The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!

[Clyde-B]

      According to John Twist’s pocket watch, kept safely in Mattie Twist’s apron pocket, it was late.  They decided to sleep on it until morning.  Ennis and Mrs. P. would spend the night.
      Outside, they said goodbyes to Wylie.  Mrs. P. marvelled at the sky full of stars, saying at home she was lucky to see just Venus.
      Mattie offered Ennis Jack’s old room but he said he’d feel more comfortable on the couch.  It was soon made up as a bed covered with a clean sheet pulled from the old wicker basket that had once served as Jack’s baby carriage.


     100 words

[mariez]

 ... "no Jack, but I would rather be campin with you when its rainin cats and dogs,
than to be home, by a fire warm alone." 

That's so sweet, Janice, and so true.

.....
Ennis didn’t reply.  He just took Tom’s hand in his, squeezed it tight, then brought it to his lips.  He tenderly kissed Tom’s hand, and then held it in both of his own hands.  He still didn’t answer.  He just sat there, staring at Tom.

Yes, Clyde is right - words are often insufficient.

Marie,
Hopefully Ennis will have a smart remark about already knowing that Jack was a priceless antique!  

   You know me well, Clyde.  I had the exact thought when I was writing!

 .... Mattie offered Ennis Jack’s old room but he said he’d feel more comfortable on the couch.  It was soon made up as a bed covered with a clean sheet pulled from the old wicker basket that had once served as Jack’s baby carriage.

Love the idea of J&E "sharing" that sheet.  Lovely, Clyde.

Marie

[mariez]

Happy Tuesday, drabblers:  Let's try:

• 50
• keys or keychain
• itch

Marie

[mariez]

Locked Doors

Jack made his way clumsily up the walk and stumbled on the front step.  He pulled his keychain from his pocket and shook his head slightly, trying to clear his mind of his beer and whiskey night. Damn. The light above the door was out again and he couldn't see for shit.  How had he accumulated so many keys anyway?  House keys, office keys, storage building keys, green keys, blue keys, and what the hell were those little ones for? 

He finally found the key, but rested his head against the door before he went in, a wave of despair washing over him as he felt the weight of all those keys in his hand.  The keys that opened doors to nowhere and to no one.  The key to that little cow and calf operation wasn't on his keychain, and that was the only one he had ever wanted. 

~~~~~~~
150 Words

[Cameron]

The Glistening Road

(August 1986)
Ennis just sat there, holding Tom’s hand.  Tom stared at him, but he didn’t say a word.  The clouds were still covering the sky, but there were now breaks in them from which the sun was starting to shine through.  Ennis looked at Tom, then he looked ahead at the road leading out of the town, glistening from the rain and the new light.

“So what are we goin’ to do now” Tom asked, quietly.

“I don’t know” Ennis replied.  “Whatever you decide, fine with me.”

“I know what” Tom said.  “Let’s just drive, another fifty miles or so on this road.  We’ll see what’s there, we’ll see what there is to see, and then we will decide.”

Ennis didn’t answer, he released Tom’s hand, took the keys out of the his pocket, and started the truck.  He pulled the truck onto the road, and began driving away.  They left the town behind them.  Neither of them noticed the waitress, who had come outside of the diner and watched them as they sat in the truck and then drove away.

“You never told me” Ennis said, slowly and quietly.  “In all this time now, you never did tell me.”

Tom didn’t look at Ennis, he stared out of the window, as they drove past a field with several horses lazily milling about, ignoring the two young men standing and smoking near them.

Tom stared at the young men as they drove by, then he looked at Ennis and then he closed his eyes.  “Too many things you still didn’t tell me” Tom said.

“But I need to know, you knew about me, back then, you never, ever told me how.” 

Tom looked back at the field at the horses and the young men.  He rubbed his arm, as if there was an itch, or another sensation that just wouldn’t go away.  Then he closed his eyes again.

“Why won’t you ever tell me?” Ennis asked, as they went forward on the glistening road.

[Clyde-B]

     Shirtless at full gallop, Ennis riding Cigar Butt, Jack astride Blue Monday.  Hooves spraying water, grass soaked from raining cats and dogs.  Jack taunting, “C’mon slowpoke.” 
     At Deadman’s Rift, Jack dismounted, faced the setting sun at cliff’s edge.   Ennis, rushed up behind, wrapped Jack in his arms, hugged their warm bodies close.   Together they stared into the dreary chasm at two coyotes fighting over blood-soaked prey.  Wind rushed up, pushed them back, stilled, the sun went red, Jack turned.

    The funerary container clunked off the couch.  Ennis awoke panting, heart beating wildly.  Something wrong;  Something terrifying.  Something about Jack’s face. 

    100 words

[mariez]

.......
“Why won’t you ever tell me?” Ennis asked, as they went forward on the glistening road.

I focus so much on Ennis, I keep forgetting that Tom has some things to share as well.

     Shirtless at full gallop, Ennis riding Cigar Butt, Jack astride Blue Monday.  Hooves spraying water, grass soaked from raining cats and dogs.  Jack taunting, “C’mon slowpoke.” 
     At Deadman’s Rift, Jack dismounted, faced the setting sun at cliff’s edge.   Ennis, rushed up behind, wrapped Jack in his arms, hugged their warm bodies close.   Together they stared into the dreary chasm at two coyotes fighting over blood-soaked prey.  Wind rushed up, pushed them back, stilled, the sun went red, Jack turned.

    The funerary container clunked off the couch.  Ennis awoke panting, heart beating wildly.  Something wrong;  Something terrifying.  Something about Jack’s face. 

OMG, what images you've given us.

Marie

[mariez]

Popping in with some Wednesday prompts:

• read
• instruction manual
• puzzle/puzzled

 
Marie

[MaineWriter]

Hey Marie, thanks for keeping things going! Drabblers...please join in!

And I hope all of the regulars on this thread will join us for the open house on Friday, August 24th. We'll be serving appetizers! Details are in the first message, stickied on top of the board.

Leslie

[mariez]

(Open House sounds like a lot of fun, L!)

Insert Tab A...

"Maybe I should ask my sister if they still have the instruction manual." Alma looked puzzled as she surveyed all the pieces, one hand resting on the top of her rounded belly.

Ennis snorted.  "Alma, I ain't never read instructions in my life."

"But, honey, it's the first time you've put a baby crib together, it's not like –"

He reached for the screwdriver. "First time for everything – always done just fine figuring things out on my own." Memories rushed back unbidden, and he turned away as a flush of heat spread through him. Nope. No instruction manual needed.

~~~~~~~
100 Words