Two minutes...go!

Post by **michaelm** » Tue Sep 02, 2014 12:31 pm

Well I hadn't expected it either - I really had no clue what I was going to write about each time, so it was just making it up as I went along

Post by **deer of the dawn** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 7:09 am

That was great!! Today's offering is something completely different, based on a true story that I read many years ago.

*****

Susie stood at the sink, numbly washing the dishes. The kids had just got on the bus, she saw the rear of the yellow behemoth roaring away past the stop sign on the corner. She repeated the ditty that helped her past the mountain of cereal bowls and coffee mugs: Dishes, dishes, dirty dishes, I do dishes all day long, seems I'm always doing dishes so i sing this little song. Thank you for each dirty dish, and for my food and family, let me see each dirty dish as one more blessing given m- CRAP!!!!!
A bang with no source made her jump, and fall into a heap.

*****

2 minutes is up, ding! A woman was actually doing dishes at her kitchen sink in the 60s, when an asteroid crashed through her house and obliterated the right side of her body from the hip down. And the ditty is not my own, but I used to sing it when I was a housewife with a never-ending mountain of dishes to contend with.

Post by **michaelm** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 12:34 pm

These are really interesting as they're not quite stream of consciousness and not quite fully-formed story.

Definitely a good exercise for writing what your gut tells you to write.

Post by **aliantha** » Sat Sep 06, 2014 1:09 am

Yeah -- sometimes they turn out to be flash fiction pieces, and sometimes they could be scenes in a larger work. You never know.

Here's mine from today:

***

"We're done here."

"Wait. What?"

"You're not paying attention. There's nothing more I can do."

She shifted in her chair. "No, really, I'm listening. You wanted me to...."

He threw up his hands, eyes rolled to the ceiling. "Just go home, Cindy. You're not concentrating. You're not even here right now. Just get out of here. Take the rest of the day off and come back in the morning."

Biting her lip, she headed for his office door. If only he knew why her head was in the clouds.... But she couldn't tell him what was going on. If he knew she was protecting someone who was stealing him blind, he'd probably fire her. And if he knew that person was his own son, they'd both be out on the street.

Post by **deer of the dawn** » Mon Sep 08, 2014 6:58 am

(cont'd)

Sylvia grunted a good morning at the stranger in her kitchen, who didn't even glance at her as he poured her a cup. She stalked back to the bathroom and closed the door. Thudding her coffee cup firmly on the faux-granite counter, she put her hands on the edge of the sink and leaned toward the mirror.

"Okay, what the flip."
"You tell me, honey."
She and her irreflection stared off. Syvia's eyes narrowed.
"Your husband have hair? Mine is bald."
"Yes. Where is he?"
"Here with me. Where's Stan?"
"Stan? Stan? I should have known he was a Stan. Cripes."

Post by **aliantha** » Mon Sep 08, 2014 2:10 pm

Post by **lorin** » Wed Sep 10, 2014 2:10 am

I carefully stepped on the ancient wooden slats of the long dead tracks. Careful never to graze the blooming succulents that sprung between each torn piece of wood that guided the track up up up along the cliffs. The track stopped not two feet from the edge of cliff….waiting. I had arrived at my destination. Hopping off the splintered wood onto the sea worn stone, smooth as glass from the lash of ancient waves. I had arrived. Standing on the edge. Starring deep into the grottos below, crystal water gently pooled at the bottom. I had arrived. Then, I saw, I squinted hard and I saw. Shallow stairs cut into the ancient rock where fishermen, for thousands of years, had hauled their catch up the long winding stair in the cliff. And I saw the beauty of this place, this rock, clean and unharmed by human hand. This rock that had never seen sadness, this water that had never felt blood. And I knew……I had not arrived. This was not my destination. Gently I stepped over the clean rocks, over the blooming succulents and away from the crystal warm water that was not to be mine. I ran away from the cliffs, seeking .......................

Post by **aliantha** » Wed Sep 10, 2014 4:46 am

That's very cool, lorin.

A last-minute reprieve.

Post by **michaelm** » Wed Sep 10, 2014 12:29 pm

Even though it was 10am, it was still dark due to the heavy, black clouds that filled the sky from horizon to horizon. Jason knew it was going to rain, and probably as soon as he started walking back home from the store.

As there was an overhanging roof, he could sit on the ledge at the bottom of the large plate glass window at the front of the store and wait. Perhaps there would be a break in the cloud as it passed over? He really didn't know what the forecast was, and cursed himself for leaving his phone at home.

Without giving it any more thought, he got up and started walking with his small bag of groceries in his hand. Occasionally looking at the horizon in all directions, he scanned for any sign of a clearing in the sky, but the uniformity of the sky told him clearly that no such break was coming.

After a few minutes the inevitable happened, and the skies opened up. At first a pattering of heavy drops of rain, but within less than half a minute he was getting soaked in heavy rain.

Post by **Linna Heartbooger** » Mon Sep 15, 2014 3:37 pm

I glanced at my blank screen between calls... there was a lull. Looked over the cloth covered partitions, and then stood up, looking to socialize.

Then Dianna wandered over, tugging the cord to her headset around the corner of the desk. A mischievous grin flickered in her eyes as she posed her question to two of us:
"So, if you had to be eaten by a shark or a bear, which would you rather eat you?"

Post by **aliantha** » Mon Sep 15, 2014 5:51 pm

Great stuff, you guys! I'll have to try my hand here in a few...

Post by **aliantha** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 1:13 am

Finally got around to one today at Dan's blog.
***
"Top of the world, Ma!"

Things look different from up here, at the top of the Ferris wheel. The cars down below all look like toys, scurrying from one place to another in what seemed like organized chaos, don't they? And the people are nothing but dots, moving in some unfathomable pattern. While here we sit at the roof of the world, nothing but warm sun on our faces and soft breezes in our hair.

And the birds. Including that bird, there -- the one that looks like it's going to dive-bomb us. And that one that just flew over, dropping its, um, droppings into my outstretched hand.

Now the wheel has begun to turn again. And as we make our descent, we remember the thing that's so easy to forget when you're on top: What goes up, must come down.

Post by **peter** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 11:35 am

At last, there came a time in his life when there was no need for him to be afraid. The previous pains of the remembered hardships seemed but an unreal memory and surrounding him, he felt the warmth and love of his fellow man. As he finally felt the grey arms of his eternal slumber enfold him he heard his last sounds and it made him smile. "Depart in peace mien Fuhrer."

Post by **aliantha** » Mon Sep 22, 2014 3:10 pm

Very cool, peter.

I do wonder about his definition of "fellow man" at the last, though...

Post by **Hashi Lebwohl** » Mon Sep 22, 2014 4:10 pm

He still couldn't believe that what he was reading was real. Yes, he was fully aware that the string of failed relationships, bad choices, and hopping from job to job for his entire adult life had led him not only to the point where he could no longer tell where his frustration ended and his misery began, but the words on this piece of paper were simply wrong. The letters were plainly typed in a neat font in English but the words they spelled out almost seemed to exist above the paper and he could even swear that they were calling out to him.

"Is this real? I mean, this isn't a joke? There isn't a hidden camera and I'm not being pranked?"

"No, sir, I assure you that what you read is completely on the level and contains no hidden trickery of any sort", said the man on the other side of the table.

Herbert looked at the man again. There was nothing that stood out about him: average looks, average height, neat hair cut, very nice-looking suit, but nothing that seemed "off" or sinister or mysterious.

"But this says that I have to sign over my soul. That has to be a joke, right?"

"No, Mr. Wiley, it isn't a joke. Forget what you have read in books or seen in movies. I told you--it is completely real."

"How can I possibly believe you?"

"Because I signed an agreement just like that one, only with different terms." He pulled a small three-ring binder from his briefcase, removed one manila folder, and slid it across the table. "Here--read mine for yourself."

Post by **michaelm** » Mon Sep 22, 2014 4:43 pm

Being a manager suited Toby better than he thought. He had always disliked the fact that his voice was not heard whenever he had an opinion, but now things would be different.

The first thing he would do is to make sure that his directs reports are appreciated, and when they were, he would be sure to get their voice heard by his superiors. Things are going to change around here, that's for sure.

He wondered if there were any other benefits to being a manager. First day on the job he should probably not make waves, but gradually bring his ideas to the table and ingratiate himself with the higher echelons of his company.

Stepping through the door of his new office he scanned the view from the window and took in the smell of the new furniture.

He was about to take his first step towards the plush leather chair behind the desk when a deafening noise caused him to throw his hands over his ears. It was coming from beside his left ear so he turned to face it.

5:30AM. His alarm was blaring the loud klaxon sound that usually woke him with no issue. He dragged himself out of bed towards the shower, shoulders slumped at the though of yet another day bowing and scraping to that asshole of a manager who never showed him even the slightest piece of respect or recognition.

Post by **aliantha** » Mon Sep 22, 2014 5:18 pm

Love the details, Hashi -- average-looking, neat haircut, etc.

Michael, I think a lot of us have that dream.

Post by **michaelm** » Mon Sep 22, 2014 5:21 pm

aliantha wrote:Michael, I think a lot of us have that dream.

Well it IS Monday today...

Post by **Hashi Lebwohl** » Mon Sep 22, 2014 6:01 pm

Thank you, aliantha. This is my first attempt at any sort of creative writing since college and I have had this particular plot in mind for a while only I have never done anything with it. At this time I am still uncertain where it is going to go but then doesn't writing take on a life of its own separate from what the author wants at some point?

*************

Herbert scanned the document and found it surprisingly straightforward, not full of obscure or exotic phrases which fill most legal paperwork

"So let me get this straight. You work for the devil."

"I prefer the term 'my employer' but, yes, you may call him what you wish. He has no preference for one name over another."

"But won't he try to cheat me? Isn't that what he does?"

"He did try that in times past, yes, but then people caught on and correctly stopped making deals. Thus he decided on a better tactic--give people what they want. Exactly what they want."

"What did he give you?"

"Whatever I need to fulfill my job duties, on an ongoing basis."

"So...your job is to send people to Hell?"

Mr. Pine, the average man in the expensive suit, chuckled a little before resuming his blank poker face. "No, Mr. Wiley. My job is to facilitate people sending themselves to Hell."

Post by **aliantha** » Tue Sep 23, 2014 3:43 am

Excellent!

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

Two minutes...go!