The Last Days of December

The Last Days of December


Sophie had enjoyed Christmas but it had been a hectic time.


She sighed.


The 13th year of this new century was now coming to a close and it seemed the years keep accelerating.


Her husband Francis looked at her.


He asked, "What are you thinking?".


"Oh," she smiled, "just wondering what dress I should wear to the New Year's Eve party tomorrow."


"I'm sure your taste will be impeccable as always," Francis kissed her.


She looked at the reflection of herself in the mirror.


"I do wish  we could go away on a long holiday," she sighed.


"Well we're certainly visiting a few places next year," Francis smiled.


"All business trips though," Sophie grimaced.

Francis scanned next year's itinerary... hmm...  that should be nice... hmmm... Sarajevo eh?

"Francis," she finally said to him, "it seems the older I get, the more time flies by. Before I know it, we'll both be dead."

"There's still plenty of life left for both of us," Francis kissed her again,
"now let's get ready to welcome in the New Year shall we? After all it's not like our dying is going to start a world war or anything."


"No, I suppose not," Sophie laughed.


And with that Francis... or as he was called in his own Germanic tongue... Franz... left the room.


Franz... Franz Ferdinand... the ArchDuke Franz Ferdinand... heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire left his wife Sophie the Duchess of  Hohenberg to her thoughts.


The year was ending.


A new one was about to begin... 1914.



-A short story
 written by Christopher
 Monday December 30th
 2013.