Which short story should I choose?
Eyes Like Jewels
By Angela S. Stone
Her eyes sparkled like brilliant jewels, while the rest had grown grey, worn and saggy. Everything had its time and this was hers. Her son held her hand in a lonely hospital room and listened while she shared her last story.
“It was during the war.” She started, her voice barely above a whisper. “I thought I met the most wonderful man.” Her accent became thicker as she talked. “It turned out he was a monster.”
“Mama.” Her son started but she shushed him.
“He did terrible things, things that were inhuman.” She whispered. “He was a murder and a rapist and a thief.”
“Mama please.”
“He was killed during the fight to liberate Holland. I was so relieved.” She paused her eyes closed, her breathing shallow. “I don’t expect you to understand, you’ve never seen war like I have.”
“Understand what Mama?”
“How I could take what wasn’t mine.” She replied her eyes still closed. “In my black bag, get the brown jewellery box.” He did as requested and removed the box. “Open it.” She ordered. Inside he found three of the most stunning jewels he had ever seen.
“Mama?”
“They are all that’s left of the Nazi loot he left me.” She gasped barely able to speak. “Find who they belong to, please.” She begged.
“Why?”
“So you’re not cursed too.” She whispered with her last breath. He promised her he would, but it was too late. His eyes had already started to sparkle like jewels.
She did it for the Jewels
By Angela S. Stone
Laura raced up the stairs to her bedroom. She ignored her husband, her children, she had to be sure it was there.
Sitting on the dresser was the pillar candle same as it had been when she left that morning. She breathed a sigh of relief. The jewels were still safely hidden in the wax. She looking at herself in the mirror straightening her hair, tucking in the fly away strands.
She tabbed on her lipstick, brushed lint off her collar. Perfect nothing out of place. She returned downstairs, calling a hello to the children who were in the den, watching TV. She hoped they had finished their homework.
She stuck her head into her husband’s study he was slumped over his desk working away. She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek telling him that dinner would be ready soon.
On her way to the kitchen she noticed a smudge of red dirt on her cheek, she rubbed it away. Where had that come from?
She was just putting the potatoes on when her door bell rang. She called for one of the children to answer it, but she the doorbell sounded again. Resigned went to the door, surprised to see and officer on her porch.
“Ma’am can you come with me.” She said holding out her hand.
The officer led Laura to the waiting cruiser so she wouldn’t hear the gasps of horror from the other officers when they discovered her long dead husband and children inside.
Poll Which one?
By Angela S. Stone
Her eyes sparkled like brilliant jewels, while the rest had grown grey, worn and saggy. Everything had its time and this was hers. Her son held her hand in a lonely hospital room and listened while she shared her last story.
“It was during the war.” She started, her voice barely above a whisper. “I thought I met the most wonderful man.” Her accent became thicker as she talked. “It turned out he was a monster.”
“Mama.” Her son started but she shushed him.
“He did terrible things, things that were inhuman.” She whispered. “He was a murder and a rapist and a thief.”
“Mama please.”
“He was killed during the fight to liberate Holland. I was so relieved.” She paused her eyes closed, her breathing shallow. “I don’t expect you to understand, you’ve never seen war like I have.”
“Understand what Mama?”
“How I could take what wasn’t mine.” She replied her eyes still closed. “In my black bag, get the brown jewellery box.” He did as requested and removed the box. “Open it.” She ordered. Inside he found three of the most stunning jewels he had ever seen.
“Mama?”
“They are all that’s left of the Nazi loot he left me.” She gasped barely able to speak. “Find who they belong to, please.” She begged.
“Why?”
“So you’re not cursed too.” She whispered with her last breath. He promised her he would, but it was too late. His eyes had already started to sparkle like jewels.
She did it for the Jewels
By Angela S. Stone
Laura raced up the stairs to her bedroom. She ignored her husband, her children, she had to be sure it was there.
Sitting on the dresser was the pillar candle same as it had been when she left that morning. She breathed a sigh of relief. The jewels were still safely hidden in the wax. She looking at herself in the mirror straightening her hair, tucking in the fly away strands.
She tabbed on her lipstick, brushed lint off her collar. Perfect nothing out of place. She returned downstairs, calling a hello to the children who were in the den, watching TV. She hoped they had finished their homework.
She stuck her head into her husband’s study he was slumped over his desk working away. She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek telling him that dinner would be ready soon.
On her way to the kitchen she noticed a smudge of red dirt on her cheek, she rubbed it away. Where had that come from?
She was just putting the potatoes on when her door bell rang. She called for one of the children to answer it, but she the doorbell sounded again. Resigned went to the door, surprised to see and officer on her porch.
“Ma’am can you come with me.” She said holding out her hand.
The officer led Laura to the waiting cruiser so she wouldn’t hear the gasps of horror from the other officers when they discovered her long dead husband and children inside.
Poll Which one?