Carmen

Queen of Crime
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[Previous Chapter]

A month later, perhaps two…
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Slums littered this city, but most of Argentina’s wealthy lived like kings. The hacienda sprawled along a cliff-side beach complete with a Venetian glass mosaic pool, a hedge maze, statue-lined fountains and other such sybaritic landscaping. The dwelling itself wasn’t terrible. One floor with varying steps, it had the awareness of Frank Lloyd Wright with the simplicity of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

But it was sterile.

Aside from the large leather sofa and a chair or two that hinted frequent use, the place felt too clean, made-for-display, not unlike certain museums.

The large-format painting she had come to see was much more impressive now than when it was framed by a tablet under restaurant lighting in Malta. Opposite of it was Amedeo Modigliani’s Tête de Femme, one of a few sculptures in the artist’s short career. He died at only thirty-five.

A considerably moving theme revealed itself as she surveyed his collection. Malcolm Avalon lived alone, surrounded by products of artistic minds taken too soon.

Returning her attention to the painting, Carmen stood squarely before it and compared the woman’s likeness to a portrait miniature inside a golden locket. The resemblance was clear, but now what?

Nearly as soon as she asked herself that question, a decision was made for her. The observer felt that she was being watched, and she may have been so for some time.

“Estoy aquí por poco tiempo, Sr Avalon,” her Spanish was Castilian, slightly Americanized.

“I haven’t called the police,” but even if he did, she knew she had plenty of time. The man seemed benevolent, but continued in a more demanding tone, “Who are you and what are you doing in my home?”

He spoke American English, and while that fact shouldn’t surprise her, it did. Hearing his words, her heart raced, triggered by a natural fight or flight. But as she took a long breath and pondered through reasons, she found her response along the ridges of the hacienda’s mountain view.

“When I was younger, I saw the Rocky Mountains for the first time and believed nothing could be grander,” she started, lifting the locket in her hand so he could see it as well. The gold gleamed bright, reflecting light from outside.

“Then I ventured across the Alps, and that redefined ‘grandeur’,” she offered him the jewelry, “Sometime later, I braved the Sahara with meager supplies and a camel named Sobek. Under the stars, I began to see that perhaps ‘grandeur’ was nothing,” as she said that, he opened his palm to accept, “if not the right moment in time.”

She placed the locket in his hand, soft shadows accentuated the cross and its intricate lines.

“This was with me through all that,” she still clasped the chain, “but then I learned the portrait within is your wife, and this fact changes my perception.”

He was studying her, a scrutiny that wasn’t entirely discomforting, but she had never been under such a spotlight.

“Who I am is unimportant, but I’m here,” she glanced to the object connecting them together, “because I see myself holding onto something that means more to someone else,” definitively, she released the necklace.

As she let it go, the gift made no sound, and neither did the man that held it.

“I don’t know this woman,” she confessed, “Not even her name. Anything that I’ve invented of her is now offset by who she may have been, and that information rests with you.”

Taking a step back, she tilted her head slightly, “Honestly, I don’t know if I’m ready to turn imagination into knowledge.”

She gave the air a moment to settle before turning to leave.

That was hardly the conversation she planned to have when a more childish version of herself envisioned the discovery of familial ties. It also did not play out the way she hoped after that fateful revelation in Malta. She wanted to leave the locket here without explanation and be instantaneously free from consequential repercussions, or worse; heartache. But while the situation organically unwound, she doubtlessly preferred this tête-à-tête over the alternative.

[Continued on March 1]
 

Jade

ACME
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Jade
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I'm impressed with this story,Carmen and to be honest that's brings back me from the time well...you know what I mean?!?! (WOEICS? Episode 39: Can you ever go home again?)
 

Neb

The VILEiest VILE to ever VILE a VILE
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HUGS FOR CARMEN!
 

Chase

Director
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Well done, I wasn't sure where you'd go with the locket, and this path makes sense.
On Amedeo Modigliani -- I still think his paintings say more than the sculptures, but really, what do I know?
 

Eartha

Personal Trainer
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Earth, Edyth, EB, Sheila Rose
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This climax flows like butter. I thought Chase would be involved, but seems to be something Carmen has to do herself.
 

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    ((OOC: So, I am still here (at least, while ACP is still a thing, then I have to tether my phone to my laptop, send it's internet to Ethernet to my router and setup my other laptop to access that... I managed it once totally by accident)... updating stuff I'm working on is not a fun process (if anyone checks my stories folder on my Google Drive) anymore... the laptop at my desk is old (Core 2 Duo, 2Ghz, 4 gigs RAM, Win7 Ultimate)... Chrome won't update, Drive won't work... I'm stuck using FreeFileSync to keep stuff up to datep things synced. I have plans of getting a job and having money to have something better (a doorstop is better)
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  • Jon Eckart Jon Eckart:
    [continuing] I'm sorry if any of my posts are/could be inflammatory or anything... some of them are stuff I've had in the pipeline for a while, and I messed with it enough to get it postable... that's why there are dates showing when I started working on stuff... I'm not, and never have been, trying to step on anyone's toes or say "this is how it should be"... I have no say here, not sure who does these days (like I posted... maybe this is a test to see if we devolve into chaos). Posts like Hierarchy were started long ago, and meant as a guideline and not because I'm the voice of Sauron.
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  • Jon Eckart Jon Eckart:
    [continuing] I don't have the time to be here a whole lot, I don't have much beyond mom to help with my rent (and once I have a job, that'll take up more time, though I will keep working on stuff (both for here and not) as often as possible, and post when possible on here. I have a question that needs some clarification... being that we are supposed to get permission from the person if we use their character in an addition/story/post, how would that apply if the character is core to the universe (like Carmen... I can replace @Chase, maybe cobble someone into @Ivy's place... but, like @Carmen, being that she's a major character, as long as I don't have her acting or write a major part for her, would that circumvent the rule at all?
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    [continuing] I'm just curious... the absence of the major's leaves a gap that I'm not sure what to do with anything... we (the Left Behind) could do a story together (or some stories separate), and that'd be cool, but without being able to use any major's, I'm not sure where to take anything. And, yeah... you can probably guess what my typing is like here (or anyplace else)... I type here or in Word, I type something (or notepad), and 15-20+ seconds later it shows up, so I have to stay on top of my grammar and spelling. I have to keep on top of all that, because I'm working on the big Carmen story at the same time, so I can't slip off my game.))
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    @Jon Eckart Not exactly sure if I understand all your computer probs. I hope you get those resolved soon. Yes, I have many probs with my basic Google Chrome, too. I think it's fair to say we all have a love/hate relationship with technology. 😆 As far as your stories are concerned, you can use any cannon character you like, whether there is a person playing that role on here or not. Say the story is a fanfiction; and that the version of Chase, or Carmen (or whoever) from the computer games, gameshow (or whatever). We don't do Netflix Carmen, mostly because of the violence. And because it is fanfiction, you can also create other characters and situations to suit your story. Now, Chase, Carme, Ivy (or whoever) were here, of course, you would ask their permission; tell them your idea; and if they like it they might write it with you. 🙂
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    @Jon Eckart Now, if you for a friendship with someone on--and off-site, you might form a partnership with them, and write stories together (like Chase and Carmen; or Chase and Ivy; or Lucy and I) and then you will just put a statement saying that this story is a co-write with whoever. In fact, if you collaborate with this person a lot, people will just assume they have your permission; although you should always say it anyway, just as a common courtesy. In fact, ironically, the only people whose permission you must always ask to use their characters are "original" characters, who are creations of their individual writers (which most of us on here, are) specifically because we are not cannon. I hope that makes sense. 🙂
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    @Jon Eckart Now, if you want to write something, but don't have a lot of time, I would suggest posting a status; or replying to someone else's status. Or you could start a guessing game. Look under Forums/Guessing Games, and look at some things other people have done, to give you ideas. I hope that helps. 🙂
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