The Things I'd Tell You - The Muse Wars Challenge 5

Originally started by Melissa @ The Things I'd Tell You, the Muse Wars continued with the 2nd challenge set by Tanya @ Madmother, and the 3rd by me and the 4thchallenge by Lori @ Random Ramblings of a SAHM. Challenge 5 has been set by Gemma @ sometimes you just need to vent

Anyone can join in, you just need to write a story as your interpretation of the photo in less that 500 words and then link to Gemma's blog.

Who did he think he was, striding in to the village, tall and dark with piercing cobalt eyes - sure he was handsome, sure he got her loins hot and bothered, but he was a stranger, his blood rite was not known and yet they all swooned before him like he was their saviour. The one that would bring them riches, the one that would bring sunshine back to them and yet she knew he was no match for her.

She was only 18, but she was powerful. Her raven hair and black eyes against her porcelain skin brought all the men to their knees. Her wish was their command. Just like her mother before her she was born to to fulfill the prophecy. She would not be denied.

She brooded while she drank the dark red liquid, furious that they thought he could control her. She would show them all. Throwing the glass against the wall she strode out into the night, determination pulsing through her. She would not be denied the rite of the blood pumping through her veins.

And so she summoned the storm. Standing below the vortex of dark clouds, she danced and sang to the Powers and they answered. Lightning flashed down in every increasing numbers until the fields around her were burnt to ash. Yet she stood there untouched, her dark hair streaming upwards as the wind howled around her. Her black eyes reflecting the lightning storm.

Here they came, those poor creatures, torches in hand, wailing about their lost crops. Let them understand that her fury could destroy them, they would not burn her at the stake like her mother. For she was the strongest and she would crush them like ants beneath her foot and tear their saviour to shreds. She was not known as The Shrew for nothing.

Things I'd Tell You Challenge - Muse Wars 4

Originally started just a week or so ago by Melissa @ The Things I'd Tell You, the Muse Wars continued with the 2nd challenge set by Tanya @ Madmother, and the 3rd by me. This, the 4th challenge was set by Lori @ Random Ramblings of a SAHM. Anyone can join in, you just need to write a story as your interpretation of the photo in less that 500 words and then link to Lori's blog.

God, here they where in a foreign city, driving on the wrong side of the road, down a busy city street and night was falling. Jet lagged, she had obviously taken a wrong turn, their hotel was nowhere in sight. Maybe they should just ask someone directions, but they were 2 women on their own, on their first overseas holiday. But hey, this was a big city, they should be right, shouldn't they?

"What about that nice man over there", her friend asked, "maybe we could ask him?"

But she was too scared and so she drove on further, turning blindly down streets, trying to get back to where they should be. Why didn't she hire that NavMan thingy, she scolded herself. Trying to save a little hard earned cash and now they were totally lost.

"How about we park here her", friend said, "and buy a NavMan or whatever in that electrical store? It really will make it easier for us while we are here, I mean we are so lost and we only got off the plane a couple of hours ago. Imagine how lost we could get in the week we are here" her friend calmly asked. Seemed to make sense now.

So she parked the car and shelled out more money than it would have cost to hire the bloody thing. When she got back they plugged it in and typed in the address. Imagine their surprise when it answered back in French instead of English - how could she have forgotten they were in France. They both burst out laughing, oh the stories they would have to tell when they got back home.

Now if they could just find their hotel!!

The Things I'd Tell You - Muse Challenge 3

She tossed and turned, tangling the bed sheets around her legs. God she was hot, she was so sick and tired of this relentless hot, dry easterly wind. Every window rattled as it gusted, blowing hard against the old house.

The constant noise was driving her insane. The trees whipping around outside her bedroom window, their shadows creating a weird dance upon the bedroom wall, back-lit by the full moon. The grasses whispering and hissing like some ghostly presence as the wind pushed and pulled them in its ebb and flow. She slammed the window closed, pulling the blinds across in her fury - she needed to sleep.

She woke, startled by the crash as another pot plant gave in to the constant pressure of the wind and fell on its side. Sunlight was streaming in the cracks in the blinds and still the wind howled. For days and nights on end this wind had announced it's presence in the constant noise that seemed to surround her house.

She was fractious, not getting enough sleep, being cooped up inside during the hot, hot summer. She felt like she wanted to rip her head off, to relieve the pressure in her sinuses, the constant itchiness of her eyes and ears. Her throat so dry, leaving her parched, no matter how much water she drank. Her allergies raging in protest against the pollen and dust that somehow made it inside her house even when she was forced to close the windows to keep out the noise and the heat.

She longed for the cool winter rains, to hear their soothing beat on her roof. Surely it was time for some rain. She was over the constant blue of the sky, barely broken by a wispy white cloud. But summer loomed on before her, another month at least before there was even the slightest hope of rain.

She tried to soothe herself in the shower, allowing her mind to wander, to dream that she was standing under a cool winter's downpour, feeling the water flow over her skin, cooling and soothing, slowly taking away the tension. Soon, soon she told herself, soon the rain will come, the relief she so longed for. Soon ....

The Things I'd Tell You - Muse Challenge 3

Hi everyone, as the first to respond to the 2nd Muse Challenge set by Madmother I have earned the honour of choosing the next photo for the pictorial writing challenge. For those of you who have missed Challenge 1 and 2 - the challenge was originally set by Melissa at The Things I'd Tell You.

You have a little longer than the usual 48 hours as I will be away until Sunday 14th, so put your pen to blog and in 500 words or less lets see what this photo inspires you to write. I deliberately chose a photo without a person so that there was a different focus.

First person to post their link to my blog will get to set the 4th challenge. Good luck.

Things I'd Tell You Challenge - Escape

Melissa from The Things I'd Tell You posted this challenge.

I'm issuing a blog challenge to my writing friends. I know that our blogging mojo has been on an extended hiatus, and that I'm not the only one struggling to coax her back.

So - a pictorial challenge. I love people watching, as I'm sure most writers do. Imagining their stories, wondering who they're meeting, where they're going, where they've been. I've selected the above photo.

You have 48 hours to tell me about this woman. Where she is going, or where she has come from. Is she meeting someone? Fleeing something? 500 words or less.

Life as she knew it was over, her family were all grown and living their lives. She had a chance to make a new life, but did she have the courage. Could she run away and leave all her responsibilities behind. She had loved being a mother, nurturing those that she had given life to, but in that role she had in some ways lost herself. Now was her chance, to find herself again, to do the things that she had always dreamed of doing.

Her bag was packed, the door beckoned, her flight was booked. One hand on the door knob, a sob in her throat. Could she really open the door and step through? Would you?