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He waited for her in the boathouse. He knew she’d come. Under a pale morning sky, he watched her walk out to the dock, and in that delicate light, she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. What he felt for her just at that moment, could scarcely be contained.
When she knelt down to untie the small boat, he quietly came up behind her and softly stroked the back of her neck. She turned and let out a high, piercing scream.
He assumed it was the mating song of her species, and echoed it back as best he could. Then he wrapped his tentacles gently around her and whisked her away to his Nest.
*Sunrise photo by Peter Garver, courtesy of Julie Gabrielli at Building Hope
Ah Sharon. This was so much fun to read. I knew from the beginning line that it could go one of two ways, but you just blasted a third into the mix. I was as horrified as 'the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen' when his tentacles were revealed, and then you rocked me with the mating call. Wow. I would love to know your process in writing these short, little flashes of fiction. :) I know I write quite a bit more than I "need" for the short and then condense it, reducing the "fluff" to leave just the bones. Thank you for enlivening my morning.
Oh, so creepy!