Open the envelope and look inside
I was looking through "my documents" on my desktop and I decided to read through some of my start and stop fiction I have filed away there. It's funny to me, but most of the time after I write something I don't much remember how it goes. The first story I posted here is one of the few I've ever gone anywhere with. More are closer to the following:
Realization came suddenly to Sam. One moment he was drifting on a silvery, placid lake with only a puddle of stars above him to keep him company. The next moment he realized that he was cold, wet, and alone and he didn’t remember the reason why. He became aware of a rythmic pounding and found that it was the waves slapping up against the sides of the boat and sloshing over the sides. The water was frothing angrily at Sam’s feet, hitting his legs with icy daggers. In the darkness he stared at the churning water, both in the boat and out, and started to panic. Rowing furiously he made for the shore, though it seemed impossibly far away. The smooth outline of the beach stretched unending and unchanging, neither near or far, an illusion of safety. He kept going, though, he certainly had no better option. When at last the boat slid up onto the sand, he flung himself out and stumbled up the beach a safe distance before collapsing. For the moment his only thought was pure relief. Then as his heart began to slow and his muscles to relax, his brain began to sort the puzzle of where, when, and why he came to be just where he was.
It all began with Anna. Anna of the flaxen hair, the lips of red, eyes so blue they were almost blinding. She was one of those women that you couldn’t help staring at. The way she moved, laughed, talked, smiled, slept, ate, breathed, existed was in perfect harmony. It was not a shiny veneer, either, she was bona fide. And she belonged to Sam. Or at least, he belonged to her. For some reason that Sam could never quite figure out, Anna had decided he was "the one." There was nothing really special about him. He was fine to look at: rich brown hair, Irish green eyes, and shoulders broad enough to lean on. He was fit and clean cut, paid attention to his clothes without going overboard, and he loved to laugh. That was probably what settled it all for Anna; when Sam laughed you couldn’t help but join in. And of course, Sam was loyal. Once he had made a promise, he would always keep it. Anna liked that. It was never something they talked about, it was just something that was. From the first moment that Sam held Anna’s hand, they were set on a path that led to a lifetime together. Sam never even popped the question, but Anna wore his diamond ring on her right hand in expectation.
And it was while they were in this blissful state that I came into the picture, pleasantly unaware of the unspoken vow. It was Sam’s laugh that caught my attention, but for a different sort of reason than Anna. Anna liked the way it sounded, I liked the way it felt.
Now if you bothered to read all that, you should know this is where it ends in my file. I actually quite liked reading it and wanted to see where it would go. Not that I think it's some extraordinary piece of fiction but one of the more interesting starts and stops I've fashioned. There are a few more in there that I found interesting to read and depending on how exposed I feel after posting this I might post more of them.
Of course, this could be a great way to drive my readership from 10 to 2 (we know mom and dad will always read it). Speaking of Mom and Dad, I have the best parents in the world. Thanks for all you do and all you are and all you make me hope to be.
Realization came suddenly to Sam. One moment he was drifting on a silvery, placid lake with only a puddle of stars above him to keep him company. The next moment he realized that he was cold, wet, and alone and he didn’t remember the reason why. He became aware of a rythmic pounding and found that it was the waves slapping up against the sides of the boat and sloshing over the sides. The water was frothing angrily at Sam’s feet, hitting his legs with icy daggers. In the darkness he stared at the churning water, both in the boat and out, and started to panic. Rowing furiously he made for the shore, though it seemed impossibly far away. The smooth outline of the beach stretched unending and unchanging, neither near or far, an illusion of safety. He kept going, though, he certainly had no better option. When at last the boat slid up onto the sand, he flung himself out and stumbled up the beach a safe distance before collapsing. For the moment his only thought was pure relief. Then as his heart began to slow and his muscles to relax, his brain began to sort the puzzle of where, when, and why he came to be just where he was.
It all began with Anna. Anna of the flaxen hair, the lips of red, eyes so blue they were almost blinding. She was one of those women that you couldn’t help staring at. The way she moved, laughed, talked, smiled, slept, ate, breathed, existed was in perfect harmony. It was not a shiny veneer, either, she was bona fide. And she belonged to Sam. Or at least, he belonged to her. For some reason that Sam could never quite figure out, Anna had decided he was "the one." There was nothing really special about him. He was fine to look at: rich brown hair, Irish green eyes, and shoulders broad enough to lean on. He was fit and clean cut, paid attention to his clothes without going overboard, and he loved to laugh. That was probably what settled it all for Anna; when Sam laughed you couldn’t help but join in. And of course, Sam was loyal. Once he had made a promise, he would always keep it. Anna liked that. It was never something they talked about, it was just something that was. From the first moment that Sam held Anna’s hand, they were set on a path that led to a lifetime together. Sam never even popped the question, but Anna wore his diamond ring on her right hand in expectation.
And it was while they were in this blissful state that I came into the picture, pleasantly unaware of the unspoken vow. It was Sam’s laugh that caught my attention, but for a different sort of reason than Anna. Anna liked the way it sounded, I liked the way it felt.
Now if you bothered to read all that, you should know this is where it ends in my file. I actually quite liked reading it and wanted to see where it would go. Not that I think it's some extraordinary piece of fiction but one of the more interesting starts and stops I've fashioned. There are a few more in there that I found interesting to read and depending on how exposed I feel after posting this I might post more of them.
Of course, this could be a great way to drive my readership from 10 to 2 (we know mom and dad will always read it). Speaking of Mom and Dad, I have the best parents in the world. Thanks for all you do and all you are and all you make me hope to be.
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