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Weekly Contest #58
Delia sat in the front passenger seat of the car, practicing her nonchalant expression. She felt her shoulders creeping up to her ears and her jaw stiffening as her muscles clenched. Her fingers curled into fists. She shook her head, closed her eyes and tried some deep breathing exercises. “In, one, two, three, through the nose, out, one, two, three, through the mouth,” she intoned silently to herself. She was just starting to relax a fraction when the driver’s door slammed. She immediately recoiled into a spring of tension....
Weekly Contest #57
Fortunately, since she could hardly see through the rain, Ellen could have found her way to the house blindfolded after her many years of employment. She gave up on the battle to keep her umbrella from turning inside out. She turned up her collar, tried to ignore her squelching shoes and hurried on. Old Lady Dorothea had been irascible, demanding and hard to please. Ellen had been her housekeeper, companion, cook... she really didn’t know exactly what her position was, but she’d lived there for years. Ther...
Weekly Contest #56
Mollie trailed up the steps of the town house behind her great aunt Susie, gritting her teeth and wishing she were anywhere else, as Susie pressed the doorbell. She winced as Auntie Susie began to rap on the door with the imposing brass knocker almost immediately. “Give it a moment,” she protested. “They haven’t had a chance to come to the door yet.” “No time like the present,” said Auntie Susie, her little black button eyes gleaming in her soft, wrinkled face. “At my age, there’s no time to waste.” Molli...
Weekly Contest #55
The room’s subtle palette of white decor glowed in the soft light of the discreetly hidden lamps, making a wonderful backdrop for Diane’s clinging burgundy dress Her diamond wedding ring glittered as she swept her glossy blonde-streaked hair back, smiling sweetly. “Please make yourself comfortable. Will you take care of the drinks, Gerald, darling? I’ll have a gin and tonic.”Moira plumped herself down into an overstuffed armchair and patted her grey bob back into place. “Gerry, you kn...
Weekly Contest #54
Ruby approached the book shop nervously. She had never attended an event like this. Her favorite author Marybelle Mortimer was here today to sign copies of her newly released romantic novel, “Passion and Power”. The line already stretched around the corner. Ruby fished her copy out of her handbag. Marybelle’s immaculately made up face smiled at her in soft focus from the back cover, her chin propped on her perfectly manicured hand. The heroine stared defiantly from the front cover, emerald green eyes sparkling under a sweep of blond tresses....
Weekly Contest #48
Doris opened the door and welcomed her guests, waving at Mr. Hodges, her neighbor, who was trimming his hedge. He blushed and averted his gaze as Hortense, an ample Jamaican lady, blew him a kiss. Doris covered her smile.“Nosy old coot. He’s out there chopping that hedge every time we come. It’s going to be down to a nub soon,” said Hortense.She settled herself on the couch next to Judith and Maude. Lillian sat down primly in the armchair. Doris wheeled in the hostess trolley and began to distribute teacups and pour tea. Doris was famous for...
Weekly Contest #47
You wanted to make a grand entrance to keep him waiting, but all you did was shoot yourself in the foot by allowing her the opportunity to make the first move. She was already fawning all over him when you got there. That’s what you get for spending all that time dithering in front of the mirror. The red dress or the blue? These earrings or those? Hair up, hair down? As if any of it disguises the fact that she's young enough to be your daughter. You did find a plastic surgeon’s card lying on the dressing table the other day. Was that a hint ...
You opened my letter? You are my daughter and that was a very disrespectful thing to do. You are trying to deny me this correspondence with a friend, one of the few pleasures left? You might be concerned, but it’s not necessary for you to get involved in things that are none of your business. You wouldn't like it if I opened your mail and butted into your life. If you must know, Nicholas is a good friend of ours from our youth. He, your father and I all went to college together. He got in touch to offer condolences after your father died. I...
Weekly Contest #46
Millicent had always wanted to write. She had never confided this to anyone but her cat Mortimer. He was an uncritical listener unless she was late feeding him because of her daydreaming, but quick to forgive once his plate was full. Millicent had received a few good grades for essays in high school English a hundred years ago and some compliments on reports she’d had to write for her job. She could picture the ridicule, or worse still, the embarrassed silence that would ensue if she told anyone she knew that she wanted to ...
Weekly Contest #45
Hello! I hope you didn’t have any trouble at the gatehouse. I did call to let them know you were coming. I like your hair. Is that style what you young people call dreadlocks? We don’t see that much here, so the guard might have been a little concerned. So, you’re studying scientology? Oh, sociology! You’re doing research on why people choose to live in gated golfing communities? That is so nice. Come and sit down and we can chat. Annie, dear, could you bring the tea to the sitting room, por favor? Her name is really ...
Weekly Contest #44
The hissing and chugging of the engine made it almost impossible to hear as passengers surged to and from the train. People craned towards each other, lipreading and gesturing. Civilians threaded their way through the groups of soldiers and sailors, some jostling and joking, others weary and silent. Everyone seemed to be clad in shades of grey, blending with the gloomy miasma of steam and smoke, pale faces momentarily illuminated as they passed under the weak lights before disappearing into the chilly dusk. There were joyful reunions and som...
Weekly Contest #43
Ruby slipped as she was descending the ladder and cursed as a graceful arc of splatters landed on the floor from the wet paint brush. For the umpteenth time she wished she hadn’t listened when Eric told her that it was a great idea to fix up this old house, but he was nothing if not persuasive. Those house flippers on reality television with their glossy hair and white teeth made home restoration look much easier than it was in real life. As she was on her knees wiping up the mess, Eric appeared, his guitar case slung on hi...
Weekly Contest #42
Linda walked up to the nurses’ station, bracing herself.“Hello, I’m here to see Mr. Paul Harrington. I’m his daughter. I was told he’s been in an accident?”.“Ah, yes.” The nurse scanned the screen in front of her. “May I see some ID, please?”Linda handed over her driver’s license. The nurse looked at Linda as if about to say something, then stopped herself.“He’s in surgery. Please have a seat in the waiting room. We’ll alert you when he’s in recovery.” She handed Linda a buzzer. “Linda! Sorry I just missed you in the parking lot. How’s your ...
Weekly Contest #41
It had been a beautiful spring morning when they set off. Now icy needles of rain from a sudden late spring storm stung Madrigar’s face as she struggled up the narrow, muddy path. Clammy fog rolling down the mountainside reduced her vision to a few yards. Pebbles bounced off into grey silence below as she slipped. Groping along the slick rockface with her fingertips, she suddenly fell into emptiness, landing hard on her knees. Recovering her breath, she realized she was in a small cave. Grateful to be out of the bitin...
Weekly Contest #39
Where the purple silhouette of the mountains met the horizon, the sky was faded gold. It blended up into dusky, red-streaked orange and jade green and faded into the deep ink blue of night. The darkness of the balcony was blocked out with bright yellow rectangles of light from the patio windows behind her. Diane could hear soft music and muted conversation. Out here no one could see her consignment shop dress. She stared enraptured as a shimmering canopy of stars appeared. Evie’s voice broke into her reverie.“Big sis, where are you? What’re ...
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