Today's prompt came from Twitter: "But it's only a story."
"The dragon roared and reared its ugly head. The prince jumped from the stone wall, stumbling on the rocky ground, just as the dragon's tail whipped against the tower behind him." Susan pointed out the crumbling tower on the page.
"Is the prince going to live, mommy?" Michael asked, looking up from the picture book.
"I don't know. What do you think?" Susan asked, holding the pages firmly between her fingers.
"The prince always wins. He's going to kill the stupid dragon and save the princess," Michael responded, nodding firmly.
Susan smiled and turned the page. "The prince's horse whinnied as he ran towards it, shying away as the dragon approached. Without pausing, the prince leapt onto his horse and galloped off, putting some distance between them and the dragon."
"Ugh, you're reading this story... again?" Melody asked from the door.
Susan looked up from the book. "It is your brother's favorite."
Melody pursed her lips. "But it's only a story. He knows it by heart now, and yet he keeps asking those same questions every time you read it."
Susan smiled and ruffled Michael's hair. "The story isn't about the beginning or ending. It's about the journey you take. And Michael has the imagination to fill in the blanks, to feel what the prince is feeling as he faces the dragon. Or to feel how angry the dragon is that the prince disturbed his sleep."
Michael nodded sagely as he pulled the book from Susan's grasp and began to turn the pages.
Melody rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Mom." She waved her hand and walked away, her nose pointed toward the ceiling.
Susan glanced at Michael and smiled. "She'll understand one day," she muttered as she brushed her finger over the page. The dragon's scales shimmered for a moment, and the page shook, as if the dragon was rumbling in appreciation of the touch.
Showing posts with label Unscripted. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Unscripted. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Unscripted - Teddy Bear
Today's unscripted post is inspired by Teddy Bear
~*~
She clung to it, her safety net. It had been a gift several years ago and was showing its age now. Where once the fur was soft and fluffy, now it was matted and balding in places. The black plastic eyes were scratched and pitted, a sign of a well-loved toy. As she moved through the classroom on the first day, she glared at everyone who showed interest in the bear.
"That's a... cute bear you have there," the adult chimed, squeezing the little paw. "Why don't we put him in your cubby so he doesn't get lost?"
She pursed her lips together and furrowed her eyebrows, spinning away from the teacher's waiting hands.
The teacher sighed. "Alright, Emily. You can keep your bear for today. But only because it's the first day. Tomorrow, he needs to go in your cubby with the rest of your things, okay?"
She glared at the teacher, then reluctantly nodded. Her mother had warned her that she wouldn't be able to have him with her forever. She still didn't understand why adults didn't have theirs. It was nice having someone to talk to, someone who wasn't mean and wouldn't hit you if you spoke badly. Someone who was always there, no matter what happened.
She gave the bear one last squeeze, then made her way to the seat the teacher had pointed out to her. She traced her name on the bright yellow sign taped to the desk and bit her lip nervously. Plopping down in her seat, she set Teddy on her lap and waited for instructions. The girl in the desk next to hers leaned over and whispered, "Nice bear. I have one like it, but my daddy made me leave it at home this morning."
She turned towards the girl and blinked, then glanced down at her bear. "My mommy would never take my Teddy away from me."
The girl smiled. "Your mommy must be really nice. I'm Tracy."
"Emily."
"Pleased to meet you, Emily," Tracy said slowly and regally. "I think we will be best friends."
~*~
"I don't know where he could beeee..." she wailed.
Tracy patted her on the shoulder. "Shh... it's okay, Emily. One of the boys probably took him just to be mean."
"What's going on here?" the teacher asked, looking down at the sobbing girl.
"Emily lost her bear."
The teacher sighed and tapped her foot impatiently. "Come on, Emily. You can't act like this anymore. You're growing up."
Tracy stood up and stamped her foot. "Let her be upset about it! It's a very important bear!"
The teacher rolled her eyes and walked away, leaving Tracy to comfort Emily. "I'm sure he will turn up sometime. Maybe you just left him at home or something."
"I didn't leave him at home! I had him with me on the way to school this morning, and brought him into the classroom with me!" she snapped.
Tracy held up her hands. "Sorry. I was just trying to help."
"Well, I don't want your help!" Letting out a groan of frustration, she stood and raced towards the building.
~*~
"Why the puffy eyes, sweetie?" her mom asked as she grabbed her bookbag.
"Teddy's gone," she mumbled, storming out of the building without waiting for her mother to follow. Her mother let out a sigh and quickly caught up with her daughter, then drove her the short distance home.
"Go play in the backyard for a little bit while I get dinner ready."
Dropping her bookbag unceremoniously in the front walkway, she rounded the house and opened the gate to the backyard. She kicked at the grass with her shoe and mumbled as she trudged around the yard, keeping her eyes at the ground.
Her mother slipped out of the back door to the house and set a glass of lemonade on the patio table. "Come have something to drink, sweetie."
Sighing, she walked slowly up to the table and dropped into a chair. As she reached for her lemonade, she let out a shout. "Teddy!" She rushed to the other side of the table and grabbed the bear from his resting place in one of the other chairs. "Oh Teddy, I missed you so much! Mooom... why didn't you tell me he was here?"
Her mother smiled. "You didn't exactly give me a chance to when I picked you up. I snagged him from your cubby after I dropped you off so I could fix him up a little bit. He got surgery to fix the hole in his side and got his mouth all fixed up, good as new.”
She spared a quick hug for her mother, then squeezed her bear more tightly. “I'm never letting him go again!”
~*~
She clung to it, her safety net. It had been a gift several years ago and was showing its age now. Where once the fur was soft and fluffy, now it was matted and balding in places. The black plastic eyes were scratched and pitted, a sign of a well-loved toy. As she moved through the classroom on the first day, she glared at everyone who showed interest in the bear.
"That's a... cute bear you have there," the adult chimed, squeezing the little paw. "Why don't we put him in your cubby so he doesn't get lost?"
She pursed her lips together and furrowed her eyebrows, spinning away from the teacher's waiting hands.
The teacher sighed. "Alright, Emily. You can keep your bear for today. But only because it's the first day. Tomorrow, he needs to go in your cubby with the rest of your things, okay?"
She glared at the teacher, then reluctantly nodded. Her mother had warned her that she wouldn't be able to have him with her forever. She still didn't understand why adults didn't have theirs. It was nice having someone to talk to, someone who wasn't mean and wouldn't hit you if you spoke badly. Someone who was always there, no matter what happened.
She gave the bear one last squeeze, then made her way to the seat the teacher had pointed out to her. She traced her name on the bright yellow sign taped to the desk and bit her lip nervously. Plopping down in her seat, she set Teddy on her lap and waited for instructions. The girl in the desk next to hers leaned over and whispered, "Nice bear. I have one like it, but my daddy made me leave it at home this morning."
She turned towards the girl and blinked, then glanced down at her bear. "My mommy would never take my Teddy away from me."
The girl smiled. "Your mommy must be really nice. I'm Tracy."
"Emily."
"Pleased to meet you, Emily," Tracy said slowly and regally. "I think we will be best friends."
~*~
"I don't know where he could beeee..." she wailed.
Tracy patted her on the shoulder. "Shh... it's okay, Emily. One of the boys probably took him just to be mean."
"What's going on here?" the teacher asked, looking down at the sobbing girl.
"Emily lost her bear."
The teacher sighed and tapped her foot impatiently. "Come on, Emily. You can't act like this anymore. You're growing up."
Tracy stood up and stamped her foot. "Let her be upset about it! It's a very important bear!"
The teacher rolled her eyes and walked away, leaving Tracy to comfort Emily. "I'm sure he will turn up sometime. Maybe you just left him at home or something."
"I didn't leave him at home! I had him with me on the way to school this morning, and brought him into the classroom with me!" she snapped.
Tracy held up her hands. "Sorry. I was just trying to help."
"Well, I don't want your help!" Letting out a groan of frustration, she stood and raced towards the building.
~*~
"Why the puffy eyes, sweetie?" her mom asked as she grabbed her bookbag.
"Teddy's gone," she mumbled, storming out of the building without waiting for her mother to follow. Her mother let out a sigh and quickly caught up with her daughter, then drove her the short distance home.
"Go play in the backyard for a little bit while I get dinner ready."
Dropping her bookbag unceremoniously in the front walkway, she rounded the house and opened the gate to the backyard. She kicked at the grass with her shoe and mumbled as she trudged around the yard, keeping her eyes at the ground.
Her mother slipped out of the back door to the house and set a glass of lemonade on the patio table. "Come have something to drink, sweetie."
Sighing, she walked slowly up to the table and dropped into a chair. As she reached for her lemonade, she let out a shout. "Teddy!" She rushed to the other side of the table and grabbed the bear from his resting place in one of the other chairs. "Oh Teddy, I missed you so much! Mooom... why didn't you tell me he was here?"
Her mother smiled. "You didn't exactly give me a chance to when I picked you up. I snagged him from your cubby after I dropped you off so I could fix him up a little bit. He got surgery to fix the hole in his side and got his mouth all fixed up, good as new.”
She spared a quick hug for her mother, then squeezed her bear more tightly. “I'm never letting him go again!”
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Free Write
In an effort to get back to writing, I'm starting a new feature. We'll see how long this one lasts. Essentially, it's a challenge piece. Find a picture on Flickr, and write about it. No editing, no saving, nothing. Just free writing in the blog itself. It shall be tagged 'Unscripted'. This was the challenge for many of the challenges I took part in, and I always found it interesting. Plus, it brings interest to some awesome photography.
Today's image
A picture taken in the 'Rain Room' of the Museum of Modern Art. Might just have to visit it someday.
A drop fell on the edge of the windowsill, signalling the start of the storm. The sky flashed, then let out a low rumble. The girl sighed, glancing up from the cradle of her arms. Another day stuck inside. She thought there might have been a reprieve this morning, when the clouds briefly broke and the sun shone onto the hard asphalt. But, sure enough, by lunchtime, the clouds had canvased the sky once again and darkened to an eerie gray.
It had been like this for days. Cabin fever was starting to set in, especially now that school was out for the summer, but it was a strange sort of fever. Not just restless, but dreary. As if their souls were slowly being sucked out, and they couldn't figure out what was happening. Even the delinquents had taken to their homes. The girl shook her head. Or perhaps it was just her imagination getting to her again.
She blew her bangs out of her eyes and straightened, turning her neck to work out the tension that had developed there. Another drop fell onto the windowsill, then another, and another, until the sky opened up and rain fell in sheets over the rows of apartment buildings. Sighing, she gripped the window pane and leaned forward to push the paint crusted window closed. Just as she was about to unstick it, she noted a figure on the street below. Frowning, she stuck her head out the window to get a better look. The streetlight reflected off the streams forming in the street, casting a strange glow around the figure. She squinted to try to make out the figures features and two more figures appeared, as if out of thin air. They stood unmoving, getting drenched in the pouring rain. The girl pursed her lips and shimmied her way out of the window onto the fire escape, then slowly made her way down the rusty ladders, always keeping her eye on the figures. As she got closer, the figures turned towards her. She slowed her pace, gripping the iron so tightly her knuckled paled under the strain.
"Who are you?"
One of the figures cocked her head to the side, and two more stepped out of the shadows to join the ranks. "There is no need to be afraid."
"You didn't answer my question."
The figure tilted her face towards the streetlight, allowing the girl a glimpse of her features. The girl gasped and slid down the rest of the ladder, paying no need to the flecks of old paint that scratched her skin.
"Julia!" The girl exclaimed, running and engulfing the figure in a bear hug. "Where have you been? What are you doing out here? You're no safe out here... the storm's only going to get worse!"
Julia patted her friend on the back and pushed her out to arm's length. "Don't worry. The storm won't affect us. You should get back inside now."
The girl shook her head vehemently. "Absolutely not. I'm not leaving you again."
Julia sighed and grasped the girl's shoulders with both hands. "Kandace, it is not safe here for you. You must--"
Her words were cut off by a flash of lightening, followed almost immediately by a boom of thunder, so loud it nearly knocked Kandace over. "Go! Now!" Julia ordered, facing the length of the street.
Kandace shook her head and looked down the street. Another group was forming, but instead of nearly blending into the downpour, they stood out like neon signs, glowing an unworldly orange. Kandace opened her mouth to speak, then snapped it shut. Taking a deep breath, she swiped the water from her eyes and watched as the orange group got larger.
"Kandace, now. Get back inside your home."
"Whatever you've gotten yourself into now, Julia, I'm not leaving."
"Let the girl stay. It's clear she isn't going to shut up until she does," a man called from behind them.
Julia pressed her lips into a thin line, her fist clenching in anger. "Fine, you can stay," she muttered through clenched teeth. "But don't say I didn't warn you."
@~`~~
That'll do for tonight, methinks. Got some interesting ideas floating around now. Who knows, maybe this will be my next NaNo project :)
Today's image
A picture taken in the 'Rain Room' of the Museum of Modern Art. Might just have to visit it someday.
A drop fell on the edge of the windowsill, signalling the start of the storm. The sky flashed, then let out a low rumble. The girl sighed, glancing up from the cradle of her arms. Another day stuck inside. She thought there might have been a reprieve this morning, when the clouds briefly broke and the sun shone onto the hard asphalt. But, sure enough, by lunchtime, the clouds had canvased the sky once again and darkened to an eerie gray.
It had been like this for days. Cabin fever was starting to set in, especially now that school was out for the summer, but it was a strange sort of fever. Not just restless, but dreary. As if their souls were slowly being sucked out, and they couldn't figure out what was happening. Even the delinquents had taken to their homes. The girl shook her head. Or perhaps it was just her imagination getting to her again.
She blew her bangs out of her eyes and straightened, turning her neck to work out the tension that had developed there. Another drop fell onto the windowsill, then another, and another, until the sky opened up and rain fell in sheets over the rows of apartment buildings. Sighing, she gripped the window pane and leaned forward to push the paint crusted window closed. Just as she was about to unstick it, she noted a figure on the street below. Frowning, she stuck her head out the window to get a better look. The streetlight reflected off the streams forming in the street, casting a strange glow around the figure. She squinted to try to make out the figures features and two more figures appeared, as if out of thin air. They stood unmoving, getting drenched in the pouring rain. The girl pursed her lips and shimmied her way out of the window onto the fire escape, then slowly made her way down the rusty ladders, always keeping her eye on the figures. As she got closer, the figures turned towards her. She slowed her pace, gripping the iron so tightly her knuckled paled under the strain.
"Who are you?"
One of the figures cocked her head to the side, and two more stepped out of the shadows to join the ranks. "There is no need to be afraid."
"You didn't answer my question."
The figure tilted her face towards the streetlight, allowing the girl a glimpse of her features. The girl gasped and slid down the rest of the ladder, paying no need to the flecks of old paint that scratched her skin.
"Julia!" The girl exclaimed, running and engulfing the figure in a bear hug. "Where have you been? What are you doing out here? You're no safe out here... the storm's only going to get worse!"
Julia patted her friend on the back and pushed her out to arm's length. "Don't worry. The storm won't affect us. You should get back inside now."
The girl shook her head vehemently. "Absolutely not. I'm not leaving you again."
Julia sighed and grasped the girl's shoulders with both hands. "Kandace, it is not safe here for you. You must--"
Her words were cut off by a flash of lightening, followed almost immediately by a boom of thunder, so loud it nearly knocked Kandace over. "Go! Now!" Julia ordered, facing the length of the street.
Kandace shook her head and looked down the street. Another group was forming, but instead of nearly blending into the downpour, they stood out like neon signs, glowing an unworldly orange. Kandace opened her mouth to speak, then snapped it shut. Taking a deep breath, she swiped the water from her eyes and watched as the orange group got larger.
"Kandace, now. Get back inside your home."
"Whatever you've gotten yourself into now, Julia, I'm not leaving."
"Let the girl stay. It's clear she isn't going to shut up until she does," a man called from behind them.
Julia pressed her lips into a thin line, her fist clenching in anger. "Fine, you can stay," she muttered through clenched teeth. "But don't say I didn't warn you."
@~`~~
That'll do for tonight, methinks. Got some interesting ideas floating around now. Who knows, maybe this will be my next NaNo project :)
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