Writing Prompt Number 4

[Tommie Lyn]

I just barely got a story written from Prompt 3 and here it is time to put up another prompt -- time flies, whether you're having fun or not.

This week, we have a first line prompt. And a "mid-story" line prompt. That's right, my frazzled brain thought up two prompts to be used in the same story. How's that for self-punishment? (Rebecca, you think maybe someone else should take over prompt selection? lol)

Line 1: I hardly knew him_______

Line 2: We walked the ridge together______


No extra words for extra points this week -- just completing the story gets you extra points -- and remember, 500 words or fewer.

[kshsj777]

Word Count: 449

I hardly knew him that day. He was nothing but a stranger to me. And yet, when I saw him for the first time, my heart leaped inside of me. It was like I had known him my whole life.

We never spoke a single word to each other. He merely took my hand and led me through paradise. Through the eloquent gardens of beauty, the rippling stream of peace, the majestic mountains rising high above the golden plains.

We walked the ridge together, hand in hand, completely satisfied and happy.

But then a dark cloud loomed over the horizon, determined to separate us. We clung to each other, but the darkness was too strong. It consumed us, driving us apart. We scrambled in blindness, frantically trying to find each other. But to no avail.

I approached the brink of unconsciousness, and fell over. And when I awoke, I was stranded in a prison with no walls, surrounded by a bottomless pit. Alone, without comfort, without hope.

The dark cloud’s presence permeated the air, pressing against my chest, burning my lungs with each gulp. I cried out desperately for him, my beloved, but there was no answer. All I could see was darkness. Ruin, destruction, the stench of ashes. It was too unbearable for me.

I felt as though death would grab me at any moment.

But then I saw a light, shining far off into the distance. Without a moment’s hesitation, I leaped over the chasm to the other side, toward the light. I stumbled, but refused to give up, running, running towards the light.

Just as I stretched out my arm to touch it, it vanished, a mere dream, a fantasy, a false hope. In shock, I stood there frozen. Escape had been so near.

Tears tumbled down my cheeks. My strength left me and I collapsed to the ground. I whispered for death to take me, but silence merely mocked me.

Not an hour had yet passed before a knife appeared next to me. I sat up, grasping it. Had death finally heard my plea?

But before I could end my life, a powerful force wrenched the dagger from my hand. Strong arms took a hold of me and lifted me up, carrying me out of the darkness, the pain. With one command, it all vanished behind me, beauty restored, returned, redeemed. He set me down on a grassy meadow, and I saw his face.

It was him. Dirty and stained, scarred and bruised. My beloved had battled the darkness to find me, win me, love me.

Forever I was bound to him, forever I was in debt to him, forever I lived in eternal bliss.

[davitainchina]

Word Count: 350

I hardly knew him, but I couldn’t walk away. For a moment, just behind his gray eyes, the walls crumbled and I saw. I saw myself as he saw me. I saw my own walls reflected back looking more worn then ever. If I wasn’t careful they’d collapse soon, and then what would I do?

“Don’t leave,” he said.

“Why?” I whispered.

“We need you.” His eyes darkened as his walls rose again.

I turned away. “It’s best not to need anyone. I learned that long ago.” I waited for the lecture, the heated monologue of selfishness and faith. But the room remained silent. I peeked over my shoulder, wondering if he’d left.

“Come with me,” he said reaching out his hand. “I want to show you something.”

I knew I shouldn’t. I knew as soon as I took his hand I wouldn’t be able to leave, to go my own way and be free of people and the pain that goes with them. But I realized he had dropped his walls again. He was willing to risk pain and rejection because of me. My last resistance crumbled. I took his hand.

He led me out of the house and up the twisting roads toward the mountain top.

I had been here before. It was nothing new. The castle rose up to one side hidden behind walls thicker then the two of us combined. The manicured lands of the nobility stretched out behind us.

We walked the ridge together never saying a word. Finally he stopped. Silently he turned me toward the edge and pointed.

Lights flickered from the hundreds of homes below us stretching out further than I realized. Thousands of people connected to this weakening kingdom. Thousands of people losing hope as their king fails to protect the border lands. Thousands of people desperate to escape the coming shadow.

“We need you, Treana,” he whispered. “God has given you the power.”

I looked up at him, barely able to see his face in the shadows. The wall crumbled releasing hidden compassion and determination. “I’ll try.”

“So will I.”

[Knight of Christ]

word count 499

I hardly knew him, I had no reason to believe the things he was telling me. But I couldn’t look away something inside of me just wouldn’t let go.

He kept saying "This is where you need to be. come." I struggled with myself saying "I shouldn’t to it I know nothing about this person." But I couldn’t stop myself so I fallowed him.

Through murky swamps, and dense forest. , and across deserts. Until we reached the foot of a mountain.

“I…I can’t I am no good at climbing.”


“Of course you can, you always could. Don’t be afraid I will climb behind you and make sure that you do not fall.”

So up we went higher and higher I slipped and stumbled but he was always there to catch me. Finely we reached the summit and sat down for a rest. Looking around I found that I had no idea where I was or where to go next. Time passed and I was still confused.

He rose saying that time was now short and that we must reach the pot before dark.
He pointed to the left and there before me was a small trail and under it a long drop to the bottom. I looked back at him in fear.

“Don’t worry I will go first and guide you wont fall”

We walked the ridge together, the air getting colder as we went. I stumble and fall, down I go further and further. “Is this is?” I ask myself. “Is this how it all ends?”

As I fall a hand grabs mine, I look up and there is his kind face looking back at me. He helps pull me up and we continue our journey, to where I do not know.

As we walk I begin to wonder even more. “Where are we going?” I ask the man.

“There is something I want to show you, it is not far, we are almost there now.”

Up and up we go climbing even higher now.

We finely reach the top. “Behold my sun!!” He says as he stretches his arm out across the expanse.

“For this is what you’re faith has brought you.”

I look out in front of me, and to my wonder there is a shinning city and before it an immense of glass.

The site so consuming I am forced to Neal and weep. Then an idea hits me something that I should have thought of before. I look at the mans hands and behold they have large holes in them .

My weeping becomes harder as I feel the foolishness come to me.

“Why do you cry my sun?”

“Oh lord Jesus can you forgive me for not noticing you when you first came to me. I have been a fool.”

“My sun you are here because of you’re faith in me. You could have turned back at any time but you chose to keep going. For that there is nothing to forgive.”

[JayBee]

I hardly knew him but somehow I felt we would be friends even though we were so obviously different

It wasn’t really the done thing for us to be seen together except in battle but I was tired of the war between my kind and his and since no one else knew of this place (it was difficult to find) I thought I’d be safe enough.

I was a little bit anxious when I first saw him watching me. It had crossed my mind that he might call his comrades and that would be that but he just stood there watching silently I vowed I would be as friendly as could be and perhaps we would be able to enjoy the sunset without concern.

We walked the ridge together, he with his jaunty care free attitude and his constant talk of ‘One day I’ll fly away from here’ and I with my slow methodical gate.

Soon we would arrive at our destination, a spectacular viewpoint but I knew I had to keep it a secret.

We would stand there together in silence and as the reds began to turn into indigo he would sigh and say ‘One day I’ll fly away from here’

One evening I waited at the usual spot but he never turned up.

Dismally i walked the ridge to the viewpoint alone constantly on the alert.

Why should I feel so sad for a creature that was an enemy of my kind?

Yet I did.

It was some time later, one particular fiery sunset, when I heard him calling my name. My heart leaped and I looked all around. But to my consternation there was no sign of him whatever.

“Up here” he called and as I looked up I saw the most beautiful butterfly I have ever seen, soaring gracefully the sunset reflecting on his already colourful wings.

Yes we centipedes can appreciate beauty.

[Tommie Lyn]

Good job, everyone!

[gridsha]

I barely knew him, no one had even told me about him until today, but this almost magical feeling that had me captivated made me know without a shadow of a doubt that my world was about to change and life for me would never again be the same. I have never seen his face but he has revealed himself to me in ways I have never had the opportunity to know anyone before. I have truly found a best friend, a protector a confidant in him. He has proven himself to be loyal and trustworthy. We go everywhere together. He has carried me through the valleys of a failed business, relationship and financial depletion all at once. He has hugged me and comforted me when my tears flowed like the torrents of the mississippi river and right there in the midst of it showed me myself in his strong loving capable arms, how hilarious I was, turned my sorrows into the strongest hardest belly laughter I have ever had as if I was at a comedy show. I am truly in love with him, he is my hero, my champion, my lover, my friend, my protector, my provider, and my life partner. Life has been so complete since we have been walking together, there has been absolutely nothing impossible to accomplish. We have walked to the place where the Caribbean Ocean meets the Atlantic Ocean, where hot sulphur springs out of the mountain at a boiling point, and where the greatest water I have ever tasted flowed from hundreds of feet down the most beautiful rocks and created it own river basin. He has motivated me to come up to his higher level of thinking, taught me that mediocre is not acceptable, and that failure is not an option. Our time together has forced me to grow up, take responsibility, and become an example of what his circle of friends are expected to show. He has given me new concepts and ideas, mountain climbing, sky diving , fearless living. The ability to take chances and have no failures, just eliminations for the way not to try again in order to succeed. Our journey has been a fun one and if there is a regret in my life is that I was not offered the opportunity to take a hold of his hand sooner.
We walk the ridge together and what would have terrified most people was a real easy stride for us. This is where he test me to see if I have really been paying attention to the words he has been teaching me. We are at a pinnacle of life, It is a far way down and the magnificent scenery from this height is so awesome, it is almost unbelievable that I am here. One thing is clear I would have never been here without him. The world seem to be at my feet, but one thing is clear in my mind I cannot be distracted by the beauty that surrounds me, I am enjoying it but my focus cannot be taken away from the hand that keeps me steady and brought me here.