Fantasy short story example
Here’s Fantasy short story example: Spring of 2022 Writing Competition
Vastronauts
“No, Henry. None of my girlfriends have the faintest interest in going to space.” Diana said as Poppy continued to brush her hair. “Let the humans deal with that. Why do you even ask?” Diana was sitting at our 18th century mahogany dressing table by the window, and Poppy was de-tangling her long dark hair. Diana must have had that paddle brush for the last three thousand years. I remember that type of carving on human bone.
“You know Poppy, you don’t have to comb her hair. She’s your maker not your master.” Augustus quipped.
“It’s no trouble. A pleasure really. One rarely gets to do ladylike things these days.” Poppy smiled. “You’re a soldier you wouldn’t understand. Oh Di! You simply must take us flying around the estate, I’m dying to see your new lake and the South American ipe trees!”
“Oh yes, that sounds delightful. How about tomorrow?” Diana suggested.
“You can take the lady out of the Victorian court, but you can’t take the Victorian out of her. You and your gardens. Diana love, take the Bell I had the tank refueled today. And I am sorry about your hair, darling. But Florida really is the place to be during the winter. Europe is intolerable, it has been for the last decade. You can’t move an inch without stepping on someone else’s toes.” I tried to dodge the space question by tagging along the gregarious banter.
“You’re not thinking of going to space Henry, are you?” Diana held Poppy’s hand and looked directly at my reflection in the mirror.
“Don’t fret old girl. They have no use for an old vampire like me in space.”
“Henry, there’s no oxygen in our body. It’s all solid carbon. This is what I get for marrying a younger man. There was never a designer suit, was there? The money the credit card company had me approve for your custom suit was a spacesuit for vampires, wasn’t it?” Diana got up and walked toward the settee where Augustus and I were sitting.
“I think you better handle this on your own Henry. Poppy and I are going– Darling?” Augustus stood up and ushered Poppy out of our study.
“Henry, these last few centuries have been a riot and I adore you. Your wanderlust has brought us numerous trips and countless moves. And I’ve loved every minute of it. But if you think we are immortal you are mistaken. That’s a myth humans started, and we never corrected them, because why would we. We are ageless. Unbounded by the shackles of time. Perfect chiseled samples of the human species. The moment you became a vampire you swore an oath to planet Earth. She promised to shield you from the laws of physics, and in return you became a part of her. Outside of Earth’s gravitational pull you will become a pile of dust. Is Augustus in on this? Of course, he is. He’s finally found a way to beat Alexander. He’s going to conquer space.” Diana’s wine-red silk dress was one of my favorites. She must’ve put it on for a reason. Did I forget something?
“Sugar, my vampire suit will keep me safe. Surely you agree if the humans were able to design a suit to keep them alive in space, the same can be done for vampires. Now, who are we eating that you’re wearing silk for the occasion?”
“Don’t distract me with food.” Diana said shaking her head, as she walked pass the doorway on her way to the fireplace. She opened the iron and wood match holder on the coffee table – Oh bollocks! It’s Saturnalia. That’s why she’s wearing silk. Before she lit the first honey-scented pillar candle, without looking at me she whispered, “Are they gone?”
“Yes, I think I heard the lift.” I said, confused by her question.
“Husband, we have been together for the last 5 hundred years. Ever since Da Vinci made you in his living room at Chateau du Cloux. Of course, I knew about your vastronaut suit. In fact, I had your assistant make ten more suits.” Diana stopped to light the second sacred candle in honor of Saturn, the timekeeper. “I knew you were up to something. The last time you were this secretive, I ended up ruining my favorite Chanel pumps somewhere in Antarctica.”
“Uhm- I don’t remember you complaining when we patented the Antarctic Algae.“ I intervened.
“And I am not complaining, this is exactly what I signed up for. Remember when you flew us to watch that Volcano in Japan? That was quite humbling.” For the middle candle Diana chose lavender. An homage to her Mercurial moon. The fireplace was covered by a mantle of Venusian red, white, and dusty pink roses with rich green and burgundy foliage. Diana was older than the Gregorian calendar and refused to use anything other the planets to measure the passage of time. How could I have forgotten Saturnalia? Well, that’s easy. All I can think about is how to make our rockets reusable. We’ve got to get it right from the get-go. I need to talk to the engineer team again. But not right now.
For the next thirty hours all vampires from newborns to Lilith, mother of all dark creatures, will dance and fight to settle old debts without superpowers. The Brawling during Saturnalia, a vampire version of the Takanakuy, was the only time vampires were not allowed to kill each other. They have to settle their differences as humans.
“Di, who did you invite for dinner?” I was curious. Ten more suits?!
“The five wealthiest vampires in the world. I figured we can make some money off their egos. Alexander the Great and Octavius Augustus have been dissing each other for two millennia. Why don’t we help them take this competition to the next level?” The absolute ease with which she manipulated the world wasn’t even the best thing about Diana, but it sure made the list.
“So, you’re auctioning my v-suits? And is the money supposed to go toward that island you keep talking about?”
“Well, don’t mind if I do. I told you I wanted it, and you said, ‘If you can find a way for it to pay for itself’. And I know you meant on monthly basis. But I thought we could make enough money to keep it private for at least the next two hundred years. You know how I like to redecorate; I might even start a garden or a golf course. And then I’ll get bored, and we’ll sell.” Diana picked up her pileus hat and carefully placed it on her head.
“Come here sweetheart, allow me.” I fooled her into coming close enough for me to hold her. She shook her head and smiled as I ran my fingers on her naked back from her waist to her shoulders. Her olive skin was gleaming, and she smelled of spring and the hills of Tuscany in the morning. I looked at her deep grey eyes and slipped her hat back.” How did I get so lucky?” I whispered in her ear, and she giggled because she knew I meant it. Then I kissed her. The raucous celebration was starting to come to life. The servants were cheering in the kitchen, and I could see guests arriving through the front window.
“Henry, our guests.”
“You’re right. In the words of Chronos himself ‘tis lawful to be drunken, and slaves have license to revile their lords’” I joked.
“Care for a hit of poppy before we go?” Diana said as she inhaled from her wooden pipe.
“Oh yes, please. May the festivities begin. Is this from our farm in Burma?”
“Yes. Uhm, hurry up. We have nine v-suits to sell.” Diana urged me.
“You wouldn’t tease me so heartlessly. Do you mean to tell me you’re coming to space with me?”
“Of course, I am darling. I was never one to miss a good party. And besides the earth would be much too boring without you.”
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