This prompt feels like a continuation of yesterday's, so I think I might just stay with Jessica and Marlon for another day (you might argue I should write haiku since I failed rather abysmally to do so yesterday, but unfortunately I'm not listening). I suppose you could also argue that by revisiting old characters and seeing what they're up to I'm failing miserably at this prompt and not moving forward at all. To that I'll answer that the characters are moving forward at least... :)
Moving forward It was late afternoon by the time Jessica and Marlon had finished loading the truck and the sky had clouded over. Snow was falling gently; heavy flakes of wet whiteness that the windshield wipers smudged into smears as they tried to keep the screen clear. The heater was on full blast in the truck and Marlon was visibly sweating even though his feet were icy cold from the air coming through the rusted holes in the footwell. They had passed through Main Street without trouble and were heading along the curves and switchbacks of Sixticton's major hill, whose status as a mountain was still unclear and which, having erupted once, was definitely a volcano. The hotel, Mountain Valley Ranch, was on the other side set, as the name suggested, at the top of a valley and in the shadow of an official mountain. "It's the bank's motto," said Jessica thoughtfully. "Nope," said Marlon shifting gears with a stomach-churning crunch. "Theirs is Better safes than socks, but it is a new one. They had to change it after the credit crunch, from No you can't have it back." "Oh yes," said Jessica. "I remember that one, it had a catchy jingle to go with it. About Emma,...." "Who?" said Marlon. His tongue poked out between his lips as he wrestled with the steering to get the truck round a tight bend. "Emma, the one who works at WrongStart. I heard she was thinking of starting her own pre-school up and calling it MovingForward." "This isn't going to be about us having children is it?" asked Marlon. His foot lifted from the accelerator slightly and the truck slowed down. "You know we'd either have to put them in with the goats or build an extension on the house." Jessica stared out of the window for a minute, watching the snow come down gently on the world around them. It quieted all sounds except for the engine and was peaceful. Marlon watched her out of the corner of his eye. "We could fit one child in with the goats," she said at last. "And I guess we wouldn't need a babysitter." "People probably wouldn't guess what we meant if we said we'd left the kid with the nanny," said Marlon. "Maybe next year," said Jessica. Marlon didn't sigh with relief. "But no, I was actually curious about another pre-school." "Doesn't sound right," said Marlon. "I can ask Simon though. MovingForward you said?" "Possibly MovingOnward" said Jessica. "I was in the butcher's and that skinny little thug was making his usual fuss." "Hmm," said Marlon. "MovingOnward is what they were talking about calling the Sixticton prison. Something about making it into an educational facility." "How many prisoners does it have?" "Six, I think," said Marlon.
I can't believe you remembered (or found?) that post about the Mountain Valley Ranch. I knew the name before I clicked the link but I didn't remember it exactly until I reread that post.
Anyway. Appreciate the continuation of the mottos, obviously, as well as you keeping Emma in the conversation. The Sixticton prison (with it's six prisoners) sounds like a place I'd like to hear more about!
2 comments:
This prompt feels like a continuation of yesterday's, so I think I might just stay with Jessica and Marlon for another day (you might argue I should write haiku since I failed rather abysmally to do so yesterday, but unfortunately I'm not listening). I suppose you could also argue that by revisiting old characters and seeing what they're up to I'm failing miserably at this prompt and not moving forward at all. To that I'll answer that the characters are moving forward at least... :)
Moving forward
It was late afternoon by the time Jessica and Marlon had finished loading the truck and the sky had clouded over. Snow was falling gently; heavy flakes of wet whiteness that the windshield wipers smudged into smears as they tried to keep the screen clear. The heater was on full blast in the truck and Marlon was visibly sweating even though his feet were icy cold from the air coming through the rusted holes in the footwell. They had passed through Main Street without trouble and were heading along the curves and switchbacks of Sixticton's major hill, whose status as a mountain was still unclear and which, having erupted once, was definitely a volcano. The hotel, Mountain Valley Ranch, was on the other side set, as the name suggested, at the top of a valley and in the shadow of an official mountain.
"It's the bank's motto," said Jessica thoughtfully.
"Nope," said Marlon shifting gears with a stomach-churning crunch. "Theirs is Better safes than socks, but it is a new one. They had to change it after the credit crunch, from No you can't have it back."
"Oh yes," said Jessica. "I remember that one, it had a catchy jingle to go with it. About Emma,...."
"Who?" said Marlon. His tongue poked out between his lips as he wrestled with the steering to get the truck round a tight bend.
"Emma, the one who works at WrongStart. I heard she was thinking of starting her own pre-school up and calling it MovingForward."
"This isn't going to be about us having children is it?" asked Marlon. His foot lifted from the accelerator slightly and the truck slowed down. "You know we'd either have to put them in with the goats or build an extension on the house."
Jessica stared out of the window for a minute, watching the snow come down gently on the world around them. It quieted all sounds except for the engine and was peaceful. Marlon watched her out of the corner of his eye.
"We could fit one child in with the goats," she said at last. "And I guess we wouldn't need a babysitter."
"People probably wouldn't guess what we meant if we said we'd left the kid with the nanny," said Marlon.
"Maybe next year," said Jessica. Marlon didn't sigh with relief. "But no, I was actually curious about another pre-school."
"Doesn't sound right," said Marlon. "I can ask Simon though. MovingForward you said?"
"Possibly MovingOnward" said Jessica. "I was in the butcher's and that skinny little thug was making his usual fuss."
"Hmm," said Marlon. "MovingOnward is what they were talking about calling the Sixticton prison. Something about making it into an educational facility."
"How many prisoners does it have?"
"Six, I think," said Marlon.
Greg - hah :)
I can't believe you remembered (or found?) that post about the Mountain Valley Ranch. I knew the name before I clicked the link but I didn't remember it exactly until I reread that post.
Anyway. Appreciate the continuation of the mottos, obviously, as well as you keeping Emma in the conversation. The Sixticton prison (with it's six prisoners) sounds like a place I'd like to hear more about!
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