FF - The window curtains moved but no one was home

[JillStar]

Fast Fiction is just that... fiction written fast. Please visit What is FAST FICTION for more information.

Look at the subject for today's Fast Fiction at the end of this post... once you have the slightest beginning to your story… begin to write. Don't stop to ponder the meaning behind your writing or try to "fix" it so it's perfect... just write.

If you want to include your Fast Fiction finished product on WordTrip, simply add it to this thread. We would love it!

REMINDER: Please keep your stories PG13 if posted on the site.

... try to stick to the 30 minutes time limit... ready, set... WRITE!

SUBJECT: The window curtain moved but no one was home.

[JillStar]

Hey Timber... here's one.

[timberline]

I'm just discovering this prompt and think I have a story ready to write. When/if finished I'll plunk it down at Facebook's Fast Fiction Friday. Wordtrip is a ghost town. Gives me the willies!

[JillStar]

spoooooooooooky

[timberline]

Jesus, I totally forgot. Will try to put my memory in sleep mode till I can work on it. /Tkx!

[timberline]

This is fact, not fiction. And I've adapted the "moving curtains" theme.
The Things She Left Behind
Judy complained uncharacteristically of being tired and in pain, and half an hour later she was gone.

The months since then have been long and difficult, costly in terms of burial arrangements and mental turmoil, and unusually quiet with just half the household noise and even less conversational chatter.

Slowly, I’m uncovering the bits and pieces of her life that I wasn’t aware of. There is loose change in the pockets of her jackets hanging in the closet. Clothes and purses and scarves that still have store tickets attached. Our children’s greeting cards for Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day from years ago. Utility bill receipts from a decade ago.

Tucked in her bedside table were half a dozen hung bau, little red envelopes Asians use to gift children or elders with money on the Lunar New Year. Each contained a $20 bill. These — along with the clothes and purses — were gifts just in case someone came to our house and was celebrating an event. These were stored and ready just in case she suddenly needed a birthday present or there was a surprise guest during a holiday.

All I have left are the things she left behind.

We took Judy home to Northfield, Mass., for burial in the cemetery where she’ll be with my parents, brothers, grandparents and great-grandmother.

And then a curious thing happened. Following the service, the pastor came to me and said, “While you were speaking this leaf fell on your shoulder.”

I take it as an omen, that Judy was listening. And I have more to think about than the things she left behind.

[JillStar]

This is very nice... a small look into the life of a thoughtful and kind woman and the man who remembers and cherishes her.

[timberline]

Funny that this piece of creative non-fiction was subbed to and rejected by .kv.r.y. , then sent to Chicken Soup and a new (to me) inspirational pub called Guideposts. Best bet would be Guideposts, and a friend there said she looked at it and would bring it to the attention of the Editor. Doesn't hurt to have friends in the right places. Short of that, I've pubbed it in the mag that serves our 55-plus community.

[JillStar]

Nice that you are being published so much Timber... that is awesome! I suppose over time a person would have lots of connections the more they do and do and do.

[timberline]

It's the big-frog-in-a-little-puddle syndrome.

[JillStar]

[JB]

Howdy, "trip" people...how's it been going lately? It has been so long, I almost forgot my password

I hope all is well with y'all and it would really be nice to get the forum busy again...

[JB]

Just for kicks....and to get back to writing ..my take of the ff assignment...

The window curtain moved but no one was home...

well physically anyway...

"That's cuz it's old man Mallory's ghost in there," my older sister, Cory said in her know-it-all tone.

"Stop scarin Trish, Corybory," I said quickly looking back at our seven year old sister. All I got was a painful poke in the ribs.

"Shut up, Michael," Cory said. "Trish ain't scared."

"Uh-huh,"

"Trish...are ya scared?"

Silence.

"Well...ARE you?""

No answer. Trish was running towards home with the speed not seen since the day mom yelled it was time for her birthday cake and ice cream.

"Chicken-shit!" Cory screamed at the top of her lungs at her sister.

"You better not let mom or Mallory's ghost hear you. You know mom will get out Bonko (our name for dad's paddle) and blister your butt and Mr. Malloy-well no tellin' what HE would do to ya."

"Don't care," Cory smirked. "I'm not worried about some dumb old ghost and I'm too old to spank...momma said so."

"Yeah, it's the soap for you-I almost forgot."

"Mikey, shut the hell up."

"I'm tellin' MOM!"

"No you will NOT...I will beat you within an inch...."

Cory stopped suddenly.

"Mikey....LOOK!!"

I saw her pointing towards the curtain in the window. It was pulled all the way to the side as if being held with an invisible hand.

"It's Mr. Mallory's ghost!"

"Yeah? Well, he heard you cussin' and he is gonna get ya Cory."

"OH NO HE IS NOT!!"

And with that, all I saw of Cory was a streak of yellow headed home screaming the whole way.

As I looked towards the window and gave it a thumbs up sign, Mr. Malloy smiled at me and closed the curtain.

[JillStar]

Hey JB... nice job! Always a nice feeling to get into writing... like eating your favorite food that you've denied yourself.

[JB]

thanks jillstar...hopefully since I broke my stupid leg, maybe I will slow down enough to do some actual writing. Have been thinking about my Conv with God lately. Maybe it's time to revisit that one. We'll see--in the meantime, maybe another ff idea??? jb

[JillStar]

I've been posting the fast fiction prompts on a separate blog rather than here on wt because it's been so quiet and the site has had quite a few issues. It's located here, for now.

http://fastfictionfriday.blogspot.com/

[JB]

ok..sounds good. I will check it out

[JB]

ok.checked it out...Clicked the facebook link and said page is unavailable. With what I read, you want to post any responses on our own blog (which I don't have yet), correct? OR can I post it here (and there)?

Also, is there another facebook page I missed? I will keep searching.

[JillStar]

I clicked on the FB link and it worked... maybe you have to be logged in first?

There aren't a lot of followers but that's where I link to the posts on the blog. You can post where ever you like... not a lot of people but it will give you some prompts.

https://www.facebook.com/FastFictionFriday

[timberline]

Hey, JB, this is a so-called "closed group." But you can come on in with a sincere desire to do some prompts. Jill is the prompter and I'm the only one writing.

[JillStar]

I do better creating prompts for others than for myself... kind of funny, actually. I love writing poems based off of photos though!

[JB]

Hey I like photos too...good inspiration. I'll check out the link and see about doing another prompt.

Hi Timber!! Long time! Enjoyed The Things She Left Behind post-well done, sir.

Things are quiet here. Anyone heard from Charles or Mudge lately?

[JB]

Yep...the link opened up jill...you do have to be logged in. go figure...

[JB]

So, the FFF - The burglar stole worthless items... or were they? should be posted here? or a new post?

[JillStar]

Hi JB. There are two places on FB for FFF. First is the link I provided above. That is the PAGE where I post a link to the blog where the FFF prompts are created. Basically I'm posting in three places... the blog, the page, and the group.

The page is the link I posted before: http://fastfictionfriday.blogspot.com
The group is here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/112317862205018/

Log into FB (assuming you have an account?) and go to the group mentioned above. It says it's closed but all you have to do is request to join and then I'll approve your request. Once you're in there you can post your work or chat with everyone.

WT at the moment is mostly dead. I am in contact with Charles and Mudge to get permissions to work on the site but I believe this version of the forum is outdated so much that updating it is not enough. A full upgrade is necessary and that probably costs money. The security is too low for us to just step in and work from where we are now. If I get something going again, I will let everyone know.

In the mean time, we are on FB. I did create a page for wordtrippers but it hasn't become very popular yet. Maybe someday?

https://www.facebook.com/wordtrippers