See Installment #1 of Foggy Mirrors here

Elanī was pouring a freshly brewed pot of aromatic lavender and peppermint tea, when the telephone started jangling and dancing in the other room. Elanī, however, was decidedly not in any mood to be conversing with another human soul. Begrudgingly, she trudged out of the kitchen and through to the adjoining room, sloshing piping hot tea down her leg and onto the floor, while making her way to answering the frantic, antique princess phone.

“Hello,” she answered breathlessly and at little annoyed.

“Hello,” echoed the male voice on the other end of the line.

“Hello?” Elanī responded, embracing full annoyance now.

“Is this Elaniah Ann Montgomery-Moone?”

“Who may I ask is calling?” Elanī asked starchly in response to being addressed by her full legal name. Clearly government or some other such equally irritating entity, she concluded.

“’This is Dr. Hopfmann calling from Central Grace Hospital in South Tarino. Is this Elaniah speaking?”

Her blood fled the whole surface area of her skin and froze it all within one heart-stopping moment. “Yes,” she rasped. “This is Elanī speaking.” For the second time in three seasons, Elanī feared the worst. She knew what was coming, she had known this day would come, yet she did not believe she had the strength for it.

Installment #3 of Foggy Mirrors will be posted on Saturday.

Installment #2 Photo Credit by Erik Eastman on Unsplash

Melanie Christian Writes blog posts are short stories, sharings about writing and editing and inspired personal growth tips acquired for Writer-Editor, Melanie Christian