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Topic: Risk (05/17/12)
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TITLE: The Dark Side of the Sun | Previous Challenge Entry
By Ada Nett
05/24/12 -
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The morning she met Frederik had dawned soft and sweet, the light breaking through the night sky with a pale rose glow that illuminated the farm like a glorious outdoor cathedral. The first notes of the mourning dove were drifting across the field when she heard the approaching hoof beats. Helsa was milking the soft gray Vosges cow, she could hear her papa already at work in his forge beside the barn. The sharp ring of his hammer striking the hot malleable metal was like the singing of birds at dawn, an intrinsic part of her life, as natural to her as was the daily breathing in of the warm, musky smell rising from the cow's flank in the dawn's early light and she took a quiet comfort in the rhythm of the hammer blows as she filled the milk pail in harmony with papa's hot iron song. Delicate as a wild rose petal and as strong as the iron in papa's shop love grew naturally and unbidden when Frederik had ridden the limping,old mule into the barnyard. The mule favored his right front leg, where the wrought iron horse shoe hung loosely from the hoof. Helsa stepped from the barn as Frederik reigned the mule in. Their first words were simple and unremembered, lost in the beauty of a moment that was destined to change their lives forever.
They were wed on the farm in the outdoor cathedral. Helsa's dress was the customary black with buttons of cherry red. Her mama smiled as she lovingly tied the heirloom crown around Helsa's chin, the long tie ribbons unruly and gay as they danced laughingly in the summer wind. Helsa's pale blonde hair was woven into intricate braids laced together with an array of wild flowers gathered in the morning mist across the fields surrounding the farm. Frederik felt his heart die and rebirth anew as the reverend spoke the holy words that reconstructed two hearts into one . The merriment lasted three days and the farm rang with music as the village folk took a holiday from their care-worn lives and celebrated the happy event.
On their wedding night Frederik shared with Helsa his daring plans for their future. “We will build a new life in a new world, Helsa, here I am poor and have no chance to prosper. I will go ahead and prepare a home for us. When the time is right I will send for you.” Helsa wept as he spoke, yet she knew the words were true and as one were their hearts, so became their dreams. Two weeks later Frederik boarded the ship.
The storm was ending, sporadic drops of rain fell on Helsa's back as she slowly unclenched her fist leaving the death drenched letter and their broken dreams in the grass. Tears spent, heart and belly heavy, Helsa rose unsteadily from the ground just as the sun burst forth with a light that shattered the wet sky into a crescent curve of color. Helsa touched her stomach a look of pure wonder on her face as the first kick of the new life deeply hidden in her womb made its presence known and in the distance Helsa could hear the steady ring of papa's hammer calling her home.
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Personally for me there is a bit too much purple prose. Though some of the descriptions paint a lovely picture others distract me a bit and make it hard to figure out what the story is really about.
I did really enjoy the ending and appreciated the rainbow and storm metaphors. When one has life growing inside, there is a glimmer of hope and you showed that quite nicely. Good job.
Also loved the passion and depth of emotion in this piece. I also enjoyed the intense sensation of all the senses.
However, I agree with Shann, that it was a little over the top. Sometimes, when you remove some of the adjectives and adverbes, the remaining sentence increases in strength.
I would love to show you the edits I would make, if I were critiquing it. You can PM me if you're interested, but I must warn you, I am a lot like William Hung from AI in that 'I've had no professional training!'
In any case, this is a fantastic piece and, with the removal of several descriptors, it would be super-fantastic.
God Bless~
You weave words superbly. Your descriptive content is delightfully engaging.
I love the story, too.