August Writing Prompt
Tim Gourley
I've posted the latest writing prompt to the website:
http://geekwriters.net/2010/07/august-writing-prompt-visual-orientation/
Thanks, Dianna, for the idea! Remember to submit the story to the
mailing list, but don't include the picture--instead bring the picture
to the meeting (or send it to me directly) and we'll match up pictures
to stories then.
- Tim
James Edward Gray II
> I've posted the latest writing prompt to the website:
>
> http://geekwriters.net/2010/07/august-writing-prompt-visual-orientation/
Attached is my piece based on some pictures.
James Edward Gray II
Dana Gray
Dana
The light winked, leaving the room bathed only in the soft muted moonlight peeking in through the curtain at the window. Her footsteps retreated a few feet down the hallway, her socks whisper quiet on the porclein floor. She stopped, listened, smiled and then disappeared the rest of the way into the house. Water ran somewhere for several minutes, shut off, then she returned, her footsteps turning to the right towards her own room. Bedclothes rustled, mumbled voices whispered goodnight and finally, silence.
Leon let out a slow breath and yawned, his gaping maw revealing a set of sharp teeth. He blinked lazily in the moonlight, letting his eyes adjust to the dimness until he could see clearly. He stood and stretched, his giant paws flexing with relief. He padded over to Tigra and nudged her with his nose. “Wakeup,” he murmured softly. “It’s time.”
Tigra slowly opened her eyes and switched her long orange and black tail back and forth before climbing to her feet and yawning. “Already?” she purred, blinking sleepily at Leon. “I was having such a wonderful dream.”
“You’re always dreaming,” he replied, his consonants clipped and precise. “We have work to do. Gray swears tonight He comes.”
“Tonight?” Tigra sucked in her breath. “Is he sure?”
From his high wooden perch, a small piping voice called down, “He was lurking outside the window at dusk, hiding in the shadows. I’m sure.”
“Does she sleep?” Tigra asked, turning to Leon.
Leon turned his great head and peered into the slatted box that contained the treasure. A tiny bundle stirred and made a cooing gurgle before relaxing once again into sleep. Leon turned back to Tigra. “Yes. If luck favors us she’ll be out for several hours.”
“Pray it is so, Sire,” said a deep voice from the basket on the floor. The owner of the voice carefully extricated himself from the pile of stuffed toys in the basket and stepped into the stream of moonlight. His slivered white hair practically glowed, set off by the faded black stripes. “Should the child wake and summon the mother, both will perish this night. That must not happen.”
“It will not happen,” Leon said, tossing his maned head. Tigra stepped up beside him, echoing the same determined manner as Leon.
The light from the window suddenly winked out just as Gray’s voice floated down from on high, anxious and frightened. “Um, guys, the window.”
All three looked up. A giant shape was blotting out the moonlight, two glowing red eyes peering in. Tigra sucked in her breath, her fur rising on her neck. Leon rose, lowering his head threateningly, a low growl rumbling deep in his enormous chest. The old white cat stepped back, seeking shelter under the rocking chair in the corner.
“Go from here,” Leon rumbled. “You are not welcome. You will not take her.”
The darkness shifted. The movement was almost imperceptible. one moment the darkness was outside the window, peering in, the next it was there, facing the two cats, an amorphous blob of darkness that slowly formed into the shape of a large, black wolf, sharp muzzle lined with sharper teeth. Red eyes glowed deep in the skull and wicked claws protruded from large paws.
“It’s been awhile, old man.” Wolf grinned lazily, a black tongue lolling from his mouth. “Are you sure you are up to this?”
“You will not take her,” Leon repeated.
“Taking is so not the intention old boy. Taking is such a bother.”
“You will not touch her,” Tigra growled. Her long tail twitched back and forth. “You will turn and go back where you came from.”
“She belongs to me. I will have her.”
“Over our dead bodies,” Leon rumbled, crouching slightly, his back muscles bunched and ready to spring. His golden eyes never left the red ones.
“That would be preferable,” Wolf said. “I grow weary of this game, old boy. I must say,” he added, “I am surprised they sent you two to protect such a precious treasure.
“It ends tonight,” Tigra declared. “You will not rise again.”
Wolfe cocked an ear towards her but didn’t look away from Leon. “Many have said that. I wish you both luck. Shall we?”
“Let’s,” Leon whispered.
Wolf crouched, but Leon was faster. His tensed muscled released and he sprang forward, falling savagely on the Wolf. They fell to the floor in a snarling heap, white fangs and red eyes flashing in the darkness. Tigra stepped back and crouched beside the edge of the slatted box. With a deft paw, she swept it under the fabric drape at the bottom of the box and pulled out a bundle that looked remarkably like the bundle in the box. She held it in her mouth, peering around the corner of the box, waiting for her chance.
She didn’t have to wait long. Wolf swiped at Leon’s left shoulder, his giant claws leaving deep gashes. While Leon twisted away from Wolf, forcing Wolf to turn his back to the box. Tigra wasted no time, raising up on her back legs and dropping the small bundle into the box. She swiftly snatched the now squirming bundle into her jaws and dropped back to the floor. She set it gently on the floor, licked it’s small face tenderly once and carefully pushed it under the box, making sure the drape covered it from view.
In the time it took to make the switch, Wolf had gotten the upper hand and was reared back for the killing blow when Tigra struck. Her powerful jaws sank into the neck of Wolf and tore a steaming hunk of flesh. She spat it and ducked the berserking swing Wolf made at her head. She sidestepped him, positioning her flank forward. She grunted at the blow and then used the energy Wolf displaced to swing herself around for another rushing attack. Leon rolled to his feet and joined in the fight once more, his bloodied shoulder leaving spatters across the wall and he lunged.
Wolf dodged Leon’s lunge and skittered to the side, avoiding Tigra’s snapping jaw. With a mighty leap, Wolf jumped over the slats into the box and snatched the bundle up in his mouth and shook it violently back and forth. It took only a moment to realize his mistake. He dropped the bundle and managed to snarl “Clever” before Leon and Tigra both leaped.
It was over swiftly after that. As his life bled away, dripping down the side of the slatted box and onto the floor, Wolf lost his form and once again became an amorphous shape and then slowly even that faded into nothing, leaving behind only a sticky black muck that would be gone with the daylight.
From under the box the muffled cries of the bundle shattered the silence. Tigra fished her out from under the bed and just managed to replace her in the box and return to her position beside the box before the mother burst into the room, turned on the night light and scooped the bundle up, soothing it, oblivious to the black ooze on the floor.
On Jul 29, 2010, at 5:07 PM, Tim Gourley wrote:
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Dana
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Love like you've never been hurt.