Into the World of Sacred Tears: The Dance of Iris – Pt 1

Welcome to a new posting series! I will be using various writing prompts from Janeen Ippolito’s Weird Writing Prompts to help better introduce the characters from my book Sacred Tears: The Dance of Iris. These prompts will show you guys exclusive scenes of the lives of these characters before the inciting events of Sacred Tears, along with some fun “what if” type of scenarios.

Prompt: It’s midnight on an average night. Where are each of your characters?

This first installment will focus on our titular character of the series, Iris

A low thrumming call pranced through the open window and settled on Iris’s ears. The midnight song of a Star Sparrow, as prompt as the rising of the sun. Whose light would likely greet her before sleep ever did. Iris groaned into the darkness, blast her nerves. Heart vibrating within her, she swore she could feel the blood pumping up and down her legs. They itched and ached for movement. Unable to bear it any longer Iris threw back her covers, sat up, and flung her legs over the side. Hesitating for half a breath, she slowly lowered onto the wooden boards below.

According to tradition, it was unfit for an unwed woman to live alone. Meaning if she didn’t tread carefully the creaking would surely awaken her parents beneath her loft. Her father was such a light sleeper. Methodical steps circumvented the worst cranky culprits. She’d practically memorized every loose board by now. Reaching the window, she tucked the fraying curtain into a hook nailed to the side. A soft breeze lifted the night air to her face. Iris breathed in deep, filling her nostrils with the scent of fresh thatching and linens. A smirk pressed on her lips as her eyes drifted down to her neighbor’s yard. Looked like Mrs. Tinsey forgot to take her clothes off the line again. A soft chuckle bubble in Iris’s throat. An unnatural tug, a deep yearning in her heart drew Iris’s gaze back to the sky. The stars outshone the moon tonight. The antsy-ness returned to Iris’s feet, setting her muscles to twitching invisibly. An unknown force pulled on her from outside, pleading with her heart to follow. Iris shifted her weight and pulled herself through the window.

Surefooted but gentle, she set her feet on the abrasive thatching. Her family home had a more flattened incline to the pitch than most homes in their village, perfect for star gazing. Iris’s visits to her vantage point on the roof had grown in number the last few weeks. Sitting under the stars had always been the best medicine for raw nerves and for some unknown reason this desperate need for escape had exploded inside of her. Face turned skyward Iris took in a slow breath and closed her eyes. She longed for her sense of peace to return. At least the breeze and slight hum of a sleeping village helped soothe her for the moment.