SHORTS FROM THE SHELF features short serialized fiction by author Shannon Muir, administrator of SHANNON MUIR’S THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF, that may be later released as part of e-book or print collections. The story line featured currently is “Darque Designs,” the sixth installment of the Myanna Moore serial, which will run over the next several weekends. This is Part Six.
Myanna remembered Verna, who at one time was the wife of Lysander Lannard and mother of three of his children. She’d claimed for a long time that she had the power of astral projection, but no one saw her use it. In the end, she’d admitted she’d trained with Truth’s mother to see if her suspicions were true, wanted to believe for so long they were, and when she finally realized herself to be powerless, everyone else already believed. So, she maintained the lie.
She also remembered the day that Verna gave her life to save them all, facing down Phoebe, the daughter Verna had with a man named Grant years earlier. While Grant hadn’t been in league with Edana and Darque, he’d had his own goals and even used them as pawns in his planned endgame.
Verna, out of a mother’s love and devoted friendship, refused to lo let others be hurt for things her daughter set in motion.
“Phoebe, you’re better than this,” Verna cried out to her.
“You don’t know me,” Phoebe challenged back. “You were never a mother to me. The truth is, you didn’t love me.”
Myanna never dreamed then that she would understand Verna’s feelings so many years later.
“You’re wrong! I did what I did because I loved you.”
Myanna remembered watching as Firinne Knox put a hand on Verna’s shoulder.
“We’ve got your back, Verna. I’m here for you.”
Then Firinne’s half-sister Marva put her hand on Verna’s other shoulder.
“We all do.”
Wren, Marva’s longtime friend and lover, stepped up and held Marva’s hand.
Then, as if it were all those many years ago, Myanna remembered the next event as if it were just as real today.
She placed her hand into that of Firinne Knox’s and held it tight.
