It's Monday! Are you ready for the fifth Retro Wonder flash fic challenge?
Today's judge is the winner of the third contest, @lolosofocused! Lolo began exploring her love of the literary arts penning poetry as a child. But these days, she can be found writing stories of the more 'grown up' variety. Currently, Lolo resides in Florida with her family and can always be found writing. . . on anything she can find.
Here are the prompts, choose the photo, the quote, or both. Remember, 100 - 300 words by midnight. Good luck!
"Burlesque is about feeling positive about who you are." - Anne E. Schwartz
The dim lighting of my meager dressing area did nothing to quell the butterflies in the pit of my stomach. No, I wasn't ashamed of my profession, but some people do not understand. They call burlesque a pornographic slap in the face of all things artistic.
ReplyDeleteI didn't see things as those closed minded people did. I longed for the stage. The lights. The crowds. Boy, did the girls and myself draw a crowd.
We were the naughty secret. The hush-hush entertainment amongst the rich and famous. But I loved to express myself on the stage. It was erotic, yet sensual and rhythmic. Climactic. It was who I was, and I didn't long to be anyone else.
As the curtain rose to a packed house, I was in my element. My body a live wire. And I was free.
I'm @lakermom37. Sorry. Forgot to add that.
ReplyDeleteThe lights go dark. The curtains open. Quietly, I slip onto the stage. The spotlight finds me, left of center stage, posed dramatically – covered from head-to-toe with feather fans. With a deep breath in and a silent exhale, I wait for the music to start. The drum beat is slow, Latin, and sensual. With a roll of my hips, I undulate across the stage, my body throbbing with the achingly slow beat. For a few measures I am able to lose myself in the moment.
ReplyDelete“Sugar, show us what you got! We ain’t paying for you to stay covered up!” Jeers the audience. I am yanked into reality. My feathered fans move slowly up and down, playing peek-a-boo with the audience. With each movement, more of my body shows. The audience stops jeering, and the seedy burlesque hall is filled with the hoots, howls, and cheers of men turned animal.
I allow myself a moment to breathe. I remember that I love to dance and love to tease and love to make the audience beg for more. I am a dancer. I am beautiful. I am the best damn thing this stage has ever had on it.
The girls in my neighborhood may give me derisive looks. They may snicker and call me a whore. The boys may tease and call names. It rolls right off me. I know the truth.
Dancing doesn’t make me a whore. It makes me the one person in my family that can guarantee we keep a roof over our heads. I’m the best at what I do because I like myself. Burlesque is about feeling positive about who you are.
by @darcysmom
Word Count: 276