It's a mystery

Last night, when I was trying to get to sleep, a scene idea popped into my head, and no matter what I tried, I couldn’t get it out again. Good girlfriend that I am, I didn’t want to switch on the light and write it down there and then, instead I resolved to remember it and write it down this morning. Of course, when I woke up I could only remember the bare bones of the thing, and all of the words I’d spent hours agonising over had deserted me. But over the course of the day I think I’ve managed to reconstruct most of it, and improve it in places.

As I’m still working on the edits for Hollywood, have another manuscript in progress and ideas for several others on the go, for the moment I’m going to leave this as a micro short story – but I’m sure I’ll revisit these two characters in the future. I have no idea who they are, and not much more of an idea of what they’re up to. Mostly I just sense the enormous attraction between them, and their desire to be together. I hope that this comes across in the story.

‘Tell me you don’t love me,’ he insisted, taking a step forwards and pressing her back against the wall. 

‘You know that I cannot.’ She tried to avoid looking him in the eye, but the lightest of touches from his fingers tilted her face upwards.

‘Then marry me,’ he demanded again. Willing her to agree. Unable to stop himself moving closer.

‘It’s impossible. My husband…’

His hand caressed a line from her cheek, down to her jaw and around to the nape of her neck. Slowly, he pulled her face towards his own until he could feel her breath on his lips. ‘Your husband is gone.’

He heard her gasp and saw hope in her eyes, but still a trace of doubt remained. 

‘Truly?’ 

‘Truly.’ And at last he let his lips brush against hers, knowing that nothing, and no one, could come between them now.

So, who are these two, what is going on and what has happened to the husband? Answers on a postcard please, or alternatively in the comments box below…

Ellie x