#BlogBattle: The Scar

This Tuesday I am taking part in Rachael Ritchey’s Writing Blog Battle the prompt word this week is Scar. With a word like that how could I say no! My theme this month is scary, spooky, Halloween stuff and nonsense so with that in mind I’ve written a paranormal, contemporary romance. Or have I? Beaton just read through this (a fellow blog battler and in his cheeky way kind of said the category wasn’t quite right, so I suppose it might be safer to keep to Paranormal for now!??) I think it started off as a romance and wondered off somewhat, though at its core the romantic ideal, of true love, is central with all the angst that accompanies it!!

Here it is:

The Scar

The scar woke her as it always did every morning, a sad throbbing sensation that sliced into her day. She couldn’t take the pain anymore. Today had to be different, the promise of a fishing adventure with Todd at the country park lake lay ahead of her. It wasn’t exactly the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean with red snapper to be caught, but it was Todd, fish and her and that was all that mattered. Todd had always held the undisputed title of Anna’s best friend, they had met at secondary school and been inseparable friends ever since.

She dressed quickly, and rushed to meet him. It was a lovely bright sunny day with no hint of rain. The lakeside was empty, its waters calm and still. Anna arrived first as she always did, she opened her folding chair and waited. She sighed. Todd was never on time, even for fishing! He didn’t have many faults except this one. She stared at the surface of the lake wondering what they would catch today, and spied a swan far off in the distance, landing near a speck of pond flora. Todd crept up on her, unannounced, placing his cold fingertips on her shoulder. She jumped.

“Todd! Quit doing that one of these days you’ll give me a heart attack!”

“Sorry Anna, you looked so absorbed in the mysteries of that lake, I just couldn’t help myself,” Todd’s face creased, striking out into a sweet smile.

Anna couldn’t help but smile back. Todd had that way with him, one smile and you just melted. It was good to see that smile again, it had been sadly lacking of late. Nevertheless she wondered why his fingers were cold on such a warm day.

Todd took out all of his fishing gear, set up his chair, and was soon fishing line in hand baited. Ready.

“Do you want to try your luck Anna, seeing as you’ve already cast a spell on that lake?” he asked handing the fishing rod to her, with a wink.

“Very funny Todd, I’m no witch, so there’s no need for your teasing!”

“Sometimes folks don’t know what they are until it hits them in the face.”

“What do you mean Todd?” asked Anna, grabbing the rod and casting it far out into the lake.

“You could heal that scar yourself you know,” he said.

Anna fell silent. The rod flopped into the water. Her shoulders slumped and the chair that she sat on appeared to cut a deeper groove into the ground.

“Some scars are there to remind us of past hurts so we don’t do the same foolish things again.”

“Yes, but you can’t carry it around with you forever Anna, you have to face that eventually.”

Anna could feel the scar throbbing, slicing, and tearing her apart. She wanted so badly to be rid of it, but a scar in the heart was not something you could cover with makeup. It was as deep as the lake she now sat at, permanent, and ached in a way that made every single day torture.

Todd took the rod off her, and cast it out again. Anna sat in silence contemplating Todd’s words.

Anna began to wonder if there were any fish at all or whether this was just a ruse by Todd to get her on her own to talk about Nick.

“Have you spoken to him?

“No, we are both as proud and stubborn as each other neither of us will give in.”

“Anna, you’ve got to make the first move, cast your spell on him again. He’s longing for you to call him.”

“How do you know Todd?”

‘I just know, Anna.”

Todd glanced down at his feet, not daring to look Anna in the eye.

Anna leant over, cupped his face in her hands and looked at Todd, really looked at him and knew in that instant that Todd loved her.  Not just in the way you love a friend, there was so much more behind those dark eyes that had been hidden until now. Why had she been so blind?

She couldn’t cope with this revelation and the scar, it was too much.

“We always hurt each other Nick and I. We cut like twin knives slicing little irreparable notches in each other’s hearts. The scars ache so much, I don’t know if I can take that kind of love.”

“What kind of love do you want, Anna, the safe we’re just good friends kind?” asked Todd, his eyes surrendering the pain of his love to her.

The hurt in Todd’s eyes demonstrated another deep scar inflicted, why did life have to be so painful? Why couldn’t it be simple, uncomplicated like fishing? If only you could cast your line, find love, and live happily ever after. But it was never like that, ever, it was a bumpy, gut wrenching ride all the way, with a stop button that had the capability to wrench out your heart while it was still beating.

Anna sighed. If only she could love Todd, with his kind eyes, warm heart and ready smile. But she knew she couldn’t, that crazy breathless spark of passion, with its dangerous on off switch, didn’t exist with Todd. Only friends. Poor Todd.

“I want the kind that makes me know that I am alive. You’ll find love Todd, cast out again, I promise that you will.”

Todd did as Anna said, he couldn’t argue with a witch, he cast out his line, it circled a full arc, and splashed triumphantly, scattering fish in its wake.

A young woman appeared from the pathway behind them she gently tapped Todd on the shoulder. Todd turned and smiled, a hesitant smile, but there was a hint of hope in that smile.  Anna’s scar ached slightly less in the knowledge that maybe her friend’s scar and cold, sad hands would be healed. There was only so much a good witch could do before Halloween!

© Marjorie Mallon 2015 – aka, Kyrosmagica. All Rights Reserved.

Above photo of the lake is my own. I’m now on Instagram too, you can follow me there:  https://instagram.com/kyrosmagica/

 To join in with Blog Battle or to vote for your favourite story follow the link to Rachael’s blog:

http://rachaelritchey.com/blogbattle/

Do leave a comment I’d love to hear what you think about The Scar.

Bye for now,

Marje @ Kyrosmagica xx