In this series, I will take the Word of the Day from Dictionary.com and craft a short piece of creative writing around it. My goal is to embrace the meaning of the word in some unique way, all the while trying out different styles, rhythms and characterizations. It is as much an exercise in creativity as it is an exploration of grammar. Enjoy!
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By Alex Seise
“Beg your pardon, ma’am, but there seems to be a leviathan lurking outside my window this ev’ning.”
The young girl’s sincerity took Mrs. Cheshireford by surprise. She’d been her nanny for six of her seven years, and the girl was always a bit precocious. But silly girlish whims and talk of giant fishy monsters struck chords of wholly disjointed octaves in the older woman’s ears.
She responded cautiously, taking care to select words without offense. “A leviathan, you say? I’m quite certain it’s naught but a scary tale that young Master James has whispered in your ear to give you a fright.” She pulled the comforter up to the girl’s chin. “You’d best be getting a few winks in before the morn, Miss Mary.”
The girl pushed the quilt down and raised a tiny hand into the air, pointing at the wall opposite her window. “If it’s only a tale, ma’am, then how come I can see the shadows and reflections of the dread beast’s silvery scales rippling on the wall?”
Mrs. Cheshireford turned slowly and saw the dancing shapes for herself. The woman smiled in the darkness, then looked back at the young girl to provide some reassurance and comfort.
