Friday, November 1, 2019

Her Time. Chapter Three: Take Off

I'm continuing to share today the next chapter in our current, the 8th, Progressive Story Project. This is a creative writing exercise taken on by a number of bloggers. Each time we participate in this project, we write a piece of fiction, crafted by all, building on what those ahead of us have written. As always, for each section of this chapter, if you look above and to the far right of the segment, you'll see the name of the author of that piece of the story and a link to their blog.

Progressive Story Project, a collaborative piece of fiction written by a number of bloggers | Developed by, run by and featured on www.BakingInATornado.com | #writers #fiction



If you haven't already done so, be sure to read the previous chapters so you're up to date on the story:
Her Time. Chapter One: Out of Focus
Her Time. Chapter Two: Leader of the Flight

Her Time, a Progressive Story Project collaborative piece of fiction written by a number of bloggers | Developed by, run by and featured on www.BakingInATornado.com | #writers #fiction



Her Time
Chapter Three:




When Michael had to get up to pee in the middle of the night, he noticed that the other side of the bed was empty. At first he wasn't worried. Typically Camryn would be lying on the living room sofa, all curled up underneath her favorite blanket, reading - or more often than not, have dozed off with her book still in her hand.

Not this time, though.

What was going on here? First she ended up at the hospital in a coma-like condition, now she couldn't be found anywhere in the house. It looked as though Shelby, their dog, was missing as well

Michael put on jeans, a sweater and sneakers, grabbed a flashlight and opened the front door.  It wasn't locked.

How strange.

He locked the door behind him, switched on his flashlight and began walking.

"Caaaaamryn! Sheeeeelby!" he cried every couple of minutes as he briskly marched on their usual dog walk trail along the river, shining on the path before and around him. "Where aaaaaaare you?"

He felt increasingly anxious. This was not like his wife to just leave the house in the middle of the night.

Suddenly he remembered the text message he got when he was at the hospital. I said something about the 23rd street. Was this text supposed to be for Camryn? Did she have a secret affair? Who was she meeting? What was it that she was mumbling? Something about getting ready for departure, a flight?

His fingers were trembling as he logged on to his phone to check his messages. No new texts. And strangely, the one talking about the 23rd street was gone. He dialed Camryn's number. It rang, and rang, and rang.

He was ready to call the police when . . .


Sarah of Sarah Nolan

He needed to check back home in case she returned, but she still wasn't there. Just in case, he called her one last time. The upbeat sound of Camryn's ringtone sliced through the quiet, startling him. Walking into their room, he glanced over to see her phone laying on the nightstand where she always left it. She wouldn't have left without it. He glanced at the phone, typing in the same code he used to unlock his phone and saw that there was an unread text message.

"The time has come."

"What time?" Michael exclaimed, frustrated with all the riddles. "I'm putting an end to this right now!" Grabbing his keys, Michael hit the remote start on the key fob, starting the car. Making sure he had his wallet, Michael jumped in the car and headed toward 23rd street. He glanced at the clock on the dashboard and realized it was 11:58 . . . 2 minutes until midnight. Putting pressure on the gas pedal, Michael navigated the empty streets of the small suburban town until he reached 23rd street.

Parking on the side of the street, Michael got out and looked both ways. The street was empty.

His frustration growing, Michael started to get back in his car when the dark street lit up with a brilliant white glow, so bright it was almost blinding. Turning toward the light, Michael put his hand up to shield from the light.

Walking toward what seemed to be the source of the light, Michael felt his mouth drop open in disbelief.

Standing in the middle of the street, awash in the glow of the light, was his wife.

She didn't have a stitch of clothing on.


Cranberry Pepita Cookies are Fall in cookie form. Pumpkin flavored cookies are studded with cranraisins and pepitas. | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #cookies

Cranberry Pepita Cookies
Cranberry Pepita Cookies are Fall in cookie form. Pumpkin flavored cookies are studded with cranraisins and pepitas. | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #cookies


Lydia of Cluttered Genius

"Camryn?" Michael watched as she stood in front of him, unseeing. He called her again. "Camryn?" She looked toward him but definitely not at him. Michael took a few steps forward only to see Camryn raise her arms to the sky. Suddenly, a low hum, almost a grumble, began to come from everywhere. Michael looked around but couldn't find the source of the noise.

"Camryn. CAM-RYN. This isn't funny. What are you doing? Why are you naked? CAMRYN!" Michael's voice turned desperate as Camryn ignored him and turned her face upward. The low hum grew louder. He felt the earth shaking as the light became so intense that Michael had to cover his eyes.

Suddenly, and from everywhere, people began running toward Camryn. She laughed out loud and spun around. Those who were coming from all directions circled her, and the next thing Michael knew, she was hidden. The crowd grasped hands, and began swaying, and the hum disappeared in the sound of their feet stomping in rhythm.

No longer frozen from shock, Michael started moving forward and tried to push between the crowd. Their hands held tight to one another, and he couldn't get through.

In a moment of panic, Michael did the only thing he could think of: he joined them. Stomping his feet and swaying, Michael quickly found their rhythm. Two of the crowd members on either side of him looked at him with a smile and stepped slightly aside to let him in between them. They took his hands, and at once he was part of the circle.

The white light was still bright enough that Michael couldn't see much beyond the few inches in front of him. He was trying his best to find Camryn, to see her through the crowd and the light. She seemed to be nowhere, as if the light had literally swallowed her.

The crowd began to chant. It sounded like nonsense words, and Michael couldn't quite catch on to join them. He kept the rhythm in the stomping and held tight to the hands he had so they wouldn't let go. The chanting grew louder and louder, and the crowd began to move slowly toward the center where Camryn had been.

Soon, the chanting was actually yelling. Michael's ears hurt with the sheer volume of the crowd's unified voice. Right as he was about to let go of the hands he was holding so that he could cover his ears, the crowd stopped cold and the light was gone. Everyone stood stock still except Michael whose hands were frozen next to his ears. In the darkness, there seemed to be a void. He couldn't see anything around him. That is, until he was pushed by someone behind him in to the center of the crowd.


Jules of The Bergham Chronicles

He found himself suddenly face to face with Camryn. The crowd was quietly surrounding them, and the bright light seemed to be gone, but Camryn still had a glow about her. It reminded Michael of how she had looked while pregnant with each of their children. She was a beautiful woman, he'd dare say the most beautiful woman, but pregnancy seemed to increase the beauty.

He looked into her eyes, the same eyes he'd enjoyed gazing into for as long as he could remember. It was the same as always, and yet totally different. Camryn was still the same woman he had married, but something was different. She smiled at him and leaned in to kiss his chin. A tingling sensation shot through his chin, and a warmth filled his soul.

He was about to ask her what was going on, when she began to speak. "You're my chosen one, Michael. You always have been, from the very first moment we met."

"I love you too," he replied quietly, his eyes searching her face for clues as to what was happening. He suddenly realized she wasn't alone. A beautiful woman, who looked strikingly like Camryn's distant grandmother, who was the subject of a couple of paintings they owned, was standing quietly at her side. He looked from woman to woman, amazed by the resemblance, he nearly missed Camryn's quiet voice.

"I'd like you to remain at my side" she said, as she squeezed his hand. "I want you to forever be my chosen one. I'm not sure I can do this without you, Michael, and I absolutely don't want to. However, if this is all too much for you, I understand."

"If what is too much?" Michael questioned, as his eyes searched her beautiful face. "What exactly are you talking about?"



 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Click here to read the conclusion, Destiny ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


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Cranberry Pepita Cookies        
                                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients (makes 3 dozen):
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup shelled pepitas
1/2 cup cranraisins

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
*Cream butter, pumpkin puree, 1/2 cups sugar and 3/4 cup brown sugar until smooth, then beat in the egg.
*Slowly at first, beat the flour, baking soda, salt, 1 tsp cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
*By hand, mix in the pepitas and cranraisins. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or up to a day.
*Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper.
*Mix together the 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.
*Roll the dough into approximately 1 inch balls. Roll each ball in cinnamon/sugar mixture, place on cookie sheets and bake for 13 minutes.


14 comments:

  1. Clever idea and it's turning into a really interesting story.

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  2. That was one heck of a cliffhanger. So yes, I'll be back. I liked how each author ended their portion in a way that really challenged the next writer! Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. I do too, love how each writer approached their section.

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  3. As i see it, he has only one choice.

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    Replies
    1. I agree with you, but we'll find out on Tuesday what the next writer thinks.

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  4. What a great mystery unfolding. Thanks for sharing Karen!

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  5. Loved loved loved the clift hanging ending!
    pia
    https://courtingdestiny.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I can't wait for part 4! I'm glad it's only tomorrow! I love this story. (Rena)

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    Replies
    1. Me too. It went in a completely different direction than I ever could have imagined, and that's exactly what I love about this project.

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  7. I find this all very spooky. Heading over to part 4 now. I want a reasonable explanation!!!

    ReplyDelete

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