The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!

[ifyoucantfixit]

          Ennis paid the cashier.  Walked over to the table, and pulled the worn wooden chair out, and sat.  He was
still wanting something else, after his meal of mac n cheese, at the bus station diner.  He picked up the
fork, and wondered about the job he had done today.. The one he had to finish tomorrow.  Those old
fence lines had to be finished before the winter feeding started.  Jack had been on his mind all day.  He
would never be able to get the vision out of his mind.  That last day at the trailhead.  The big fight.  Not that it was that different from the ones they had had before.  But somehow it seemed more painful than the
others.  His gut still ached when he thought on it.  He sighed, before taking another bite of the pie.  The crust was like he liked it.  Nice and crispy. dry and not soggy.  All in all it was ok.   I don't know how i can get off again in August, I was right about Stoddamier not wanting to let any hands get time off...He hadn't even bothered to ask, cause Fred Talley had asked and was given a no! In no uncertain terms. He didn't want to be responsible for losing his own job now. He still had a few more months of child support.
          He refocused on his pie.  Dammit Jack.   I sure hope you ain't gonna be too mad at me when I drop you that card, lettin you know it will for sure be September for i can get out there again.  He heard someone enter the side door of the station and saw the slim young lady with blond hair, accompanied by a tall cowboy.
He glanced up and saw when she turned, It was Cassie!!  She saw him.  Said something to her companion.  Turned and marched in his direction.

[Cameron]

The Stream of Moonlight

(August 1985)
Ennis rolled over and looked at the clock. It was 3:00 AM.  He looked at Tom, asleep beside him.  He had a look of peace on his face, with a little hint of a smile.  Ennis sighed.  He hadn’t planned on staying with Tom.  He wanted to go back to his trailer, and try to get some sleep, in his own bed.  But it just happened, and he was here with Tom.

Ennis rolled over and faced the window.  The moonlight was streaming in, breaking up as it reached him.  He knew there would be no more sleep.  He got up and went to the door and stepped outside.  The night was clear, the stars were sparkling, the moon was full and bright.  It all came rushing back.

“Hey, where are you, Ennis, you still here?” Tom called, his voice drowsy and deep.

“Yeah, I’m here” Ennis heard himself saying.  He looked at the moon once again, felt the pain suddenly growing within him.  But he closed the door and went back the bed.

Tom’s hands were on his back, moving slowly up and down, then from side to side.

“That was somethin’ else” Tom said huskily, and Ennis could feel his warm lips moving with his hands.  He closed his eyes and imagined that the hands were the familiar ones he so longed for.

“You know, when I’m with you, I ain’t responsible for anything I do” Tom said and laughed.

Ennis opened his eyes and looked at the stream of moonlight, the hands were now all over him.  He lay back down, into Tom’s arms, but he still saw the shining moon and the sparkling stars before his eyes.

(284 words)

[mariez]

......His gut still ached when he thought on it. . . . .

Yep, mine does too.   

. . . .  He lay back down, into Tom’s arms, but he still saw the shining moon and the sparkling stars before his eyes. 

Every time he looks up at those stars I can hear him telling Jack that he's sending up a prayer of thanks . . . .    I hope Ennis can find his way through all his conflicting emotions.

Thanks,
Marie

[MaineWriter]

Hello drabblers,

Today, try these:

• three ring binder/notebook
• charcoal briquettes
• planned escape

L

[mariez]

Lost and Found

It was past 2:00 a.m. when he let himself into the house, the only sound the ticking of the grandfather clock at the end of the hallway.  He headed straight for the refrigerator to grab a beer and then made his way quietly into the living room, where he sat on the edge of the couch and took his boots off. As he lay back wearily, he felt something under his back and reached up to turn the lamp on.  He sighed in resignation as he pulled Bobby's missing English notebook out from under the cushion.  He flipped through the notebook, frowning slightly at all the red marks, until one page caught his eye.  "Describe something blue" was written at the top. 

        The bluest things I have ever seen are my dad's eyes.  I wish my eyes
        were blue like his.  When I was llittle, I thought that my dad's blue eyes
        were always smiling eyes. Even when his mouth wasn't smiling, his eyes
        looked like they were happy.  But maybe I just can't remember, because
        now his eyes look different.  They are still the bluest things I have ever
        seen, but now his eyes are never smiling eyes.  Now, even when his mouth
        is smiling, his eyes are always sad. . . . .   

Teardrops fell silently from the sad blue eyes onto the page, the ticking of the grandfather clock still the only sound in the house.

~~~~~~~~
244 words

[Dagi]

Lost and Found

It was past 2:00 a.m. when he let himself into the house, the only sound the ticking of the grandfather clock at the end of the hallway.  He headed straight for the refrigerator to grab a beer and then made his way quietly into the living room, where he sat on the edge of the couch and took his boots off. As he lay back wearily, he felt something under his back and reached up to turn the lamp on.  He sighed in resignation as he pulled Bobby's missing English notebook out from under the cushion.  He flipped through the notebook, frowning slightly at all the red marks, until one page caught his eye.  "Describe something blue" was written at the top. 

        The bluest things I have ever seen are my dad's eyes.  I wish my eyes
        were blue like his.  When I was llittle, I thought that my dad's blue eyes
        were always smiling eyes. Even when his mouth wasn't smiling, his eyes
        looked like they were happy.  But maybe I just can't remember, because
        now his eyes look different.  They are still the bluest things I have ever
        seen, but now his eyes are never smiling eyes.  Now, even when his mouth
        is smiling, his eyes are always sad. . . . .   

Teardrops fell silently from the sad blue eyes onto the page, the ticking of the grandfather clock still the only sound in the house.

~~~~~~~~
244 words

 

just don´t have no words...

[ifyoucantfixit]

         Dear Marie, that is simply breathtaking.  You are really getting good at these. 

               
                            but now his eyes are never smiling eyes.

[fernly]

Oh, Marie, you took my breath away.
Just beautiful.

And the way you structured it, with the so specific, seemingly mundane details, and then...omg

          Even when his mouth wasn't smiling, his eyes
        looked like they were happy.  But maybe I just can't remember, because
        now his eyes look different.   

[MaineWriter]

Hello everyone,

Give these a try today:

• paradoxically
• a long lost memory
• green earrings

L

[Cameron]

The Visit

(September 1985)
There was a knock on the door. Ennis was sitting at the table, lost in his thoughts.  Thoughts of the last few nights, and days with Tom.  The knock grew louder.

“Daddy, are you there?”

Ennis jumped, his heart skipped a beat.

“Daddy!!!”

Ennis raced to the door.  Alma Jr. was standing there, with a worried look on her face.  “Daddy, is everythin’ okay?”

“What are you doin’ here?”

“Daddy, I’ve been so worried about you.  I’ve been calling and calling but you don’t answer the phone.  It’s been weeks.  Where have you been?  I’ve come lookin’ for you, but you’re never here.  Daddy, I’ve been so worried, what’s goin’ on?”

Ennis stared at her.  It was almost as if he didn’t recognize her.  She was wearing the blue shirt and earrings with the green beads that she had since high school, but she looked so much older than the last time he saw her.

“Junior, I’m fine”  Ennis said  “Sorry, you okay?  Is the baby okay?”

“Daddy, everyone is fine” Junior replied, but a shadow crossed her face.  “But what’s goin’ on, why aren’t you ever here?  Why don’t you come over?”

Ennis stared at the ground.  He nervously glanced inside.  But Tom wasn’t inside, he left earlier that morning.  He gave Ennis a big warm kiss and held him tight and said he would be back later.

Ennis looked at Junior’s face.  Suddenly a long lost memory came back to him, a memory that he tried so hard to forget all these years.  Junior had the same look on her face that time, that awful, snowy night.

“Hey, you.”  Ennis was jolted by a shout.  He looked up.  Tom was approaching them, with a broad smile on his face.

Junior turned and stared at Tom as he walked up to the trailer.  “Hi there!” Tom said and held out his hand to Junior.  She shyly shook his had, then looked back at her father.

“Junior….this….this is…..”. 

Ennis’s eyes darted back and forth, from Junior to Tom and back to Junior again.  Tom had a sly smile on his face, Junior looked confused.

“Junior, this is… this is… Tom…..”