In The Valley of Good And Evil (short story) | LET'S MAKE A COLLAGE: ROUND #128

It's time for another week of Let's Make a Collage ("LMAC"). I was excited to see the contest photo for this week. Pure clouds to stir the imagination in any direction. My theme for this week is good and evil in the valleys. Don't particularly know why I thought of this when viewing that awesome and vibrant orange cloud mixture. I just felt a happening behind the scene was about to occur.

To create the setting, I started with the photograph provided by @shaka in his contest post: Let's Make a Collage - A Contest for All Creatives on Hive - Round 128 - ✨173 HIVE in the Prize Pool!

^{Image used with permission of contest owner for contest}

COLLAGE #1: A Good Man

In my first collage theme, the clouds witness three young maidens on a mission by the shoreline. Agnes, Heidi, and Estelle, the Purple, Pink, and the Blue Maidens, respectively, from the nearby village encounter a stranger who appears to be struggling in the nearby waters. As they ponder his origin and destination, they realize it may be hopeless to rescue him.

Sunset caught the night tide as it rushed toward the shore. Hiding in the glow cast upon the waters, Time Eternal waited. It signaled the Claw to slow its approach as a nearby sailboat wandered unsuspectingly into it view.

The silky shine of the dark, blue water presented the opportune time to collect the bounty attached to the rocks. As she'd done numerous times before, Agnes, the oldest and wisest known lovely as the Purple Maiden, rushed to the edge of the rocks. Fearless, she touched dangerously close to the edge. But she knew every inch of the coast and the underlying perils. She sensed before she noticed the dark cloud approaching.

Heidi, the middle daughter known as the Pink Maiden, gathered her dress and basket, then climbed hurriedly upon the rocks to position herself for the night's haul. Always captivated by romance novels tucked in the private compartment of her chest of drawers, she smiled as she remembered the last chapter's rescue scene. Suddenly, she tossed her basket aside and gasped as a strange figure emerged from underneath the waters.

"Agnes, what lies beyond? Heidi pointed animatedly in the direction of the stranger's head bobbing just above the waters. However, her voice remained low as she knew the rules of safety. Stealth was their survival skill.

"Let's progress cautiously. His fate has been already determined by Time Eternal. Look. She appears just behind his boat." Agnes' soft voice attempted to calm Heide and set them back on course. She knew the stranger's fate.

"Does that mean?" Agnes interrupted Heide before she could suggest an outrageous rescue equal to that she repeated privately numerous times from her novel's the last scene.

The angry cloud now a dark purple spewed colored lightning. The thunderous clap jarred their ears.

As Estelle, the Blue Maiden, climbed upon the landing between her sisters, she too released her basket and covered her ears. She pointed toward the the ominous hand known as the Claw. Not one night ago, she dreamt of this being. Now, she understood the victim it sought at the behest of its master.

"He's mine! Estelle." Always first to lay claim to a prospective suitor, Heide was confident she'd found the man she'd been waiting for. She'd already forgotten the previous ones.

"Doesn't he look handsome?" Both Estelle and Agnes stared at her, then shook their heads in dismay as Heide transformed into the heroine from her latest novel.

"How can you tell, he's so far away?" Estelle whispered, then continued. "I fear this won't turn out the way you envision, Heide."

"Quick, Estelle, let's cast the net before Time Eternal sucks him in. This may be my last chance to capture a single man marry before I turn eighteen," Heide urged.

"Girls, calm yourself. We can't interfere. We'll rain havoc upon our village. You know the law. Think for moment. First off, he didn't just fall out the sky. You see that ship over there. He came from somewhere. That means he may not be single and already belongs to someone."

Suddenly, Agnes shuddered and screeched as a flock of birds took flight.

The sisters glanced toward the opposite shore. The far clouds gave way to the shadowy figure displaying his familiar ghostly grin.

"My only love is cursed. The Skull Moon guides my man's path. Heartache and despair is his companion. No wonder he survived the shipwreck. Now he has three forces battling for his soul! How can we ever hope to rescue him?" Heide was crying profusely as she felt her last chance being overruled by the forces of evil.

"Should we allow Time Eternal to absorb him? Better still, the stonefish venom to decay his body to be devoured by the creatures of the deep?" Estelle's dream reminded her of the stranger's fate. She knew this wouldn't end happily as her sister so desperately desired.

"It's best." Estelle nodded to Agnes, who validated the conclusion.

The waves crashed loudly and spilled its waters upon the rocks. The sisters huddled together as the Claw, now fully emerged, opened its hand. His full might expanded as his fingers grew to ten feet. Within the palm of his hand, both man and ship disappeared without a sound.

The Skull Moon laughed upon the wind, spewing his cruelty without a care. His empty eye sockets seemed to glisten in the moon's light. He stared back at the sisters in silence as if warning them to continue about their business.

"Don't worry, Heide. Another wanderer will find his way to our waters next week." Agnes' attempt to reassure Heide fell upon deaf ears.

"Why are you always right, Agnes? But we've let ten be taken into Time Eternal. You know how hard it is a find a good man!" Heide pouted, but knew the truth. Still, she hoped.

"Being right has absolutely nothing to do with it. More like common sense, girl. As if we had the power to stop her! Who are we but mere village maidens. Besides, How do you know he's a good man?" Agnes' agitation grew as she knew they were behind schedule on collecting their shellfish for dinner.

"Because he's raining a waterfall. Have you ever witnessed anything so magical? Papa will agree!" Both Agnes and Estelle located their baskets and began gathering the mollusks. Both silently acknowledging that papa only humored his favorite daughter.

"Well, then. If one ever returns from Time Eternal, then you'll know he's a good man." With that, Agnes was finished with the stranger they met this night.

"And besides, we all know the Skull Moon protects innocents from wayward strangers seeking to prey upon them." And with that, Estelle was finished with the stranger she already met in her dream and again this night.

The Skull Moon smiled wickedly, then blew a fierce wind through their hair. The maidens heard his loud, authoritative and admonishing voice, "finish collecting you night's meal before my light fades. Your Papa and Mama will be worried what took you so long again!"

To create the collage, I uploaded the contest photo and all other images into Canva. I take advantage of my Annual Pro Membership Subscription.

I love to utilize the black birds that LMAC member @onyechi contributed. They enhance a dark scene and set the tone of the theme. Also, I located an appropriate background of a woman waiting on the shoreline. I gave her two sisters for my short story. Below are the images I included in my theme:

Woman waiting on shore at PxFuel	Skull by LPuo at PurePNG	Man's face in clouds by Myriams-Fotos at Pixabay	Hand emerging from water by KELLEPICS at Pixabay	Black birds Contributed to the #LIL by @onyechi	Blue lightning created by me in Apophysis 2.09	Stonefish fractal created by me in Apophysis 2.09

I appreciate your visit and hope you like my collage.