I'm participating in Saturday Centus,
hosted by JENNY MATLOCK Visit her to see how others formed a short story from this weeks prompt...which is in blue.
This week I'm collaborating with PJ over at Seens From The Backs Of My Eyelids
This is the continuation of our story....
Chapter 1 (PJ)
Charlotte hummed “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” as she sat down to grade her students’ papers.
Their assignment had been rainbows. Charlotte left essay topics open for the kids; she never wanted to stifle creativity.
Melissa’s paper was first. “Rainbows are pretty and they have all the colors except not as many as my crayon box at home. In real life you can see straight through a rainbow to the other side not like the rainbows in stores and I don’t know why that is. Real life rainbows are too big to fit in stores.”
Charlotte chuckled and sipped her tea.
Chapter 2 (Vicki)
Melissa has the same attitude her mother did at that age.
The next paper was Sean's.
" We're suppose to write about rainbows. But that just makes me think about thunder and lightning and rain and mud and pushing people in it. Stupid rainbows are for girls."
He sounds just like his dad, the obnoxious bully.
Another sip of tea awakened memories of being that age herself.
Growing up in this same town, wanting to be popular, and what the three of them did to achieve that goal.
Sandy's favorite song then was "Somewhere Over The Rainbow." That's how they came up with the idea...
Chapter 3 (PJ)
Charlotte inhaled deeply, shaking her head…"Somewhere Over The Rainbow", indeed. Robert’s paper was next.
“Rainbows remind me of different stuff all added up to make something better like all the colors are nice alone but they look really cool right next to each other. That could work for people too if they would do what we do. Everyone is a different color like me and Tony and Becca and Carlos and it’s more fun together on the playground than when I’m alone and there’s nothing to do.”
“Ah,” thought Charlotte, “an eight year old who sees a big picture…”
Chapter 4 (Vicki)
Drifting thoughts...
Of a hot summer night with nothing to do.
Unwanted memories came, again taking her to that place hidden in the dusty back roads of her mind; kicking rocks as they walked down that lane to the old house choked with ancient cobwebs.
They were the same age as the kids she was trying to steer through this life. Except Sandy. She was a year older.
Why did they think playing silly games were just for fun; never seeing the big picture, the fallout?
Echos of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" haunted her.
Shaking the thoughts away, she began to read Amber's paper.
Chapter 5 (PJ)
“A long long time ago even before my parents were born Noah built an ark for all the animals and it rained for days and days. God promised it wouldn’t happen like that ever again and He invented rainbows so that we’d remember that the rain will stop falling down and we don’t need to build an ark. I don’t know how to build an ark anyway. I’m pretty sure my daddy could build an ark because he is the smartest daddy in the whole wide world.”
Charlotte found herself softly humming, "Somewhere Over The Rainbow”. Amber always brought something different to the table.
The Conclusion...
Chapter 6 (Vicki)
After reading a few more papers, all full of wonder, she came to Lola's.
Aww yes, Lola. The only little girl who could make Charlotte turn away from her gaze. Always with that slightly haunting look on her otherwise sweet face.
"This is about Rainbows. They have all the colors. They let you know the storm is over. They're suppose to make you smile. But I don't like them. Rainbows make my Mama sad. She told me what you did."
The paper slowly slipped from Charlott's hand and drifted to the floor as echo's of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" seared through her tormented mind...
*Blogger is being obnoxious with CHANGE in a BOTTLE! I can't change colors so the usual RED in the chapter changes and the BLUE prompts aren't here as usual. Can't even add any pictures...blah! Hope it fixes itself soon..*
Keep Smilin (o:
5 comments:
I really liked the kids writings this week. However, now that I see the ending it makes me wonder just what Charlott did to Lola's mom lol.
Nice finish. Never saw that coming, but then with you two, I usually don't.
This was skillfully done, Jake! You wound them together and brought it to the perfect conclusion.
Regardless of what you think, you are way better at that than I am. I'm trying to learn from you as we go.
PJ! You take that back. Right now! This was an amazing story START to FINISH...because you did it together and you are both amazing writers.
So there!
Love the ending. I love the twist.
THANK YOU JENNY!
She needs a smack up side the head sometimes and you're just the one to do it proper!
mwahaha :)
Post a Comment