The Ash Girl

by A’Lis Bly

For my daughter Claire

Hun Vedverte

Novel, Chapter, Blog, Serial, Tarot, Goddesses, Mythology 9insights Novel, Chapter, Blog, Serial, Tarot, Goddesses, Mythology 9insights

Chapter 4

31 May, 1942 CE

Oxford

Floats. Water. Wings. These words tumbled together in Charlotte’s head coming to rest at the gate to her memories on the bank of the Thames. The gates opened with a click and the words rearranged into a vision of the ghost plane drifting silently past the girl and the tree. More memories came spooling out, some Charlotte couldn’t understand, didn’t recognize as her own. She sat very still while her insides whirled like a crazed carousel.

Read More
Novel, Chapter, Blog, Serial, Tarot, Goddesses, Mythology 9insights Novel, Chapter, Blog, Serial, Tarot, Goddesses, Mythology 9insights

Chapter 5

May, 1945 CE

The Village of Ash

Once there was a story and no one to tell it.

As Grandmother spoke, the girl settled herself closer; the pair were excused from the work of women and girls in their village lest their strangeness spoil the bubbling disks of injera as they baked or taint the healing essence of the plants hanged to dry in the African sun.

“Tell about the tree and the bird and the girl by the sea,” Asmeret begged.

Read More
Novel, Chapter, Blog, Serial, Tarot, Goddesses, Mythology 9insights Novel, Chapter, Blog, Serial, Tarot, Goddesses, Mythology 9insights

Chapter 9

1949-1953 CE

Somewhere on the Coast of Eritrea

The little dog growled softly, backing away from the tracks. “Stick close to me,” Asmeret cautioned her, “I won’t let it get you.”

Asmeret squatted, laying her palm flat and spreading her fingers wide, trying to fill the print. The girl glanced around and sniffed at the air. The stink of the animal lingered. It was nearby.

Read More