Saturday, April 4, 2009

Postcards from Paradise

Prompt: A married couple sets out on a six-month adventure, living on their boat while sailing from port city to port city. By the fifth city, they are thoroughly sick of each other and their relationship takes a serious turn for the worse......

Authors Note: I thought I'd have a go at telling a story through a different medium....a series of postcards......

Dear Toby and Anna,

Well here we are in Gibralta. I can’t begin to thank you both for lending us your yacht for our honeymoon. It really has everything we need to be self sufficient and romantic all bundled up in one. I don’t think much of the apes – more like monkeys and so cheeky! One bit Harrison on the hand when he went to feed them and we spent half a day in the clinic getting tetanus shots. He was so sweet about it and sent me off with the credit card to grab some of the fabulous bargains in the nifty little shops they have here. . I hadn’t realized that the bite and scratches had extended up Harrisons arm as when I went to pick him up from the clinic his temperature had soared and he was still quite red and sweaty despite having half his clothes off in one of the side rooms.

Best send this now as we have to catch the tide a day early. Not sure why we had to cut this stop off early, must have something to do with the weather.
With love and gratitude, Cerise.

Dear Toby and Anna,

Another quick postcard off to you from lovely Malta. Our cruise so far has been wonderful. The calm weather has proven perfect for fishing and I have been able to read quite a lot of my summer reading pile whilst Harrison loses his bait over the side. Hes so funny sometimes – especially how pedantic he gets with his gear. Even though we are now married, he will not let me open his fishing tackle boxes, nor help hi lay out his shaving gear when we hit shore. He was most put out when I tried to unpack his bag at the hotel last night. Never mind, I am sure I have habits that drive him crazy too – but that’s the fun of being married!. I am afraid I fell asleep after dinner last night so poor Harrison had to go down to the bar by himself.
Much love C

Post stamped from Iraklion in Crete.
Hi T & A,
Harrison and I went off to the ruins early this morning and strangely enough he was separated from our group and went missing for a few hours .It was such a shame he missed the re-enactment of the royal greetings; though it was lucky that Helana the tour guide found him wandering amongst the pillars and brought him back right at the end. He was a bit tired and suffering a bit of sunstroke, so we are heading back to the yatch now and will cast off shortly instead of spending another day looking around the markets.

Dear Toby and Anna,
Just landed in Lesbos – eleven million olive trees can’t be wrong! It wasn’t dubbed the emerald island of the Med for nothing. I am writing to you as I look over the sea from our room. Harrison has gone out to book a table at one of the local restaurants that he said you two had introduced him to last time you were here. I must say I am looking forward to having some chat time with you both. I know its because we have been cooped up in that yacht for nearly 4 months now and space is such an issue – especially with Harrison. He is so tetchy before we land at a port and usually we have to cut our stays short for one reason or another and shoot off into the sea again. I thought I really knew him before we got married – but this trip has shown a different side – a secretive and almost paranoid side of him. Maybe I am just seeing things that aren’t there. I hope so. Feeling a bit tired – must be that retsina we had earlier – hope I can stay awake to go out tonight.
Love C

Dear Toby and Anna,
I am looking forward to seeing you tomorrow I hope you didn’t mind me slipping this under your door. Harrison has disappeared again into the Casino, leaving me in our palatial hotel room alone with my novel. I hope you will be able to show me the fun Monaco as all I have seen is inside this hotel room. In fact everywhere we have gone – all I see is the inside of a hotel room – either that or I fall asleep after a few drinks.
Till tomorrow morning
Cerise


Exerpt from Front Page News Article two days later

Harrison Schultz, long time high profile thief was apprehended last night after a complicated attempted burglary unfolded……………He is allegedly linked to a number of successful robberies throughout the Mediterranean over the last four years.……… Two unknown accomplices escaped. …………………Harrisons fourth wife is currently under medical attention after a suspected suicide attempt involving unknown poisons…….


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