Teavent II: Beginnings

25 Days. 25 Teas. 25 Story Openings.

You may remember last year when we wrote 25 1-2 sentence microfiction stories. This year, we return to teavent as a source of inspiration. Starting December 1st, Anna-Georgina will open a new tea from her advent calendar and the tea will inspire the beginning of a new story. We will post that story opening here, along with the genre of the story and tea that inspired it.

Feeling inspired? Use the openings as a writing prompt! We just ask that you give us credit if you do so!

TEAVENT DAY 1: CHRISTMAS IN PARIS BLACK TEA

Genre: Existential Comedy

Sylvie sat at the café table, wrapped in her scarf and overcoat, still shivering from the cold, staring at the blank page in front of her. Around her, time seemed to stretch out like honey poured from a bottle, patrons and waitstaff moving in slow motion, not so much leisurely as distorted. Her waitress arrived with her cup of tea, and when the cup and saucer touched the table, the spell seemed to be broken, and reality resumed its normal pace. Sadly, it did not seem to fix her writer’s block, though.

a white card sits on a brown envelope of similar size. It reads “Orient Express Black Tea. This tea evokes thoughts of traveling through the cities of Europe and beyond. It includes black tea, green tea, jackfruit, almond, orange, rose safflower

TEAVENT DAY 2: ORIENT EXPRESS BLACK TEA

Genre: Cozy Mystery

The library is empty, as all of the town is preparing for the winter carnival. I am gathering a box of supplies for our usual booth when the bell at the front desk rings. I sigh to myself. We’re not technically closed, but it is sort of an unwritten rule that the evening before winter carnival, everyone is focused on preparations and community members plan accordingly. Which is why I am not surprised that I don’t recognize the man at the front desk. He’s looking around in wonder at the library’s holiday decorations, which are quite impressive. In truth, the library is quite impressive even without decoration, built during the Victorian Gothic Revival, resembling a castle. I clear my throat to alert him of my presence. 

“I was wondering where I might find information on the Winterstone Estate” he asks in a hurried manner, without further prelude or social niceties. It was a jarring shift considering how lost in thought he had been moments before. I direct him to the local history section on the fourth floor, with a reminder that we are only open for another 45 minutes. About 5 minutes later, I hear a crash from the floor above me…