4 Stories Told

By Rodney St Clair Ballenden

Whip of Light: Aurelia, a young girl of sixteen years of age was born in the wagon of a travelling show, now seeks the perfect love of her life. Her mother loves every man who knocks on the door. Her Grandpapa hates every man who knocks. The Gift: Haley Truscott lives alone and cut off from the outside world hurting from the lessons of a failed marriage. Her husband, Matt, had taught her she was not worthy of love and in return she had denied him a child. And now she lives that lie. Hot, Like Someone Inside: When a stranger walks into the house and turns the world upside down the time has come to stop and listen. But can we? And when the stranger turns out to be a friend the question posed is ‘who’s the good guy and who’s the bad?’ Cry of One: Through nature we learn our lessons and grow wise. This story tells of an age old clash between two sets of immovable forces. The connection poignant and touching; the loss heartfelt. There are not many human beings who have seen first-hand the suffering of a wild animal.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rodney St Clair Ballenden
• Release date: Oct 23, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370071203

Rodney St Clair Ballenden

Rodney St Clair Ballenden was born in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1947. In lieu of an academic career he traveled extensively through Europe, the United Sates of America and Greece. He married Colleen and returned to South Africa to farm, but the call of the wild drew him into a hermit existence placing him in extreme situations exposed to danger and the vagaries of storm and wind. From his observations on man and his relationship with the wilderness he began to write, and his books are available on the SmashWord platform as well as at Amazon. Rodney now lives in Greece.

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4 Stories Told

a smashwords book of four short stories

by

Rodney St Clair Ballenden

Copyright © 2016 by Rodney St Clair Ballenden. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without permission from the copyright owner. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is coincidental. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment. Thank you for respecting the work of this author.

Acknowledgement

I would like to thank the various artist, muses and sources of my inspiration. I begin each of the stories with a brief synopsis, including the trigger that stirred my imagination and propelled me to put finger to keyboard. It is my intention to swap these stories for others; that this ebook remains fresh and up to date, reflecting my writing and thoughts. So, I hope you find the inspiration within these pages to stir your imagination.

Rodney

CONTENTS:

Whip of Light

The Gift

Hot, like someone inside

Cry of One

Whip of Light

Aurelia, born in a wagon of a travelling show, now at sixteen years of age, seeks the perfect love of her life. Her mother loves every man who knocks on the door. Her Grandpapa hates every man who knocks. Inspired by Cher’s song: Gypsy, Tramps and Thieves and then right at the end another song of hers appears, just a line, the one she sung with her ex-Sonny; I’ve Got You Babe.

Thank you Cher & Sonny

Aurelia dresses as Judy, the wife of Punch. Her costume a white blouse with a purple skirt which, when she performs under the special effects lights in the big ring, glitters in a phosphorescent array of colours.

Her best friend, Binky, a mongrel dog of pure white colour, and intelligent beyond its looks, with all of the fluff missing from the carpet patched haphazardly around its small frame, watches. Christened Binky, but called It. Loved by all, petted by none. Binky lies on the edge of the bed, and from between the jungle of a fringe those big round eyes flicker as Aurelia moves, not missing a beat.

Spontaneously Aurelia pulls a tall hat, like a Prussian helmet, from a jumble box on the floor, and admires herself in the mirror.

I was born in the wagon of a travelling show, she says. My parents were beautiful. Beautiful physically that is, well, Mother still is. I don’t know about father, because he’s not here. But they did a good job. Hmm! Nice. I like it.

Her dark eyes stare back at her, bewitching in their terror and deep in a dream world of their own perfection.

You too, sweet Binky, and she picks up Binky and heads for the door. We have the same parents, because they did a good job for you too. And she blows a kiss in Binky’s face. "Grandpapa says you are an it. I say you are a boy. Pretty boy. I like pretty boys, especially the one meant for me."

Aurelia walks across the patio linking her wagon to Mother’s and Grandpapa’s wagons and down the stairs into the yard. Because they are a family they are allowed to arrange their wagons face to face with a common patio linking them as one.

Mikael, the youngest of The Brummer Family, and the most acrobatic, watches from the doorway of his wagon across the yard. He leans against the doorpost arms folded, smoking a cigarette. He is dressed in the tight fitting white tunic of the high wire performers, his muscles bulging, and his hairy chest exploding from under his chin.

Grandpapa appears from the shadows and slots in beside Aurelia.

For the evening show you put on a long dress.

Sure Grandpapa.

I don’t mind if you look shorter. Nor will they.

Because it’s not my legs they’re looking at.

Right. And I prefer the old style.

Grandpapa ushers Aurelia into the leeway of the big tent.

Keep out of sight until I announce you.

Aurelia shrinks into the shadows watching Grandpapa as he enters the big tent, his arms aloft, basking in the applause of the audience.

Mother and Yula were once the darlings of the show, Aurelia continues, her voice husky in the memory of those early days. "And so I was born into a perfect world of make-believe. The show allowed the audience to rise out of their mundane lives just for one moment and believe in the extraordinary. We put on a show of delight and magic. And after years of magic why go back to reality. Mother and Yula sure didn’t. Nor did I. I believed in a perfect love. It was out there. Somewhere there was one for me. Then things went wrong. Now I will not let any man have me. And Grandpapa helps. He’s the best…just look at him.

Bălan, a stunning blond gypsy fortune teller, walks out into the middle of the big tent dragging a very ornate little wagon. And the wagon is filled with beautiful bottles and boxes of all shapes and colours. She beckons Grandpapa over and he approaches her as a true gentleman of the world. They kiss. A long breathless kiss. They each lean forward, like a child on a crescent moon; Grandpapa holding his hat behind his back; Bălan her hands. And the crowd love it, whistling for the wolf to bring on more.

Then Bălan hands Grandpapa a few of those bottles and boxes, and the two of them walk amongst the crowd handing them out. Each bottle and each box filled with magic. But the exact magic unknown until opened and tasted.

Aurelia smiles. She has had many of those little boxes. She knows what it means to be drowned in the sensation of a simple taste.

They taught us everything…didn’t they my sweet. Mother and Yula stirred them up. They got them going wild. He was the knife thrower and she was the target

She shakes herself, shaking off the memories, focusing on the music in her head.

Ready, she says and whistles for Binky.

She puts the flute to her lips and blows a single note. Binky heels immediately and exactly on cue they walk into the big tent, Grandpapa showing her off to the crowd and then subtly withdrawing as the crowd grow silent.

Mother and Yula enter the big tent to rapturous applause. The lighting changes from brilliant white to rays of brilliant colour. Each ray shedding sparkles of falling stars and each star bursting in a shower of colour.

Aurelia watches from the entrance into the big tent, dressed in a long skirt and with pompoms on her shoes. She appears shorter without the Prussian helmet and with her legs now covered. Her hair in knotty spikes, her face plain, but her eyes still cheeky, sizzling in their dark looks. And Mikael stands beside her, silent, his hand on her elbow, simmering.

Then Grandpapa sees her and Mikael together and pulls her aside.

Get back to the wagon he says and slaps her.

Grandpapa, she whines.

He whirls on Mikael.

And leave her alone. She’s a child. Get off with you.

He thrusts himself at Mikael, egging a fight. And Mikael slinks back into the shadows. Aurelia sulks off, Binky trailing behind, but as soon as Mother and Yula’s performance begins distracting Grandpapa, she slinks into the shadows to watch.

Mother and Yula prance about the big tent showing off their dance styles and their costumes. Their characters are man and woman and the story they enacted tells of a young couple falling in love. They are obviously in love, but the man plays ‘hard to get’ not allowing her to seduce him. Before love comes humility. He needs to tame her. She must learn the rules and know her place in the home. He will provide for her and their children, but they can never find happiness as a family until they understand the rules of what it means to be normal in a normal household. First obey. Then go forth as a loving couple to reap the rewards of a just union.

Mother and Yula attract wild applause. Their dance energetic and perfectly synchronised. Their costumes a glitter of light and dazzling tassels seemingly on fire as the coloured beams of light sweep across their performance.

Yula has a whip, a whip of light, something of magic that can only be imagined as a tool for the yearning heart. And Yula flicks this whip elegantly propelling the many tails into the space around Mother, closer and closer to her body and her face. And the lighting picks out