Tuesday Tales: From the Word SAFE

Welcome to the last Tuesday Tale of January 2023. It’s hard to believe the first month of the year is over. Winter is definitely here, and with it far more snow than I care for. But, on the positive side, all that cold white stuff makes it easier to work. I have a surprise for you today. This book might’ve started as Pumpkin Spice, but it took a darker turn as the supernatural side of it grew. I finally found what I believe is the perfect title, and we have a cover, too.

Since I didn’t want to give away all of Selma’s secrets, I’m moving on with the story, taking you back or rather forward to Walt and Anca. This week’s word prompt is SAFE.

Enjoy!

“Well, I made it clear to Frank that I’m not a witch and that I have no powers.”

“You’re wrong.” He stopped and turned her to face him. “You do have powers. Not only can you absorb people’s negative emotions, but you can also tell when someone’s upset or lying—and don’t say it’s all body language. As a doctor, I’m as observant as they come, and people lie to me all the time without my knowing it. Besides, you bewitched me when you were only eight years old. If you stop to think about it, I’m sure you have skills many people might consider magical.” He chuckled. “Look at the way you swim. You’re like a fish in the water. No one could catch you.”

She nodded, not sure what to say. She hadn’t enchanted him, he’d mesmerized her.

“You taught me to swim,” she laughed, trying to break the tension between them. “It took me a while before I could outdistance you.”

“Anca, you knew how to swim long before I taught you. I know you don’t recall the storm and your parents’ drowning, but you had to have been able to swim to stay alive. When you got here, you were traumatized. All I did was ease your fear and reintroduce you to the water. Once you felt safe in it, your abilities in the water were beyond anything I could’ve imagined. That’s when I first called you squirt. You came out of the water and let out a spurt of water as strong as I’d ever seen from any whale’s blowhole. You could hold your breath far longer than I could, and no matter how far we swam, you were never winded. I wondered if you were a mermaid, but other than your six toes, I never saw any fins.”

Her cheeks burned. “Ralph mentioned that my surviving the storm was a miracle. He claims someone told him about my past, possibly the person behind his film, not that I believe they’re here to make a movie, but what does my past have to do with all this?”

“Nothing, but don’t they say you need to know your past to find your future?”

That’s it. Stay safe, and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.