#fridayflash "To Life"

 

I've been interviewed by Jamie White about Defying Gravity. The interview is on her blog here. I'm also giving away a copy of Defying Gravity there.

This flash piece takes place fifty years before Defying Gravity and involves Linia's grandparents.

To Life

Electricity buzzed throughout the battlefield. Grasses smoked around the Medusan bodies, and stone statues peered forever forward toward their invading army. Iris tiptoed around the stone. Each statue’s face was someone she knew, but she was looking for one in particular. Her throat tightened, and she found it hard to swallow.

How could these aliens bring war to their peaceful Persea?

Tears blinded her as she stumbled toward the next statue. Her foot caught upon a dead Medusan’s arm, and she fell. Dirt stained her bluish palms. She dug her nails into it and yanked up fistfuls of grass.

“No, no, no!”

Her forehead pressed against the ground as the earth soaked up her tears. She should return to the draken caves. She’d left her daughter with Phisto and Elphie. If the Medusans returned now, she’d never flee from their terrifying stare.

She crawled toward the last statue. Please, please, don’t be him. Please.

Her fingers pressed against his stone-coated boots, trailed along his pants, and grasped hold of his hand. Her head lifted until she saw his face. Please.

His lips were parted in silent surprise, eyelids widening just so. He appeared to be reaching out with one hand. The other was close to his throat, the gemstone of life. A second later, and he would’ve been safe. Her dear husband. Gone.

A sob rose in her chest and burst from her mouth. She clawed up his body until she was standing, exposed to their enemy, their war. “No, Feros, not you. Amari needs you. I need you.”

He couldn’t be dead. Not her Feros.

Her hand went to her collar. The cool gemstone urged her to turn it. Would she be able to save him? They hadn’t tried to save them. Perseans knew the risks of their gifts and the laws, but Feros was frozen in rock, but what if he wasn’t really dead?

“I have to try,” she said, twisting the stone as blue electricity illuminated her body.

As her hand hovered above her husband’s heart, her hopes and fears lay with one touch. Did she dare? Could she save him? Them all?

She touched him, and their world exploded into possibility when the stone cracked and brought her husband back to life.