Tuesday tales: From the Word LUCK

Welcome to March! We’re only two weeks away from the first day of spring, although Old Man Winter is keeping a tight grip on things around here. This week, the authors of the Tuesday tales blog are posting scenes with the word prompt LUCK. We’re moving closer to the climax here in Atonement. I hope you’re enjoying my magical, mystical, suspenseful paranormal tale.

Walt finished his milkshake. “I agree, and you’re right.” He chuckled. “Didn’t you say a soul could come back as anything, even one of the birds you hate?”

“I suppose, but I think we controllers of magic do return in human form. I’m hoping to learn more about that later … if we have a later.”

He reached for her empty hand. “We will. We have to. Now, what else did you learn?”

She described discovering runes on the staircase and finding the box in the cradle.

“Here it is.” She set a carved rectangular box on the table between them. “Even Hester didn’t know it was there. I asked her if she knew what I needed to find, but she’s never seen the artifacts. Hezekiah told her about them and that they were hidden someplace safe, but not what they were. That’s why she’s sure he would’ve come back for her … and them … if he could have. Since he didn’t, and the artifacts remain hidden where he left them, none of the Coles since his death have been able to protect the planet from catastrophic storms and other weather-related disasters. I’ve been trying to get my head around the reason for that; I mean, there have been at least fifty Coles since Hester’s death, but none of them could’ve had the abilities I do.”

He scratched his chin. “It could be a case of atavism, what people call a throwback.”

“You mean like my toes?”

“It’s possible, but those aren’t as rare as you think. Essentially, Atavism occurs when genes for an older trait, preserved in DNA, reassert themselves, replacing a dominant gene that we’re familiar with, one that hasn’t been seen in many generations. For example, hens have the gene to grow teeth, but as a rule, they don’t, just like fish and snakes don’t have legs and feet, but every now and then, you see one that does. many of the freaks in Barnum’s circus tents were mild examples of it. Look at it this way. It’s the luck of the draw, and you won the grand prize. Would you have preferred being born with hair from head to toe?”

Considering the fact that he was precariously close to the truth, she laughed. “That doesn’t make me feel any better.” Huffing out a deep breath, she stared out at the water.

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