Madam
Moira glanced at the senator; pointed to the rock on the table before
her, long and flat. “Some people like the mortar and pestle. I
prefer stone.”
“Why?”
Humor the woman.
“I
like to feel the moment the essence is broken.”
“Essence?”
Nutcase.
“Everyone's
made of it.”
“The
soul, you mean.”
“Call
it what you will.” She extended her right arm, index finger and
thumb poised as if to pluck. When she reached his heart, she closed
in upon empty space; drew her finger and thumb inward; mimed tugging.
“I
almost felt that.” The senator laughed.
Moira
held the empty space to the light, pretending to examine it. She
placed the essence upon the rock; took another stone; brought it down
on top. He noticed there was a little space between the rocks as she
twisted and turned and pushed. She closed her eyes with exertion.
Sweat beaded upon her forehead.
“What's
the goal here?” Why had his wife sent him?
“To
crush the essence.”
“You
want to destroy my soul?”
“Your
job has already done that.” As she replied, the two rocks met.
“Your
rocks. There's no space between them anymore.”
She
opened her eyes; smiled broadly. “Your essence is destroyed.”
Suddenly
the senator felt a wave of fear. There was some tingling where Moira
had extracted the invisible thing. “What happens now?”
“A
little pain. A little sadness. And then, you'll disappear.”
“Help
me,” he said. “I'll pay anything. I'll do
anything.”
From
behind Moira, a curtain opened, revealing a laughing cameraman. “Got
it all on tape.”
Moira
narrowed her eyes.“You vote for that bill and this video will make
the eleven o'clock news.”
“Why
you're...”
“Just
trying to survive, senator.” She left the tent with the cameraman.
The
senator sat in silence, fingering the invisible essence on the stone
before him. He wondered what he was made of and whether he'd been
destroyed.
Labels: flash fiction, Trifecta Writing Challenge