#FWF Free Write Friday; It was a Dark and Stormy Night

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I remember it was a warm Spring day. Mama had been making a point to tell us she didn’t remember ever a day like this so early in the season.

I was sitting under the kitchen table playing with my toys. I loved to play under here. It was like my very own private playground.

No one could touch me, see me or yell at  me. I could play quietly and listen to all the gossip my Mama had always told me never to do.

I felt the natural breezes coming through the window. The gentleness of it must have lured me into sleepy land because I don’t really remember taking a nap without being told to.

A crash startled me awake. The perfect glass was now  shattered on the floor. Bits and pieces sparkled in front of my eyes as I sat up wondering what had happened. I tried to crawl out from under the table but a voice above me told me to remain still for just a second.

The breeze that had once blanketed me with peace was now roaring as a dragon opening his mouth to let me know he was mad as hell. Tears started to stream down my cheeks. I was afraid. My body trembled as I knew I was to obey Mama and not move.

I could hear slamming of window frames. I could hear voices yelling commands. This was serious  no matter what it was. I had never heard Mama or Papa ever use this tone in their voice.

As the fear raged inside of me I looked down at the wetness streaming down my pants. I tried scooting over just a little bit so Mama wouldn’t notice that I had disobeyed. I scrunched myself into a ball and tried hiding  underneath one of the kitchen chairs.

Just as I squeezed myself in a hand reached down and grabbed my shirt dragging me quickly out from under the chair. The chair fell over on its side but it was ignored as Papa tucked me in his arms and we ran out of the house.

Outside the winds were tearing at Papa. He was having trouble keeping his footing and once he almost dropped me, but he was my Papa and he caught me in time drawing me closer to his chest. He tucked his jacket around me and I was safe in his cocoon.

I could hear Mama yelling, “My babies, are the dogs and the cats going to be safe? Will they find cover? Did you grab everything Papa?”

Soon a door was pushed open and it was so heavy I could feel the earth under us vibrate. After everyone was safe inside Papa pulled the door closed and darkness came over us. I tried to adjust my eyes but I couldn’t see anything.

The smell of my parents kept me safe though. They loved me and wouldn’t let anything hurt me. Mama had always promised this.

Gusts of winds rattled the hinges on the door. I sat very still on the blanket Papa had placed me on. I could hear nothing but the loud pounding of my heart. Silence only lasted a few moments when I heard what sounded like a train whistle coming closer and closer.

I heard big tree branches cracking. It sounded like it was right next to me. I scooted closer to Mama and buried my head in her lap. She placed her arms around me and said,”It is alright child. It is Spring and God is cleaning up the dirt that has been laying around all winter. You are safe my dear little one.”

These were the best words I ever heard in all my life. Today I still  hear these words when I visit Mama at her grave. Even now she is still watching out over me. I can feel her love as I touch where she now lays.

The weatherman says it is going to be a bad day to go outside. The temperatures are warm and the winds are breezy. As I walk back from Mama’s grave I call out to my dogs and cats. I think back to that day when the breezes came in through the perfect window panes and I played under the table with my toys.

It’s alright Mama. I have all the pets inside and I am ready for the onset of Spring Tornadoes.

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FWF Free Write Friday; Seven Doors

http://kellieelmore.com

I think that I will pick number three

The door of Wonderland

You may not know my inquisitive ways

But I know there are mysteries so grand.

To experience life and what it has

To offer if we just walk

Through open doors we can not see

Thus making our lips to talk.

Why settle for what we now know

Why not experience all we can

Why stay in stagnant stage forever

Come on and take my hand.

Let’s open our minds and and stretch

Our souls and explore door number three

Let’s not remember what has stopped us before

Let fear be tossed, let’s walk, just you and me.

Terry Shepherd

01/25/2013

From Here To There

A life has closed one door

Never to look back anymore

Another door has opened wide

The width of this is oh so wide

Mysteries held for all to seek

For those who are sick and very weak

More help is coming for him today

I only have to stand out-of-the-way

The love I have will carry all through

But I can’t help feeling a little blue

I release him into your hands of care

For his care I will open and I will share

Remember he is only on loan

It is always with me that he has grown

He may be six feet tall today

But he’s my baby brother all the way

Take good care of him as I walk out of his door

Don’t let me come back to find him  no more.

I love you my brother you have filled my days

But now I realize there are many more ways

To keep you safe and free from harm

I have walked you to the door and let go of your arm.

Terry Shepherd

Nov 06,2012

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FWF, The Haunting of Free Write Friday, Nov, 02/2012

Softly, never hearing each others breathing or footsteps, they sneaked slowly up the front door of the old home. Each of the three boys moved every so silently to each window of the porch, looking in, looking for a movement, a shadow, something to tell them to turn around and run, but they saw nothing, and they came back together as a small group, and questioned each other as to whether they should venture further by going in.

It was Halloween night, and for weeks they had been planning this venture to go inside of this house, the deserted house, the one that all gossiped about being haunted. They let their parents think they were going trick or treating, but once out their front doors, they hid their costumes in the bushes, and went to meet each other at the front walk of the mysterious house.

Now they were there, with nowhere to run, but back to their homes, and none of them wanting to have to let the other know they were afraid or big cowards. As they stood at the front door, they decided to go to the back of the house. Shadows followed them as they made their way around to the back.

Tree branches scraping against the window panes, cats howling in the back ground, and glowing eyes coming from a raccoon that was making his way to his nest. The winds were gently blowing, and stiff, left over leaves could be heard scratching against each other.

It seemed like miles before they got to the back door. They stood there, no one wanting to make the first move, but the excitement of what was inside was killing them, and so the oldest shakily reached for the door handle of the big glass door. It turned, and opened, and all the boys jumped back. One of them was shaking so badly, I wondered if he had peed his pants, as I stood looking outside my bedroom window, watching to see what these young boys had in mind.

Then the boys giggled softly at each other, realizing they had let a door knob scare them so badly. They each nudged the other, not wanting to be the first to enter, and then without a prompt, something was forcing them to go forth, to come in, to see what mysteries laid behind the doors.

Once in, there was a chill that went through the boys, and they shivered as they pulled their jackets closer to them. Barely giving each other room to step, they bent down and with hands held out and only one small flashlight, they made their way to the next door.

The door squeaked as they entered, and they poked their heads in before letting the rest of their bodies come through. Shadows bounced off the walls, lining picture frames, and artificial flowers dangling from wall vases. Furniture was covered with white sheets, and there was a big, black piano sitting in one corner. The draperies were closed, and the boys wished that they had more flashlights, but as their eyes adjusted better, outlines became more clear.

They walked over to the piano, as none of the boys had one in their homes, and their curiosity begged them to slither that way. When they reached it, one of the boys sat down on the piano stool and in the quietness the piano began to play. Key after key slammed up and down, the boy was so scared he fell over backwards, and shuffling  to his feet, he got up and they all raced to the back door where they had entered.

As they got to the back door, the door slammed on them, not letting them out,  they raced as fast as they could to another room, and in their they located a winding stair case and they flew up the stairs, not waiting to see what was ahead or behind them. They did not care if they sounded like a herd of cattle as they raced up the thirty stairs.

Their breathing came in gasps, and they were bent over trying to slow the breathing down, when behind the curtains, came a hand that touched the back of one of the kids. He jumped and screamed. The others looked at him and all they could sense was fear. One of the boys stood frozen in his spot and he did urinate on himself. The other two boys grabbed his hands and forced him to move.

The oldest boy was heard crying and when the middle boy shined  the flashlight on his face, he did see tears, and then they all looked at each other and said, let’s get out of here!!!! They turned to leave but saw a shadow sliding up the stair banister, so they looked to the left and then to the right, and saw a big wooden door, and they tried the knob and it opened the door. They raced inside of it and slammed the door, and tried to lock it but they did not have a skeleton key on them.

There was another door inside this room and they threw it open, finding a closet, so each of them went inside, softly shutting the door behind them. A shawl with whispery fringes on it, slowly made its way from the top shelf and landed on one of the boys shoulders. He started to cry and said, I am scared, I don’t want to be here anymore. Let’s get out of here, what should we do, I want to go home!

The other boys put their hands over the kids face to shut him up and told him to hush. He obeyed immediately and all breathing slowed down to almost a death breath, as each listened for any sounds in the room.

What seemed like hours, only being minutes, they heard nothing, so they very quietly opened the door a crack, and eyeballs peeked out, flashing right to left, to see if they could see anyone. They didn’t see anything and no sounds were being heard, so they all got on knees and crept their way to the door.

Once out of the door, they flew down the stairs as fast as their legs would carry them, and this time when they went to the door they had first entered, it opened. They wasted no time in exiting the house and leaving the property.

The house next door, that the spy was watching the boys from was laughing, and smoking his pipe. He walked away from his window view, sure that these boys would not be back again this year.

He had gotten wind that he may have some troubles this years with young whipper snappers, and as the caretaker of the property, he had made sure the house came to no harm.