2023 Story Collection

Painting of Worlds V

"Your art has changed so drastically in the past few weeks," Fran says to Aurora, pointing to the girl holding her melting lover in her arms. "Did something happen?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she chuckles sadly at the bitter-sweet memories.

Her work had had such a good response the first week that they'd offered her a semi-permanent space in the gallery to display and sell her work. She was extremely grateful, but couldn't enjoy it fully.

All she had wanted was to tell Samuel about all the exciting things happening to her, but couldn't. She was a ball of frustration, anger and sadness. Though Fran always seemed to have a way of bringing out a different side of her and lifting her spirits.

"Tell me," Fran prods excitedly. "I'll bite." She could avoid the conversation, but she knew she needed to tell someone. Why not tell her?

"I painted a portrait of a man, accidentally, on a full moon, dispute my mother's warning, and then tripped and fell into said painting and into the man's arms I'd painted. I then spent the night with him, fell in love and then tripped and fell again into a drawing back into my studio before getting a chance to say goodbye. Also I was naked." She pauses to catch her breath. Her words feeling overwhelming, but she refused to show it.

"Woah," Fran says overwhelmed. "That's a lot."

"Yeah," Aurora agrees. "Tell me about it."

"So this guy is real?" She couldn't give her any easy question to start with.

"Yes?" She pauses trying to find the words to explain. "He is from another world, which I have also drawn, possibly into existence."

"If you were anyone else, I wouldn't believe a word you said but, you and your family are kind of witchy," she says.

"Witchy?"

"And that is way too much detail for a lie."

"Yeah, I left out a lot too."

"I'll get those details later." Fran smirks and Aurora gulps, she wasn't ready for the intense questioning she promised.

"Okay-"

"Your also a horrible story teller, so you'd never be able to make something like that up."

"Ouch," Aurora says to her friends harsh comment.

"Oh, come on. You know I'm right," Fran says.

"I know," Aurora concedes, "but it doesn't make it hurt any less."

He friend looks at her with her 'get over it' look and they both laugh.

She'd missed her. Lately they'd both been so busy with their own lives they haven't really had the chance to talk, to spend time together. Moments like this were precious.

"So, what's this then?" She points back to the painting infront of them. Aurora holding a melting Samuel in her arms crying. "I don't think you mentioned anything like this."

"That's one of the nightmares I've had recently."

"Have they gotten worse?" Fran asks concerned. She knows how bad the nightmares can get and how they can lead to insomnia.

"Not really worse, just different."

"You know dreams usually have meaning," Aurora didn't like where Fran was going with this. "You should talk to your grandmother."

"No."

"Yes." She looks at Fran with a 'Don't fight me on this' look and Fran sends back a 'I'm not backing down about this so you might as well just give in now because we both know which one of us is more stubborn' look.