The exercise:
We've been doing yearlong prompts since 2013, so the list of stories has grown too long to summarize as I usually do at the onset of the new prompt. Suffice it to say that between myself, Greg, and Morganna we have come up with nine story starters of a rather impressive variety. So what shall we do to keep things interesting this year?
How about some Daily Writing Practice nepotism?
I have asked my eldest sister Nicky (I have two older sisters. Sue is the middle child and I never, ever know how to refer to her - my younger older sister? Not that Nicky is likely a fan of being called the eldest. Or Nicky, for that matter. You should probably call her Nicole. I'm incapable of doing so, as I've called her Nicky my entire life and I'm not about to stop now.) to... okay, I got pretty wildly off track there. Allow me to try that again.
I have asked my sister Nicky to provide our opening for 2022. She has kindly accepted this dubious honor and has provided the below to get us started. So, without further ado or blathering or what not, let us get: Out of the Woods.
Nicky's:
My feet ached and my shoulders were rubbed raw but I could not stop a grin from spreading across my face. We had done it, we'd finally done the multi mountain traverse - so many miles, so much climbing, but we. Were. Done. My buddy was speeding up, as always, as we neared the trailhead parking lot. Both of us were more than ready for the clean clothes than we left in the car and to drop our packs. Getting our muddy boots off would be a nice bonus. I gave a short laugh and called forward.
"So, do you think the zombie apocalypse finally happened while we were off the grid this time?"
His laughter trailed behind him at my usual question as his steps led him faster and faster toward his truck. We'd find out soon enough, but I was always certain that I could handle anything after carrying everything I needed to survive on my back for days. The trail flattened out and I could see something glinting through the trees.
2 comments:
Clearly Ms. N is your first sister and Ms. S is your second sister and you, as the obviously spoiled immaturest child, should show them more respect. At least, that's the conclusion I assume you wanted me to reach :)
I am very much in favour of our new guest author, and rather like this opening. There's just enough back-story without railroading (not that I think railroading ever succeeded, not even in Mejaran back when we started), there's a couple of interesting characters, and there's an open setting. I am already curious to see what's going to happen... and I think I might start off with that glint.
Mine:
My buddy stopped abruptly in front of me and I punched him lightly on the arm as I drew alongside.
"What, you forgot which car was ours?" I said. Then I looked where he was looking and that glinting resolved itself into a wide river between us and the trailhead parking lot. "Well. This is new," I concluded.
"Uhuh." He sounded lost in thought though my only curiosity was how much longer I would have to wait for my change of clothes.
"Think we can get across?" The water was moving quickly as far as I could tell but I would wade across since I could see the car on the far side, so dry clothes would be only minutes away.
"Hmm." That was not a good sound to my ears. "This seems pretty deep, you know. Like, we'd have to swim."
"It's too fast to swim," I said quickly. I didn't mind getting wet if I knew I'd get dry again fast, but I'm not a strong swimmer.
"Yeah, I think so too. Do you remember what was on this side of the parking lot when we got here?"
That was a good question; I cast my mind back. We'd been here a couple of times in the past, usually just trekking one mountain or another, not the whole lot, but I'd never really paid that much attention to the parking lot. Why would I when we had those wonderful mountaintop views to look forward to?
"Gravel?" I guessed. "I remember a dip, but... it's not like there was a ravine."
"The parking lot doesn't look flooded," he said, pointing. There were sweat patches under his arms. "But I can't see the bottom of this either. So... how fast does water have to flow to cut that much ground away so fast?"
"And where's it coming from?" I said. Then I thought about what he'd just said and tugged his sleeve. "Let's step a bit back from the edge."
He looked at me curiously and then I saw his face clear as he thought the same about the water undercutting where we standing and we retreated a little.
"I guess we'll have to find a way around," he said and I nodded agreement. "So... upstream or downstream?"
Up against my self-created deadline, as usual, here I go at last...
Mine:
I looked in the two proposed directions, knowing they were our only choices. Going back was as unpalatable as trying to swim forward. I was curious to see where the water was coming from but if we somehow managed to fall in we'd be backtracking, at best.
At worst... well, I wasn't ready to consider that.
"Downstream," I said, trying to sound decisive rather than afraid. We were just continuing our adventure, that's all. It was going to take a little longer than planned to reach fresh clothes and the road home, but that wasn't unusual on that sort of excursion. There were always delays, whether it was weather related or holding the map upside down or large wild animals silently suggesting we go back the way we'd come.
"Okay." He sounded less decisive and more distracted. I saw that he was still looking at the parking lot, his eyes now narrowed.
"What is it?" I asked, squinting and wishing my eyes were better.
"Nothing, probably." Very reassuring, that. He pulled his gaze away to find me giving him The Look. "I just thought I saw someone by that red SUV but I was wrong. Come on, let's get moving. This river isn't going to cross itself!"
He led the way, trying too hard to be cheerful and energetic. I followed slowly, scanning the parking lot for movement as I went, but all I could make out were shadows... and a complete lack of wildlife.
Odd, I thought absent-mindedly as we forced our way through the brush, trying to find a deer trail that paralleled the water. The parking lot was full of flycatchers and chickadees when we got here.
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