Three Word Resolution 2014

Trifextra: Week Ninety-Nine

We're asking for your own resolutions in just three words.  Make it count; we'll be checking back in come 2015. - See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.pXULT6t7.dpuf


Find my place

I've been absent lately.  Not writing.  Not reading.  Thinking about both, but not getting either done.  I have plans in the works.  One project being worked on for me.  Many projects ricocheting around my head.  

Weatherin' the Storm

Write at the Merge, Week 47

This is my 201st post.  Wish I was writing more.  But...life.  I brought Willa, the psychic realtor back for this one. And it may be a little long.
The prompts for this week are: 
“Then the lights went out.”

The quote:

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

I

Willa stood on the walk in front of the sixth and final house on her list.   She'd been on her feet since nine am, inspecting each property, noting cupboards, opening closets, counting bedrooms and baths.  

Her notebook was filled with remarks for each listing.  One home needed exterior paint.  Another had a roof that wanted patching.  The bungalow needed a bachelor to keep it company, the modest ranch begged for a young couple just starting their new life.

Not only did Willa see the physical needs of the homes she contracted to sell, she felt the personalities of them.  

The sixth home of the day was a rambling two story in an old neighborhood. The lawn was well kept and the wide front porch invited visitors. She cut her exterior inspection short as clouds began to roll in, bringing the gusting winds and first cold drops of a storm she vaguely remembered being forecast.

Willa ignored the building gale as she focused on her checklist. It wasn't until she heard tornado sirens blaring that she realized how intense the storm had become.

Her first thought was to hurry home, but when she opened the front door, the roaring wind drove her back inside.  She'd never been afraid of heavy weather, but the rattle of small limbs being hurled against the windows and greenish cast to the sky warned her to take cover.

Ducking into a hall closet, she knelt on the floor waiting for the worst to pass.  It was the crash of breaking glass that finally made her heart pound with dread.

She tucked herself into a corner and closed her eyes while murmuring a small prayer.  Another crash induced a squeak of terror and she squeezed her eyes shut tighter.

The small space suddenly filled with the smell of gardenias.  Willa felt herself enveloped in a warm embrace.

"It's alright, baby girl.  I got you."  The voice was calm, filling her head but not her ears.

"Ain't no puff of wind gonna get you in here.  This house has solid bones."

Willa began to relax, listening to the voice reassure her.

"This house has deep roots, grown in hard work and love.  The oldest in this here neighborhood."

"Our people been livin' here for generations. We was here before this city sprung up.  When this was just a little scratch farm, full of family and joy."

Willa leaned into the embrace, listening to the story of lives and loves.  

"Wake up, baby girl.  Time to go, the storm is passed."

Willa felt a nudge urging her to her feet.  She opened the closet door a crack.  The last light of day streamed through the windows.   She made a mental note to call her handyman to board up the one that was broken. 

She gathered her belongings and stepped outside.  A gasp escaped her as she surveyed the rest of the street.  

An abandoned house several doors down had lost much of its roof.  Another home's garage had been leveled, and three trees had been uprooted.

Willa turned to look at the sixth house of the day.  The old two story stood straight, radiating strength.  The only damage was the one broken pane of glass.

She smiled,"Solid bones.  I know just family for you."

Stocking Up

Trifextra: Week Ninety-Two
Another round of 33 words for the Weekend Challenge.  Congratulations to the Trifecta winner from earlier this week.  I'm still playing catch up on the reading! 

Now, on to the weekend prompt...
In The Scorpio Races, author Maggie Stiefvater writes, "It is the first day of November and so, today, someone will die."  Give us the next thirty-three words of this story, as you imagine it.  Take it wherever you like, but make it original and make it 33 words exactly. If you want to find out more about Maggie Stiefvater, check out her Twitter here and her Facebook here.  If you use her words on your page, please be sure to credit her. Good luck! - See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.TWXI7eNy.dpuf

Here's my submission:


You were all asked to be frugal with last month's rations.

Abigail did best, with two weeks worth left.

Be sure to thank her for the additional food as you wish her farewell. 



.

Bad Company

 Trifecta: Week 101 

On now to our weekly prompt.  It's our last Halloween-inspired prompt of 2013, and we can't wait to see what you've got in store for us.  Please remember that we are looking for the third definition of our prompt word.  Please also note that we need the word exactly as it appears below.  No tense changes allowed.  Good luck!

boo 

1 (interjection)
used to express contempt or disapproval or to startle or frighten

2 (noun)
a sound that people make to show they do not like or approve of someone or something

3 (verb) to show dislike or disapproval of someone or something by shouting “Boo” slowly

- See more at: 

http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.ONrid52N.dpuf



It started with misplaced objects.  Candy would hang her keys on the hook, or lay her glasses on the bedside table.  When she went to retrieve them, they'd gone missing.  She would find the items eventually, in strange places.

At first, she ignored the implications.  But as the places she found her belongings became odder and odder, she began to believe something outside the normal was happening.

Candy would return home to find all the kitchen cabinets wide open, or all the books in the bookcase turned backwards.  All the classic signs of a haunt.  She wasn't overly concerned, in fact, she began to carry on one-sided conversations with her invisible house mate.

"You know, this is annoying.  Why don't you be useful and wash up the dishes."  She never received a reply, and felt she had nothing to fear.

However, any guests she had found plenty of things to fear.  They were poked, had chairs pulled from under them, or saw shadows where there shouldn't have been any. They all left hurriedly, and nothing could convince them to come back for a visit.  

"You have to leave my friends alone!"  Candy received her first reply in the form of a malicious chuckle.  

The activity ramped up after that.  Candy wasn't feeling so fearless anymore.

She burned sage, sprinkled salt, recited prayers, and demanded the spirit leave.  She was rewarded with more chuckles and even a ghostly raspberry.

Candy finally convinced on more friend to visit.  He stopped by on a particularly blustery day.  

"Thanks so much for coming over, I'm out of ideas," Candy said as she took his coat and scarf.

"Not a problem at all.  Ready to get started?"  He straightened the collar at his throat.

From the far corner of the room, they heard a subdued voice intone, "Well, boo."

No Longer on the Honey-Do List

Trifextra: Week Ninety-One

It’s now time for some Trifextra fun. Thirty years ago, Roald Dahl published the book Dirty Beasts, a collection of poems for children about weird and wonderful animals. The last poem, however, is called The Tummy Beast about a boy who thinks there’s someone living in his belly. Your Trifextra challenge is to write 33 words on a beast in an unusual place. No swamps or forests or caves, we really want you to take your beast out of its comfort zone. - See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.5bmuSf5m.dpuf

"Get your coat! We gotta go!"

"What?"

"You know the beastly hair clogs I'm always fishing outta the bathroom sink?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, this one just climbed out by itself and snarled at me."

No Powerful Magic

Trifextra: Week Ninety 

Congratulations to the winners of Week 99!!

On now to our quick little Trifextra prompt.  Katherine Paterson, author of Bridge to Terabithia, wrote, “It's like the smarter you are, the more things can scare you.”  We are looking for a 33-word explanation of what scares you (or your character). - See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.mGhTrElE.dpuf

I've searched all the mystical places I've built inside my mind.

And weep, for there is no spell, nor enchanted sword

To protect the children from the monsters that walk here 

Among us 

A Dose of Bravery

Trifecta: Week Ninety-Nine
This week we are giving you a page from the Oxford English Dictionary.  The ninety-ninth page, to be exact.  (Click to enlarge.)  From this page, you can choose any word, any definition, to use in your post.  (Please type your chosen word in bold, so we know.)  And instead of our typical 33-333 word limit, we are asking for 99 words exactly. - See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.HmMOjuhJ.dpuf

Write at the Merge, Week 42

Your inspiration this week comes from the words “anticipation” and “leap.”







Two prompt muddled together this week. Here goes....



She measured the cinnamon with an iced tea spoon and half a thought. Added it to the brown sugar and nutmeg nestled atop a dollop of butter. She used he same spoon to lightly blend.

Her tea kettle began to hum over the flame, She anticipated the whistle of the imminent boil.

She poured Bacardi into the over sized mug, perhaps a little more than the recipe called for, then added the heated water, perhaps a little less.

Her story glowed from the laptop screen.  With a leap of faith, she hit publish.