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numerica
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Old 08-28-2016, 03:50 PM

Introduction
As a writing exercise, I am writing a short story for each of the cards in the "Steampunk Tarot" by Barbara Moore and Aly Fell. The story for each card is inspired by both the picture and meaning of the card, as expressed in the accompanying manual. However, each story is inspired by those factors, not tied to exactly represent them.

I am posting them here for critique and as a way of encouraging myself to continue writing them. Feel free to comment.

So, without further ado:

The Fool

The dog was new. Edward had been a chimney sweep since he was ten years of age, and he was nearing sixteen now. In the years in between, he had rarely seen any creatures besides birds and other chimney sweeps on the roof tops. There was an occasional cat of course. Cats were curious, and loved to climb. Edward felt the made a point of going places at least once, to see what was there and to prove that they could, in fact get there and be there, if they wanted to. There were surprisingly few bats or rats, both of which Edward had expected to find quite a few of when he first started his career as a sweep.

In spite of the dirt and grime, the dog was so white it almost seemed to glow with an inner light. Edward wondered if it were perhaps a ghost dog. As he thought about its possibly spectral nature, the dog, which had been watching him, shook it head with sadness in its eyes. Edward blinked. What kind of creature could answer unspoken thoughts, yet took the form of a dog?

The dog tilted its head to the side, tongue lolling out, its very expression making an offer of friendship in return for a kindly touch. Edward, who had not had a pet since he was orphaned at the age of ten, remembered how to accept such an offer. He held out his hand so that the dog could get his scent, then, upon approval, began to rub behind its ears. The dog seemed docile and friendly, and was real enough to the touch. Scratching his fur with both hands now, Edward asked “You don’t belong up here, do you, fellow? What are you doing here?”

The dog gave a small, soft, “woof.” In it, Edward swore he heard a voice say “The same could be asked of you.”

Edward frowned. He should have been thrown aback by the dog’s apparent ability to speak, but instead he found himself answering the question. “I like it up here.” He paused, then, at the dog’s questioning look, continued. “Up here, there’s no one to look down on you, make fun of you, or worse, pity your misfortune.”

Edward was a lawyer’s son, but his father had made his living defending the poor and championing their causes. He had done enough paying work on the side to support his wife and young son in a reasonable lifestyle, but there were no savings, and when he and his wife were killed in a carriage crash, there hadn’t been much for Edward to inherit. Already in a state of deep shock and mourning, Edward had been further hurt by how quickly his former friends and school mates turned their backs on him. Edward had hated listening to the comments of how his father’s idealism had landed Edward in this horrible position, with no future. Worse than the condemnation of his father and the dismissal of Edward’s chances of making anything of himself now, was the pity that filled the eyes of those with kinder hearts.

“I’m luck Mr. Caruthers took me in and let me have this job. Otherwise I would have ended up on the street, with a choice between thievery or starvation.” Anthony Caruthers had been one of Edward’s father’s clients, and had sought Edward out after Edward’s parents’ untimely deaths. Mr. Carruthers had originally intended to simply offer his condolences, but upon finding out how dire Edward’s situation was, he had given Edward a roof over his head, and treated him as an adopted son. He had done his best by Edward, and had objected to Edward’s determination to join the crew of chimney sweeps he managed, conceding only when Edward told him he needed to learn the business from the bottom up if he was to take it over someday. Mr. Caruthers still occasionally tried to push Edward in other directions.

The dog gave another soft bark that seemed to say “Exactly. You don’t have to be here.”

“Would you rather I accepted his charity, and gave him nothing in return?” Edward snapped, then sighed. “Besides, I really do like it up here. It’s quiet, and you can see the whole city. The world looks different from up here, as if there really is an order, or a guiding hand, directing it.” He smiled. “Also, you can see the stars ever so much better than from below the street lamps.”

With this thought, Edward looked up to gaze at the stars he had just mentioned. What he saw surprised him. The first hint of dawn was on the horizon, indicating it would soon be time for him to descend, and that he had no more time to figure out how to gracefully decline Mr. Caruthers’ latest scheme to start Edward on the path to his “proper place.” Mr. Caruthers wanted Edward to once again belong to the educated class of lawyers, vicars, and doctors.

Looking back down at the dog, Edward found himself answering the question in its eyes. “It’s not that I love this work. It would be wonderful to learn from teachers, not just books, and stretch my mind again. But Mr. Caruthers has given me so much, how can I let him spend all of the money he has saved for retirement to send me to university?”

The dog gave another bark, and this time the message was a question, although Edward felt sure the dog already knew the answer. “That’s a good justification for saying no, but it is just that, an excuse. What are your real reasons?”

Edward was taken aback. He’d been so focused on how he couldn’t abuse Mr. Caruthers’ kindness, that he hadn’t even considered how he really felt about going to university. It would be a wonderful opportunity, wouldn’t it? Except that an opportunity was a chance, not a certainty. Edward could think of a million and one reasons why he shouldn’t get his hopes up. “I’m scared, all right? I haven’t been to school in almost six years, and while I’ve studied on my own, what if it isn’t good enough? How could I look Mr. Carruthers in the eyes if I fail?”

The dog continued to look at him, as if to say “Is that all?”

Edward glared. “No, that is not all. If I become a lawyer like my father, I become obligated to use my knowledge for the common good. However, that doesn’t put food on the table, or repay Mr. Caruthers.”

The dog nodded, sadly. Edward continued contemplating the question. Somehow, now that he’d acknowledged his fears, they didn’t seem like such good reasons to turn down Mr. Caruthers’ offer. It was as if giving voice to them had cleared the way for other thoughts and emotions to fill his heart and mind. He envisioned himself standing in the halls of government, arguing for new laws, ones that would ensure every child got a fair chance at an education, even if there wasn’t a Mr. Caruthers to support their dreams. He could see it so clearly…

The dog gave an excited yip, and Edward knew it was meant to say “There! That! That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you!”

Edward ruffled its fur one more time, then stood, ready to jump down. It was time. He knew he had to make his vision reality. He didn’t know all the steps of his journey yet, after all, it was a long way from going to university to becoming an elected official, but coming down off the roof tops and accepting Mr. Caruthers’ offer was the first step.
__________________

Imagination is the true magic carpet.
----- Norman Vincent Peale

MercyGrim96
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#2
Old 08-29-2016, 04:44 PM

This is a very interesting concept! I really love tarot cards and I collect them. You should keep exploring this!

numerica
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#3
Old 08-29-2016, 07:04 PM

Thank you. I've got the story for "The Magician" written, but it still needs to be typed up, and I am working on the story for "The High Priestess", but it's turned into longer then I intended, about 12 handwritten pages front and back, and it is only about 2/3rds through the plot I have planned.

MercyGrim96
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#4
Old 08-30-2016, 03:07 PM

I look forward to reading them! :)

 


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