Prompt #35

Revised

  My three little cousins sat beside each other on the living room couch. They continuously glanced at each other nervously and didn‘t dare speak a word. My aunt and I stood in front of them with our arms crossed. Sitting on the coffee table was my uncle’s birthday cake which my aunt had spent three hours making. A half an hour before my uncle was due to be home, finger trails appeared all through the royal blue frosting. My aunt made my cousins sit on the couch until they confessed who ruined the cake. The three of them sat in silence, not one of them willing to open their royal blue lips to confess.

Prompt #39 

My family surrounded the small bed. My grandmother laid there extremely sick. She was too weak to even open her eyes. My grandfather had his hands clasped around her hand. An iv stuck out of her arm with a piece of medical tape holding it in place. The room was silent except for the heart rate monitor that beeped. My father had one hand resting on my shoulder while the other held a bouquet of flowers.  

***

Hair had to be up. No jewelry allowed. Sneakers only. Tan pants or capris. Red and white striped shirt. ID badge had to worn at all times. I chose to volunteer at Eastern Maine Medical Center that summer. I thought it would be a way to get over my fear of hospitals. Three times a week I saw tons of sick people. Many reminded me of how sick my grandmother was when she died. Three times a week I volunteered eight hours to help people in the place that scared me the most and still, I didn't manage to conquer my fear.

Prompt #35

My three little cousins sat beside each other on the living room couch. They continuously glanced at each other nervously and didn‘t dare speak a word. My aunt and I stood in front of them with our arms crossed. Sitting on the coffee table was my uncle’s birthday cake which my aunt had spent three hours making. A half an hour before my uncle was due to be home, finger trails appeared all through the blue frosting. My aunt made my cousins sit on the couch until they confessed who ruined the cake. The three of them refused to admit what they had done even with their lips and tongues dyed royal blue as the frosting.

Prompt #34

It was a nice November afternoon to take my Pug for a walk. Leaves covered the sidewalk and rustled in the wind. My phone buzzed every minute as a new text message came in. Bentley tugged on his leash, surprising me so much I almost dropped my phone. Across the street was an elderly man walking with his Chihuahua. I pictured my Chihuahua George, who had to be put down two months before. This little dog looked identical to George. Bentley pulled me across the street and up to the man and his dog. He wagged his curly tail like he was greeting his old friend. The man looked at me harshly, picked up his dog and walked away. Bentley wouldn’t move when I called his name and tugged on his leash. He stubbornly sat on the ground and watched them walk away.

Prompt #33

All the seats were filled. I had to sit in the lobby with ten other people and watch the service through glass windows. Everyone blended in with each other with the common black attire. I didn’t want to pay attention since funerals were always depressing. I didn’t even know the person except that they were friends with my grandmother. I read the service pamphlet over and over again until my grandmother nudged me to pay attention. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room. On stage, three women stood around a microphone with a collage of their mother’s seventy-nine years behind them. Their voices and cries echoed through the quiet rooms as they shared stories of their mother. Not able to talk anymore, the youngest daughter collapsed sobbing in the arms of her sisters.

In Class Work Week 9

#2

The sound of a text message woke me up this morning. I already knew what it would say without reading it. Knowing more messages would be pouring in, I turned my phone off and rolled over to go back to sleep.

***

The first thing I did when I woke up was check my phone. My inbox was lamost full due to messages from friends and family. My best friend was the only one who didn’t text me. I thought that somehow she had forgotten what today was.

***

I was wrong. My best friend thought it would be funny to pretend she forgot my birthday. She showed up at my front door with my favorite blueberry iced coffee and took me out for breakfast at Denny’s.

In Class Work Week 9

#1

        All the chairs were taken. I settled to sitting on the edge of a table. There was nothing I could do. It was too cold outside to take a walk. I couldn’t text because my cell phone was dead. The adults had everything covered in the kitchen. My grandmother wouldn’t let me help her decorate her cake since she didn’t want anyone to mess it up. The smell of corn chowder filled the air, making me hungry. Three little kids ran around me playing tag. I could feel a headache coming on as their little screams pierced my ears. These dinners my grandmother put on were always boring but that one topped the cake.

In Class Work Week 8
#3

“Don’t do it Nicky. You’re going to make a mess in Gram’s kitchen.” I watched as Nicky hid the second to last mountain dew in a kitchen cupboard. She took the last can and shook it before putting it back in the fridge.
Michael came into the kitchen and headed straight for the fridge to get a drink. He was talking but my mind was focused on the green can he held in his hand. As he continued to talk, I slowly walked backward until I was behind the counter which I planned to use for cover. Nicky was trying hard not to laugh and made no movement to get out of the way.
As soon as I heard the hissing pop of the can, I fell to the floor. I heard Michael gasp and Nicky burst into laughter. Still on the floor, I peeked around the counter to see the damage. Nicky was on the floor laughing. Michael stood in the same spot holding the soda can with his mouth hanging open. Mountain dew covered both of their clothes, the floor, and the refrigerator door. Standing in the entrance of the kitchen was my grandmother with her hands on her hips.

In Class Work Week 8

#2

My hands griped the armrests until my knuckles were white. I feared the thought of crashing. I glanced out the window to see down below. All I saw were lights that seemed to spread for miles and miles. They lit up the night and appeared to be closer than they actually were. A large silver disco ball was visible and said “Epcot”.

***

Rain poured down creating large puddles we had to run through. People were running around the amusement park trying to stay dry. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nicky lose her flip flop in a puddle but I kept running toward a store. The next thing I know I’m on the ground, pain shooting through my leg.

In Class Work Week 8

#1

He lined his club up next to the ball and hit it so it would bounce off from the wall. He did it again and again, wanting to show off. The rest of us stood by talking to one another, occasionally glancing at him. A cry came from his direction scaring us all. His hand covered his jaw as a little blood seeped through his fingers. 

Prompt #30

Looking at the picture of my dad with his fellow Shriners, you may assume many things about him. The way he has his arms around his friends you would think that he cares for his friends. However, alcohol tends to come before anything else in his life including friends and family.
His big smile stands out in the picture making you think he would be a great guy to hang around. I wouldn’t know. My dad constantly promises me that we’ll spend time together and then calls later to cancel. It’s very rare when I get the chance to spend a day with him. Now, when my father calls to cancel our plans I have already arranged new plans as backup.
A red Shriner hat sits on his head. As a Shriner, my dad is constantly helping needy children and children hospitals, but he never has time for his own daughter. My father believes that you have to buy people’s forgiveness. Every time my father cancels plans on me he buys me a gift. When I was little he would buy me some kind of toy, usually an “apology bear”. As I grew older, he switched from teddy bears to money.
I find it interesting how a picture can make you assume so many things about a person. In this picture, my dad looks like a stranger to me.

Prompt #29

        Traffic was insane as cars were back to back everywhere. The interstate went from two lanes to three lanes to five lanes and back again. Drivers were crazy as they drove recklessly and honked at each other for no reason. U-turns were done constantly since it was not illegal there.
        Many buildings were old and worn down. Some were abandoned with no windows left unbroken. Colorful graffiti covered everything in sight from gas stations to grocery stores. Despite the cold weather, people were walking on the sidewalks everywhere. Old wired fences with holes in them were alongside many of the streets.
In one of the small neighborhoods, houses were bordered up and seemed empty. Other houses looked unlivable they were so run down. Paint was peeling off sides of houses, garages, and mailboxes. Front steps were either tilting or had a broken step.
I never expected Manchester, New Hampshire to look so run down like it did. It didn’t look like anything special. I thought that Manchester would some what resemble Portland, Maine or Boston, Massachusetts. A city with nice looking buildings, great views, and many places and things to see. I couldn’t have been more wrong about Manchester. It was a chaotic dump that I wouldn’t consider revisiting.

In Class Work Week 7

#3

  We all knew that it would only be a matter of time before we lost you once you lost your husband. You lived another three great years after he passed away. I was too young to remember grandpa but I do remember you. I remember I would love to visit you whenever I got the chance. I would sit on your lap and watch you crochet for hours. I still have the blanket you made me for my sixth birthday. The bright colors have long faded but the sentimental value is priceless. I’ll never forget the day dad and I went to visit you and we couldn’t wake you up. I remember the flashing lights of the ambulance shining through the window as tears flowed down my face. There is never a day that goes by that I don’t think about you.You were such a wonderful grandmother. When I really miss you, all I have to do is get out the blanket you made me and somehow I feel better.

In Class Work Week 7

#2

      It has been about five years since I have seen or heard from you. You were never really a nice grandfather. People wouldn’t even hang out with you if they were paid to do so. You hated everyone and everything.  I don’t remember a time when you weren’t angry and yelling. You made Scrooge from A Christmas Carol look like a saint. It was probably your anger and hatred that caused you to stay away from your family. You did a good job staying out of contact; quitting your job, changing your number, and moving. Your family tried so hard to stay in contact with you but we eventually gave up knowing it was a lost cause. You could be dead for all we know; yet as your family we have reached the conclusion that we wouldn’t even care if you were.

In Class Work Week 7

#1

      We were best friends since the moment we were born. We were only a moth apart. For a whole eight years we were two peas in a pod; inseparable. Wherever I went, you went. Wherever you went, I went. We were so close I thought of you as a sister. We went through thick and thin together; your brother’s downward spiral with drugs, your parent’s divorce, and my parent’s divorce. I even remember the time we were almost run over by a truck. You and I had taken a snow sled for a ride and we ended up in the road. That was so long ago yet I remember it as if it were yesterday. I don’t know why your mother wanted to move to Florida or how we lost contact. Ten years later, I still find myself thinking about you every once in a while hoping that one day we will see each other again.

Prompt #26

It has been quite a while, about three years, since the last time I’ve been out to camp. The red cabin looks smaller and older. The dull paint is peeling off in many places revealing the natural wood underneath. The railing to the front steps is broken clean off due to rot. Weeds cover the ground all around the sides of the cabin. The small garden my mother and I planted is history.
The dock looks half the size I remember and planks are missing from it here and there. The green L.L. Bean canoe that I used to use is no longer in its place near the dock. The hammock that I loved to lay in and read near the waters edge has been removed. Two small holes in nearby trees are the only things left behind.
The camp looked worse than I ever thought it would. My uncle and his friends took turns visiting the cabin for the past few years. They obviously didn’t take the time to keep up with the place while they stayed there. I regretted not visiting camp more than I should have. I had many great memories with my family from my camp on Pushaw lake. Staring at the camp and its horrible current state made me think that there wouldn’t be any more memories made there for me.

Prompt #28

A soft snow fall rains down through the light dusk. Four inches of snow blankets the ground and the blue two-story house. Glowing candlestick lights shine like little flames in every window. Children laugh and run in their colorful snowsuits as they play in the front yard. A half made snowman stands forgotten in the middle of their midst. Snowballs soar through the air occasionally hitting their targets. A golden retriever puppy runs around the yard dodging snowballs. Adults can be seen through the dining room window sipping hot chocolate and coffee as they stare out at the children.
This is just another family gathering at my aunt’s house. The adults and teenagers talk in the dining room enjoying hot beverages while my little cousins play in the yard. Even though these family gatherings are numerous and always the same, it’s a picturesque scene that never gets old.