Hello, one and all. As always, thanks for stopping by.
For us, the lovers of the paranormal, fate is preferably manifested supernaturally. That's because for us, fate being embodied in an otherworldly way brings a sense of excitement, mystery and importance to life.
However, those who believe that fate is real also trust that it takes place in even those things we consider mundane.
Like what?
Every day life.
In celebration of short story month I would like to bring you something old and something new. In both we will find an exhibition of fate as experienced by the characters in the interpersonal enigma that is life. Join me?
First: The Old
Blurb:
Martina Foxworthy only knew one thing for sure in her life ... the Log Cabin.
It was her family's tradition to visit the Log Cabin every year, and every new year was a repeat of the last. Nothing ever changed at the Cabin, Martina's family liked it that way.
But Martina, not so much.
One day, when a fly ball comes out of nowhere and crashes through her bedroom window Martina realizes that there is a lot more to life; the Log Cabin was just the thread that kept it together.
Years pass far too fast. This is something that Martina Foxworthy knows all too well. Sitting in her favorite chair, in her favorite place, Martina recollects her life's journey.
Excerpt
"The spring of her eighteenth birthday, Martina felt like a misfit just as she had her entire life. She’d been told that said feeling would change when she got older. Well, she was older now and nothing had changed. She was, for all intended purposes, now an adult. Eighteen; she could vote, smoke, buy alcohol—although not consume it—even go into a bar if she so desired. And yet, that profuse and innate sensation of not fitting in had become such an all-consuming part of her life that Martina didn’t know how not to feel it. Every spring, during the Easter Holiday, Martina and her kin took a two-week hiatus in the family log cabin, purchased an umpteenth million years ago by her great grandfather Martin Foxworthy the Second.
If anyone ever wondered how she’d gotten her name, all they had to do was look at the family tree. Her father was Martin Foxworthy who was the fifth in his bloodline. And, since he’d not spawned a son first but a daughter, Martin added an A to the end of the name and blessed their female child with a name that no one would ever want."
I love this story though I don't speak of it much. "Martina's Memories" embodies fate in a relatable way. I feel like most of us could relate to her life trajectory, to her ups and downs and to her ultimate destiny.
Here, in this "old" story, we can see kismet at work through a seemingly banal existence. That is until the bigger picture is revealed.
Lastly, The New
Blurb:
In the famous words of Forrest Gump, “Life is like a box of chocolates.” For Angelo, life is like a slice of pizza; juicy, delicious and worth the wait. For Sandalphon, life is an unending cycle of sameness. That is, until she meets Angelo. From staircase to stairway to heaven, Sandalphon has an Angelic Epiphany.
Excerpt
"Angelo Esposito sat on the right-hand side of the front porch steps, fourth step up, people watching. On an overcast day, the clouds created a particular shadowy pattern across the passersby faces making them look mechanical. Things like this always entertained Angelo, he never seemed to get enough. Most of the people who strode through the streets were enthralled in their respective cell phones. The rest looked angry at life; emotionless and half-alive. Except maybe for the bum at the street corner who on any given day would assume the job of heralding government conspiracies, or dance for dollars. It all depended on the day.
Sitting on the old and tattered, historically profound New York porch step, Angelo was perfectly comfortable. Entertained and amused; a people watcher at his core. He couldn’t help but think how the persons that walked past were missing out on the knowledge of the rich culture of the avenues which they treaded. Every inch of the firmament, replete with history, depth, despair, glee and the essence of lives now gone.
Being brainwashed by technology has that effect on people. They miss the enriching simplicities of life. The little things that made life worth living like the kids jumping rope, the hum of a busy city street, the scent of pizza in the air. There was nothing like it. Angelo always felt like life was best enjoyed when appreciating small wonders."
This story has become my newest favorite for two reasons. First, it is connected to my Fate's Endeavor Series. Second, it's heart warming, relatable and supernatural. An "All-In-One Punch" if you will.
In this story, serendipity meets destiny. It feels as though the Universe has planned something accidentally-on-purpose and at the end of the day the one who learns the lesson is not the human but the angel.
It is my pleasure to be able to offer these to everyone for free. You can get them in PDF, ePub or Mobi by clicking the link below. No strings attached! Go grab your copies and enjoy the manifestation of providence. 😊
