This is a challenge, where the old saying "The more the merrier" holds true, therefore: Please, remember
to go back, read other peoples' stories there or follow their links
back. And please place a comment after reading. Challenges like this one
thrives on interaction.
In July we'll find the Words for Wednesday at Lissa's blog The Memory Tourist. For July 14th we were given these ten words:
water
gather
flood
memory
linger
solace
enigmatic
neighbour
cold
destruction
I felt bad about not contributing for two weeks running. I sat down and wrote this. It is not much, even if I took up the additional challenge of using the words in the order they were given.
Sometime during the stay at Unicorn Farm, Susan and her friends meet a baddie in a cave.
The water lapped at the sandy shore, as the apprentices gathered in the early morning of a new week.
"We're in for an adventure," Jon explained. "Tonight, the full moon rose and gave us a spring flood, and it is windy - even stormy from the exact right direction. The water rose higher than it had in living memory. And in half an hour it will go as low as it will ever go. We can make it to the cave and back if we do not linger. And if we do not meet with any unforeseen obstacles."
Susan found meagre solace in the fact that it would be full daylight before they would arrive at the cave. The opening winked in the distance, enigmatic and threatening.
They walked in pairs, with a rope between them and kept a good distance, wands at the ready. Susan noticed, that her neighbour's hand holding her wand shook just as much as her own. The water, still not at its lowest, swirled around their ankles, cold, salty and clear in the slanting rays of the rising sun. They were all set for destruction of the evil being in the cave.
Maybe to be continued, given time and good prompts -- Thanks Lissa for this batch -- I might continue this story.
Ooooh. Dark and dangerous. I do hope the prompts allow you to continue (in the fullness of time).
SvarSletThank you, I love dark and dangerous openings. Let's hope for more story.
SletThis is exciting! I hope they get the task done and get home before the water rises again. My hands would be shaking too.
SvarSletThank you for your support. ... now for what's IN the cave ... ?
SletThank you for the words Charlotte, I had fun. I used them all.
SvarSlet-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Old Hag, they called her. Her visits came in the middle of the night. For about a month now. She’d stand at the end of the bed, her face lost in the folds of her cloak, a cold miasma gathering in the corners of the room. Even in the morning her enigmatic presence lingered on like an unshakable bad memory.
Clara knew there was no solace in the visitations, but a foreboding of destruction. She had heard her granny speak of such things in the long ago. But it was impossible to figure out what The Old Hag was foretelling.
When the rains started, she knew. She packed essentials. She took her horse out of the barn and whistled for the dog. The three went to the high ground behind her property to the old cabin used for butchering the hunt in the old days.
She watched as over the next few days the water slowly flooded up to the first floor windows of her house down below.
The Old Hag. The elders had it right.
She was smart to take the warning. Well told!
SletNicely done WWW, I like your warning story.
SletI like there ancient, semi-mythical warnings, thanks for the story.
SletWisewebwoman: I like how you use the prompts. Good tale.
SletHave a lovely day
This made me shiver, i hope they can destroy whatever it is safely and get back out.
SvarSletThank you - I sure hope so too.
SletThis is great, makes me want to know who the eving being in the cave is. Some mad witch or wizard? Or maybe just some poor soul trapped in the cave?
SvarSletGreat use of the prompts.
Have a lovely day.