“We may have found our guy, Yevgenia.”

d’Verse prosery

“Coffee, Dear?”

“That would be great, Darling. Cream please.”

“Yes, Dear. So, what’s on your mind this morning?”

Thoughtfully, Mr. Li stirred his dark poison and raised it to his lips. “We may have a lead, Yevgenia.”

“That’s wonderful, Yìchén! Now Mr. Wang will definitely give you that promotion!”

“Well, we’re not certain yet, Sweetheart… It depends on our informant. I’m speaking with him today.”

Mrs. Li smiled, looking through the window. “Darling, you’re on the right track. I just know it. You’ve been after this one for years. Look, even the sun’s smiling!”

The man set down his empty coffee cup. “That’s sweet, Yevvy. Yes, the sun’s shining, but these clouds are clearly foreign… such an exotic clutter against the blue cloth of the sky. Something still feels off to me.”

Suddenly, Li Yìchén gasped, clutching his chest, and collapsed onto the table.

---

The prompt

d’Verse prosery is flash fiction with a beginning, a middle and an end, in any genre of the author’s choice, no longer than 144 words. This very short piece of prose must include an assigned line from a poem, within the 144 word limit. Writers may change the punctuation of the assigned line, but they may not insert words within the quotation.

The assigned quotation was:

But these clouds are clearly foreign, such an exotic clutter

Against the blue cloth of the sky

–from “Clouds” by Constance Urdang