OK, keep hold of your seats, I have managed to avoid families this week! Slightly later than normal to the Friday Fiction party, but here at last. As ever, I welcome your comments and critique, and thank you for taking to the time to read my stories. Our inspiration picture comes from Melanie Greenwood. All rights to it our hers; the writing is my own.
This Crazy Dream
“I had this crazy dream last night,” Marcie said, trying not to watch the door. “There was a maze.”
“Uh-huh,” said Laura.
“And this goat said the winner of the maze would have whatever their heart desired.” Marcie relived the moment, swirling in fantasy, where Laura had pushed her into the mud and sprinted among the hedges.
“Who won?” asked Laura, hardly listening.
He walked in: Laura’s boyfriend, Steve. Marcie’s heart pounded as she relived another scene: he found her, lost among the topiary, and held her close, his lips on hers.
“Well, you reached the middle first,” Marcie whispered.
elmowrites 
Great story, Jen. Friday Fictioneers are popping up all over the place to distract me from what I should be doing (proofreading insurance blog posts). But don’t stop. Some days fiction is so much more interesting than other web content. (Make that most days.) Nice work.
All my best,
Marie Gail
It’s only 100 words, MG, how can it possibly be a distraction?! I know the feeling, I consider it a good week if I write one and read one in 10 these days. Thanks for stopping by at a busy time.
I sense to friends drifting apart soon.. just maybe there was some truth in that dream.. Love how you blended scenes from the dream with reality..
Thanks Bjorn. Sometimes a dream is just a dream, but I definitely think Marcie needs to find herself a better friend.
Cheat and lose? Cheat and win?
Clever; I hadn’t thought of it in those terms, but you’re right. And who won in the end anyway?
I got the impression they were sisters. I hope not.
In my head, they are school friends, chatting beside their lockers, but the clues to that fell by the wayside in the cutting process. Either way, it’s not going to be pretty for someone!
uh-oh, if it’s only a dream, somebody needs to wake up pretty soon.
Dear Jen,
Late? I had to laugh because I remember when you were the one who never posted until Friday.
This one’s rather bittersweet. I liked the dialogue and the longing in Marcie’s dream. Well done as always.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Haha, you’ve got a point there about Friday, Rochelle. Now I tend to be Wednesday morning or not at all, so the afternoon felt late to me!
Marcie has a secret that I think is veeery interesting! And I love how she answered Laura’s question by not answering it! 🙂
She was hardly going to tell her the whole truth, now was she?!
Hmm, I have heard this happens frequently.
I love how you’ve incorporated the bizarreness of dreams, such as talking goats, with the same sense of “well of course this is logical” in this piece.
I’m glad you liked the goat, Carol. I didn’t want the dream to be too close to reality, and isn’t there always at least one thing that sticks out as fantasy when you look back?
To sleep, perchance to dream of goats and unrequited love.
Indeed. But is it really unrequited???
Poor Marcie. Nice portrayal of her longing plus an undercurrent of resentment towards her friend. I hope her dreams come true.
Thanks Margaret, I’m glad the resentment came through.
Lovely dialogue and a very interesting dream. Marcie’s secret desire for her friend’s boyfriend is evident – as is her envy / resentment of her friend for finding him first (getting to the middle first?). I wonder where this will all lead – perhaps the end of a girlhood friendship?
I wonder too, although I don’t think Laura is necessarily the kindest friend in the first place – she could at least listen to Marcie.
Who won, indeed. And who will suffer the loss. Great story.
Nice one. The real trouble starts when dreams start intruding into reality. The ending leaves one wondering if that will happen soon.
Sometimes I find dreams can trigger something you didn’t even know was there before. I wonder if that’s the case with Marcie, and whether it will bring her more pain or happiness in the weeks to come. Thanks for stopping by