Excerpt from my unfinished 1940s Novel

From his place behind the large oak tree in Lila’s yard, Stetson watched as Skylar pulled up in front of the quaint ranch Lila lived in with her parents.  Skylar jumped out of the car, and ran the short distance from the curb to her front door, pounding on it.  It took a minute, but Lila opened the door and then quickly closed it again, joining Skylar on the porch.

            Stetson watched as Skylar pulled a crumpled piece of notebook paper from his pocket.  “What’s this?” he yelled, shoving the paper toward Lila.

            Lila took a step back toward the door, her response was so quiet, Stetson had to strain to hear it. “Sky, what are you doing here? It’s late.”

            “A letter, Lila? You’re breaking up with me in a fucking letter?” Sky yelled, not answering Lila’s question.”

            “Keep your voice down, you’ll wake my parents.”

            Skylar lowered his voice, but not a lot.  “Why would you do this? I don’t understand.  I thought things were going well?”

            Lila sighed.  “They were. Things were going really well.  And then you proposed.”

            Skylar threw his hands up in the air.  “I don’t see how me asking you to spend the rest of our lives together is a bad thing.”

            “That’s not a bad thing, it’s everything that comes with it that’s bad.” Lila took a step toward Sky, taking his hand in hers.  “Sky, I can’t be a housewife.  I don’t want to stay home and raise babies.  That’s not who I am.  I thought you understood this.”

            “I do understand, and I never asked you to do any of that.  I love you, and I want you to be happy.  I would never expect you to do anything that would make you unhappy.”

            Lila moved even closer to Skylar placing a hand on his cheek, making him look at her.  “That’s the thing, I know you would never ask me to, but I also know you could never be happy with me.”

            They both were quiet for a minute.  The only sound that could be heard were the cicadas and crickets in the night air.

            “This is about Stetson isn’t it?” Skylar accused.

            Stetson startled at the mention of of his name.  Lila startled and took a step back. “What?”

            Skylar’s face contorted into a sneer. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you.”

            Lila took her hand from his and took another step back.  “This has nothing to do with Stetson.”

            Skylar wasn’t listening.  He was becoming visibly upset.  “He’s finally worn you down, you’re leaving me for him.”

            “Skylar!” Lila yelled, interrupting him.  “I’m not leaving you for Stetson! I don’t know where that came from, but that thought is just insane.  What’s gotten into you?”

            Stetson watched as Skylar crumpled before Lila, his body wracked with sobs.  It was a sight he hadn’t seen since the War, after they lost most of their platoon in a fire fight.

            “You’re everything to me,” Skylar cried.  “I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.  You’re my whole world.”

            Lila had her own set of tears making their way down her cheeks.  She wiped them away, taking a step closer to her boyfriend. “Sky, I--”

            “I need to go,” Skylar turned hastily and started walking toward his car.

            Lila hesitate for a split second before running after him, stopping him with a hand on his shoulder. “Sky, wait, let’s talk some more.”

            Skylar didn’t turn around.  Stetson could no longer see his face in the darkness, but he could hear a slight tinge of hope when Sky said quietly, “Are you going to agree to marry me?’

            Lila took a shuddering breath.  “Sky, you know I can’t--”

            Skylar wrenched away from Lila’s grip.  “Then there’s no point talking any more.”  Without turning around, he walked the rest of the way to his car, quickly climbing in and starting it.

            Lila stood frozen on the lawn.  “Sky, Sky!” she cried feebly running after him, but it was too late. He was already pulling away from the curb and driving off.

            Lila fell to her knees on the grass next to the street and sobbed. Stetson took that opportunity to move from behind the tree and walk toward her.

Writing Exercise #1

Prompt:

Describe what you see in this photo. Describe what you don't see-- the interior. Describe the person who comes out of the place. What does the person do?

Out in the middle of the woods there was a shack.  To an average observer, it would appear the shack was rundown. Abandoned.  But that just wasn't true.  As you approached the shack, you would get a better look at it.  The wood seemed sturdy, the roof in near perfect condition. This wasn't some abandoned shack nestled amongst the trees, it was a building that someone cared for.  There was no door, but the wood lying next to the opening implied that would soon be remedied. 

The inside was empty.  For now.  For soon it would house some sparse furniture and some necessities.  Perhaps a small bathroom and kitchenette.  Nothing too fancy, this was the woods after all.  A place where someone could go to get away from the distractions a city brings.  Away from traffic, and people.  And cell phone signals, and most importantly, the internet.  A place for a man, a writer, to sit and do his job.  Be inspired.  Write the next "Great American Novel."  Or just a place to sit and think...and ponder.

100 Word Drabble

The little girl looked up at the kitchen counter.  She was too short to reach what she really wanted.  She looked around the immediate area.  She heard the sound of a news program coming from the living room.  Her parents were busy. She surveyed the kitchen.  The row of drawers caught her eye. She walked over to the drawers, and pulled them out one by one. She scaled her makeshift ladder, and crawled her way to her treasure. Success! She smiled as she took a large bite of her prize: a large, green apple.


Prompt: 100 word drabble/A child/green apples