"Keep her safe for me, now." He said, handing me the keys. As I took the cold metal into my hands, his calloused hand brushed against mine and a chill went down my spine. It was something about the feel of a working man's hand that made me feel uneasy. It was like you could read their entire story in the lines etched onto their palms by years of hard work.
"I will." I promised. I put the keys into my pocket and watched him get into his car. I shut the door for him and he rolled the window down so I could hear him.
"Now, remember, I'll be back on Thursday, so you just have to check on the house every day and give Anna her dinner." He said, referring to his old house cat. I listened intently as he gave the house-sitting instructions to me over again. The sixty year old widower was in need of a vacation, and I was more than happy to help give that to him.
"Yes, and I know the numbers to call in case of an emergency." I said, continuing the instructions with a smile. He smiled back at me.
"Good girl." He put the car into reverse and looked back up at me. "I'll see you Thursday." He said, rolling the windows up. "Thanks again."
"You're welcome. I'll see you then." I said, watching him drive out of the driveway. I waved until he turned a corner down the street and I could no longer see him.
I quickly went inside the house using the set of keys he had given me. The scent of his house intrigued me and calmed me down. It represented the exact feel of the house and furnishings. The furniture was old and comfortable, made from worn, woven fabric and the appliances like the stove all had dial timers. It was a comfortable feeling, like you might feel if you walked into an old cottage in the middle of a forest.
I filled a glass measuring cup with water from the tap and poured it into the cat's water dish. I replaced the measuring cup on the counter and made my way to the front door to lock the house and leave. I noise from the back bedroom made me turn suddenly. I had just passed that cat on the way out, so there was no way she could’ve made the noise. I listened carefully, and what I heard made my heard jump into my throat. I heard footsteps.
And they were coming this way.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Challenge #1
I ducked under the branch, pushing away the Spanish moss that hung down from it. I gasped. I was standing in a clearing softly shaded by drooping willow branches. Yellow and orange leaves had just started to fall from the canopy above, and my feet made no sound as I crept through the forest alone. But I'm not alone. I thought. Not by a long shot.
I heard a trickling noise and looked over to see as spring coming up from the ground in calm spurts, as if to say, "I can do this without even thinking." I swooped over low and knelt beside the spring of water and cupped my hands. Gathering water in my small hands, I resisted the urge to take a huge gulp right from the stream of water. But I knew I had to stay awake. It was not daybreak yet, which meant I had to keep going. I would drink later. I splashed the cold water on my face, instantly awaking my senses to the frigid chill that every night from here on would bring. It settled over me like a blanket with no warmth. But I couldn't stop now. I was almost away. I was almost free. I slurped the water from the spring quickly, ignoring the icy numbness that seemed to place itself on my lips even as I drank.
When I had had my fill, I turned to pick up my purse. I had only essential items packed. I looked down at the wrinkled and mud stained dress that now hung limply from my small shoulders, contrasting greatly with the fit it had had just nights before. I debated in my head whether or not to change clothes yet. I only had a set amount of clothing in my bag, but then, this would be the perfect time to wash my dress. As I thought, I glanced over at the spring as though it held the answer I looked for and so desperately needed. It held nothing but the water the still flowed from it, taunting me in every way. I chanced a look at the moon, not truly wanting to know the time, but needing to. By the position of the moon, I could tell the sun would not rise for nearly three hours.
I spun around, studying all sides of the clearing, doing my best to sense any movement other than my own. There was nothing. I heard nothing, and the jumpiness I had first felt as a fled from the house had subsided. Turning away from the direction I knew would lead back where I had come from, I pulled the dress over my head, spreading mud through my hair in the process. No sooner had I let my bra straps slip from my shoulders, I heard a noise coming from behind me. I froze, listening intently. I heard a soft footfall, then another, and another. Clutching the dress against my breasts, I whirled around to face the footsteps.
I gasped as the figure came into focus. My palms began sweating and my legs shook, threatening to run without my consent, although I would've been perfectly happy to oblige at this point.
"Hey little sis." He said, something like venom in his voice. "Out for a midnight stroll, are we?" I stopped dead. There was no way he would've caught up that fast. I was hit with a truth that made me feel helpless and weak. He had been following me. And I had known nothing.
I heard a trickling noise and looked over to see as spring coming up from the ground in calm spurts, as if to say, "I can do this without even thinking." I swooped over low and knelt beside the spring of water and cupped my hands. Gathering water in my small hands, I resisted the urge to take a huge gulp right from the stream of water. But I knew I had to stay awake. It was not daybreak yet, which meant I had to keep going. I would drink later. I splashed the cold water on my face, instantly awaking my senses to the frigid chill that every night from here on would bring. It settled over me like a blanket with no warmth. But I couldn't stop now. I was almost away. I was almost free. I slurped the water from the spring quickly, ignoring the icy numbness that seemed to place itself on my lips even as I drank.
When I had had my fill, I turned to pick up my purse. I had only essential items packed. I looked down at the wrinkled and mud stained dress that now hung limply from my small shoulders, contrasting greatly with the fit it had had just nights before. I debated in my head whether or not to change clothes yet. I only had a set amount of clothing in my bag, but then, this would be the perfect time to wash my dress. As I thought, I glanced over at the spring as though it held the answer I looked for and so desperately needed. It held nothing but the water the still flowed from it, taunting me in every way. I chanced a look at the moon, not truly wanting to know the time, but needing to. By the position of the moon, I could tell the sun would not rise for nearly three hours.
I spun around, studying all sides of the clearing, doing my best to sense any movement other than my own. There was nothing. I heard nothing, and the jumpiness I had first felt as a fled from the house had subsided. Turning away from the direction I knew would lead back where I had come from, I pulled the dress over my head, spreading mud through my hair in the process. No sooner had I let my bra straps slip from my shoulders, I heard a noise coming from behind me. I froze, listening intently. I heard a soft footfall, then another, and another. Clutching the dress against my breasts, I whirled around to face the footsteps.
I gasped as the figure came into focus. My palms began sweating and my legs shook, threatening to run without my consent, although I would've been perfectly happy to oblige at this point.
"Hey little sis." He said, something like venom in his voice. "Out for a midnight stroll, are we?" I stopped dead. There was no way he would've caught up that fast. I was hit with a truth that made me feel helpless and weak. He had been following me. And I had known nothing.
How it Works...
Okay, for those of you who don't know me, I'm a writer...and being a writer, I write a lot of stuff I never plan on finishing...sooooo, that's where you come in...I'm gonna be posting cliffhangers up here every week or so (maybe more than that), and you just come up with your own ending and post it as a comment on the site...in the next post, I'll say who I think had the best ending...you ready??
You better be...
You better be...
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