This morning was my first day at a creative writer's group at our local community centre. I was a little nervous - what if these people were fabulous writers. What if they weren't? But I had a fabulous time. I can see that it will be good for my writing and good for me.
The 'leader' Dot comes along each week with a premise ... sometimes a picture, sometimes a thought, sometimes a way to write etc and we have 90 minutes to write and then hear what the others have written.
Today we were given the setting as an overnight train trip with the following characters:
- Samantha Crabshaw- mid forties, well dressed, attractive lady.
- Jack Abbott - no age specified, handsome with a winning smile.
- Elisha Smedley - around thirty, shy, keeps to herself.
and the rest was left up to us. This is my story ....
Squashing his nose flat against the window Jack watched excitedly as the people passed by. He shoved his cap to the back of the head as he watched a lady with three frantically yapping dogs, rush by in her way to catch her train. He giggled as one of the leads wrapped around her ankle, held his breath as she stumbled and sighed a little sadly as she regained her balance and moved out of sight towards her train.
Turning he dropped back in the seat kicking out at the seat in front of him, 'Are we going yet?' he asked impatiently.
'Soon,' his mother smiled down at him indulgently knowing how excited he was to be going on holiday, 'now stop kicking the seat and sit still. It's a long way and you can't be jumping around all the way there.'
Jack opened his mouth to protest when the door to the compartment slid open.
Standing in the doorway was a woman who looked in her thirties. She was tall and thin, almost too thin and her dark conservative suit looked as though it had been made for someone several pounds heavier. She wore a large floppy hat which partially hid her pale face. Keeping her head down she turned, closed the door and dropped her case on the floor before sitting in a corner seat and pulling a book out of her handbag.
Samantha shrugged her shoulders reflectively... obviously the woman didn't want to talk. It was a shame; it was a long journey and some company would have helped to pass the time. She turned back to the window wishing she had thought to bring herself a book but she had been more concerned making sure she had enough to keep Jack occupied and had never thought about it.
Jack however, was not so circuspect.
'Hello,' he said cheerfully, 'my name is Jack ... what's yours?'
'Jack! Leave the lady alone!'
'But Mummy, I just wanted .... '
'It's alright,' the stranger smiled at Jack, 'my name is Elisha,' she said.
'Are you going to the beach too?' Do you have children like me? What are their names? ...'
'Jack!' Samantha put her hand firmly on his arm, 'enough!' She had seen Elisha's eyes glaze with tears.
Taking a deep shuddering breath Elisha smiled at the boy, 'I did have a little boy.' she said, 'he would have been about your age.'
'Where is he?' demanded Jack,'What's his name?'
'He died,' Elisha's voice had dropped to a whisper. She starred out the window as she continued talking, more to herself than to Jack, 'he was at the beach. That's where I am going now ... to be with my baby ... he is too little to be by himself ... much too little ... I will be there soon James ... Mummy is coming ....'
She reached out and gently touched Jack's cheek, smiled sadly at Samantha and then picked up her bag and pushed open the door.
Mummy is coming,' she repeated as the door closed and then she was gone.
Feeling of the day: excited .. excited to be writing again and to find a new group I think I am going to like!
Samantha shrugged her shoulders reflectively... obviously the woman didn't want to talk. It was a shame; it was a long journey and some company would have helped to pass the time. She turned back to the window wishing she had thought to bring herself a book but she had been more concerned making sure she had enough to keep Jack occupied and had never thought about it.
Jack however, was not so circuspect.
'Hello,' he said cheerfully, 'my name is Jack ... what's yours?'
'Jack! Leave the lady alone!'
'But Mummy, I just wanted .... '
'It's alright,' the stranger smiled at Jack, 'my name is Elisha,' she said.
'Are you going to the beach too?' Do you have children like me? What are their names? ...'
'Jack!' Samantha put her hand firmly on his arm, 'enough!' She had seen Elisha's eyes glaze with tears.
Taking a deep shuddering breath Elisha smiled at the boy, 'I did have a little boy.' she said, 'he would have been about your age.'
'Where is he?' demanded Jack,'What's his name?'
'He died,' Elisha's voice had dropped to a whisper. She starred out the window as she continued talking, more to herself than to Jack, 'he was at the beach. That's where I am going now ... to be with my baby ... he is too little to be by himself ... much too little ... I will be there soon James ... Mummy is coming ....'
She reached out and gently touched Jack's cheek, smiled sadly at Samantha and then picked up her bag and pushed open the door.
Mummy is coming,' she repeated as the door closed and then she was gone.
Feeling of the day: excited .. excited to be writing again and to find a new group I think I am going to like!
1 comment:
Woohoo well done you! Glad it worked out well, think I'd quite like to try something like this (must research it). I hope you continue to enjoy it - and possibly make some long-lasting friendships from it, too. :)
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