This week is brought to you by the lovely Rebekah Postupak... She mentioned to me on Facebook that she was excited that FTT was going to be posting soon - AND I HAD TOTALLY FORGOTTEN ABOUT IT! DOH! If not for her reminder, this lovely prompt would've been pathetically late. So, thank you, Rebekah. And thank you to those writers who check back faithfully every week - even if you don't write something - I love that you share your stories and your hearts with us. So anyway, write on and big hugs! Thanks for stopping by! :)
If you need to read the full version of the rules, go here. Otherwise, here's the short version:
Rules:
1. Up to 500 words
2. Keep it clean (nothing rated R or above)
3. Start with the given first sentence.
4. Optional Special Challenge
5. Include Twitter/email, word count, Special Challenge accepted
6. The challenge is open for 24 hours on Tuesday EST
Oh, and feel free to change pronouns, punctuation, tense, and anything in brackets to fit the story/pov/tone. I'm not going to be TOO picky... Our judge however...
Our Judge today is Jeffrey Hollar also known as @klingorengi. Check out his blog here. Read his winning tale from last week here!
Your first sentence for FINISH THAT THOUGHT #40 is:
[He] stood in the [doorway], unable to believe what he [saw].
Your SPECIAL CHALLENGE from the judge is:
Include a precious gemstone as a component of the story.
AAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!!!
"Just Desserts"
ReplyDeleteHe stood in the doorway, unable to believe what he smelled.
Peach pie. So strong that Lee felt like there was already a hot bite of golden crust and syrupy fruit in his mouth.
He strode to the kitchen and stopped. His brain overloaded, two conflicting but equally strong responses firing off at the same time.
Bending over in front of the open oven was his wife Sara. He had seen her exactly like this a hundred or more times in their ten years of marriage and his brain recognized the scene, which initially caused him to relax. Then his brain registered that Sara should not be in the kitchen, bending over pie, because he had killed her three days ago.
His body jerked, a sudden recoil from the scene, and slammed into the sharp edge of the doorframe.
Sara turned, her face serene.
"Hello, sweetheart. Have a good day?" she asked with a smile.
Lee felt weak. He pulled a chair out from the table and sat down.
Sara placed the pie on a cooling rack, then turned and leaned against the counter. She stared at Lee, smile still in place, as she removed each oven mitt with the kind of grace and slowness that would have better suited opera gloves.
Lee's head and heart were racing. He fidgeted with his wedding band, twisting it around as though at some point he might find its end.
"Oh, Lee. You've really stepped in it this time."
She smiled and shook her head as though he had forgotten to pick up toilet paper as opposed to be responsible for her murder.
She held an elegant hand up and the sunlight from the kitchen made a spotlight on the long fingers, a red spark winking in and out and she turned her hand.
He knew it must come from the ruby ring that she had inherited from her grandmother.
She dropped her hand and stared at Lee.
"All the women in my family have a ring like this. And most of the time, well, half the time," she paused and winked, making Lee's skin crawl,"the rings remain a pretty accessory. The women die of old age or simple accidents."
"But sometimes the ring carries out its purpose. It brings back the woman wearing it if she has been cut down before her time. A flower plucked by a ruthless hand."
She turned to the counter, pulled down a plate, grabbed a knife and began to slice the pie.
"There's always a balance to magic, that's why the ring can't save you if it's your time to go. But it wasn't my time. And my side of the balance has been restored."
"As for you, well..." She trailed off.
She turned to him, smiling, the plate with the slice of pie balanced on the upturned palms of her hands.
She sat down at the table and slid the pie in front of him.
"Now. Eat your pie. Dear."
Lee swallowed hard.
499 Words
@CaseyCaseRose
- as opposed to *being responsible. Not be responsible. Blurg, train editing.
ReplyDelete500 words
ReplyDelete@jujitsuelf
The Glittering Gems will then be Thine
Charlie stood in the doorway, unable to believe what he saw.
His brother Jimmy was on his knees in the centre of Charlie’s living room, beat up to hell. Blood oozed from a gash over his swelling left eye and his mouth was stained red. His hands were linked behind his head but he wasn’t slouching, that wasn’t Jimmy’s style.
Charlie stiffened as a dark shape detached itself from the shadows near the kitchen. He’d know that monstrous form anywhere.
“What do you want, Carlo?”
“Ain’t what I want, I’m just following boss’ orders,” Carlo replied, shrugging apologetically but sounding pleased as punch. “Your little brother ain’t got no sense in that head of his, wouldn’t tell me where he stashed the stuff.”
He idly kicked Jimmy, Jimmy cursed but didn’t fall. That wasn’t his style either.
Charlie fixed Jimmy with a glare. “You promised you wouldn’t touch any of Maximo’s stuff.”
“I didn’t!” Jimmy cried. “Bro, I didn’t.”
“Boss says you did.” Carlo pulled a Glock from his waistband. “Where is it?”
“I didn’t take it,” Jimmy snarled. “Can you understand that, Hulk? Or do I need to tie a note to your collar and send you back to Boss-man so he can read it for himself?”
Carlo growled and shoved the gun against Jimmy’s temple.
“Hey, no need to be uncivilized.” Charlie said swiftly. “Jimmy didn’t mean that, he’s got a big mouth. Right, Jim?”
Jimmy mumbled something foul in Italian which made Carlo kick him again.
“Carlo,” Charlie said, aware of Carlo’s penchant for shooting people. “When did Maximo lose whatever it is you think Jimmy took?”
“Two nights ago,” Carlo replied. “Stop stalling.”
“Carlo,” Charlie put a hand to his heart. “I’m wounded you think I’d be a part of any less than legal activities. That crown belongs firmly to my little bro.”
Jimmy smirked.
Carlo’s finger was far too close to the trigger, sweat broke out on Charlie’s upper lip. This was taking too long. Soon Carlo would shoot Jimmy for the fun of it.
“Look,” Charlie smiled reassuringly, “we don’t have what you want but let Jimmy go and I’ll put out some feelers, okay? I’ll ask around and see what I can find out. Maximo’s rich enough to take losing a few diamonds for a couple days.”
There was silence, then Carlo pursed his lips. “I didn’t say diamonds.”
“Sure you did,” Jimmy said from the floor.
“No, I didn’t,” Carlo replied. “What are you doing, Charlie?”
Charlie didn’t reply as two bullets shattered his living room window and punched into Carlo’s back.
“Jesus,” Jimmy moaned. “You took your time.”
“Hi, Ma,” Charlie grinned as their mother swung in from the fire escape. “You got ‘em?”
“’Course I do,” she pulled a bag from her pocket. “Well done, boys, you really sold the confused innocence. There’s a career on Broadway waiting for you.”
“Or maybe just a steak dinner in Barbados,” Charlie said, smiling at the glittering gems in his mother’s palm.
Merlin stood in the cave entrance, unable to believe what he saw. Angels soared above the trees, up the mountainside, toward his home. He did not want to fight them, but they were leaving him no choice.
ReplyDeleteThe Angels had taken up arms, hunting and killing fairies and dragons gifted with magic. They’d destroyed entire villages and towns to rid the world of magic.
Merlin was the Black Magic Dragon, The dragon of legend that nearly destroyed the fairies. The ancient dragon, from the Northern Ice. He’d known the Angels would come for him someday, but their audacity surprised him. He walked into the clearing outside his cave. “If they want a war, then they shall have one.”
Merlin screamed, filling the sky with the sound of sheets of metal being torn apart. He flexed his wings, and took to the sky, leaving his cave behind. Upon spotting him, the Angels left the mountain, heading into the sky, chasing him, exactly as he knew they would.
Merlin’s black magic was useless against the Angels, they were immune to it. But they were not immune to his talons and his teeth. He changed direction, racing toward the sun. The Angels followed. Merlin accelerated. He possessed speed the Angels could not match. He could have easily escaped them. But they would find him again. They’d given him no choice but to stop them.
He plunged toward the ground, directly at the Angels, with talons fully extended and teeth barred. He sliced through the Angels, his talons stronger than the finest steel, sharp enough to slice through rock, cleaving Angels in half. Dead Angels rained from the sky.
Merlin screamed, the sound of metal rent asunder echoed through the sky.
Thus began the war between the Dragons and the Angels.
296 Words
@LurchMunster
She stood in the doorway, unable to believe what she saw. A trail of clothes, leading erratically from the hallway to the chair to the wall and finally ending at the bed. The covers were in a crumpled pile that was lurching spasmodically, threatening at any minute to cascade over the edge of the bed. A rhythmic creaking was emanating from the mass, with an occasional grunt or squeal providing some variation to the beat. Sighing, Janice quickly strode over and whipped the blanket off.
ReplyDeleteSurprised by the light, the twins looked up and started giggling. Sue, her skirt demurely tucked under her armpits squealed "Mummy! Jump with us!"
Clad only in a shoe (with the sock inexplicably on the opposite foot) Sam clapped happily nodding all the while.
Biting back a smile at the way her daughter’s curls were escaping the hairband, Janice reached up to undo her necklace. “Let me just take this off, so it doesn’t hit me in the face,”
She placed the ruby necklace down on the bedside table. “But I think I’ll keep the rest of my clothes on.”
The pair started to pout, so she took off her rings. “But you two can wear these, if you want…”
After a ragged cheer and some time to admire their new finery, the children ‘helped’ her onto the bed.
While still bouncing, Sam said in a small voice “I wish daddy was here, too.”
The levity of the moment gone all too soon, Janice knew she had to do something to rekindle the fun. She grabbed the photo next to her discarded necklace and held it close.
“He is, children. He is.”
All smiles once more, they started jumping. Sam started singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow and the others soon joined in. They bounced unsteadily to the beat.
“Mummy, if we jump really high will we be up with Daddy?”
Unsure of her voice, Janice paused for a moment and ran her hands through her daughters’ curls. They were so evocative of her late husband. “No, sweetie, you still have a lot of jumping to do before you get to visit daddy again.”
358
@Snellopy
Guarded Secrets
ReplyDeletePrincess Emaline stood in the doorway, unable to believe what she saw.
Emaline knew it was her knight once his dark eyes connected with hers. A flutter danced through her heart at the sight of him. She imagined running into his arms and kissing him but the scandal would be too great.
“Sir Valen, you returned.”
Valen bowed, body low, arms wide. A parcel dangled from his left hand.
“Princess, I didn’t know you would be greeting me.” He stood.
“I didn’t realize it was you.” Her eyes danced across his familiar face and saw the changes: his longer hair, missing beard, and a fresh scar along his cheek.
Valen held up the parcel interrupting Emaline’s study of him.
“I’ll bring you to the Queen.”
Valen kept the proper distance from Emaline as they walked through the castle. A turn away from the Queen’s bedroom Valen grabbed Emaline and brought her into their secret tunnel hidden behind a tapestry. She squealed with excitement as Valen pushed her against the cold tunnel wall. Their lips collided, messy and fast. Valen dragged his lips away from hers and to her neck.
“Your beard… it’s gone.” Emaline’s fingers ran along Valen’s newly exposed jawline.
“Dragon’s flame. Singed right off.”
Emaline smiled and kissed Valen softly. “They will notice us missing soon.”
Hearing no one in the hall they stepped out from behind the tapestry, the knight distancing himself again. They walked past the guards and into the Queen’s room.
“Mother, Sir Valen has arrived.”
“Who?” The Queen asked from her vanity.
“The Knight sent to search for the sunstone.”
The Queen walked over, ignoring her daughter, and came face-to-face with Valen.
“Tell me, did you find it?”
Valen held up the burlap bag. The Queen snatched it from his hands and peered inside. Her hand reached in and pulled out the peach-colored stones traced with threads of gold.
“The king will awaken from his deadly sleep because of these.” She placed the stones back in the bag. “Guards!” She looked to the first of the four men. “Take this to the apothecary immediately.” Her eyes glanced back to the waiting knight. “And bring him to the guillotine.”
“What?!” Both Emaline and Valen exclaimed in unison.
“The sunstones are sacred to the throne. A mere knight has no need of such knowledge.”
“That is no reason to kill him!”
“Daughter, why are you fighting me on this? This is your inheritance, these will be your decisions to make someday. This knight has served his purpose.”
Emaline looked from the Queen to Valen, a guard on either arm. They stared at each other, a question reflected in his eyes and indecision in hers. Valen waited for Emaline to stop the guards, to confess her love; but instead she turned away unable to watch him be lead off to his death. As they dragged him to the dungeon tears of betrayal and heartbreak fell to the floor.
491 Words
Special Challenge Accepted
@CaitlinStatus
I stood in the doorway unable to believe what I saw. That gangly girl who had merely glanced at me was back. Apparently she realized that I was not someone’s knobby kneed, round bellied, father, perfectly harmless and not worth pointing out. Oh no, her accidental second glance threw that assumption right out the window. These legs proved to be long and strong, but it was the tall narrow body that really drew her in closer, to study me from head to foot. As a tease, I moved away, just a little.
ReplyDeleteThe girl pulled out her phone and discretely tried to take a picture of me, but I turned away. She made another attempt; I shifted my weight, the picture blurred. The next time I moved an arm. Each time she stopped to examine the image I would freeze, egg her on, bait her into continuing. I increased the distance between us until she was forced to zoom in and hold the phone above her head in order to keep me in view.
I grew tired of her, but she persisted. She carried a chair from the hallway, and stood on the seat in hopes of a better shot, which I intentionally made even worse than the others she had already taken. Finally her determination paid off. She hid behind a light, I pretended not to see. The flash had been switched on; finally, for this I was willing to pose. Even then she had to try twice, but she had proved herself like a genuine fan, I consented to humor her. As soon as the picture was taken, I left, with long swift strides to show off what my long legs can really do. I could hear the giggle as she posted the picture for all her friends to see.
I passed by her quite by accident an hour or two later, she was in the kitchen making eyes at a boy. I slipped just beside him through the doorway and into another part of the house, which arrested her attention. Only moments later she had her phone out again, aimed at me, but she appeared far more hesitant than she had before. Some of her friends must have teased her. I stayed out of sight, careful to only pass by when she was too deep in conversation to move. It was a game, to follow and torment her as she had done to me. I walked within arm’s reach of her several times, one could see in her eyes the way it drove her mad, but she knew there was nothing she could say or do to capture my attention for herself. The irony of course, is that she had. Perhaps she will be back next week; I hope she comes better prepared. I will let her try again.
472 Words
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