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THE STARLESS SKY – #flashfictionmagic

May 7, 2021 by Sheri

The Starless Sky – Jennette & Makam, Part 3

I glared back at Glide’s first moon as it sank lower behind the capital city, named for the planet. “For the eleventh time, what are we doing out here?” The red, jagged surface of Glide glinted in iridescent colors under the second moon’s light. The path we followed crumbled between sharp cliffs and ducked beneath arches that made my neck prickle. “What did you call this? Hiking?”
Makam flapped a hand at me, his gaze focused ahead. “It’s only been four times. And I told you, I want to show you something.”
“I don’t think we’re at that point in our relationship yet,” I said flatly.
He narrowed his eyes even as he smiled. “And yet, here you are.”
I muttered something rude, which he ignored. “I’m not spending the night out here. Camping, or whatever.”
He lengthened his stride and I stumbled as I tried to catch up. “Makam…”
“Shh.” He gestured to a small, deep looking crater that just brushed the path. “We’re here.”
I crossed my arms and fumed while he wrestled a torch from his backpack and pointed out deep steps cut into the crater’s side. “I’m not—“
“You can stay on the path, if you want.” He descended quickly, leaving me in the dark.
“I despise you,” I hissed after him.
“I think that’s the fresh air talking. Come on.” He directed the light for me and I stomped after him, as much as one can stomp while clinging to the wall. Makam waited on a wide ledge halfway down the crater, and when I joined him, he turned and vanished into a clever opening cut to look like a crevice. The crevice opened into a polished round room big enough to to park his space ship. The floor was tiled and carvings covered the wall, but otherwise it ached of emptiness.
“What is this?”
Makam sank to the ground, leaning back on his hands. “There’s a tiny hole at the top, and stars are never visible through it.”
I frowned. “How is that possible?”
He looked up at me, and for the first time his eyes felt safe. “I don’t know. But don’t you ever wonder what it would be like without stars?”
As I opened my mouth to answer, footsteps thudded from the far side. A tall woman stepped into our torch’s light, her hair pulled tight, her form slender in her black uniform. Her eyes glittered like space-mined diamonds. “Ah, Makam, you’ve brought her.” She stepped closer, extending her hand. “My name is Jennette Hayes, and I’ve wanted to meet you for a long, long time.

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About Sheri

Here Goes Something New!

Hi, I'm Sheri Yutzy. I love forests under the night sky, trying new foods, and drinking Irish tea.
I'm married to a musician who looks good in black, mama to two toddlers who love to eat, and happy resident of a Cape Cod cottage in Ohio.
I write YA fantasy and am acquisitions editor at sparkflashfiction.com.
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One thing I love about Ohio yards: no matter where One thing I love about Ohio yards: no matter where I go, I can always find a little patch of whimsical greenery somewhere that whispers spring is here. My yard right now is strewn with little branches and dried plants from the flowerbeds and old, brown leaves. But soon the grass will grow tall and we’ll gather the branches and everything will be lush and green again.
Fairy tales always seem like a spring thing. The curses end in spring, the eggs hatch in spring, the weddings happen in spring. But I love to see the magic woven into each season, each so different, preparing the earth for the next phase.

What whimsically green corners have you found this week?

#whimsicalwednesday #sheriyutzy #whimsicalgreen #whimsicalcottage #whimsicalspring #whimsicalgarden #yafantasyauthor #hanschristianandersen #bestlovedfairytales #fairytales #springfairytale #magicalspring #magicalcottage #booksoutside #slowliving #changingseasons #marchgreens
🌿✨🌿 Enough words in the world Enough bulbs 🌿✨🌿
Enough words in the world
Enough bulbs budding 
And stretching their hearty arms
Like solid poems, fragrant poems
The world outside is living poetry.
🌿✨🌿

#twentywordtuesday #poetsofinstagram #springpoetry #ednastvincentmillay #springinthegarden #poetryoutside #moodycottage #sheriyutzy #shortpoems
Mondays do odd things for me as an introvert. (By Mondays do odd things for me as an introvert. (By introvert I mean I need solitude to recharge.) 
🌿🌿🌿
Here’s what I mean. By the end of every week I’m ready to see my people, engage in my church community. And by the end of Sunday? I’m ready to be alone again. My kids usually are too, so they spend Monday playing pretend together and I lurk around catching up on housework, reading a book, and gazing out the window, enjoying my own inner silence. (It’s not super silent outside of me, but that’s okay.)
Monday is just lovely, because I’m filled up and rich with community, and I have a whole day to be home and ponder that fullness.
Yes, sometimes I want to be with adults after hearing children chatter all day, but most of the time their conversation is refreshing.

How do you find Mondays? Do you like to get started on the week, or would you like to stay in the weekend?
The wisteria is budding, and will soon be spreadin The wisteria is budding, and will soon be spreading its sunshine across the yard. Our bush was here when we moved and I’ve been so grateful for it. It blooms so early, the brightest thing around.
This weekend was a bit crazy. I did some new things, like make meatballs for a crowd, and juggle three Airbnb guests’ requests at once, and change a car key battery while away from home (thank God for the extra battery in the glove box) but here I am at Sunday afternoon, my time to take a look at the week before, and everything worked out.
I know it doesn’t always, but for today, I am grateful.

What made you grateful this weekend?

#wisteria #buddingwisteria #sheriyutzy #gratefulsunday #kingdomofashandbriars #hannahwest #yafantasyauthor #booksoutside #slowliving #gratefulliving #moodycottage #cottagegarden #intentionalliving #gratefulthoughts #springtimeblooms #timeforspring
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