Fiction: Bungee Jumping & Maybe Merfolk

This month's Words for Wednesday prompts are supplied by messymimi and can be found on her blog as well as River's blog. This week's prompts are: attention, vague, orbit, game, think, insistence and/or single, brand, barrel, bless, stake, cap. Additional optional prompt is Charlotte's colour of the month - Steel Blue. 
    The aim of Words for Wednesday is to use one or all of the prompts to write something – ie, a story, a poem, an essay or any forms of writing, fiction or nonfiction – basically write anything you want.    

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Fiction: Bungee Jumping & Maybe Merfolk
As he jumped off the bridge's deck, Hawken Decker had a vague idea he might be heading toward his death. All his life, Hawken had been blessed. His family always supported him no matter what he did. But this was to be his last stunt, the last time he did anything this stupid. As he barreled through his unwanted thoughts, he wondered if his sister would miss him.
    Moments ago Hawken stood on the bridge's deck and peering down at the water and drenched in sweat. He had removed his brand new baseball cap and wiped his forehead about five times. Everyone had been orbiting around him like he was a star except there were only twelve people including two professional bungee jumpers who set up the equipments. A few passerby had paid Hawken some glances but they didn't linger, not in the 95°F heat. Maybe Hawken shouldn't have invited Bethany Price since she kept chatting on her phone. His best friend Stella Prickling's insistence grin made Hawken wanted to smack her. She had held a thumbs up and lifted the camera to her eye. Stella was always gaming Hawken into believing every stunt was the greatest thing Hawken would ever do but Stella had no stakes in them except earning a few bucks for posting the videos online. 
    Bungee jumping wasn't dangerous but if the rope somehow failed, Hawken might just crush his brain against the side of the bridge or he might drown in the river below and if not, he might be unable to swim to safety. 
    Hawken was a fool. Twenty-six years old and what did he have to show for? Just some dumb stunts. Hawken could blame Stella for living like this but he chose to do these stunts. Sometimes Hawken wanted to go back and unmade the decision to be friends with Stella in second grade. When Hawken had tripped and fell over his tray of lunch, Stella had helped him cleaned up and even shared her lunch. Hawken still could remember the ham sandwich that had caused him a stomachache but Stella's kindness stayed with him.
    Flying through the air, Hawken was surprised how heavenly it was before he started dipping into the water. He didn't hear a snap but he was certain the rope had broke and he was loose in the water. The freezing liquid was soothing to his hot body but as he sank farther down, he cursed. A strange power surged through him and he swam upward only to slow down as his arms and legs ached while tangled in some rope. Unable to hold his breath any longer, he slacked his mouth. His vision started darkening and then he blacked out.

Bookmarks

I like to make artwork with phrases or sayings so I thought I made some. Here are three that I had been working on for weeks but I'm not quite satisfied with them, maybe some more tweaks later but for now I'm happy with them. I made these as bookmarks but you can use them for your blog or wherever but please do not use them in any rude or unkind way. 

#1 - The Joys of Reading

#2 - My favorite pastime is read books and complain about them

#3 - Think Less Read More

Do you use bookmarks? Do you like bookmarks?

Fiction: Next Stop: Oblivion, Indiana

This month's Words for Wednesday prompts are supplied by messymimi and can be found on her blog as well as River's blog.This week's words/prompts are: plastic, remain, tooth, wisecrack, distant, enjoy and/or heads up; not all it's cracked up to be (failing to be as good as other people claimed); playing possum (pretending to be dead). Another optional prompt is Charlotte's colour of the month - Steel Blue. I only used the first set of prompts.
    The aim of Words for Wednesday is to use one or all of the prompts to write something – ie, a story, a poem, an essay or any forms of writing and the theme/topic is up to you so basically write anything you want.

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Fiction: Next Stop: Oblivion, Indiana
The sky is a gray mass pouring droplets in a carefree but quiet manner. Mavis Manor quickens her pace while dragging her large suitcase behind her. A car rushes toward her and she stumbles backward and onto the ground. For a moment, she calms her racing heart while silently cursing the driver. 
    After adjusting the strap of her shoulder bag and picking up her steel blue suitcase, she enters the station where she finds her way to stand behind the last man in a long line to the train. She listens to the muffled voices and hesitant movements. Is everyone moving slower than usual?
    All morning, she had tried to hurry – sorting, packing, trashing, endless decision making – why is moving so exhausting? 
    Now her afternoon is disappearing and still, it's as if time isn't moving at all. The rain too seems to be moving slower now. Just a few moments ago, she has to discard her umbrella when it collapsed. She licks her lips. Why does the rain taste sweet?
    The man ahead of her takes two steps forward and reluctantly Mavis follows. Already, she misses her tiny apartment but she won't miss waiting on tables and cleaning after people every week with barely time for anything. I can enjoy life later, she often thought. Two months ago, when her fiancé lost their life savings, then went on a suicidal drive with Mavis, her mother and sister, she was cheated of her hard-earn happiness. The moment she woke from a head injury and found out he had died along with her mother and sister, she wished he had lived so she could kill him. But when she thought of her mother and sister, she wanted to disappear, like her father. When Mavis was five and her sister was two, her father went out to buy baby formulas and never came back. One of his friends said he saw him getting on a bus.
    Just when the remains of her patience is slowing ebbing away, it is Mavis' turn. The porter throws her suitcase into the luggage bay of the train. Did she hear a cracking sound? Mavis pictures the glass frame with her family but she is too exhausted to care. She climbs onto the train and takes a seat by the window. The ride is a bit long and she fears the plastic chair will make her regret sitting. 
    Her stomach does a little tumble. The burnt eggs and weak coffee seem so long ago. She longs for some glazed donuts. Her friend, Sally, always said with Mavis' sweet tooth, she might bloat up to 300 pounds. Mavis never cared for Sally's wisecracks. Besides, a woman should be able to enjoy a sweet dessert without worrying about her weight.
    The train shakes and starts moving. In the distant, she hears thunder. Through the windows smattered with raindrops, she watches the passing houses and trees. 
    "Next stop: Oblivion, Indiana," comes the announcement from the speaker. 
    Her heart pumps quicker. This is what she wants so why is she terrified?
    Everything will be new but she will be old but she can get used to that.
    A few hours later, she is exiting the train. After securing her suitcase, she finds the exit and walks out the double doors of the station. Outside, the gray, rainless night meets her. She tightens the grip on her suitcase's handle. Something in her memory shifts and she forgets why she is there. She tries to remember but there is no backlogs of memories in her mind. The rain, she remembers. It had licked her face and she had drank it in and tasted its sweetness.
    She looks around her. This is the right place, she thinks. Only, she minds that she has forgot her name.