Henry

another short story piece for creative writing class

 Henry

I am running; running as fast as my legs can take me.  I don't know what or why I'm running.  I don't even know if I'm towards something or away.  Everything is black and white, completely devoid of color.

"Henry!"

I hear my name off in the distance, but I'm still running.  I let out a cry, hoping the voice will find me.

"Henry!  Where are you?"

The voice is closer this time.  The ground beneath me is splitting and I leap to the side to avoid falling into a giant crevice.  The sky is melting away.  Everything is falling apart.

"Henry!  Wake up, lazy boy!"

My eyes slide oped and I see Jacob staring down at me.  I look around and let out a breath, realizing that it was just a dream, and I'm still in my bed in our room.

"Come on.  Mom's getting out breakfast."

Jake runs out of our room and I assume he is going down to the kitchen.  I lazily make my way out of bed, stretching my muscles and shaking off the last bits of sleep.  I glance down at my comfy bed.  As soon as Jake leaves I am so getting back under the covers.

I make my way downstairs and head towards the kitchen.  Jake is already sitting at the table eating his eggs and bacon.  I sit down, not worrying about my breakfast yet.  I know I'll end up eating half of Jake's anyway.

Mom, known to everyone else as Sharon, comes over and ruffles the top of my head.

"Good morning, Henry.  About time you got up."

I shrug her hand away in return.  She knows I like to get my extra sleep on Monday mornings.

"Mom, can Henry and I go to the park after school? Please!"

Mom looks skeptically at my pleading brother while I silently beg her as well.  I've learned that it's best to let Jake do the talking for us.  He has a better way with words that I do.

"Are you going to do you homework first?"

"Can I promise to do it afterwards?  Please, Mom.  Henry and I need the exercise!"

Mom chuckles at that excuse.  Jacob is a whopping 80 pounds at the most. I'm pretty sure I weigh more than he does.  I'm pretty sure I could eat something bigger than him.

"Okay, you can go."

"Yes!"

Jake jumps up to hug mom while I jump up and down.  The park is our favorite place.  We even have a secret hideout that only we know about.  We found it by accident back when we were both really young.

It was winter, though I'm not sure of the date.  I just know it was really cold and it was getting late.  We had been at the park all day and hadn't been paying attention to the time or the weather.  Before we knew it, it was dark and snowing.  The wind had picked up, making it even colder.  We tried making our way home, but we couldn't figure out which way to go.  Eventually we found a small opening in a circle of bushes.  We climbed through, trying to find shelter from the cold.  While it was still cold inside the bushes, it was definitely not as cold as it was outside.

We huddled together there until Mom and Dad came and found us.  They were worried sick and crying, but happy to have finally found us.  We were just excited to be going home.

Ever since that day, every time we go to the park, we go straight for the hideout.

I lift my head as the sounds of the bus pull me out my memory.  I nudge Jake as a warning, same as I do every morning.

"Mom!  Bus is here!  I gotta go!"  Jake grabs his back pack and runs out the door.

I make my way towards the window and watch as he gets on the bus.  I hear Mom walking up behind me but I don't turn around.  I wish that I could go with him and be able to learn new things like him.  Mom puts her hand on my back and I look up at her.

"I know you wish you could spend all day with him.  But he'll be home soon."

I let out a whimper.  She doesn't get it.  I hate being stuck here all day.  Jake gets to go to school, Mom goes to work and out with her friends, and Dad even gets to go on plane rides to other countries for work.

"Hey, boy.  Do you want to go for a walk?"

My tail swishes violently as I jump up to lick Mom's face.  Maybe being a dog isn't all bad!

The Flight

Bzzzzzz

Lucy jumped for her phone lying on the desk.  “New E-mail” the screen read.  She sighed and set the phone down.  Why hasn’t he texted me yet?  It was the first time that Steve had left to go somewhere without her.  Even though it was just more training, Lucy’s heart had fallen when he told her had had to go.  She was a constant worrier and this trip didn’t help.

The plane ride down had gone fine.  The drive to the base had gone fine.  Even the training had gone fine.  Everything had gone fine, until today.  Steve had texted her that morning up until his class had boarded the plane.  That was 12 o’clock.  It was now 6 o’clock and she still hadn’t heard anything. Maybe his mom has heard something.

She dialed the familiar number, the one she had called so many times before.  Susan picked up on the second ring.

“Steven?  Is that you?”

“Well that answers my question.  Guess you haven’t heard anything either?”

“Oh, Lucy, it’s you.  No I haven’t heard anything.  I was hoping you had.”

“You don’t think anything is wrong do you?”

“I’m sure everything is fine.  They probably went for dinner after the plane landed.  He’ll be back soon.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.  I’ll talk to you later.”

Lucy felt no better than she had before when she hung up.  There hadn’t been word from Steve or anyone else on Facebook, even though the one man in his class was constantly checking in at places.  She sat back down at her desk and booted up her computer again.  The first thing that came up was her internet browser, already opened to Facebook.

She browsed her News Feed, looking for something to calm her nerves.  She clicked on the last post Steve had posted before getting on the plane: “Heading home to my amazingly beautiful fiancé.  Don’t worry baby, I’ll be home soon.”  Lucy smiled to herself, despite the fact that she was still worrying.  She was still getting used to that word.  It had been seven months since Steve had proposed, but it still felt like it had just happened the day before.

“Steve!  Wait up!  Geez, why are you going so fast!  We’re supposed to be taking a leisurely stroll, not running a marathon!”  Lucy laughed as she ran to catch up to him.

“I know, but… just come on!  We have to get there now!”  Lucy sighed as she continued to jog through the park.  She didn’t even know what was going on, but she had never seen Steve so excited and nervous.  “We’re almost there.  I promise, just a little bit farther!”

“But why do we have to run if it’s just a little farther?”

“Because you took too long to get ready before we left his morning!”

“Why do we have to be there at a certain time anyway?

“I…we…uh…you’ll see!  Hurry up!”

Lucy shook her head but kept up.  This was obviously important to him and she was interested about it herself.  In the two years that they had been dating, Steve had always been extremely laid back. He was starting the county police academy in two weeks, something he had dreamed of for as long as she could remember, and he wasn’t even this excited the day he got in.

“Does this have something to do with the academy?  I’m kind of tired of academy stuff.  I just wanted to relax these next two weeks and not think about it.”

“This has nothing to do with the academy, I promise!  Wait!  Okay, stop here! We’re here!”

Lucy stopped abruptly and finally looked around at where they were.  All around them was gorgeous white roses.  She didn’t know how she didn’t notice the smell before she saw them.

“Steve, where are we?  What are we doing here?”

“Okay just wait.  Come here.  Yes, right here.  Okay just stand there and…almost time…okay…now!”

As Steve said “now,” thousands of butterflies flew into the air, as if they were released from one hundred cages in a circle around them.  Lucy gasped at the sight of the beautiful creatures flying into the air.  She turned, taking in the sight.  As she came full circle, she saw Steve down on one knee, a ring box in his hand.

“Lucy, you have stuck by me for over two years.  We’ve been through so much together, that I don’t even know where to begin.  When things got rough, you didn’t give up, even when I was the one making it rough.  I love you more than anything in this world, and I can’t imagine starting off my life with anyone but you.  Will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Lucy could say nothing as tears formed in her eyes.  She thought back to all the wonderful things that had happened between the two of them, and all the bad things that had happened.  She thought about the fact that this was all she had wanted since their very first date.  She swallowed the lump that had risen into her throat and spoke the word he wanted to hear.

“Yes.”

“I don’t wanna close my eyes, I don’t wanna fall asleep cause I miss ya baby, and I don’t wanna miss a thing.”

Lucy snapped out of her memory, lunging for her phone lying on the desk.  It read “incoming call”, and she snapped it open before reading who it was from.

“Steve?  Steve is that you?  Where have you been?  Why didn’t you call me sooner?”

“Ma’am, I’m looking for Lucile Holloway.”

“Um, this is her.  Who is calling?”

“This is Sergeant Frost from the Jefferson County Police Department.  Are you familiar with a Steven Polk?”

“Yes, he is my fiancé.”  Lucy tried to keep her voice steady, even as the tears formed in her eyes and the lump rose in her throat.

“Ma’am I’m going to need you to come to the police station right away please.  We need to sp-“

“I know why you’re calling.  Just tell me.”  Tears were now streaming down her face.

“Ma’am I would really rather do this in person.  Please if you would just come to the station-“

“Just tell me!”

“…Your fiancé was aboard Southwest flight 327 to Birmingham International Airport.  From what we can tell so far, the plane hit a patch of severe thunderstorms.  It is unclear at this time what exactly happened, but unfortunately the plane did not make it back to Birmingham.  We have found the wreckage and search crews are currently working to locate any survivors.  I am sorry to have to tell you this, but your fiancé was among the bodies already found.  I’m sorry, but your fiancé has passed.”

Lucy dropped the phone as she dropped to the ground.  She heard the Sergeant calling to her from the speaker, but did nothing to answer him.  Instead, she stared at the picture of Steve that she had hanging on her wall from the day they were engaged.  The white roses and butterflies can be seen in the background, but the truly beautiful thing was Steve’s smile.  He was so excited and happy, like nothing in the world could bring him down.

At that thought, Lucy doubled over and began to sob.  She pictured his smiling face, not daring to let it leave her mind.  She never wanted to forget his face.  She clutched her bulging stomach, and to the thought that she at least had a piece of him left.

Lucy awoke to a baby crying.  Disoriented, she reached her arm over to wake up Steve.  Feeling only cold sheets, she woke up fully, realization hitting her like a bullet to the heart.  She checked the clock and saw that it read 3 o’clock.  Walking down the hallway and into the nursery, Lucy saw the baby lying in the crib, having his regular early morning fit.  She picked him up and cradled him in her arms, rocking him to calm him down.

“Shhhh.  Its okay, sweetie.  Everything’s going to be okay.  Calm down, Steve.”

Creative Writing

So, as I told you guys I'm taking a creative writing class this semester at College, and I promised I would share the stuff I wrote in class.  So, here is the first couple of this from my first two classes so far!



The Honeymoon
What happens when the honeymoon ends?
And you're left standing face to face
With the man you thought you once loved?
And you realize he looks nothing like
The handsome prince riding up in his suit of armor?
His horse, with the shiny white coat,
Turns into a grey donkey with a coarse mane.
The roses he carried proudly to you
Fade away into weeds, grass and thorns.
The perfect words he once said to you
Sound like a different language you can't understand.
The soft hand that held yous, never letting go,
Turns rough as it comes down to strike your face.
The soft lips he once kissed you passionately with
Contain the words he bellows as you cower in the corner.
The arms in which you used to feel safe
Now cause panic and fear to rise up in your chest.
You realize nothing is the same,
And nothing will ever be right again,
Now that the honeymoon is over.



Untitled Quick Prompt
He turned the key in the lock and opened the door.  To this horror, he saw his brand new iPad laying in a pile of Doritos crumbs on the floor.
"Daddy's home," he heard his 5-year-old son, Cody, call from the next room.  His 16-year-old daughter, Erica, bushed past him, walking out of the room he had just heard his son's voice from.
"Ya, Daddy's home.  Now I can stop playing Mom.  Hello, Steve, hope you had a nice day."
He watched her walk upstairs to her room; her sanctuary as she called it.  Just 3 years ago she had been the one celebrating his return, bounding into his lap  as soon as he sat down.  She had never been a Mama's girl.  Maybe that's what drove her away.
When Jill left 2 years ago, Erica had to become the "Woman of the House".  Steve worked all day and never was able to do the things his wife had done: cooking, cleaning, taking care of the kids.
Maybe one day he would figure it out.



This is the start of a short story, but I don't know where to take it from here:
Her lips were ruby red, like a plump cherry, ready to be bitten open.  They were the only part of her body that had not yet been touched by death.  Her face, a pale blank slate and cold as ice, once a beautiful pallet of colors: tan perfect complexion, rosy red cheeks, bright blue eyes.  Oh, her eyes.  You could get lost in those eyes.  Caribbean blue, like a perfect sea.  Boys flocked to her, begging for a chance.  But they never had one.  Only one boy ever did.  He was only gone a few days before we lost her too.  They say it was quick.  That she felt nothing.  But we all know what she felt.  It wasn't nothing.  It was the heartache of a cursed, forbidden love.  There was never a chance,.  They knew they could never be together in life.  Disgusting, wrong, unnatural, illegal.  That's how they described their love.  But what they felt was happiness, enjoyment, love, a bright beacon in the darkness of their lives.  Left to themselves in a loveless home, watching father figure after father figure walk in and out of their lives.



My journal entry for the week: imagery with the scene: "singing horribly in the car to the radio"
"One day my Prince will come," Susie sand at the top of her lungs.  It was a warm sunny day, and I was stuck driving my sister to dance practice.  My car had broken down, so I drove Uncle Jeff's old Bronco to the studio.  The cracked leather seat stuck to my uncovered things, while the monster itself smelled like Old McDonald's and Beer.  Susie's perfume, some flowery concoction that smelled like something our Grandmother would wear, only partially masked the smell.
"My first kiss when a little like this!"  I winced as Susie sang horribly off key, sounding like a howler monkey giving birth.  My sister was young and innocent, not knowing yet of criticism.  Being only 6, she wore her bright pink tutu, not worrying about what other people thought of her.  That was evident from her singing.  I never got mad at her for singing in the car.  I found it refreshing for not everything to be perfect.