The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!

[mariez]

The Only Constant in Life

She flipped through the mail as she slowly climbed the steps, sighing with resignation as she saw the usual bills- not another one from the doctor, hadn't she paid that? – but she stopped suddenly on the top step as she spotted the postcard from Texas and skimmed the words, her eyebrows creasing in curiosity … friend ….the 24th …drop me a line ….

She was trying to place the name Jack when she heard the loud caw and looked up, remembering what her great-grandmother had often told her:  A crow flying overhead was a sure sign of change to come.

~~~~~~~
100 Words

[MaineWriter]

Very nicely done, L.  I love getting inside Ennis's mind and you do that so well - I can hear him thinking these very words. 

Marie

Thanks, Marie!

[MaineWriter]

The Only Constant in Life

She flipped through the mail as she slowly climbed the steps, sighing with resignation as she saw the usual bills- not another one from the doctor, hadn't she paid that? – but she stopped suddenly on the top step as she spotted the postcard from Texas and skimmed the words, her eyebrows creasing in curiosity … friend ….the 24th …drop me a line ….

She was trying to place the name Jack when she heard the loud caw and looked up, remembering what her great-grandmother had often told her:  A crow flying overhead was a sure sign of change to come.

~~~~~~~
100 Words

And this is very nicely done, too! Thanks Marie!

L

[outrider]

http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,9354.new.html#new

[fernly]

the prompt was 'shrill', from 10/4


Flash of Embers

The shrill cries cut through the night, and Jack shifted restlessly on the seat of the pickup. Something was hunting.

He'd stayed by the fading fire for hours after Ennis left, telling himself he'd go too, soon as the last flash of embers disappeared, and the wavering gray ashes settled. Then he'd douse them with a few buckets of water from the creek, make sure all the heat was gone, get in his truck and go back to Texas. Not home. He still tried to imagine that one of those times, while he waited, he'd catch a glimpse of something bright, the lowering sun reflecting off the mirror or windshield of Ennis' truck coming back, carrying hope, carrying Ennis home, to him. Hadn't happened. Couldn't admit that he believed it never would.

Jack pulled off the road once he was out of Colorado and the oncoming headlights had started blurring and doubling. He turned off the engine, rolled up his extra jacket and wedged it between his shoulder and the door, leaned against the part-way open window, leaned into the cold of the glass and the night air sliding in over it. The cries came again, and then another, abruptly cut off. Something was dying.

[MaineWriter]

For today:

• Cadillac
• bright blue
• precious

Have fun!

[mariez]

Flash of Embers

...... He still tried to imagine that one of those times, while he waited, he'd catch a glimpse of something bright, the lowering sun reflecting off the mirror or windshield of Ennis' truck coming back, carrying hope, carrying Ennis home, to him. Hadn't happened. Couldn't admit that he believed it never would.

...... The cries came again, and then another, abruptly cut off. Something was dying.

Jack's longing is so palpable this killed me.  What could be more painful than the sound of hope dying?  Thank you, Fern.

Marie

[mariez]

The Only Thing

Jack made the expected admiring noises as L.D. made a show of displaying Fayette's brand new, bright blue Cadillac and then stood back, wondering at how he came to be surrounded by big houses and fancy cars, far away from Lightning Flat …..the things he wished for while looking out the window from his tiny bedroom past the lonely gravel road. 

But that young boy who was so crazy to be anywhere else didn't know so many things. Couldn't know yet what really mattered – it wasn't where or what or how.  The only thing that mattered in life was who.

~~~~~~~
100 Words

[ifyoucantfixit]

         Jack looked at what was  once a bright shiny new blue Cadillac.  Now it is rusted, with much of the paint it once held gone, and leaving open patches, and the top of the hood had only scratched, and discolored viny.l  It had places where mildew, and holes were.  You could see the metal underneath..
         It was a reminder of his own precious time with Ennis.  On the mountain.  When they were
new and shiny and full of promise. That bright blue sky.
         There life has now become like this automobile.  Beat up and full of holes.  Mildewed and broken.  Faded and Rusty. On its last legs.

1o4 wds

[mariez]

         Jack looked at what was  once a bright shiny new blue Cadillac.  Now it is rusted, with much of the paint it once held, gone and leaving open patches, and the top of the hood had only scratched, and discolored vinly.  It had places where mildew, and holes were.  You could see the metal underneath..
         It was a reminder of his own precious time with Ennis.  On the mountain.  When they were
new and shiny and full of promise. That bright blue sky.
         There life has now become like this automobile.  Beat up and full of holes.  Mildewed and broken.  Faded and Rusty. On its last legs.

Great simile, Janice.  Sad, but true.

Marie