Lady Antimony’s Seven Virtues challenge continues, and I present my second offering for the challenge (you can find my entry for Chastity here). The theme for today: Temperance. 

Make sure to use the #7Virtues hashtag to check out the lovely works by the other writers taking part in the challenge.  Stop by and offer them a bit of love and encouragement!

-oOo-

“Thirst”

The bottle was grimy in the candlelight.  It beckoned her, mocked her.

It had been three months since rum burned her throat, three months since she reeked of whisky.  She stared at the bottle, licking dry lips.  If she stretched out her hand…

“Can’t handle it, can you?”  She shrank back, bristling like an angry wildcat.

The man uncorked the bottle and measured out a shot. Juniper berries tickled her nose; her mouth watered. “Taste it.”

There was a pause, broken when she threw the gin into his face, snarling. “Fuck off.”

Silence, and then the man vanished, the bottle with him, leaving her alone with thirst and desire.

 -oOo-

I’m a little behind on Lady Antimony’s 7 Virtues flash fiction event, which began yesterday, but as I see it, better late than never!  I can’t pass up a challenge, and this one is exciting: Seven virtues, seven days, 100 words each.

While the virtues seem to call for sparkly goodness, rainbows, and unicorns, I seem to skewing towards the dark side (blame it on writing a murder mystery set in the gritty world of the Barbary Coast).  The likelihood of seeing heavenly angels and cherubim among my stories for this challenge is highly unlikely, but hey, I might change my mind.

Be sure to follow the #7Virtues hashtag on Twitter to read the other entries from the wonderful writers participating in the challenge.

This is my first time writing flash fiction, so be gentle. 😀  Without further ado, I present my offering for Chastity.

-oOo-

“Captive”

“Blessed mother, give me strength.”

The warrior’s voice was thin, reduced to a rusty rasp from a night of ceaseless prayer.  He shut his eyes, groaning, for the woman before him was clad only in a thin shift.  White, it left little to the imagination.

“Watch over your servant.” His voice trembled as the woman moved towards him. “Sh-shield me from temptation…”

Pale fingers reached out. He shrank back, though the rope about his wrists and ankles prevented him from going very far.

“Keep me pure.” He shuddered and turned away; she was tugging the shift over her head.

“Forgive me.”

-oOo-