The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!

[mariez]

(Congrats, on 100 pages, drabblers.  Here's one,.... continuation of 'The Neighbor')
     . . . .
Ennis looked back at him.  Two days and nights that almost made him forget.  But it made him remember more too. . . . .

Beautifully expressed, Marl. And congratulations to you!  I just noticed that you've reached 1,000 posts!    Hope to see more of Ennis and Tom.

              The operator interrupted the conversation.  Jack said'' Ennis?''  There was a pause,'' you ok, cowboy?"  Ennis just lowered his voice,  ''thats the last thirty cents in my pocket Jack.  gotta go..''  ''Ennis,
Ennis.''  Huuuuuuuuummmmmn the line was dead.

 37 wds 

I love these short ones, Janice!  You really packed a punch in 37 words.

Marie

[Cameron]

Thank you so much, Marie.  BTW, I just loved your latest drabbles.

Janice, excellent mini drabble!!!

[Cameron]

Getting Up

(August 1985)
“So you're goin’ to come inside?  Tom asked again.  “I really want ya to.”

Ennis just looked at him with vacant eyes. “I think I’m just goin’ to go to bed, I gotta get some sleep”  he said quietly, almost in a whisper.

“You sure?  Fine, suit yourself.”  Tom said, and sighed, a soft exasperated sigh.

“You know, I just wish you’d once and for all just make up your mind, a couple of days we’re together, and then your gone again”  he said, looking right at Ennis  “Maybe you just need to move on.” 

Ennis stared at him, his eyes were no longer vacant, but were suddenly full of fire.

“Just cause I want to sleep in my bed one night, and I get this from you now” he said, getting up out of the chair.

“You know, I’ve been……”  Tom said sharply, but then he suddenly stopped.  His eyes softened, and his voice became low.   He paused, then said softly “it’s just that I worry about you, man.  How long have we known each other now?  Months, and you keep takin’ steps back.  There’s a whole wide world out there, if it’s not goin to be me, then someone else, but I just can’t stand to think of you all alone, in that shitty little trailer.”  He grew silent, then looked at Ennis with a sly smile.  “But that was some time we had, sure hope its goin’ to be me.”

Ennis sat back down.  He looked at the ground.  Then he looked up at the sky, all dark now with the twinking stars.  He faced Tom, with his twinkling deep blue eyes.

“Sometimes….. Sometimes I feel like, I dunno, like I just fallen, and I can’t get up, even if I try…..  Just all of a sudden….you know.”  Ennis said with a quiver in his voice.

“But I’m here now, to help you up.”  Tom said.  Then he stood up, walked over to Ennis and took him into his strong arms….  “It’s time to get up now”  Tom murmured, as he buried his face in the nape of Ennis’ neck……

[MaineWriter]

Good morning everyone,

Try these prompts today:

• ravioli
• the solar system
• "every little bit counts"

Have fun!

L

[mariez]

Getting Up

 . . . “Sometimes….. Sometimes I feel like, I dunno, like I just fallen, and I can’t get up, even if I try…..  Just all of a sudden….you know.”  Ennis said with a quiver in his voice.

“But I’m here now, to help you up.”  Tom said.  Then he stood up, walked over to Ennis and took him into his strong arms….  “It’s time to get up now”  Tom murmured, as he buried his face in the nape of Ennis’ neck…… 

I love the honesty of this drabble, Marl.  Ennis's torment is a perfect fit for that prompt.  Great job. 

Marie

[mariez]

Little Bits

Lightning Flat, Wyoming
September 15, 1953

"Are we done yet, momma?" Jack was hopping from foot to foot, anxious to be done.  He had been helping his momma paint his old chest of drawers for what seemed like hours.

"Not quite, honey," she pointed with her brush to the back of the chest.   "We've got a little bit of paint left and we might as well use it up – every little bit counts, you know." 

"Yes, ma'am." Jack sighed as he picked up his brush. It looked good to him. What was the point of painting the back of the chest that no one would see? 


Sage, Wyoming
September 15, 1953

"It don't look right, momma."  Ennis was standing back, looking at the chest of drawers they had been painting.  "The back is a different color now."

Mrs. Del Mar smiled at the serious look on her son's face as he inspected his handiwork. "Well, there's a little paint left in the can, and there's no sense in wasting it, we might as well make every little bit count, don’t you think?"

"Yes, ma'am," Ennis said, reaching purposefully for his brush. 

~~~~~~~~
193 words

[cathyinaz]

I wish I could write, but alas it is not one of my talents.

I really love this thread and I thank all the authors for sharing their special gift with us.  BIG HUGS!

[Cameron]

Thank you, Marie. Your kind words always mean so much to me.

Thank you also for another wonderful dual-drabble.
I am so glad you starting writing too.

Thank you, Cathy, I am so glad you have been enjoying the drabbles.

But I'd bet you could write fine ones too.

Marl

[Front-Ranger]

19

Both were just 19 when they first laid eyes on each other by the old office trailer in Signal.

19 miles they were driven from signal to the drop off point the next day, to begin the summer hearding sheep.

19 hours later, sheep pastured, camp set up, the two fell into a deep sleep side by side in a canvas tent. In the days  that followed two young men came into an easy, familar campanionship each would only know with the other, campfire stories of bull riding, tails of growing up orphaned,raised by an older brother and sister who now had lives of their own .

On the 19th day one man returned to camp to find the other gone not returning from packing in supplies. No sign of him, the minutes and hours passed by, a well of fear rose to the one by the fire only slightly tempered by the whisky, on the brink of tears, something bad must have happen to keep the one so steady away. Hours after dark the exhale of the horses breath is heard with the hoofs on the ground and a gentle command to halt. With a voice almost shaking one spoke "Where the hell ya been? Came down fron the sheep...no supper?" and then he saw the bloodied face of his friend. "What the hell happened Ennis?" A rag was soaked in hot water offered for comfort. "Came upon a bear is what happen'd...mule scatteered...lost most of the food....beans 'bout all we got." An elk was shot the next morning, that nite much hungered for sustanence eaten in conforting silence side by side in the lite of the fire.

19 days and 11 more from the time they met, a cold nite by the fire, singing songs of the Pentecost, shared bottle of whisky, the herder proclaimed it was too late to ride to the sheep...sleep by the fire against warnings of "You'll freeze your ass of once that fire dies down."  later shivering to the bone his friend called out. "Ennis...quit yer hammerein' 'n get you ass in here!" On that cold nite each found new life in the other, hardly imagined before by either.

19 years, almost 20 would bring on the last time the pair of men would ever meet. Reunited by a five cent postcard four years after that summer, the two men would meet two mosly three times a year, one asking for the sweet life together, the other saying it just can't be but wishing for it just as much.

At lasat I found the famous "19"! Reading it is a beautiful way to start my day...I'm gonna read it again on the 19th!! Hope you are having a good sojourn, jp...

[mariez]

Happy Friday, all - popping in with some prompts:

• responsible/responsibility
• 3:00 a.m.
• moonlight

Marie