I run a writing/publishing group called Avoid Writers’ Hell and posted a writing challenge there based on a picture. Maximum word count was 250. First place gets her choice of my Avoid Writers’ Hell books or one of my other titles if she already owns them. Second place will have her short featured in my next author newsletter with links to her sites/work.
Here are the top two entries. Minor editing has been done to the entries only for punctuation and missing or extra words.
Untitled
by Nix Winters
Word count 250
That day lingers. Right before the tears that’s when you never crossed. My fingers feel the silken rope, how it slides under younger fingers, how the cord tingled across my skin with the promise of your hand in mine. Handfasted, handfasting, just one more hour, then our hands will clasp, holding love between us. My elder sister will wrap this cord around us, speaking words that now, that I’ve waited so long to hear, and yet, they float away now, ashes in the night air.
It’s tattered now, our cord. Blacks become grays. Whites become gray and I in the middle, fingers bent and silken cords feel no greater to me than fish scale or the melting candle of time. I am not gray. I am there, waiting, the incense of our promise to be swirls into the waiting air. That I smell as keen as if the incense pot had not really burned to empty, the dawn not come with cruel truth.
Maybe…. my life has been gray. My heart sat there, but my body walked through days and nights. It’s been so long since I spoke to you, my love, but maybe, I feel colors returning. This night, it is brighter with stars than I remember and someone else’s incense burns for a love just starting.
“Mara.”
Your voice is the sparkling gold of the stars, red of sunrise, green of spring. You’ll never be gray.
“Mara, come with me.”
….
“Hey! The Old Woman is dead!”
Runner-Up
Unforgiving Love
by Mary Paul
245 Words
The night was growing darker as Tamika stared tumultuously across the driveway leading to the back door of Kierra’s house.
She lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply, trying to ease the tension and hurt that lingered deep within her soul. Within the next twenty minutes, her most immediate problem will have expired. Tamika butted out the remainder of her cigarette and placed it back in the box so not to leave any evidence behind.
Tamika took a deep breath as she glanced around one last time. She couldn’t afford to be seen going into the house.
“I’m surprised to see you,” Kierra said as she closed the door.
“We need to talk about last night,” Tamika responded coldly as she made her way to the kitchen table.
“I was just going to change into my night shirt. Pour yourself a glass of wine if you’d like while I change.”
Tamika spotted a full glass of wine on the kitchen counter. Tears glistened in her eyes as she eased the vile from her pocket and watched the last droplets of poison trickle into the glass. Slowly, she walked toward the open window. Panic rose in her throat as she heard the sound of the glass against the counter top.
“I’m sorry, I can’t talk right now.” She took a deep, ragged breath as hot tears trickled down her cheeks.
“So long my love,” Tamika whispered once she was outside.
March 25th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Nice job, ladies!! Big congrats.
March 25th, 2009 at 11:24 pm
Great work ladies!
March 26th, 2009 at 1:11 am
Very nice, both you lady did great!
March 26th, 2009 at 1:19 am
Congratulations winners!
Carpe Noctem,
Des
Desirée Lee
Putting the Romance Back in Necromancy
http://www.desireelee.com
des@desireelee.com
March 26th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
Nicely done ladies. Congrats!