At my writers' group yesterday, we all wrote a story while we were there. We picked the same sentence to start the story, "The road is long," and the same sentence to end, "Because the goblins will get you if you don't watch out." This is what I wrote.
The Road is Long
“The road is long,” he said. “Make sure you wear comfortable shoes. Maybe your hiking boots.”
She placed the backpack on the table next to the oil lamp. It was still dark. The sun had and hour or so before it awoke.
“How long?” she asked.
“Days. Weeks, maybe,” he replied and shrugged. “Does it matter? We can’t stay here.”
“No, I suppose not. I just don’t know what to think any more.”
She buttoned her coat against the chilly air and hoisted her backpack onto her shoulders. He did the same.
“Ready?”
“Ready as ever.”
As they walked out into the morning darkness, he took her hand. In his other hand, he held the knife, keeping it ready.
“Gerry?” she whispered.
“Yeah?”
“What if I lose you?”
“I’m not a set of keys. You won’t lose me.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I know. Don’t think about it.”
The sun began to rise, kissing the horizon and making the hills blush. She felt better in the light.
When they stopped to eat, she took out the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches she had packed and handed him one. She bit into her own, tasting the sweet and salty mixing on her tongue. How could a pb&j taste so good?
They sipped water from a canteen and each took turns relieving themselves in the bushes while the other stood watch. When they were done, they started walking again.
As night began to fall, they were both exhausted. The road had taken them miles from where they had started. Neither had seen any signs of another human. Everyone else was either dead or had already left.
“We need to find shelter for the night. I don’t like being out in the dark in unfamiliar territory,” he said.
“I don’t either,” she agreed. “Because the goblins will get you if you don’t watch out.”
The Road is Long
“The road is long,” he said. “Make sure you wear comfortable shoes. Maybe your hiking boots.”
She placed the backpack on the table next to the oil lamp. It was still dark. The sun had and hour or so before it awoke.
“How long?” she asked.
“Days. Weeks, maybe,” he replied and shrugged. “Does it matter? We can’t stay here.”
“No, I suppose not. I just don’t know what to think any more.”
She buttoned her coat against the chilly air and hoisted her backpack onto her shoulders. He did the same.
“Ready?”
“Ready as ever.”
As they walked out into the morning darkness, he took her hand. In his other hand, he held the knife, keeping it ready.
“Gerry?” she whispered.
“Yeah?”
“What if I lose you?”
“I’m not a set of keys. You won’t lose me.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I know. Don’t think about it.”
The sun began to rise, kissing the horizon and making the hills blush. She felt better in the light.
When they stopped to eat, she took out the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches she had packed and handed him one. She bit into her own, tasting the sweet and salty mixing on her tongue. How could a pb&j taste so good?
They sipped water from a canteen and each took turns relieving themselves in the bushes while the other stood watch. When they were done, they started walking again.
As night began to fall, they were both exhausted. The road had taken them miles from where they had started. Neither had seen any signs of another human. Everyone else was either dead or had already left.
“We need to find shelter for the night. I don’t like being out in the dark in unfamiliar territory,” he said.
“I don’t either,” she agreed. “Because the goblins will get you if you don’t watch out.”
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