give-away:
I’ll be gifting an e-copy of either ‘Strangers in the Night’ or ‘Scenes from Adelaide Road’ to one of those who comment below. This hop runs from May 17th to May 24thso to give anybody who wants to enter the opportunity to do so, I’ll randomly pick a winner on May 26th. Good luck J

Monday Flash Fics: What You See....

What You See…
I ran up the stairs as fast as my slippers allowed. I heard them following me, their booted feet making them sound like a herd of elephants. So far so good.
When I reached the metal door I pushed through it, onto the roof and glanced around before jumping on the ledge and assuming my position. On pointe and with my hands on my waist, I hoped I managed to pull off a convincing combination of attitude and vulnerability.
Less than a minute later they burst through the door too—the six skinheads who’d tried to corner me downstairs. The two men in front stopped running so abruptly the other four crashed into their backs, making them stumble and for a moment I thought they’d crash into me and end this stand-off in quite a different manner than the one I had in mind.
“What the fuck is that fairy doing?”
I almost smiled. I’d no idea why they thought calling me a fairy would hurt me. But I kept the expression on my face stern as I stared down at them.
These men had been tormenting the LGBTQ community for several months now. They’d beaten people up, even killed some. Their reign of terror was so severe and so effective nobody had the nerve to stand up to them or report them to the authorities. That’s where I came in.
“He must be tired of living,” one of the scumbags muttered, before laughing out loud. “He’s making this easy for us. I’m almost sorry it will only take a small push. It’s so much more fun when they put up a fight.”
“Let’s get this done and over with,” the man I’d identified as their leader said. They lined up and formed a half circle before slowly moving towards me.
I allowed the grin to spread across my face then; they couldn’t have made this easier for me if they’d tried. I waited until they were about two metres away from me before jumping down, landing on my toes again.
Not paying their collective gasp any heed, I pushed off with one foot into a pirouette, spinning fast on my toes. I lifted my other leg and aimed and kicked as I passed each of those bastards. The first two had no idea what hit them when my foot punched their noses and they fell back, their heads bouncing against the concrete. The sixth man had more time and tried to prepare for the onslaught he expected, lifting his hands to catch my foot and protect his face, so I kicked lower, straight into his crotch.
As soon as that last man was down, I jumped over their bodies, grabbed the camera I had hidden earlier, and walked through the metal door, making sure to lock it behind me. I retrieved my holdall and changed out of the tutu and slippers into my uniform. Cowards that they were, they would never have attacked me if they’d seen me in my usual gear. Turning on the camera I checked the recording before pulling my phone from the bag and making a call.
“It’s done. I have what we need. They’re all yours now.” A few floors below me a door opened.
Life as an undercover policeman sure had its interesting moments.
****
551 words.

This week’s picture was suggested by Lila Leigh Hunter. For stories by her and others please check out the Monday Flash Fics Group on Facebook.

Outhouse Book Drive Continued

Outhouse Book Drive Continued
Yesterday I at last had the opportunity to travel to Dublin and donate the thirty-odd books I’d been given for this purpose in London almost six weeks ago. It also meant I got to meet the newly appointed librarian.

Aoife (pronunciation ‘Eva’) Fitzgerald turned out to be a charming lady who is obviously very enthusiastic about reorganising and upgrading the book selection in Outhouse’s wonderful library, and she accepted the books I brought gratefully. Since I’m really only the delivery-person, I pass that gratitude on to those who donated the books. Without your generosity I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this. This project has proven once and for all, that despite the controversies we occasionally find ourselves in the middle of, the MM community is and always has been, loving, loyal and supportive.
In case you’re curious about the titles we’ve donated over the past few months you can find them all in this spreadsheet I created and also shared with Aoife: Outhouse Book Drive.
Aoife told me she is in the process of expanding the reference section of the library, and that made me think ‘we’ might be able to offer some assistance once again.
No, I’m not asking you to donate more books (although they are of course always welcome). What I’m looking for this time is titles and authors of reference books you feel should be available in any self-respecting LGBTQ orientated library. If you have any suggestions please let me know in the comments below, and I’ll make sure they make their way to Aoife.
I have no idea when I’ll be posting about the Outhouse library again, but I have no doubt I’ll be paying it a visit on most if not all of my future visits to Dublin. If I have anything else to share, I will of course post here again. Right now, what I really want to say to all the authors and readers who donated and to Dreamspinner Press for all the support it has given me, is the following:


Related posts:Call Out to all Authors: Outhouse Book DriveOuthouse Book Drive: an updateCall out to all Readers: Outhouse Book Drive

Monday Flash Fics: Feet First

Feet First
“What do you think?” Jake looks down at me, uncertainty writ across his handsome features. “Is this how you remember it? Are you sure you want to be here?”
I smile up at him. “I think the place is even more overgrown than it was back then. Just as well the path’s still here and clear, or we wouldn’t have made it.” Jake’s brow smoothes out, the frown all but disappearing, but the concern doesn’t fully leave his face. “Yes, I’m sure. It was time. It’s been ten years after all.”
I don’t know how long both of us stare at the lake in silence, and I have no idea exactly what Jake’s thoughts are, while my mind conjures up clear and vivid images of that fateful day.
We’d been a couple for nine months when we went on our first holiday together. Our old, fifth hand car took us to wherever our whim decided we wanted to go. We were so very young and carefree back then.
“D’ you remember, Cian?” He asks and I laugh before giving my customary answer.
“Will I ever forget?”
Back then, when we stumbled across this hidden spot we thought we’d found our own private piece of paradise. We took a walk around the large pond and returned to where we’d started from, hot and sweaty, our hair and clothes sticky and wet.
“Let’s take a swim,” I’d suggested and Jake had been all for it. Oh the foolishness of the young.
Taking a running leap had seemed like such a wonderful idea—to move from overheated to cool and clean in one quick moment was so tempting both of us kept most of our clothes on. Jake, a far better swimmer than me, gracefully dove for the water, closely followed by clumsy me jumping up high.
I glance at the wedding band around my finger. It’s been five years since we said ‘I do’; today being the anniversary of both our wedding and the day we first came here—the day everything changed.
Jake’s hand squeezes my shoulder, as if he can read my mind, as I close my eyes and experience it all again. Jumping up high, seeing Jake hit the water before instantly turning around and opening his mouth to shout something I would never hear.
I hit the water hard and fast before my world went black. When I came around again my surroundings were white, my body hooked up to machines and I couldn’t feel or use my legs.
“That’s why I didn’t want to come back here,” Jake says. “You won’t ever be able to forget, why make it worse by reinforcing the memories?”
“Why would I want to forget,” I ask as Jake grips the handlebars on my wheelchair and turns me around. “That day I learned how deep your love truly runs.”
****
476 words.
Thank God for showers. I didn’t know what to do with this image. I adore it, but no matter how much time I spent staring at it —no hardship, mind you—I couldn’t come up with a story for these boys. Not for the first time, taking a shower gave me the inspiration I needed. Considering my current struggle with my WIP, I may be squeaky clean for the next few weeks J
‘D’you remember, will I ever forget’ are words I stole from an Irish poem which you can listen to here: D’you remember, Jem.

This wonderful picture was suggested by Kelly Jensen. Other flashes based on this same image should appear on the Monday Flash Fics Facebook page. Enjoy.

Monday Flash Fics: What You See

What You See
I sigh. I can’t afford to lose my patience but, jeez, it has taken an hour to get him to take his shirt off and stop scowling at my camera. At this rate we’ll be here all day.
“Go on,” I hope the encouraging tone in my voice still sounds convincing. “Just open the top button and try to look naughty.” I wink and am happy to see him wink back at me.
Honestly, I don’t like him all that much. But I promised I would help him on several occasions and today he appears to be ready. And there’s no denying he needs help. His self image is so negative I sometimes wonder how he manages to live with himself. He gets compliments all the time, other members of the gym we go to never stopped telling him how fabulous he looks, and he always gets propositioned when we go out. But none of it means anything to him; it is as if it goes right over his head. He doesn’t see what others do or, if he does see it, doesn’t believe it is really him. My mission is to get him naked, take the pictures and make him look at them. Maybe, if he looks at himself from a distance, he’ll be able to see himself more objectively.
“Now, open the rest of your fly.” I put as much authority in my voice as I can muster, hoping to forestall any objections he might have. He stares at me, his gaze fixed on mine, his eyes unblinking, before opening the buttons.
I study the body he has never fully shown to anybody. It’s almost impossible to believe nobody ever followed that long treasure-trail all the way down his sculpted body to find the as yet hidden prize.
I focus on taking my pictures, suddenly careful not to look at him too closely. It would be so easy to scare him off now. Instead I mutter encouragements. “See, that wasn’t too hard.” And, “I told you, you could do it.”
He doesn’t say a word and yet it is as if I can hear him grumbling. He might as well be speaking out loud.
The last step in the process; this is do or die. Either he will reveal all of himself or all my efforts will have been for nothing. “Take your jeans off, please”. I almost whisper the words, afraid to spook him.
For long moments he does nothing, just stands there with a look on his face as if he isn’t sure whether or not I’m serious. The impasse last so long my arms grow heavy and I put the camera aside. But I don’t break eye contact. I’m not giving up. Not yet.
Without taking his gaze of me he pushes his trousers down and discards them. Defiance shines out of his eyes while he waits for my next move.
I reach for my camera again, lift it, and pause before taking the final pictures for this session.
Our relationship is a strange one, but I live in hope that one day we’ll be true friends—me and the man in the mirror.****
528 words

For more flashes based on the same image please visit the Monday Flash Fics Group on Facebook.