Many thanks to Jenne Gray and C.E. Ayr for their photo prompt, THE UNICORN CHALLENGE. 02/28/2025). No more than 250 words in length.
He’d become withdrawn since the incident, built a wall, not too fierce, not too tall, but imposing enough to keep most others out. And with Leon the Chameleon guarding the door, he was able to continue life as he now knew it.
The wall had been painted blinding white, enclosing the mid-sized plot of trees and grass, a small carefully-tended rose garden in the very heart of it all. At the far edge, an impenetrable cliff opened to a limitless blue ocean and sky. A low two-story and “eagle’s aeyrie” filled with books and fine music hugged its rim. Really, the man most preferred the sound of wind blowing through tower windows, seabirds calling over sunrise swells, and the stormy crash of waves eating away at the cliff’s base.
When loneliness overcame feeling safe, he wished the day it all collapsed would come sooner.
A mail slot stood sentinel at the right side of the front gate, and below it, an antique call button had been dismantled when Leon was gifted by the Magician Publicist that knew all…or thought he did. Anyone who wished to visit the man living behind the fence had only to stroke the lizard from nose to tail tip, with one finger, one time. Intention would be read by the chameleon, and entrance allowed or denied by the color and excitement of its hues, per the Magician’s settings.
Old friends questioned the Magician’s motives in isolating their friend and family member, but what could they do?
© Liz Husebye Hartmann (2025)
Valley of the Trolls 
Your writing has a way of resonating with me and making me feel understood Thank you for being a relatable and authentic voice
LikeLiked by 1 person
Any time! 🙂 Thank you for your kind commrnt!
LikeLike
Yikes, Liz! I’m having major problems maneuvering around your post!
LikeLike
Sorry. Best bet is to look at the “pages: 1,2”, just below Like. Can’t do the snippet of the first paragraph as a invite to read further, and they’ve taken away Classic editor. Alas! I am trying.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hee hee, lovely Leon the Chameleon. I have lots of those around me!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I want a chameleon that forewarns friend or foe!
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’ll be a Magician Publicist involved, though! 😂😂😂😂😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well that gave me something to think about! Well done! There are far too many people living behind walls, I think.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’d like a Leon Chameleon to carry around in my pocket…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🐧🦎🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
It doesn’t matter where it came from, it’s an enchanted story, beautifully written and that leaves a lot to ponder…
Love it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Jenne!
LikeLike
Intriguing piece, Liz.
Particularly liked ‘When loneliness overcame feeling safe, he wished the day it all collapsed would come sooner.’
But your new set-up has me baffled.
Why does your link take me to the second page? The one with the number 1?
Help!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ugh! I didn’t choose the set-up. It was thrust upon me! Still want a small preview of the post on my site’s home page (to invite in) as I used to be able to do. At least the numbers are there! But HELLLPP!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
WP has ditched the ‘teaser’ option. Are you using Block Editor? There a way around the problem thru Block.
LikeLike
Am now forced into working through the block editor. Dammit. Is there a way to do a “teaser” through BE? Page Break doesn’t seemt to do quite what I want. Grrrr!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope those instructions work, Liz. I have honestly never seen a post page that looks like yours right now. Those little page numbers are very strange. Fingers crossed!
LikeLike
Thank you thank you thank you! Immunna try this…tomorrow!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lemme know what happens!! Fingers crossed 🤞🏼
LikeLiked by 1 person
{Smooch!}
LikeLiked by 1 person
fun ‘corn!
made me get an old visual meme* a single line ‘Once Upon a Time…’ and the page would turn.
*didn’t call them memes back then, did we
LikeLiked by 1 person
What DID we call them, back in the day?
LikeLike
“…remember that part, in the movie, when they….”
lol at least how I recall it
LikeLiked by 1 person