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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/books/item_id/2051557-52-Week-Fiction-Image-Contest
by MontyB
Rated: E · Book · Writing · #2051557
A place to keep my writings for the {bitem:2048439}
With any luck, and a whole lot of hard work, this book will contain 52 independent (or maybe not so independent) stories.


October 5, 2015 at 8:40am
October 5, 2015 at 8:40am
#861831
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The waves rocked his boat gently, like a mother at her child's cradle. Even the wind observed the moments of silence he took for each of them. Had it really only been a year? Some days he swore that he could still hear their laughter ringing through the house as she chased them. He could smell her perfume on the pillow in their bedroom. Out of the corner of his eyes, he would swear that he saw them standing there, waiting for him. Those were the good days.

The rest of them; the days like today, the memories refused to come. They were taken too soon. All of them in one fell swoop. He thought about that day. He should have listened when she said she was worried about going out. There was a storm predicted. But the sky was clear and he was an experienced sailor. It would be fine. Except it wasn't.

The storm came upon them with no warning. One moment the sky was blue and they basked in the sunshine. He knew the waves were a bit rougher than normal, but he paid little attention. He could handle them.

A lone tear slipped down his cheek as the memories returned to him. The screams echoed through him and flashes of images assaulted his mind. The moon reached her gentle light toward him, caressing his bare shoulders, but he was lost to the horror. "No!" he whispered. "Please, not again. I'm so sorry. Karen!" He called out to his wife and in his memories turned to look for her as a huge wave carried her overboard. "Stop, please," he pleaded. He couldn't take them. He couldn't see them again. But his brain was on a mission and would not stop until its course was completed.

He stared, a helpless victim to this horror replay, as each of his four children followed his wife into the churning foam. "No," he croaked, his voice abandoning him as the memories came to their conclusion. He watched a hand jut out from the murky water and he reached toward it.

Opening his eyes, he saw the small hand still reaching for him and he smiled. They were still here, his family waited for him. And he reached out and slipped beneath the dark surface to join them forever.
September 30, 2015 at 7:20am
September 30, 2015 at 7:20am
#861316
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Marla trudged through the dark, her boots sticking into the mud and sludge that surrounded their home. Truth be told, though, it never bothered her. Marla enjoyed the sound of the squish and the feel of that moment just before you pull your foot out of the indentation. The one where it's unclear whether it will come out and you'll be on your way or if you will be stuck in the muck for all eternity.

Having made her way to the soft moss that surrounded the small cottage, Marla turned to ensure that Maya, her young daughter, followed behind her. She let out a breath when she saw the girl make her way toward the house. Behind Maya, Stenson, her husband and Killian, his younger brother, followed. It was dangerous for the quartet to be out so late, but the party for the new princess had run longer than expected. And when babies were born only every 100 years, a new birth was certainly cause for celebration.

A flash of light brought Marla's attention back around. She recoiled and searched instinctively for Maya. The girl cowered in the doorway of the cottage, her eyes wide with fear and her mouth twisted in disgust. Marla moved between the vile creature and her precious child. "You are not welcome here, Drakeon," she snarled at the skeleton creature that towered above her.

"You wound me," Drakeon gasped. "I merely sought to visit some of my friends on this most joyous occasion."

"You will leave now." Stenson arrived and positioned himself between Drakeon and Marla, the shimmer in his aura alerting his wife to the change that was about to happen. Marla's own aura shifted as well and she felt her limbs grow and change.

"Certainly we can be civil about this." Drakeon purred. The tone sent shivers through Marla. Drakeon made no secret about his desire to control the dragon people and his visit this evening spelled nothing but trouble for the family.

Marla growled and fire shot from her open mouth toward the monster. "Tsk, tsk," Drakeon scolded as he moved back from the flames. "Behavior like that would make me believe I'm not welcomed here. And I may be very cross at not being welcomed."

She snarled at him and circled around in the opposite direction of her husband. Whatever Drakeon wanted, he couldn't have. As she moved toward him, though, Drakeon moved back, further into the mud until the two dragons were stuck in the mucky substance. Marla tried to lift her foot, but it wouldn't budge.

"Oh, I do so hate it when that happens." Drakeon laughed at Marla and Stetson's howls, dodging their flames.

A scream behind them drew Marla's attention and she turned to see Maya and Killian wrapped in the arms of two of Drakeon's minions. The repugnant, undead creatures held each of the children tightly within their skeletal grasps. Maya looked practically green at the arms that held her. Neither she nor Killian were old enough to assume their dragon form, which made them especially vulnerable.

Marla struggled against the mud in a vain attempt to free her foot, but it was lodged tightly. In her dragon form there was no way to free herself from this prison. But she could not morph back to her human form with her emotions running so high. Maya, her only daughter and the only child she would bear for 100 years was being stolen from her by the most hated creature in the land. What did he want with the children? She had heard rumors of other dragon children being taken in the night, but it had all been too awful to believe.

Marla let out a loud howl as the minions carted the kids into the darkness of the forest.

"It certainly was a pleasure seeing you both again. Don't be a stranger now." Marla turned toward Drakeon and cursed him and his cheerful tone. She spit fire as far as she could, but the wretch seemed to always be one step ahead of it. When he was well within the confines of the trees, she looked around, frantic. Surely this was a nightmare. She was always so careful with Maya; always so protective. How could this have happened?

Marla felt her heart shatter and she collapsed into the mud, her dragon form melting away leaving behind only a grieving human mother. "Maya!" She called out, but still could not move. Her grief was too strong; her heart too shattered. Stetson's strong arms wrapped around her and she clung to him. "Our baby," she wailed into the soft cotton of his shirt.

"We'll find her," Stetson said, though she felt no comfort in the resolve of his words. Their life, she knew, had ended this night.
September 22, 2015 at 12:59pm
September 22, 2015 at 12:59pm
#860717
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Amelia surveyed her surroundings, taking in the dark clouds that swirled above the castle looming before her. Her heart pounded and her palms felt slick with sweat. Something pushed her forward and she walked, though not by her own volition. She couldn't explain it, but there was the sudden and undeniable urge to be inside the cold stone walls of those towers. She would be safe in there, she knew it, though how, she couldn't tell.

'Where is this place?' She wondered, quickening her steps onto the narrow cobblestone bridge. 'How did I get here?'

"Going somewhere?" A slimy voice hissed behind her. The feel of the words against her back made her skin crawl and a shudder ran up her spine.

Slowly she turned and gasped at the man standing behind her. He towered over her 5'9" frame and his gray robes were tattered shreds that hung and swayed in the breeze. They reminded Amelia of funeral gauze from the mummy exhibit she and Christopher had attended the week prior. His skin was sunken and brittle and had the look of unkempt leather. But the smell that emanated from him was the true horror. Amelia's stomach churned and spasmed in protest of the wretched stench. "What are you?" She gagged and quickly shoved a hand over her mouth.

His skeletal face stretched into a gruesome smile. "I had heard that you knew nothing of your heritage, but I never thought it was true." He laughed, and it was a hollow sound that sent fear into the heart of Amelia's soul. "Today is my lucky day."

He took a step toward her and Amelia stepped back, hopeful that she would find the narrow path behind her. One of the bricks had dislodged slightly so that it's corner was raised and Amelia found it with her foot. She crashed to the ground with a thud, bruising her tailbone on the ancient stones. She scrambled to get her footing, but her ankle throbbed and refused to bear any weight. She attempted to stand, screamed when a sharp pain shot through her calf, and fell back onto the moss covered path.

"Please help," she whispered, looking around desperately for another soul.

"There is none that can help you now," The skeleton man sneered. "You shall be much easier to dispose of than your wretched father. And none shall stand in my way. The dragons will finally be mine to control!" He giggled with the glee of a child on Christmas morning, but the effect was darker and more sinister. Amelia cowered in fear from this creature. She couldn't understand what was happening, nor how she had arrived at this place. She squeezed her eyes shut and willed herself to wake from this awful nightmare. She didn't want to be here. This wasn't where she belonged. She wanted to go home.

A warmth began to spread through her body and she felt the pain in her ankle disappear. She reached her hand up to the source of the heat and was surprised when it brushed against a pendant.

"No!" The skeleton man screamed. "No! It can't be. You can't do this. She didn't call to you!"

As if in response to his words, a great growl shook the tentative bridge and Amelia gripped the cobblestones and buried her head into her elbows. She felt heat explode all around her and peeked out to see flames emerging between her and the skeleton man.

"No!" He screamed again and then vanished into a slimy green cloud of smoke.

Amelia sat up and stared around, marveling at the flames that surrounded, but never touched her. She reached out her hand toward them and they reached toward her, tickling her skin.

"It's the amulet," a voice boomed from behind her and she jumped to her feet, fearing another confrontation with another monstrous creature. Through the flames she saw a figure of a large beast. She blinked several times and shook her head. Surely it couldn't be what she thought. They didn't exist. They were just children's stories. But as the flames parted and the beast waltzed through, she couldn't deny the truth any longer. In front of her stood a large dragon. The blue, turquoise, and green in his scales glittered and danced in the flames. His wings curled delicately at his sides. And his long neck rose high above her. She strained her neck to look up at his face and he lowered his to meet hers. They studied each other in silence and Amelia was mesmerized by what she saw in his eyes. Though this was a great beast to be feared, he was also very intelligent and ...caring? She shook herself from the trance at that last thought. Dragons were not known to be caring.

He sighed and his entire body slumped. "You are not ready," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"You are not ready," he repeated. "You were brought here too soon. It is not your time. We will send you home and when you are ready, you will come back. Keep the amulet safe. It will protect you from Drakeon's further attempts to kidnap you."

"Is that his name?" Amelia whispered and shuddered. She would have nightmares from the stench of him.

The dragon nodded once and said, "It is time for you to go now." And with that the world around her went dark.

Amelia opened her eyes to the sunlight streaming through her curtains. She nestled deep into her soft covers and shivered at the dream she had just had. It all felt so real. Her hand went up to her neck and she gasped. The amulet still hung there.
September 19, 2015 at 6:38am
September 19, 2015 at 6:38am
#860400
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"I'm not sure we should be doing this in your condition." Kevin frowned at his wife.

"Oh shut up and come at me!" Pam shouted back, lifting the wooden sword and shield. "Just don't hit me in the stomach and we'll be fine." She glanced down at her protruding baby bump. They'd reached the twenty week mark and she hadn't been put on bed rest yet. When Kevin had asked what she wanted to do to celebrate reaching the half way point, the Renaissance fair just seemed the natural choice. After weeks of being super careful with her body, she needed to expend some energy.

A smile lit her face as she watched Kevin come at her, his wooden sword lifted high into the air. Around them, several other couples where bashing each other's shields with their own wooden swords. It was probably the best marriage counseling session she had ever attended.

Several minutes into their foray, Pam lifted her shield to block Kevin's blow, but it wasn't high enough and he caught her across the shoulder, knocking her onto the soft grass.

"Oh honey!" He dropped his weapons and was instantly on his knees at her side. "I am so sorry. Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" Like a diligent nurse, he checked the area where his sword had struck, searching for splinters and signs of bruising.

"I'm fine." She smiled at him, placing her hand over his. "This was probably the most fun I've had in a long time."

"Me too." Kevin agreed, sitting back into the grass.

"In fact," she said, her eyes filling with mischief. "I think we should buy some of the soft ones before we leave. I have an idea for later."

"Oh really?" Kevin asked, his tone light and playful. "And what would that idea be, my dear madam?"

She winked at him and then stood up. He jumped up beside her and grabbed her arm as she was turning to walk away. He pulled her close and pressed his lips against hers, soft at first and then more demanding. Pam's stomach flipped and this time she didn't blame the baby. 'Best counseling session ever,' she thought as she opened her mouth to allow his tongue to enter.
September 10, 2015 at 9:21am
September 10, 2015 at 9:21am
#859666
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"Can't you go any faster?" Pamela screamed while holding her stomach, as if her hands were the only thing that would keep her insides, and the baby, from falling onto the floorboards of their Seabring.

"I'm going as fast as I can, honey. I'm so sorry. These damn cars just won't move." Kevin reached over and patted his wife's arm. "I'll get us there as soon as I can."

Tears flowed down Pam's face leaving wavy wet trails behind them. "I'm not sure it'll be soon enough." A sob cut off her voice. "It hurts, Kevin."

"I know, Baby." Kevin squeezed her arm and then turned his attention back to the road ahead of them. There seemed to be some sort of accident and the cars on the highway were creeping along. He hadn't touched his gas pedal for the last twenty minutes and it looked like he wouldn't need to do more than tap it for the next twenty. "Come on!" he screamed to the car in front of him.

Under normal circumstances, Kevin was a mild mannered guy. There wasn't much that got to him. But this baby and his wife were the two most important things in his life and right now they were in a danger that he couldn't protect them from. Kevin had no idea how to deliver babies. That's what they had hospitals for. But he worried that if the traffic didn't move soon, delivering his son would be exactly what he would be doing.

Pamela's screams had settled to low moans as she massaged her stomach and tried to find a comfortable position on the seat. Car seats were definitely not made for the comfort of thirty eight week pregnant women. Her stomach tightened again and her intestines felt as if they were tying themselves into intricate knot patterns. Pam screamed out from the pain of it and doubled over as best as she could in the cramped space.

A flash of light and a large explosion to her left distracted her. Something was on fire; a big fire, and right in the heart of the city; right near the hospital. "What was that?" Pam's voice shook and her pain momentarily forgotten.

"I have no idea." Kevin's voice shook a bit as well. "But honey, I don't think we should go there." His eyes were big and filled with fear.

"Where do we go then?" More tears escaped Pam's eyes and made their journey down her cheek.

"Your sister's," Kevin said, moving the car along the shoulder and toward one of the emergency vehicle turn-arounds. "She'll know what to do."

"How is she going to know?" Pam asked, irritated that they were heading away from the one place she knew could deliver this baby safely. After all they'd gone through to conceive, how could Kevin be so careless? "Kevin," she started to say, but another contraction cut off her words and all she could do was grab her stomach and scream.

Kevin took advantage of the empty highway and drove much faster than he normally would. He sent up prayers that whatever that explosion was would have the police too busy to notice him for a while so that he could take care of his family. They were the only things that mattered to him right now. He needed to get Pam to a safe place so that she could deliver the son they both so desperately wanted.

"Kevin, it hurts." Pam whimpered. "I didn't think it would hurt like this."

"Shh." He patted her arm and did his best to console her. "We'll be there soon. It'll be alright. You'll see."

Kevin dug out his cell phone and pressed the icon for Kate. "I'd better give her a heads up," he said, placing the phone to his ear.

Kate was waiting for them and ran out to the driveway as Kevin pulled the car in. He had barely put the car into park when she opened the passenger door and helped Pam exit. "Jeff called 9-1-1," she said as she helped Pam navigate the steps up to the front door. "We've made up a comfy place in the living room for you to wait for the paramedics."

Kevin let out a breath, grateful for Kate's take charge nature. He watched as Kate situated his wife and then hugged her shoulders when another contraction wrecked her body. Kevin had never felt this helpless in his entire life and he wasn't sure he liked it one bit.

A commotion in the doorway drew their attention and they all looked up to see Bill standing there with the phone in his hand and a dazed look on his face. "The hospital," his voice trailed off.

He continued to stare at the wall, his eyes wide and unfocused. "The hospital," he repeated.

Pam's pain increased her irritation. The baby was dangerously close to delivery and she had never even considered the idea of a home birth. "What about the hospital, Bill. Dammit, spit it out!" And then she laid her head back as another contraction ripped through her.

"It's gone," he whispered, finally looking at us. "The whole city blown up."

The room went silent. Even Pam's contractions seemed to pause as the severity of the situation dawned on the four of them.
September 3, 2015 at 7:23am
September 3, 2015 at 7:23am
#859058
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It had been three years, four months, forty-seven days, and three hours, not that Ambrosia was counting. But then again, what else was she supposed to do when her family dumped her in the middle of the ruins. She hadn't meant to cause the flood inside the Court. She knew she had needed to control her emotions. She understood what it meant when they got out of control.

She had tried to tell them that it wasn't her fault. She didn't do it on purpose. Father looked so angry. Mother had laid there motionless. Ambrosia started over to help, but the look in Father's eyes pushed her back.

"I'm sorry," tears welled in her eyes and storm clouds formed around the ceiling. A flash of lightening struck one wall and the cobblestone tumbled into the water with a splash.

"Ambrosia." Malik, her younger brother, touched her arm and she felt the calm rush through her. But then there was another hand on her arm. One of the guards had grabbed her. He didn't know. He didn't understand. But it was too late. Another lightening bolt flashed, striking Malik. He fell into the knee deep water and she bent to pick him up, to help him.

"Get her out of here!" Father screamed and several more guards grabbed her around various body parts and carried her into the outside world. They didn't stop until they had reached the ruins.

The door in front of her opened and she was pushed gently yet with force inside; she was still the princess after all.

Ambrosia spent that evening exploring her prison. The walls of the houses around her had crumbled to the point that they were mere facades. The ground was dry and cracked, like clay that had been baked for too long. She leaned against a wall and thought about the days events. It was all to be so perfect. Her wedding day. And then to discover Adam in the arms of another was a pain too great to bear. She knew that infidelities were a reality in royal marriages; she had simply assumed that they began long after the wedding.

She hung her head, ashamed of her behavior. Would they ever forgive her? Had she killed her beloved mother and her brother. Malik was the only one who could calm her when her emotions got to this point. Had the guard but let him do that, it would have all ended so differently.

Ambrosia looked up when she felt the rain drops hitting her skin. Her sadness was so great that she couldn't be sure if it was she or Mother Nature who caused this shower. The rain wore on through the night, calming only when Ambrosia had finally cried herself to sleep. In the morning, she woke to a lake on which she floated. The water would not harm her. Death would not be her reprieve and she realized that her punishment was to live with the knowledge of what she had done.

Malik would come to her every few days to let her know the news of the Court. Mother had recovered her injuries and so had he. No everlasting harm was done. Adam had been banished to the Kingdom of Nightmares where he would serve the Slaugh King. This news brought a little joy into Ambrosia's lonely existence.

She waited as patiently as she could for Father to return and release her from this prison. And in that time, she honed her powers. The accident with Malik had shown her that there would be times when he would not be there to calm her, so she learned to calm herself.

She mastered her control of the weather, bringing it and banishing it on her whim. By the time three years, four months, forty-seven days, and three hours passed, she was quite skilled at the task.

And so she waited, sure that some day soon Father would relent on his imprisonment of her. Malik continued to come and bring news of the Court. There was a big announcement to be made soon. Father would proclaim one of his children successor. As the oldest, Ambrosia was the logical choice. And so she was patient. Soon it would be Father at her cell and he would release her and turn over everything he had to her control. She knew it.

And she waited.
August 23, 2015 at 9:14am
August 23, 2015 at 9:14am
#858129
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Katrina glanced around the path, her eyes awash in wonder and excitement. She'd been in the forest before, but none like this, and never so far from her mother. She would need to go back home soon, before she was missed for dinner. But for now she walked deeper into the grove.

The trees around her sparkled in beautiful silvers and majestic golds. Under her feet, the path was made of a moss so soft that she longed to remove her shoes and wriggle her toes in it. She decided to do just that, and one by one the Mary Janes slipped from her feet and landed with a thud to the side of her walkway. Once she had her bare feet nestled in the moss, she knew she had made the right decision. The path demanded contact with the skin and Katrina was so very happy to oblige.

A noise to her left startled her and she jumped, the spell of the forest broken momentarily and she found herself suddenly afraid. The sky darkened and a crash of thunder boomed all around her. The trees seemed to quiver as if they were also afraid. Katrina gathered her lantern and huddled behind one of them. The tree was large and camouflaged her petite body.

Everyone around her commented on how small she was. At twelve years old, she often passed for someone half her age. Many times throughout her life, she had mentioned this to Mom who brushed her off with a lame excuse about genetics or how some people were just small. Katrina's classmates often called her 'midget' or 'squirt', which hurt her more than she cared to admit. She longed to be taller. That's why she was here today. She'd heard talk of the people of the forest who could grant wishes and change destinies. She had to see for herself if the stories were true.

Katrina shivered as a chill threaded through the air. The tree behind her shivered as well, though she thought that was likely her imagination. The rhythm of the tree so matched her own, it was if the two beings had become one. The air grew colder and she felt herself melt into the bark around her. She didn't have time to ponder this phenomenon when a woman appeared. Her skin was black as the night sky and she seemed to bring the dark chill with her. Katrina blinked several times for she was certain that her eyes were playing tricks on her. The woman's skin seemed to sparkle and glisten as if she truly were the night sky and stars danced within her body.

Another clash of lightening flashed on the ground near Katrina's feet. She screamed, but the woman didn't notice. She was caught up in a rant of sorts.

"How dare they treat me thusly!" The woman raved. "Fools! Do they not realize with whom they deal? Their precious trees and their precious forest could be mine with but a sweep of my hand."

As if to demonstrate her words, the woman shot her hand out and lightening struck the tree to Katrina's right. The bark exploded all around her and Katrina felt pain shoot through her body. This time when she screamed, the woman heard and she stared directly at her, though it seemed to take a moment for her to see Katrina. "Who is there?" The woman's voice carried a haughty tone.

Timidly, Katrina pushed herself away from the tree. Fear stole her voice and she could only stare at the woman with wide, tear filled eyes. The woman gasped. "A child!" She stared at Katrina, her face playing with emotions. Katrina found herself entranced by the clouds that seemed to dance through the woman's gray eyes.

"Remarkable," the woman breathed, smiling slightly. Katrina felt her face warm by the sun and glanced up to see that the thunder clouds had all disappeared. Her mouth fell open and her bravery returned.

"It's true then?" Katrina asked, turning back to the woman.

"How old are you, child?" The woman asked as if she hadn't heard Katrina's question. "The hair," she muttered, circling behind Katrina. "And the eyes," she said coming back around to the front and grabbing Katrina's chin gently. She turned her face from side to side and Katrina wondered if this is what horses felt like when people inspected them. "What are you?" The woman stepped back as if to get another big picture look.

Katrina raised an eyebrow at the woman. "I'm a kid," she said matter-of-factly. "What are you?"

The woman smiled and the haughty look returned to her eyes. "Not what, dear, who. I'm Ambrosia and I have some friends who would just love to meet you."

A pang of fear shot through Katrina and she considered running from this woman, but before she could Ambrosia wrapped her arms around her shoulders. Katrina walked dutifully with her toward a pair of red doors that had not been on the path before. She wondered as she walked through them if she would ever see her mother and great-grandmother again.

The whispers of the trees invaded her thoughts and something about the door felt right and natural to her. Though she was afraid of Ambrosia herself, she did not fear the trees nor the people behind the door. As they closed behind her, she looked around and whispered, "home."
August 20, 2015 at 10:37am
August 20, 2015 at 10:37am
#857884
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"I can't believe I let you talk me into this." Pam shivered and snuggled deeper into her parka. It was cold. The kind of cold where you were certain you would never be warm again.

"You didn't have to come." Kevin's voice was bitter and shook with cold as well.

Pam clenched her jaw and walked on, following the rest of the couples involved in the intensive therapy retreat. Her thoughts wandered as they trudged deeper into the woods. How did they get to this place? How did they become the couple that needed therapy? When her sister, Kate, had suggested they come here, she laughed it off. They were fine. Everyone went through rough patches, didn't they?

And then there was the affair. Kevin admitted to sleeping with another woman. Pam's world shattered in those moments. How could he? Tears burned her eyes and froze on her cheeks. Would she ever forgive his betrayal? How could she have been so stupid? She had wanted to leave. As soon as he told her, she had fought the desire to run. Instead she had agreed to come to this week long intensive retreat. It was supposed to help them heal and get back on track. So far all they'd done was a role play game and this horrific trek through the snow. She wasn't sure how either was supposed to help.

Something gripped her foot and she tumbled forward into the snow, twisting her ankle. She heard the crack and then the pain seared through her leg. She screamed out as she went down. In an instant, Kevin was there, lifting her out of the frigid snow.

"Oh, honey," he said, running his hands over her face and arms. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Pam opened her mouth to speak. The pain in her ankle intensified and another scream burst out of her. She pointed to where her foot was caught in the roots and Kevin bent down to help her remove it. His hands were so gentle, but still the pain radiated.

"Why did we do this?" She stared at him when he had righted himself again. "This is stupid, Kevin. Snow isn't going to help us reconnect and now look." She indicated her rapidly swelling ankle. "I can't even walk on that thing."

"We'll get help." He reassured her, stroking his hands down her face. "It'll be fine, don't you see? We can fix this." He motioned to one of the men standing around him to call for help and then waved the crowd on. "We'll wait here, you lot go on." He told them. Something stirred deep within Pam's belly. She had always found Kevin's take charge way stimulating. He had been the same in the bedroom and had left her shaky and giggly on more than one occasion. But before the emotions could surface, she stomped them down. This was the man who had betrayed her. How could she ever feel anything other than repulsion for him?

"Please don't touch me," she said softly and he recoiled as if she had struck him.

Kevin settled into his own snowdrift and drew pictures in the snow with a stick he had found. "Will you never forgive me?" He mumbled and it took Pam a few moments to translate the words.

She sighed. "It's still all so fresh," she said. "I'm not sure that I can trust you."

Kevin sat back in the snow and looked around. As the minutes ticked away, his agitation seemed to grow. He stood up and paced around Pam, looking through the trees in the direction from which they'd hiked. "They're taking too long. You're going to freeze in that snow soon."

Pam tried to smile at his concern, but her teeth were chattering so badly that she kept biting her tongue.

Kevin stared down at her for a long time, and then he made a decision. Pam could see it written all over his face. "I'm going to carry you out." He said. "After we get you to the doctor, you can hate me and ignore me and all of that. But for now, I'm carrying you." And he bent down to scoop her into his arms.

Pam winced at the pain the shifting of her weight caused on her ankle, but wrapped her hands around his neck. She laid her head on his shoulder while he bounced her as gently as possible through the difficult terrain. They'd been through so much together, just the two of them. All the miscarriages, all the doctors appointments, they'd been together through it all. The affair burned, but perhaps she couldn't fully blame him for needing the escape. She had needed one herself. Maybe she wasn't blameless through all of this.

No! Her inner voice screamed at her. He's the cheater. He did this. You never went outside of your marriage, he did.

"I'm still mad at you," she said leaning a little to look him in the face.

"I know," he frowned.

She laid her head on his shoulder and snuggled into his warm and musky scent. They continue this way for the rest of the hike, both caught up in whatever tales spun through their heads.

"We should talk more," Pam blurted and Kevin stopped, almost dropping her.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Well," she said evenly, "we got in this situation because we stopped talking. If I had been there for you to talk to, you wouldn't have looked elsewhere. So we need to talk."

Kevin stared at his wife. His look said everything his mouth couldn't and she smiled at him. "I haven't forgiven you yet," she said. "But I'm working on it."

He nodded, tears falling freely down his face. She reached up and brushed them away and then snuggled back into his shoulder. "Now let's get to that doctor, this ankle is killing me!"





August 12, 2015 at 7:00am
August 12, 2015 at 7:00am
#857177
** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **

Pamela blinked her eyes. She had no idea where she was nor how she got there. There was something that she needed to remember, but it lingered just outside her mind. Every time she tried to grasp it, the thought vanished into red dust. Around her feet were piles of red dust. How many times did I attempt to grasp that thought before it melted away? She wondered.

Suddenly three tornadoes appeared just a few yards away from her, kicking up dust and knocking over boulders. One of them had even picked up a danger sign that had been embedded in the ground and was swinging it around in a most unsafe manner. Pam's heart pounded and she wanted to run. Fear made her legs heavy and the red dirt felt like quick sand. Just as they were about to overtake her, Pam flung herself onto the ground and placed her hands over the back of her head. Thank goodness for all those tornado drills when I was a kid, she thought as the air whooshed over top of her.

"Aunt Pam, come play with us!" Mary's adolescent voice boomed over her. Pamela looked up and gasped! One of the tornadoes was stationary in front of her and Mary's face was sticking out of it. Pam's jaw dropped in shock. She pushed herself into a sitting position and gaped at the creature in front of her. Her mouth opened as if to form words, but none came. She swore she saw that little tornado tapping it's foot impatiently. Did tornadoes even have feet?

"Mary, leave your aunt be," Kate's voice came from behind her. "She needs her rest." Pam turned to look for her sister and then was startled when the Danger sign that Mary had carried was thrust into the ground to her left.

"Okay." Mary sounded rejected and hurt and Pam thought for a minute about chasing after her to tell her she would play. But the three tornadoes had vanished and the dirt around her was calm once again.

Before she could turn back to her sister, a steaming mug was shoved into her face. "Here!" Kate's voice was quick and clipped as if she had already drank far too much coffee. "Drink this. It helps!"

Pam wrapped her hands around the mug and stared up at her sister who was tilting a cup to her own lips. She looked down into the liquid and saw the birds and the bright light. "I'm not sure I want to." She muttered. But Kate was already onto another tangent.

"So, where is he?" Kate asked.

"Where is who?" Pam felt confused, but that tingling of a thought was there again. It sat right to the left of her vision, just out of reach. And when she turned her head to look at it, it moved. She sat her mug on the ground and pushed herself up so that she was eye to eye with Kate.

"You know who." Kate laughed and bent to pick up the mug, downing the liquid in a single gulp.

Pam shrugged, but the inkling of a thought grew stronger. Something needed her attention. There was something she should be doing, but she couldn't remember. "Kevin?" And once she said his name, her husband appeared next to her sister. One minute there was no one and then he was there. Pam took a step back, startled.

"You know they don't help marital problems, right?" Kevin's voice was harsh and reminded her of an argument they'd had recently. What were they arguing about? Pam couldn't remember.

"But they certainly can change people's lives." Kate said pointedly, taking another sip from the mug. Pam wondered where she got the refill. "You should be excited, Kevin. Why aren't you excited."

"I never said I wasn't excited. Just that maybe this isn't the right time." Kevin's face twinged with pink and his words cut through Pam. She wished she could remember what they had argued about.

"It's never the right time, Kev." Kate's voice was soothing and Pam watched as the red faded from his cheeks. "Everyone's scared their first time."

"First time?" Pam asked and both their eyes snapped to her.

"You didn't forget about the baby did you?" Kevin asked and no sooner were the words out of his mouth when the shrill cry of a newborn pierced the air.

Pamela jerked up in bed and looked around, listening in the dark for the cry, but none came. Her hand went to the small swell in her stomach and she cupped it gently. "I could never forget about you," she whispered to the bump and then snuggled under the covers.


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