Droplets from the Inkwell

Writing Quickie: The Statue

I stepped through the door into the tiny shop. It couldn’t have been larger than most people’s living rooms. I heard a woman’s voice from behind a beaded curtain covering a doorway in the far wall. “Be right with you!”

“Okay,” I said absentmindedly as I approached a small table of curious figurines on a table in a front corner. One particular figure caught my eyes. It looked to be made of bronze, stood about six inches tall, and was of a woman holding a sword over her head. A cat stood on the shoulder of her free hand, arching, arching its back as if also in attack posture.

“Ah, you like the Freyja then?” the same voice said, this time from next to me. I spun and saw a middle aged woman with black hair in a french braid. She wore a black skirt and a simple sweater to match it. She took a step back and smiled reassuringly. “She is popular with many young women. Especially those who feel disempowered.”

“Well, that would certainly describe me. In a lot of ways, she reminds me of the character, Xena.”

She sniffed. “Good character, but she’s nothing compared to this power-house that the Scandinavians worshipped. Go ahead, pick her up and take a closer look.” I did as she bid, turning the small statue over in my hand and studying it from all angles. The more I held it and looked at it, the more it seemed to appeal to me.

“Yes, I think she likes you too,” the woman said after a few minutes. “You carry her around the shop while you browse. If you like her, I’ll cut you a deal.”

JarredH

Our tears remind us that we're alive. Our laughter reminds us why.