Here's my piece for Writer's Island, the prompt this week is: Titles
TITLES
The beautiful young witch narrowed her emerald eyes as she looked at the little girl standing before her.
“Wait a minute… I’m sure I recognise you from a book when I used to teach English literature” she said thoughtfully, “Through The Looking Glass And What Alice Found There… I believe that’s the full title. I used to teach it before I turned to the realms of magic, and moved on to become a teacher of Necromancy at Hogwart’s several years ago. Where Bart and I know each other from… isn’t that right, Bart?”
Breaking off, she slipped out surreptitiously into Bart’s robes; the young wizard glanced towards Alice uneasily.
“Professor Madigan… don’t,” he muttered in a low voice as he shifted from one point to the other, fidgeting with the hem of his robe. “You’re embarrassing me… not to mention Alice. Remember, she’s a well brought up Victorian girl.”
“Come along now Bart – I’ve told you before that we’re on first name terms now, surely?” The witch sidled up closer to Bart, wrapping her arms around her. “I’m Elvira to you now… don’t you remember that evening in my office?” she glanced dismissively at Alice, giving an impatient tut as she turned back to Bart. “As for you my Victorian friend… I don’t know what you think you’re doing here. You don’t belong here at all do you? How did you manage to step over the boundaries of time? Is it something in the floo powder do you think Bart?”
“I don’t think so,” objected Bart quickly, “ we haven’t used the floo powder yet – have we Alice?”
The little black and white figure glanced up shyly, twisting her apron strings rubbing one grey stockinged leg with the other foots black shoe.
“Mister Dross is right, Professor Madigan I’ve not done any time travelling at all… just look around the room. What do you see?”
The witch gazed slowly all around, swivelling her bright green eyes as she took in the monotone surroundings. The vivid blue shades on her robe stood out starkly against the background.
“I see what you mean… everything is straight out of the Tenniel illustration for the book. Which means that…” she paused, tapping her teeth with one pointed scarlet fingernail. “We’re the ones who’ve done the time travelling, me and young Bart not you, Alice… we’re still in your age, aren’t we? That’s the first time I’ve ever travelled in time with floo powder, I must admit – that’s quite impressive. How do you think we managed to do that going backwards?”
Bart gave a shrug, looking away.
“It’s my first time as well Elvira. I don’t know how we managed it… something in the mind control, maybe.”
This is an interesting concept; I'd like to know more. I love the idea of them being in a particular style rather than just the era.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I'm just down the road from you, in Stockport.
http://thelaughinghousewife.wordpress.com
Tell us more, please. I love your sideways look at stories, and Elvira (lifted from Blithe Spirit?) is a great character.
ReplyDeleteTo Viv, your enthusiasm is greatly appreciated... of course the Alice saga has got to go on now, I found it somewhat addictive! btw, the name Elvira comes from a film which I still remember vividly, it was a very tragic love story about a soldier who ran off with the beautiful Elvira Madigan which was also the title of the film. The film ended with the soldier actually shooting Elvira in the head because they were both starving to death... wonderful stuff. My friend has just told me that it's a famous true story which I never realised. Nic
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