Listening - MMC (August 17, 2015)

My badge from last week's challenge.

Here's another Monday's Minute entry for the challenge on Tessa Hall's blog, Christ Is Write. I used the picture prompt, and it's 298 words.



"Keep your voice down." Lana turned with a disgusted air and began making her way across the crisp Autumn leaves, hardly making a sound. She was at home here under the shelter of the trees. She was the one who had a better chance of surviving out here than I did... I wouldn't have had a chance if she hadn't found me.

I was used to being the one who had it all- the right friends, the fashionable clothes, the highest grades. Why did I know absolutely nothing about what was most important about living? I resented her. And I could not allow her to have any more power over me. "What's that? Couldn't hear you." I fairly shouted. "Could you speak a little lou-" All at once, I was on my back, a pair of grey eyes looming above my own. I would have shut up regardless of the hand that was clamped over my mouth and chin- the shock of anyone tackling me would have been enough.

She only stared for a minute. Then the words came, quiet and hard. "You think you know it all, Janice. You think you're above rules and reason just because your daddy's face could be seen everywhere? But let me tell you that if you want to have any hope of surviving out here in the big bad forest, you're going to have to do as you're told. Doesn't matter who you think has the better background or the beautiful clothes. Out here, we look out for each other, whether we think the others deserve it or not. I'm bringing you back with me, after all."

She released her hold. But all the way to the camp, I made no other sound save the crunching of leaves under my feet.

auf wiedersehen, darling

- Maddie

Forgetting - MMC (August 3, 2015)

I won first place last week:) It's awesome and cool.

This week, I used the picture prompt and the items prompt. It is a continuation of last week's story. It's 299 words long.

She looked into the mirror and faked a smile; practice for her presentation. But through the false display of happiness on her lips, she could not conceal the tears that formed in her eyes. Her glance fell on her papers - the items that held the dreaded words she would have to propose - and she stuffed them back into the manila envelope where they belonged, resisting the desire to put them through the shredder. Just as she had begun to forget and move on, something had come up again. As though losing her own daughter was not enough, she now had to give a presentation about what could be done to help missing children, leaving her emotions out of the picture.

Her hand touched the cold knob of the dresser drawer. There was the usual option. Always, she hated doing it, but for the sake of her job and her husband, it seemed the best thing to do. She would only use the smallest amount, and the effects would wear off by the end of the day. She pulled out the little bottle, and studied the label on it, though she knew from past times that it read:

SPRAY TO 

FORGET 

SHAKE WELL

The woman followed the instructions, breathing deeply. A calm came over her, and when she glanced at the bottle in her hand, she couldn't remember why she had used it. Sighing, she put it away and took out a rose petal scented perfume, putting the finishing touches to her outfit. Not long after, she heard the apartment door burst open, and David was soon in the room. "Emily, they have a lead!" His eyes were wild with joy. "They think they've found Margaret."

The woman blinked in confusion. "I'm sorry..." she said. "Who is Margaret?"

auf wiedersehen, darling

- Maddie