PMD
16th June 2005, 02:20
Here's another one that my friend, Jay, challenged me with. Enjoy.
Title: A Challenge From Jay - "Hope Springs Eternal"
Author: PMD
e-mail: mary.davidson@sympatico.ca
Rating: PG-13/T
Category: Chlex, futurefic, challengefic, Chloe's POV, AU
Spoilers: Anything is fair game in Smallville.
Summary: Chloe views a cursed jewel.
Disclaimer: To whomever owns Smallville, its characters, a word used in the movie, Secret of Nimh, the Hope Diamond and the Smithsonian, I'm just borrowing them, will give them back, not making any money with their use in this piece, so don't sue me.
Archive: At BtS, BT2, Electricchlex, FFA, MD, N.S. Forums, SFF_2005, SPP, WBFFZ, and Malu's site, for the time being. If anybody else wants it, all they have to do is ask.
Feedback: Yes I would love feedback.
Author Notes: I dedicate this to Jay for creating, not only, a great challenge but for also coming up with the analogy between the Hope Diamond and Lionel. Hope you all enjoy it. Challenge elements at the end.
A Challenge From Jay - "Hope Springs Eternal" - by PMD
Prologue:
Hope springs eternal, when it comes to love.
~
The Smithsonian - Jewels section
I had come to Washington for a conference and to be a shoulder to lean on, for somebody I loved, without reservation. And I was lucky, he returned that love, two fold.
He had come to save the small town he loved with his whole heart. They---the evil that permeated our lives, even after their evil leader was dead---wanted to take the land and mill it for the green rock found in the grounds depths. We; we wanted it buried forever, since it had brought much heartache to friends and family. And to protect a friend who never asked us too---but always protected us, without us asking either.
We had just come back from the long and loud meeting and we would know the results tomorrow. For now, he had gone off to check the armor found within this fascinating building and I had been attracted to what I used to call, 'sparklies', as a child.
I stand before the rock, even more deadly then the green meteors, because of the curse thrust upon it. As I stare into the blue depths of the Hope Diamond, I think, this was Lionel---bright and shiny on the outside--Lionel's richness; and rotten to the core because of a curse and the evil that permeated the man, when he was alive.
However, this rock reminds me of Lex too---cursed with the father he had and yet the blue of his eyes, mirroring the beauty and color of the diamond.
I move closer to the babble before me and hear a gasp of alarm.
I look towards the sound and see a lady standing there, giving me a disapproving look.
"Sorry. It's just so breath-takingly beautiful that I had to get a closer look."
She just smiles at me. "That's all right. I just didn't want you to be cursed by the Hope Diamond."
"Oh, she'll never be, as long as I'm in her life."
I turn to watch him move from the shadows of his former life into the light I have given him and he has given to others now. His shoes make a click, click, sound on the polished marble of the floor. His smile calms all around him and the lady beside me smiles even wider.
"Lex," I say, smiling too. "I guess there's no word on what's happening?"
"As we suspected, not today, my love. They promise tomorrow. Who's your friend?"
I turn to the lady who watches him put his arm around my waist. "I don't know."
"My name is Hope."
"Like the diamond?" I ask her.
"No, like hope springs eternal and always will, when love prevails."
"I like that. Are you a writer?"
"No---just a person who lives life to the fullest. Like you two seem to. Well, I hate to cut this conversation short but I must be off to meet my husband. Alex always worries about me if I'm late."
I watch as he puts his hand out to shake hers. "Well, thank you for keeping my fiancee away from the diamond that's cursed. Oh, my name is Lex and she is---"
"---Chloe," she finishes.
"How did you know that?" I ask her.
"You've still got your name tag on," she states, with a wiry grin.
I look down. "Oh, yeah, I forgot," I state.
I put my hand out to shake hers. Her warmth of grasp is comforting to me. Then it's gone and so is she. But the warmth I need is still here, right beside me, hopefully forever.
"I always hoped we would see this diamond together, someday," he states, as we turn around to look at the diamond before us.
"Why?" I ask
"To be reminded that even the rich can be cursed---like I was with my father."
"But you are cursed no more. And this diamond I have on my finger---"
"---might be blue but will never feel the curse of the Hope Diamond ever. At least I hope never," he states.
I glance down at the ring on my finger, sparkling in the lights over the Hope Diamond. Then I look at him as he turns and gives me his quirky smirk.
"Hope springs eternal, when love is real and lasting," I breathe, before he leans down and kisses me, sealing our fate.
The End.
Further Authors Notes:
Challenge elements are:
Place - Smithsonian - Chloe and Lex go visit it.
Time - Futurefic - it happens after she starts working.
Object - The Hope Diamond - what she is looking at in the story.
Words - cursed - what the Hope Diamond is, among other things.
alarm - the gasp heard from a lady nearby when Chloe is trying to get closer to the diamond.
breath-taking - what Chloe thinks of the diamond---it's breathtakingly beautiful.
marbled - what the museum floors are.
Shadows - what Lex walks out of.
Title: A Challenge From Jay - "Hope Springs Eternal"
Author: PMD
e-mail: mary.davidson@sympatico.ca
Rating: PG-13/T
Category: Chlex, futurefic, challengefic, Chloe's POV, AU
Spoilers: Anything is fair game in Smallville.
Summary: Chloe views a cursed jewel.
Disclaimer: To whomever owns Smallville, its characters, a word used in the movie, Secret of Nimh, the Hope Diamond and the Smithsonian, I'm just borrowing them, will give them back, not making any money with their use in this piece, so don't sue me.
Archive: At BtS, BT2, Electricchlex, FFA, MD, N.S. Forums, SFF_2005, SPP, WBFFZ, and Malu's site, for the time being. If anybody else wants it, all they have to do is ask.
Feedback: Yes I would love feedback.
Author Notes: I dedicate this to Jay for creating, not only, a great challenge but for also coming up with the analogy between the Hope Diamond and Lionel. Hope you all enjoy it. Challenge elements at the end.
A Challenge From Jay - "Hope Springs Eternal" - by PMD
Prologue:
Hope springs eternal, when it comes to love.
~
The Smithsonian - Jewels section
I had come to Washington for a conference and to be a shoulder to lean on, for somebody I loved, without reservation. And I was lucky, he returned that love, two fold.
He had come to save the small town he loved with his whole heart. They---the evil that permeated our lives, even after their evil leader was dead---wanted to take the land and mill it for the green rock found in the grounds depths. We; we wanted it buried forever, since it had brought much heartache to friends and family. And to protect a friend who never asked us too---but always protected us, without us asking either.
We had just come back from the long and loud meeting and we would know the results tomorrow. For now, he had gone off to check the armor found within this fascinating building and I had been attracted to what I used to call, 'sparklies', as a child.
I stand before the rock, even more deadly then the green meteors, because of the curse thrust upon it. As I stare into the blue depths of the Hope Diamond, I think, this was Lionel---bright and shiny on the outside--Lionel's richness; and rotten to the core because of a curse and the evil that permeated the man, when he was alive.
However, this rock reminds me of Lex too---cursed with the father he had and yet the blue of his eyes, mirroring the beauty and color of the diamond.
I move closer to the babble before me and hear a gasp of alarm.
I look towards the sound and see a lady standing there, giving me a disapproving look.
"Sorry. It's just so breath-takingly beautiful that I had to get a closer look."
She just smiles at me. "That's all right. I just didn't want you to be cursed by the Hope Diamond."
"Oh, she'll never be, as long as I'm in her life."
I turn to watch him move from the shadows of his former life into the light I have given him and he has given to others now. His shoes make a click, click, sound on the polished marble of the floor. His smile calms all around him and the lady beside me smiles even wider.
"Lex," I say, smiling too. "I guess there's no word on what's happening?"
"As we suspected, not today, my love. They promise tomorrow. Who's your friend?"
I turn to the lady who watches him put his arm around my waist. "I don't know."
"My name is Hope."
"Like the diamond?" I ask her.
"No, like hope springs eternal and always will, when love prevails."
"I like that. Are you a writer?"
"No---just a person who lives life to the fullest. Like you two seem to. Well, I hate to cut this conversation short but I must be off to meet my husband. Alex always worries about me if I'm late."
I watch as he puts his hand out to shake hers. "Well, thank you for keeping my fiancee away from the diamond that's cursed. Oh, my name is Lex and she is---"
"---Chloe," she finishes.
"How did you know that?" I ask her.
"You've still got your name tag on," she states, with a wiry grin.
I look down. "Oh, yeah, I forgot," I state.
I put my hand out to shake hers. Her warmth of grasp is comforting to me. Then it's gone and so is she. But the warmth I need is still here, right beside me, hopefully forever.
"I always hoped we would see this diamond together, someday," he states, as we turn around to look at the diamond before us.
"Why?" I ask
"To be reminded that even the rich can be cursed---like I was with my father."
"But you are cursed no more. And this diamond I have on my finger---"
"---might be blue but will never feel the curse of the Hope Diamond ever. At least I hope never," he states.
I glance down at the ring on my finger, sparkling in the lights over the Hope Diamond. Then I look at him as he turns and gives me his quirky smirk.
"Hope springs eternal, when love is real and lasting," I breathe, before he leans down and kisses me, sealing our fate.
The End.
Further Authors Notes:
Challenge elements are:
Place - Smithsonian - Chloe and Lex go visit it.
Time - Futurefic - it happens after she starts working.
Object - The Hope Diamond - what she is looking at in the story.
Words - cursed - what the Hope Diamond is, among other things.
alarm - the gasp heard from a lady nearby when Chloe is trying to get closer to the diamond.
breath-taking - what Chloe thinks of the diamond---it's breathtakingly beautiful.
marbled - what the museum floors are.
Shadows - what Lex walks out of.