Writing Promt and Update
Well, I haven't posted a prompt in a few days because I have been at my Aunt's house (house sitting sucks). I didn't get much done while I was there but what can you do? I also didn't sleep well while I was there... Eh, anyway.
I cleaned my room today. It took me a good six hours to get everything done that I wanted to get done. I rearranged, organized, dusted, vacuumed, packed up stuff to go to storage and installed a coat hanger. It was good... Yes.
Now, for my prompt.
After a violent thunderstorm, a man finds a rain-soaked diary among the debris in his yard.
The storm lasted for hours but when it finally dissipated, Jonathan opened the shutters and let in the light of the day. The sun soaked into the window panes and then oozed out and onto the floor, illuminating dust particles on its journey. Jon smiled as he looked out into the world around him. From what he could see, there wasn’t any damage done to any of the houses surrounding his own. Breathing a sigh of relief, Jon went to the front door.
Trailing Jonathan was a brindle boxer named Star (a name that obviously came from the white star shaped tuft of fur on the dog’s chest). Star was in a hurry to get outside and Jonathan was the only way she was going to get out of the house. The tall man with black hair, a muscular body and tanned skin bent down to attach a leash to a loop in his dog’s collar.
The door opened and Jon’s eyes were momentarily blinded by the golden globe in the sky. But as soon as that door was opened, Jonathan’s arm was deftly yanked by the dog that had been at his side. Star was making a mad dash for the nearest tree and if Jonathan didn’t want to follow, he was going to be dragged.
With a winning smile, Jonathan allowed Star to lead him to her favorite tree. As the dog took care of her business, Jon noticed his surroundings. He took in every detail, from the cracked pieces of tree that had fallen into the road to the occasional downed power line. He noticed the way that the sky was lit from a backlight of sun, the clouds covering darkly but being pushed away by the heavy winds that still blew. The last of the storm was over but Jon was sure there would still be rain tonight, no matter how hard the wind and sun fought for purchase.
Once Star was done, Jonathan turned around to head back inside. Instead of following through with his prior thought, Jon allowed Star to continue walking. The dog was in need of some fresh air and who was he to tell her she had to go back inside. Besides, it was only a walk around the block.
That walk went by undisturbed. No one seemed ready to come out of their houses and Jon didn’t seem to mind. He was a homebody, an introvert that only kept himself in shape because he had to. Being a wild land firefighter was a tough and demanding job.
Pulling himself out of his reverie as they rounded the corner and headed for the house, Jonathan noticed a book laying in his yard. The rain had soaked into its leather bindings but as Jon picked up the parcel he couldn’t help but opened it up. The first few pages stuck to the cover but Jonathan was careful to turn them, not allowing a single page to rip. Once he was able to view the first page, he smiled.
The ink of the book was slightly smeared but he could make out a child’s writing. Under the stamped words, This Book Belongs To, was a name. Amora Micheals.
“Well, what do you have to say, Amora Micheals?”
Jonathan tested out the name a few times as he lead Star back inside. He allowed himself to set the book to the side as he unhooked Star from her leash. He allowed himself even more time as he went to the kitchen and put a pot on to boil. He even allowed himself a few minutes to smoke a cigarette before he picked up the book once more.
“What kind of secrets are you hiding from the world, Amora Micheals?”
And then he delved in.
August 8th, 2007
Today, Mommy and Daddy fought again. I don’t know why they have to fight. Daddy says that he has to hurt Mommy because he loves her. Mommy says Daddy hurts her because he hates her. I don’t understand why Daddy hits Mommy all the time. Mommy called Aunty Laura. Aunty will be picking me up from school tomorrow and then I will be staying with her. Mommy told me not to tell Daddy because it’s impor…
Pulling him away from the words, the pot began to squeal out its announcement that the water was boiled. Standing from the table, Jonathan poured himself a cup of tea and then went back to the book.
Mommy told me not to tell Daddy because it’s important that I am safe. I’m glad that I will be going away. I want Mommy to come with me and Aunty but she said she has some stuff she has to do at home first.
Jonathan couldn’t help but continue. He had to know what happened to Amora.
August 10th, 2007
I’ve been at Aunty’s house for one whole day and Mommy hasn’t even called me. Aunty says that it’s okay and that Mommy will come join us soon.
August 13th, 2007
Aunty says that I can’t go to school because Daddy might find us. I miss my friends and I want to go to school. I wonder if Mrs. Odin misses me. I want to see Stephanie. I want to go home. I don’t even have my teddy
August 17th, 2007
Mommy came to Aunty’s house today. I was so happy. We visited for a while and then Mommy said she had to go. I didn’t understand but then, all of the sudden, Daddy pulled up in his car. Aunty pulled me into the house and then she told me to stay in my room. Then I heard Aunty and Mommy and Daddy shouting. It was scary. Then, there was a big bang. It was like the sound that I would hear from the guns on Daddy’s shooting range. Then, I heard Mommy and Aunty yelling at one someone. I stayed in my room though. I didn’t want to get in trouble. Mommy peeked her head in the door of my room and said that she loved me and that I needed to stay in my room and that everything was all right now. So, I played with my dollies. I heard Mommy and Aunty talking and I heard some other stuff. I think they went into the basement.
August 19th, 2007
I haven’t seen Daddy but Mommy is staying with me at Aunty’s house. She said that we don’t have to be afraid anymore. I’m happy that we don’t have to be afraid. I think Mommy saw that I was starting to keep a diary and now she wants to take it from me. But, I won’t tell her where it is.
And it was the last entry. Jonathan searched the rest of the pages but only saw empty sheets of paper. He assumed that the mother or the aunt had found the book. But, if the man was beating on his wife… Well, Jonathan didn’t know what he was going to do with the information he had in his hands. Instead, he put the book aside and called Star.
The one thing he needed now was a bit of fresh air. He leashed the dog once more and strode out into the cool day. People seemed to be coming out of their houses now and Jon couldn’t help but smile as his neighbors waved at him and wished him a lovely day. But, as Jon strode down the blocks from his home, he was taken back to the words in the book.
“Amora!” A voice called out ahead of him, “Stay out of the puddles, darling.”
The voice lilted and rang in the air like a beautiful wind chime. Up ahead, Jon saw a beautiful little girl skipping in puddle, clearly ignoring the words of the woman who held authority over her. Jonathan knew that this little blonde girl had to be the one who had kept such dark secrets in her diary.
“I said stay out of the puddles, Amora!” The woman called once more.
“Ah, Mommy! It’s fun.” The curly haired girl chimed back.
A smile appeared on Jon’s face as he stepped forward and toward the child. He hadn’t seen the woman yet as she sat on the porch of an old Victorian home and wasn’t clear by the road. As he stepped closer, the girl became skittish and rushed toward her mother. Jonathan was now able to see Amora’s Mommy.
“Hi, I’m sorry to bother you but, I think I have something of yours,” Jon said to the Mother. “My name is Jonathan Derrick. Do you mind if I sit and speak with you… Alone.”
Her shimmering blonde hair bounced as she nodded her head. She flashed a smile to Amora, who took the hint (with a sigh) and stomped back into the house. As she turned back to Jon, she smiled. The smile reached from her mouth to her ears and allowed her green eyes to shimmer with humor. Her heart shaped face scrunched cutely as she smiled and Jon was enraptured by her presence.
“Well, Jonathan Derrick, my name is Cathy Micheals. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Cathy stated. “What is it that you have of mine?”
Though her voice was clear and frank it was obvious that Cathy was nervous by the way she spoke each word. There was a slight tremble in her voice, a wringing of her fingers that gave her away. Jonathan was sure that she knew what this was about and she hoped that he hadn’t read the journal.
“Well, before I can give it back, I must ask you on a date, Cathy Micheals.”
Jonathan had shocked himself but the shocked look on Cathy’s face was more than enough to elude a smile to his own face. Jon laughed heartily and rolled his eyes.
“Look,” Jonathan continued, “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable but you are beautiful and if the diary is correct, you’re free to do what you want. If you say no, you get the diary back with no questions asked. If you say yes, you get the diary back with only one bit of advice.”
The shocked look on Cathy’s face and the way it paled as she stared at the strange man before her actually made Jon think he was going to have to catch a fainting woman. Instead, Cathy swallowed harshly and glared at Jon.
“What is this advice,” she demanded.
“Only that you burn the diary.”
“Why aren’t you going to tell,” she demanded once more.
“There is nothing to tell. All I can see is an overactive imagination.”
With that, Jonathan winked at the woman before him and idly scratched Star behind her ear as she sat patiently waiting to continue on down the road or back to the house.
“I’ll think about it.” Cathy responded, after a long pause.
“Great.” Jonathan pronounced. “I live at 82 West Martin Drive. Come see me anytime and I’ll return your property.”
“Thank you,” was all that Cathy could utter.
I cleaned my room today. It took me a good six hours to get everything done that I wanted to get done. I rearranged, organized, dusted, vacuumed, packed up stuff to go to storage and installed a coat hanger. It was good... Yes.
Now, for my prompt.
After a violent thunderstorm, a man finds a rain-soaked diary among the debris in his yard.
The storm lasted for hours but when it finally dissipated, Jonathan opened the shutters and let in the light of the day. The sun soaked into the window panes and then oozed out and onto the floor, illuminating dust particles on its journey. Jon smiled as he looked out into the world around him. From what he could see, there wasn’t any damage done to any of the houses surrounding his own. Breathing a sigh of relief, Jon went to the front door.
Trailing Jonathan was a brindle boxer named Star (a name that obviously came from the white star shaped tuft of fur on the dog’s chest). Star was in a hurry to get outside and Jonathan was the only way she was going to get out of the house. The tall man with black hair, a muscular body and tanned skin bent down to attach a leash to a loop in his dog’s collar.
The door opened and Jon’s eyes were momentarily blinded by the golden globe in the sky. But as soon as that door was opened, Jonathan’s arm was deftly yanked by the dog that had been at his side. Star was making a mad dash for the nearest tree and if Jonathan didn’t want to follow, he was going to be dragged.
With a winning smile, Jonathan allowed Star to lead him to her favorite tree. As the dog took care of her business, Jon noticed his surroundings. He took in every detail, from the cracked pieces of tree that had fallen into the road to the occasional downed power line. He noticed the way that the sky was lit from a backlight of sun, the clouds covering darkly but being pushed away by the heavy winds that still blew. The last of the storm was over but Jon was sure there would still be rain tonight, no matter how hard the wind and sun fought for purchase.
Once Star was done, Jonathan turned around to head back inside. Instead of following through with his prior thought, Jon allowed Star to continue walking. The dog was in need of some fresh air and who was he to tell her she had to go back inside. Besides, it was only a walk around the block.
That walk went by undisturbed. No one seemed ready to come out of their houses and Jon didn’t seem to mind. He was a homebody, an introvert that only kept himself in shape because he had to. Being a wild land firefighter was a tough and demanding job.
Pulling himself out of his reverie as they rounded the corner and headed for the house, Jonathan noticed a book laying in his yard. The rain had soaked into its leather bindings but as Jon picked up the parcel he couldn’t help but opened it up. The first few pages stuck to the cover but Jonathan was careful to turn them, not allowing a single page to rip. Once he was able to view the first page, he smiled.
The ink of the book was slightly smeared but he could make out a child’s writing. Under the stamped words, This Book Belongs To, was a name. Amora Micheals.
“Well, what do you have to say, Amora Micheals?”
Jonathan tested out the name a few times as he lead Star back inside. He allowed himself to set the book to the side as he unhooked Star from her leash. He allowed himself even more time as he went to the kitchen and put a pot on to boil. He even allowed himself a few minutes to smoke a cigarette before he picked up the book once more.
“What kind of secrets are you hiding from the world, Amora Micheals?”
And then he delved in.
August 8th, 2007
Today, Mommy and Daddy fought again. I don’t know why they have to fight. Daddy says that he has to hurt Mommy because he loves her. Mommy says Daddy hurts her because he hates her. I don’t understand why Daddy hits Mommy all the time. Mommy called Aunty Laura. Aunty will be picking me up from school tomorrow and then I will be staying with her. Mommy told me not to tell Daddy because it’s impor…
Pulling him away from the words, the pot began to squeal out its announcement that the water was boiled. Standing from the table, Jonathan poured himself a cup of tea and then went back to the book.
Mommy told me not to tell Daddy because it’s important that I am safe. I’m glad that I will be going away. I want Mommy to come with me and Aunty but she said she has some stuff she has to do at home first.
Jonathan couldn’t help but continue. He had to know what happened to Amora.
August 10th, 2007
I’ve been at Aunty’s house for one whole day and Mommy hasn’t even called me. Aunty says that it’s okay and that Mommy will come join us soon.
August 13th, 2007
Aunty says that I can’t go to school because Daddy might find us. I miss my friends and I want to go to school. I wonder if Mrs. Odin misses me. I want to see Stephanie. I want to go home. I don’t even have my teddy
August 17th, 2007
Mommy came to Aunty’s house today. I was so happy. We visited for a while and then Mommy said she had to go. I didn’t understand but then, all of the sudden, Daddy pulled up in his car. Aunty pulled me into the house and then she told me to stay in my room. Then I heard Aunty and Mommy and Daddy shouting. It was scary. Then, there was a big bang. It was like the sound that I would hear from the guns on Daddy’s shooting range. Then, I heard Mommy and Aunty yelling at one someone. I stayed in my room though. I didn’t want to get in trouble. Mommy peeked her head in the door of my room and said that she loved me and that I needed to stay in my room and that everything was all right now. So, I played with my dollies. I heard Mommy and Aunty talking and I heard some other stuff. I think they went into the basement.
August 19th, 2007
I haven’t seen Daddy but Mommy is staying with me at Aunty’s house. She said that we don’t have to be afraid anymore. I’m happy that we don’t have to be afraid. I think Mommy saw that I was starting to keep a diary and now she wants to take it from me. But, I won’t tell her where it is.
And it was the last entry. Jonathan searched the rest of the pages but only saw empty sheets of paper. He assumed that the mother or the aunt had found the book. But, if the man was beating on his wife… Well, Jonathan didn’t know what he was going to do with the information he had in his hands. Instead, he put the book aside and called Star.
The one thing he needed now was a bit of fresh air. He leashed the dog once more and strode out into the cool day. People seemed to be coming out of their houses now and Jon couldn’t help but smile as his neighbors waved at him and wished him a lovely day. But, as Jon strode down the blocks from his home, he was taken back to the words in the book.
“Amora!” A voice called out ahead of him, “Stay out of the puddles, darling.”
The voice lilted and rang in the air like a beautiful wind chime. Up ahead, Jon saw a beautiful little girl skipping in puddle, clearly ignoring the words of the woman who held authority over her. Jonathan knew that this little blonde girl had to be the one who had kept such dark secrets in her diary.
“I said stay out of the puddles, Amora!” The woman called once more.
“Ah, Mommy! It’s fun.” The curly haired girl chimed back.
A smile appeared on Jon’s face as he stepped forward and toward the child. He hadn’t seen the woman yet as she sat on the porch of an old Victorian home and wasn’t clear by the road. As he stepped closer, the girl became skittish and rushed toward her mother. Jonathan was now able to see Amora’s Mommy.
“Hi, I’m sorry to bother you but, I think I have something of yours,” Jon said to the Mother. “My name is Jonathan Derrick. Do you mind if I sit and speak with you… Alone.”
Her shimmering blonde hair bounced as she nodded her head. She flashed a smile to Amora, who took the hint (with a sigh) and stomped back into the house. As she turned back to Jon, she smiled. The smile reached from her mouth to her ears and allowed her green eyes to shimmer with humor. Her heart shaped face scrunched cutely as she smiled and Jon was enraptured by her presence.
“Well, Jonathan Derrick, my name is Cathy Micheals. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Cathy stated. “What is it that you have of mine?”
Though her voice was clear and frank it was obvious that Cathy was nervous by the way she spoke each word. There was a slight tremble in her voice, a wringing of her fingers that gave her away. Jonathan was sure that she knew what this was about and she hoped that he hadn’t read the journal.
“Well, before I can give it back, I must ask you on a date, Cathy Micheals.”
Jonathan had shocked himself but the shocked look on Cathy’s face was more than enough to elude a smile to his own face. Jon laughed heartily and rolled his eyes.
“Look,” Jonathan continued, “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable but you are beautiful and if the diary is correct, you’re free to do what you want. If you say no, you get the diary back with no questions asked. If you say yes, you get the diary back with only one bit of advice.”
The shocked look on Cathy’s face and the way it paled as she stared at the strange man before her actually made Jon think he was going to have to catch a fainting woman. Instead, Cathy swallowed harshly and glared at Jon.
“What is this advice,” she demanded.
“Only that you burn the diary.”
“Why aren’t you going to tell,” she demanded once more.
“There is nothing to tell. All I can see is an overactive imagination.”
With that, Jonathan winked at the woman before him and idly scratched Star behind her ear as she sat patiently waiting to continue on down the road or back to the house.
“I’ll think about it.” Cathy responded, after a long pause.
“Great.” Jonathan pronounced. “I live at 82 West Martin Drive. Come see me anytime and I’ll return your property.”
“Thank you,” was all that Cathy could utter.