Winter, Crux, Astronauts, Wallpaper, and Marmalade

(From Writers Write)
Write the opening paragraphs to a novel using these words:
  • winter
  • crux
  • astronauts
  • wallpaper
  • marmalade
.....

The dim winter sun tried its best to break through the grimy window. Justin sat on the frayed window seat eating marmalade on toast whilst gazing out of the window. The tree swing moved back and forth under the weight of an unseen child. 

Finishing his toast, Justin glanced around the room. His room. The room he thought he would never come back to. Life has a funny way of doing the opposite, Justin had thought when he was told of his inheritance. The faded and yellowed wallpaper was peeling and the printed NASA astronauts on it were almost invisible. The bed was rusty and sheets as old as him were still on the bed, yellow and soiled like the rest of the room. The bare floorboards were rickety and untrustworthy - like the rest of this ramshackle house, Justin thought.

He didn’t want to be here longer than he had to. He wanted a quick sale and he didn’t care if he had to take pennies for it. He just wanted rid of it. And that was the crux of the problem because no one wanted this house. Despite being in a popular area of Oakhampton, this was not prime real estate. No one wanted this family home. It’s tainted history made it worthless, but Justin hoped he would be able to find someone, anyone, who didn’t know the story … at least until it was too late.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Rain Looks Different in That City

Image
Another weekend, another city, another hotel. At first it had been exciting but as the weeks have turned to months, I've had enough. I'm bored of mini bars, bored of microwaved room service dinners, and so over airports. If I ever step foot in another one I think I'll go mad! At least the tour is nearly over. Just a handful more appearances and then home, NEVER publish a bestseller again. I don't mean that of course. I can't not write. It's the blood that pumps through my veins (and the daily vat of Starbucks). I just don't think I could go through this rigmarole again. A book tour of all the big cities and towns sounded like such an adventure. I'd see the sights, talk about my book, and get paid for it. Exciting, right?  At first, yes. But the novelty had worn off by the end of the 4th week.  I want to go home now. I want to see my husband, stroke my cat, and sit on the back deck with a cup of tea in MY mug.  I miss my life. This isn
Read more

Flash Fiction 1

I want to run but my brain has melted. Im pretty sure Im stuck to this spot. Im screaming inside my head for my body to move but its not doing anything helpful. Except drowning out the swishing footsteps moving towards me. Growing louder. And louder. I turn around as I hear the footsteps reach the landing behind me. I scream even louder at my body to move. I may even have screamed out loud but all i can hear is the blood whooshing in my ears. I feel hot and cold all at once.  He slows his pace as a wide devilish grin engulfs his face as he comes towards me.  I scream louder. And louder. And louder.  Nothing changes. I watch him get closer and closer and closer, until I can feel his coldness upon the back of my neck. a shiver runs down my spine and I feel myself falling. Falling. Quickly. Into darkness. My eyes flick open and I sit up, searching the gloom for him. But he’s nowhere to be seen.  It was another dream. Wiping the sweat from my brow, I settle back into t
Read more

So far the disease had cropped up in 5 different towns ...

... and the CDC had quietly quarantined Washington from the rest of the US. No flights, no cars, no pedestrians even, were allowed to cross the state line, either in or out. If Trump had built his wall here it would be doing some actual good.  Reports were coming in everyday of more people becoming infected but still there was no information about what it was, where it came from, or how to treat it. One minute you were you, and 5 days later all that remained of you was a puddle of thick black-blue ooze and 2 femur bones. For some reason these were left intact.  So far the towns affected were close together and the containement zone had stopped it from spreading further - for now at least. It helped that the sea ran along one side of the area affected. Less on-the-ground man power needed. A couple of Navy ships were all they needed. The powers that be want to keep this as hush hush as possible for as long as possible. Widespread panic always ends badly. I was sent from Seattle to
Read more