vignettes

[marycatelli]

This week's prompt is:
hapless 😢

Anyone can join, with a 50-word creative fiction vignette in the comments. Your vignette does not have to include the prompt term. Any (G or PG) definition of the word can be used.

Comments

[marycatelli]

So young. As cheerful as the crowd, as if they did not realize how hapless they were.
"I did not tell you before," she said. "But all of you are qualified as master wizards for your part in the spell."
They looked puzzled, or anxious, or a little bit happy.

[marycatelli]

"What?" said Colleta.
Constanza tried to strangle her new hope. Better to feel hapless than to have her hopes dashed again. But as she explained, Colleta's expression grew more avid.
"Oh, you must bring me that box," she said.
"It has only a necklace in it," said Constanza. "Nothing more."

[marycatelli]

The morning was brilliant with rose and peach clouds, and Giovanni stood waiting while his company prepared for another day.
Marco approached, accompanied by a great hulking man, darker than most, dressed as a woodsman.
"This man is Nino," said Marco.
Nino bowed. His impassive face showed no signs of feeling hapless at being at Marco's beck and call.
"Did you hear the stories of the wolves and bears in the forest?"
"They were mentioned," said Giovanni. "Is the danger great, when we go by the road?"
"Great when it happens," said Nino, his voice deep. "Though it's not often."

[starshipcat.livejournal.com]

Cather Hargreaves looked from one to the other miner. "I trust you have an explanation for this."

The moments that followed gave new meaning to the old saying "the silence was deafening." Even the steady hum of the ventilation fans was a poor distraction from the awkwardness that hung in that little volume of pressurized space.

[marycatelli]

Someone did something stupid.

[marycatelli]

Victor's mouth just twitched, and Leonid looked scornful.
"Wildlings do not need to be white to be a danger," said Erik, but neither man looked moved by the obvious truth of that, and he felt hapless.
All the more reason to leave early tomorrow, and avoid them, he told himself.