3 Deadly Drabbles - The Dancers

All three drabbles were inspired by images posted on Substack

Blade Ballet

She couldn’t understand their cruelty. Since childhood, she had worked harder than the rest, become better than them all. She was grand dame of the ballet, but one single injury left her sidelined and forgotten.

Upon her return, they told her they had no room for her in the troupe. There was a new star in town, one that was younger, more beautiful, and ready to shine so brightly.

And so, she strapped the blades to her feet, balancing perfectly on the points. She would jump, twirl, and slice, until they saw the light and allowed her back on stage.

Burn

When there is hate in your heart, it has to be released so that your entire inside don’t become black and corrupted. That was what Angelica told herself when she set the fires.

Her trip to the carnival was supposed to be fun, but the worker men who took her innocence thought otherwise. She followed them from town to town, allowing the hate to grow.

She set the blaze while they slept, watching from afar as it burned. The smoke sucked the hate from her heart, and in the orange glow from the roaring flames, she danced a freedom jig.

Marionette

All the images used in these pieces were posted by Tina Crossgrove