Trifecta writing Challenge is to use the word infect
3a : contaminate, corrupt
b : to work upon or seize upon so as to induce sympathy, belief, or support
So let me tell you a fairytaile of 333 words.
Picture from Wikimedia Commons
Her laughter was like a mountain stream in spring, like singing birds and soft breezes from a summer sea. When she laughed you could smell roses or your favorite wine in a cool summer evening. As a small girl she just had to start giggle whenever she had disobeyed her parents and it would infect them with good temper and they forgave her.
She grew up and flew through life by the magic of her laughter. She moved from place to place like a migratory bird, never looking back. In her wake she left disappointed lovers, teachers she had used and employers who lost fortunes on her mistakes. But nobody ever blamed her, they just recalled her laughter and blamed themselves instead.
She was not particularly good-looking but with her infectious laughter, her mousey appearance was always ignored.
One day she met the most handsome she had ever known. He was also one of the richest men in the country and she immediately fell in love. He was as spellbound by her laughter and proposed for marriage. He was overwhelmed when she said “yes” followed by her most magnificent laughter yet.
They danced under the trees and she was content for the first time in her life. But with contentment she slowly started to lose her ability to laugh, and the beautiful prince left her. Her tears would not stop, and her crying was unbearable to hear. It sounded like a rusty chainsaw and would infect everyone with dread and loathing.
All her previous mistakes caught up with her, and nobody could understand the spell they had been under. She finally took refuge with her mother who had now been widowed and through the loathing she saw the little girl with all her faults.
But nothing can quench a mother’s love and she took her little girl in her arms and said.
“Here you will always have a home”
And the girl moved in with her frail mother and took care of her.
Björn Rudbergs writings 
awesome
🙂
So only the symbiotic mother daughter relationship worked, thta’s quite scary.
It is scary… but so is anything infectious.
Contentment dulls the laughter. Such an interesting way of looking at it. Great story!
Thank you.
Wonderful tale..you really did well with that very difficult prompt, I must say.
Thank you 🙂
Your story reminds me of a drifter who I had the pleasure of meeting and knowing for a short time last year. I don’t wonder what causes a soul to be carried by such an undeniable force, as laughter, because my friends background. It takes bravery to follow such a force. I loved your story, thank you for reminding me of my friend.
Thank you for reading and commenting. I just can’t think of anything more infecteous than laughter
This is really good!
Thank you.
This reminds me of what men used to tell me, back when I was a jazz nightclub singer: “Amy, you’re nice looking, but when you sing, you’re beautiful.” That tainted my personality for years. I even had a husband who said it, unabashedly, while I was singing and paying the rent for him. Thank God I found someone who loves me for me… grey skinny, bipolar, the whole nine yards. So that “proviso” is not in play for me, and your story reminded me how grateful I am to have Lex in my life. Thanks so much! Amy
Thank you for that comment. Hopefully there is someone more than her mother in wait for the little girl in my story.
I felt like you were telling me a fairytale and I love that. Contentment dulls the laughter…I can see that.
Thank you 🙂
A nice fairy tale. Yes, that’s one way to infect. I liked how you said… ‘She flew through life’.
Laughter is usually the best infection,
It’s interesting how her contentment stifled her laughter. It made me think of those authors who claim you need suffering to write well.
Indeed.. some type of writing works better if you suffer.
Like a fairy tale of old – well done.
Thank you
A young girl who lost herself….
Indeed… I guess it can happen.
Nicely done, with a terrific narration just like a fairy tale.
Thank you 🙂
Oooo. I like a fairy tale. I’m hoping there’s more coming for this little girl.
Just wanted to remind you that for Trifecta, you have to use the word as it is given to you. So this week, we need ‘infect,’ not ‘infected’ or ‘infectious.’ Thanks!
Ahh, I had missed that little detail… But I will try to correct.
… and she lived happily ever after. I liked this B. well done.
Thank you 🙂
I love this! Such a creative twist on the prompt. My son has a laugh like that – some laughter really is infectious!
Thank you 🙂
An charming tale!
THank you Misky
Awesome story 😀
🙂
I know someone like this and I am one of those who thought she could do no wrong. I still think that, as irrational as that might be. You touched me with this. Well done.
It’s amazing what a laughter can do.
Great story.
Many thanks.
Interesting how her tears broke the spell and her life came back to haunt her. A little spooky as well. I enjoyed the fairry tale quality.
Thank you 🙂
Cool stuff, great fairytale tone. It’s a kind of modern day magic ,and I like that.
Thank you 🙂
I love the fairy tale feel of this piece.
🙂
i loved how this flowed; it was like a poem. a fairytale gone awry for the princess. and the analogies used to descripe her laugh and woe, well done.
Sounds like she’s gone home to start over? Hope so.
A fairytale in the true sense, with a little darkness woven into the story.
I liked the way you juxtaposed the fairytale concept – yet still managed to find the promise of renewal in the end
Such a sweet & heart warming piece,loved it Bjorn:-)
Well written and touching, to all the sudden go from enchanting to normal would be horrible. But to be so enchanting by being lonely and restless does not sound good either.