This is a flash fiction for Sunday Photo Fiction – 200 words or less based on the photo prompt. Follow the linky for an explanation of the rules or more stories.
Magdalena had enjoyed 8 happy years of marriage and expected many more to come. Her husband was a thoughtful and honest man, and the idea of abandoning him for anyone else would never cross her mind.
Somewhere down in one of the many netherworlds, three old crones were watching the human world through their special crystal glass. Nothing gave this sadistic bunch more pleasure than watching unhappy mortals.
They didn’t need to get involved too much, humans were very good at making each other miserable. However, they were capable of a few manipulations here and there, and it made the watching even more entertaining.
A stranger was passing through Magdalena’s village, and all it took was one crone’s whisper: “Isn’t he handsome?”
To Be A Magician 
Deliciously wicked, the crone and your tale.
Thank you!
An imaginative take, told well. I’ve come across a few crones like this (including some male equivalents) without having to schlep to the netherworlds to find them.
Thank you! Oh dear, hope you haven’t been too deeply affected by any malicious whispers!
Now you mention it, it might make a good excuse for some of my dafter decisions …
Oops. Hope Magdalena realizes that “handsome” isn’t everything.
She will eventually, but not before the crones have had their enjoyment!
Too bad. Seems like a wise and just magician should pay them a visit and straighten them out.
I’m tempted to say we don’t need any help at all from the crones. Thank poor guy seems to have no chance now.
So true that we don’t need any help creating misery. I like the subtlety of this. Sometimes a tiny hint like that is all it takes to ruin a happy life. I hope the plans of the Fates fail.
Good point — we humans don’t usually need much help messing up our own lives! But I’m going to be optimistic and hope that the Fates won’t have it so easy with this one. If Magdalena has been truly devoted up to this point, I would hope that a little whispered suggestion wouldn’t be enough to push her completely off her happy path.
Uh oh! Though as the crones in their infinite wisdom already knew, it doesn’t take too much nudging for humans to go astray.
They avoided the seven-year itch, then in year eight along came a crone! Clever stuff.
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