Short Story

Angel Eyes

The Sicilian Storyteller

Written for The Unicorn Challenge
where we are asked to be creative in 250 words or less,
using this photo as our inspiration. Here is my story.

© Ayr/Gray

It was Friday night and my paycheck was burning a hole in my pocket. As it turns out, my on again/off again boyfriend, Jagger, was off again so I was free as the proverbial bird. Just as well; I was getting tired of the slouch anyway. But it was New Year’s Eve 1946 and I didn’t want to be alone.

Anxious to hit the tables and ring in the new year, I got myself all dolled up in an outfit that was quite possibly illegal in 33 states – a lowcut slinky little black number with a high side slit, silk stockings with lacy garters and red satin stilettos. Maybe I’d run into a high roller ready, willing and monetarily able to treat me to a bourbon, a thick juicy steak and a slice of pie a la mode.

I grabbed a taxi to the casino, the driver giving me the once-over in the rearview. I wasn’t interested in any two-bit palooka so I played it cool. Averting my eyes, I glanced out the window, snuggled deeper into my fur coat and lit a Chesterfield. The smoke encircled my head and my bright red lipstick left a perfect kiss around the filter. 

When we arrived, I tossed a fiver at the cabbie and stepped out onto the sidewalk. The staccato of my heels alerted the man in black .
 Special Agent Sam Bishop.

“Evening, Candace. You’re looking angelic, if you don’t mind my saying. I don’t suppose you’ve heard from Jagger.”

NAR©2024
250 Words

The Unicorn Challenge-19/04/24

This is Kenny Burrell with “Angel Eyes”

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section and is not for use by anyone without permission. NAR©2017-present.

42 thoughts on “Angel Eyes”

  5. Mom smoked Chesterfields all her adult life, and I don’t think they came with filters until much later, and I think the filter ones went over like a lead balloon (Chesterfield 101, “a silly millimeter longer”). The straights were rough….

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    1. Truly have no idea, John. I wanted a name that was immediately recognizable as from that time period and Chesterfield was the one that came to mind first! I thought about changing filter to tip but in the end, left it as it was.

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    1. Will Candace warn Jagger?
      Is she working for the Feds?
      Can Bishop be trusted?
      What’s Jagger been up to?
      Will Candace twist an ankle in her stilettos and be sidelined for 3 months?

      Anything’s possible!

      Thanks so much, Jenne. As you see, I’m having a lot of fun with this!

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  15. The crowd cadences (stilettos tapping a hesitant approach, wingtips an inpatient bass line, all in the key of frosted-glass doors and worn marble floors):

    (Noir ‘n pulp, noir ‘n pulp)

    “Bless us Marlowe, we hope to sin…”

    fun ‘corn

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