Wingspan - Chapter 25, A Fête and a Feather

In today’s episode we read Chapter 25 – A Fete and a Feather - in which Lucas joins Farfalla for a memorable celebration at Meadow Lane

Brought to you by: Phaeton Starling Publishing and Things with Wings Productions.

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This week's Boopod Network podcast partner is Murder Roadtrip: https://anchor.fm/shannon-quinn6

FULL TRANSCRIPT:

Things with Wings Productions presents: Episode 25 of The Skylark Bell, Wingspan. I am your host, Melissa Oliveri.

In our previous episode, Magpie toured the house at Meadow Lane that her mother has converted into an Artist’s Retreat.

In today’s episode we read Chapter 25 – A Fete and a Feather - in which Lucas joins Farfalla for a memorable celebration at Meadow Lane

Be sure to listen through to the end of the episode for a preview of a podcast I quite enjoy called Murder Roadtrip, which, like The Skylark Bell, is part of the Boopod Network of paranormal and true crime podcasts.

Now, it’s time to settle in... grab a blanket, and a warm drink... and let’s get started.

Lucas navigates Cormorant up the long dirt path to the house on Meadow Lane. After all this time he still feels a small tickle of fear at the back of his neck as he steps off the road onto the lane. All those years of being told not to go there, of listening to the terrifying stories, and knowing how it all ended with Magpie saving the town from the spreading silence by ringing the Skylark Bell... He heaves a deep sigh and looks back up at the house. His fear is quickly washed away when he sees it all lit up, music and laughter pouring out from every crack and crevice.

He suddenly recalls Magpie telling him about one of her visions where she saw Meadow Lane all lit up, like there was a celebration of some kind. He turns Cormorant around to look back at Magpie’s house, or rather, the house that would become Magpie’s, across the road. He looks up at the small attic window... it seems like only yesterday he and Magpie were going up the creaking stairs, hearts pounding with excitement at what they might find in the secret attic! Scarlet had followed them on velvet feet, knowing her secret would soon be revealed. He shakes the thoughts from his head and turns Cormorant back around, guiding him all the way up the lane to the back of the house.

“I’ll be back soon old friend,” he says gently to the horse, tying it to a fence rail at the back of the house away from all the commotion.

Lucas makes his way to the front door and gives it a knock that sounds far more confident than he is feeling. The door swings open immediately, and Lucas is hit with a wall of sound and smells; laughter, music, the clinking of drinkware and dishes, the smell of beer, roasting food, pie... It’s almost an assault on the senses and Lucas recoils slightly but a large arm encircles him and pulls him into the house. “Marius! Come on in my boy! It’s great to have you!” Mr. Shearwater slurs as he pulls Lucas into the house. Lucas stumbles in and smiles awkwardly. Parties have never been his thing. Someone hands him a glass full of beer and a woman shoves a plate in his hand, filled to the brim with what looks like some type of stew and a couple of thick slices of bread. He doesn’t even have time to thank her before she moves on to her next victim.

Lucas looks across the room and sees Charlotte and Edward Carnifex, they catch his eye and smile warmly. Charlotte looks stunning an emerald green dress, and Lucas recognizes the ornate dragonfly shaped comb in her hair as the one he and Magpie found in the secret attic all those years ago. Lucas suddenly realizes that Edward’s pocket watch, the one he checks multiple times a day, was also in that old trunk, 90 years in the future. He marvels at the fact that he can see and speak to these people, people he read about in books, in letters, people he saw in creased and faded photographs... people with real feelings, real lives. Something about the realization breaks his heart.

Lucas shakes off the sad nostalgic feeling. Skirting along the perimeter of the room, he manages to make his way toward the dining table where he puts down the plate and glass of beer. He has no intention of partaking in all the food and drink, he is here for one reason only... Just then he sees Farfalla watching him from across the room, a smile teasing the corner of her mouth. She has caught...