Writing Adventure Group Theme #23 – Ripples

With the dawn of a new week, we have a brand new Writing Adventure Group (#WAG) theme. Like usual, when I saw the theme I drew a complete blank. I had no idea what direction I wanted to go and wound up putting this post on the back burner for a time.

The day before the deadline, I sat down and forced myself to write something. The result was a piece of fiction that I wasn’t overly find of. While the storyline was decent, it just didn’t feel like it did the Writing Adventure Group justice.

It wasn’t until I read Dan Powell’s “Man Dancing on a Forecourt” that I was struck with inspiration. I completely scrapped my previous piece and started fresh from a new perspective. The piece I have for you today is mostly fictional, although, there are a few real elements to the story.

Edit:
In addition to submitting this to the Writing Adventure Group, I have also included it in this weeks #FridayFlash

“Ripples”

On a warm afternoon I sit beside a window with a book in my hand. I try to read but struggle to keep focus. My mind drifts outside. A bit of rain has come and gone leaving the sky clear and the grass moist. The warm afternoon sun has dried the streets and parked cars. Birds fly playfully through the air while a neighbors dog basks lazily in the sun.

My mind is drawn to the children playing in the yard next-door. The girls can’t be more than ten years old. They chase one another around the yard, singing and dancing. They mimic the birds flying high above without even realizing it. Their joyous smiles radiate to their parents who sit arm in arm on a nearby porch. They watch over their girls.

The sounds of laughter and singing disperse through the neighborhood. An approaching car slows as it draws near. The driver, a middle aged woman, smiles warmly and waves as she passes. The occasional shriek of playfulness rouses the lazy dog. He lifts his head for a moment, to take in the activity, before nestling it back into cool damp grass.

I smile and lift my book once again. As my eyes glint over the words, my mind is drawn back outside. It is no longer the sound of laughter than draws my attention, it is the sound of a whimper. One of the young girls has slipped in the damp grass and banged her knee. It appears to be nothing serious, but it draws my attention.

Behind me, my own dog stirs. The whimper has wakened him and he begins moving about anxiously. Across the street, the neighbors sleeping dog is also roused. He makes his way to the fallen girl just as her mother helps her up. A passing neighbor on a brisk walks stops to ask if everything is all right. The birds have settled in a nearby tree and have quieted.

The young girls mother dusts her off and dries her eyes. Before long she has resumed play with her older sister. Together they frolic through the grass and breath life back into the neighborhood. Another passing car slows to wave a cheerful greeting. Birds take flight and chase one another through the skies.

I smile, set down my book, and close my eyes. The warm afternoon sun spills through the window and warms my soul. Sleep claims me as the sound of play fades into nothingness.

Please visit the comment section, located at the head of this post, and leave me some feedback. I would greatly appreciate it!

WAG Topic #23: “Ripples”. When our characters walk their worlds, the world reacts. So for this week, look only at reactions. Observe a person and describe the reaction of the world to them. What can you tell about them based solely on the reaction of others? What kind of impression are they making on the world, the environment, the people around them, even on you? What is changing (even subtley) because of their existence? Are they aware of it? No Rules! Now Write!