Write Campaign First Challenge

Here are the rules of the first challenge for the Write Campaign

Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “The door swung open.”

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), use the same beginning words and end with the words: "the door swung shut."

For those who want an even greater challenge, make your story 200 words EXACTLY!
 


If you watched the video in my last post you KNOW I took both of the extra challanges. 

Nerd power!!!

Between The Rock and A Hard Place


The door swung open, completing its dramatic arch and return, then slamming closed in her face. So much for slinking in unnoticed. Gingerly she tested the end of her nose, relieved when it did not wheeze like an accordion. The wood grain was quite lovely up close.

In the long second before kissing oak, she’d glimpsed him sitting on the white couch surrounded by family, friends, their friends, and their friend’s friends. On the side table right next to all the solidarity-lay her traitorous purse and keys.

 Not a sound came from the other side of the door. She imagined them all staring at it, well-dressed rabbits frozen in social horror. It wasn’t the first time she’d brought the room to silence that night.

“Will you marry me?”

“No.”

Leaving two choices - walk the twenty miles of wooded road alone, in heels, in the dark or walk back into that room. Could she hide in the bathroom until they went to bed? She sensed movement on the other side and the door cracked open. A hand appeared with her purse dangling between the fingers like a dead rodent. She grabbed it and ran.

Behind her the door swung shut.

Comments

Jocelyn Rish said…
So, so funny! What a great voice your MC has, and what a terribly awkward situation.
Anonymous said…
As my friend Kirsten would say: "Aw-kwarrrrd!" I liked the humour in this piece, especially the line: "The wood grain was quite lovely up close." Good job!
Anonymous said…
Hi Kate, nice job on your challenge. I saw one place where it was kinda rough where hand reached purse behind door. Would have liked to copy and paste but your story disappeared with the access to comments. You'll see it now that I mention it. Maybe you can edit it better.:). Please feel free to comment about my children's story on my blog #296.
Anonymous said…
Love the hand handing her the purse! Such a predicament!
David P. King said…
Ouch! Rejection, followed by awkward tension! I think you played that scene out quite masterfully.

Great job, Kate! :)
Avery Marsh said…
You somehow managed to make a woman who declined a proposal endearing. :) I love the voice of the piece and the writing is fantastic, especially the bit about kissing oak and how lovely the woodgrain looked up closer. Bravo.
Anonymous said…
Good one! I have felt that extreme sense of embarrassment, and thanks to your excellent writing, it all came back to me! Yewwww.

P.S. I'm a fellow beginning blogger and looking forward to reading more.
Sarah Tokeley said…
Oh that's just inspired!

If it was me, I think I'd walk...:-)
Brenda Sills said…
Hi Kate! I love how your describe your details - like, ". . . frozen in social horror" and " . . . her purse dangling between the fingers like a dead rodent." You evoke the mood of the scene so well. And finding out she'd turned down his proposal was a great surprise!

I'm a fellow campaigner - I'm not in your groups, but I wanted the fun of getting to know more writers. It's so great to meet you! And I love the title of your blog!
Unknown said…
Love this, Kate! So much said, in so few words ^_^
Jess said…
This is brilliant! Love the voice, the detail, and the interesting twist at the end. Good job! :)
bridget said…
Not a good sitituation to be in. Nicely done. Mine is #72
Anonymous said…
Hi there,

Fellow campaigner dropping by to say hello.

Love this flash piece, particularly the sentence about the wood grain! Also a great concept.

Claire
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Laila Knight said…
Hey there fellow Campaigner and Fantasy writer. I am following you now. BTW: Nothing could be worse than waliking in heels.
The very thought of going back into the room is chilling. Glad she got her purse though. Picturing this scene is very easy.
Karen deBlieck said…
I loved this piece...very original. I've give you an award. Check it out: http://simplyscribblings.blogspot.com/
Amanda Milner said…
Oh my gosh, I love this!!The voice is superb! And the situation is mortifyingly hilarious! Poor thing! And poor rejected boyfriend, yike. :P
Jenn said…
Really solid prose done in such a short span. Masterful, really.
Kate Swenson said…
Thank you fellow campaigners - you make ME feel like could walk 20 miles in heels! :)
I can't believe I missed your submit! This was ha-larious and I loved it! A job well done, for sure...so glad to see someone else took the humor spin. ;)
And a fellow Seattleite, to boot...maybe we'll connect in person one of these days?
Claire Hennessy said…
Excellent. Loved this. I really like your 'voice'. I enjoyed it even more the second time I read it. Very funny, especially the dead rodent bit. Thanks for commenting on my entry and so pleased I found your blog. You definitely have a new follower :)
MC Rogerson said…
Ouch! I wouldn't like to be standing in her heels. Deftly written piece with a great sense of tension. Looking forward to following your posts :)

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