Week 10: Distance, Framing, Alienation

The eve of Christmas, most families go to church or sit around a tree opening pajamas to wear Christmas morning. That Christmas eve,  I sat in my drab and dimly lit apartment, alone. My thoughts were the only thing I had, and they were doing little to comfort me. I sighed and swiped underneath my eyes, both fingers were covered in black, goopey mascara. Outside, it began to snow and the wind whistled and howled as it swept through the trees out back. Normally, such a night would have been perfect for a windowsill reading and a hot cup of caramel vanilla tea. A few hours later, I had moved to the couch. I was curled up in the fetal position, while tears quietly escaped my eyes and added to the dark puddle already on the couch. Suddenly, my phone vibrated. Fear leapt into my throat and momentarily I could not breathe. I inched my fingers towards the phone and flipped it open. One new text message. I opened the phone with closed eyes. Determinedly, I opened my eyes to read the message, it said "She is gone, I'm so sorry".

Week 10: Prompt 3

Our typical Sunday consisted of watching tv and cuddling on the couch. As I flip through the channels trying to find our favorite show, The Walking Dead, I glance at you. You are texting, so immersed in your phone you don't even notice my gaze. I squint my eyes and make out the name of your texting recipient. It says nicole. My breath catches in my throat, but I keep quiet. I peel my eyes from your phone and look at the tv and gently call your attention to our show. You pretend to put the phone away, but I know better. That night, as you sleep next to me, gently snoring, I stew in anger. You leave for work the next day and I pretend to be asleep, you don't even try to kiss me goodbye. The minute your car leaves the driveway, I hop out of bed and quickly pack my things into my car. Then I wait for you to return, relishing the words I will say. I hear the car door slam and the crunch of your boots across the gravel driveway, your key scrapes as you unlock the door. You enter the apartment and I hear you swear and your pace quickens as you enter the bedroom. Your eyes sweep around, listing all of the things that are missing from the room. Finally your gaze settles on me. "You said you would always be faithful but, but, how was I supposed to know that you meant not faithful to me but to her?"

Week 10: Prompt 2

The figure lumbers towards me, a gaping open mouth is all I see. The fingers are outstretched and the eyes are vacant as they stare beyond me. Instinctively, I pick up the closest item towards me. It is a large tree branch. It feels heavy in my hand and I slowly bounce and twist it in my hand finding the perfect grip. Sweat drips down my forehead and into my eyes. I am so glued on the figure that I do not take the time to wipe it away. The swear stings my eyes and makes me blink. When I open my eyes again, the figure is closer then I anticipated, I raise the tree branch....and then I woke up and it was only a dream.

Week 10: Prompt 1

I open and close my mouth, words do not come out. I twiddle my thumbs instead, and nervously twist my hair. The nerves are driving me crazy. The ugly brown hospital socks itch my feet and I nervously rub them together to ease my restless leg syndrome. I softly sing the tune to Jeopardy. I can't see my face, but I'm sure it is etched in fear and my pupils are like pins. The pain in my neck in unreal, and the swelling still refuses to go down. I'm sure when I am better, I will laugh at how much I look like Frankenstein. "All I need is bolts" I muse. The doctor comes in, a large needle is in his hand. As he prepares it, I turn to my mother, pleading her to help me. She smiles and nods at me. The doctor turns to me and grabs my face so that he can insert the needle into my neck. Suddenly, my mother grabs my hand and squeezes it as hard as she can. The needle pricks my skin, but I feel nothing.

Week 9: Vigenette

She looked at picture in a wedding magazine. The images within were soon snipped away and unceremoniously taped to a page in a scrap book. The girl stared at the images for a long while, then glanced in the mirror. A pimple face, braces and glasses wearing pre-teen stared back at her. She sighed and shoved the mop of brown hair back off her face. She had decided long ago that no one could possibly love her.

***

The doctor peered through the gigantic contraption, the girl stared back through it and could see that the doctor's face was magnified, as he twisted knobs, he became farther and farther away. The doctor leaned back and said, "How would you like me to fit you with contacts?". The girl squealed in delight.

***

She walked into school, her shoulders were held higher then normal, and the confidence in her head had radiated to her entire body. The minute she walked into her classroom, all eyes seemed to turn to her. It was as if every boy in her glass had finally seen her for who she was. She struck her most model like pose and smiled widely. 

***

She swiped the makeup brush on her cheek and then smiled at herself in the mirror. Satisfied with the result, she set the veil upon her head. Her face was smiling but her eyes were sad. She looked scared and lost. She hastened her resolve and marched to the waiting area where her father stood, ready to give her away.

***

The judge banged his gavel, and a paper was shoved into her hand. Dissolution of Marriage was emblazoned across the top of the papers. She looked up, he was gone. 

Week 9: Prompt 3

I came, I saw, I conquered


I sat in the shop, waiting for my car to be fixed. I listlessly flipped through a three year old magazine that had odd stains and splotches throughout the covers. The lady running the counter was something out of a movie. Bright red lipstick, curly hair that she twisted around her finger and lip smacking gum that irritated me to no end. I glanced back to my magazine more out of boredom then necessity. Suddenly a mechanic came out of the shop to talk to "Gum Smacker". He is tall and blonde with bright blue eyes. Dirt and grime is smeared across his face and hands which give him a rough look. When he is done talking to the woman, she whispers something back, and for a brief moment my ears can take a rest from the incessant gum chewing. When they finish their conversation, "Blue Eyes" glances over at me. He smiles and winks, the feeling in my chest is electric. Suddenly I awake from my daydreaming and glance over at the man sleeping next to me. He opens his blue eyes, then slowly smiles and winks at me.

Week 9: Prompt 2

You never know what you have until it's gone.

Everyday for breakfast my mom would feed me oatmeal. Everyday since I can remember, I have hated having oatmeal for breakfast. I would take drastic measures to try and avoid her daily serving of oatmeal, but she was smarter than I. She always seemed to be able to see through my little schemes. Eventually, I gave up. However, I dreamed of the day of when I lived on my own, and I could eat whatever I wanted. When I moved out, my first trip was to Walmart to pick up some groceries, and as you can imagine, oatmeal was not amongst them. That first morning, on my own, I sat down to a liberally filled bowl of Cap'n Crunch. After eating a few bites, I found that I missed that damn oatmeal.