Writer's Island #3 - The Key

PLEASE READ THIS FIRST...Something is happening with these writing prompts through both Writer's Island and Sunday Scribblings. Something wonderful and unexpected. My muse has awoken from a slumber so deep that I was afraid she might have left me all together. For that, I thank everyone involved with these "memes".

Today's Writer's Island entry is actually a continuation of the tale begun with this week's Sunday Scribbling Prompt. Please read that one first, if you will, so that this one makes sense in the beginning. I'm not quite sure where this tale is leading yet, so the mystery is as much for me, as it is for you. I hope you enjoy reading it even half as much as I'm enjoying writing it.

And now...The Key:

Well, now that we’d gotten that out of the way, what was I supposed to say next? I laughed, he laughed.

“I have to tell you,” he said smiling as we moved away from the door “I’ve been working up the nerve to do what you just did for days now”.

“I didn’t know I was going to do it until I’d already spoken”, I laughed.

“Well, I’m glad you did” then he looked at his watch “but I’m going to be late for work if I don’t leave now”. He smiled again “So, if I sit at your table tomorrow?”

“I’ll be sure to grab a good one” I said with a grin.

“Great, see you then”. And he was gone. And I was left with a stupid ear to ear grin on my face. Did that really just happen?

Shaking my head to bring myself back to reality I turned to walk away. I had so much to do today, I didn’t really have time for daydreaming. He might have been cute, and who knew what tomorrow’s coffee date would bring, but I had more pressing matters to attend to.

Upon reaching my building, I unlocked the front door, turned on the lights, and switched the sign on the door to Open. I owned and ran a used book store only a few doors down from the coffee shop. Business wasn’t what you’d call “booming”, but the little shop did well enough so that I could focus my energies on my real job. It wasn’t so much that I didn’t love selling books, because I did. It was that this store provided me with the perfect cover to do all I needed to do, without anyone suspecting what I was up to.

My life was a complicated one, but there was never a day that I didn’t feel grateful for the very complications that made it such an interesting life to lead. About thirty minutes after I’d opened up the shop, Jolene arrived. Jolene was my sole employee, and probably one of my favorite people in the world. She was 73 years old, and probably the spunkiest little old lady you’ll ever meet. But don’t let anyone call her an old lady to her face, because she’d set you right. She was 73 years young, and “getting younger by the minute”, she’d joke. “Child, pretty soon I’ll be in diapers again and if that isn’t reverting back to your youth, well then, I don’t know what is” she had told me once. Jolene pretty much ran my little shop while I was attending to my more clandestine affairs. She did it with a smile on her face and a knowing twinkle in her eye, because she knew the truth. I’d had to trust someone when I’d first arrived in town and opened up the shop, and upon meeting Jo, I knew she’d be the one to entrust with my secrets.

Once she arrived, and we exchanged our morning pleasantries, I made my way into the backroom. Closing the door behind me, I sat at my desk, and took out the key. There was a lot to do today, and I needed to get started right away. I took a deep breath, exhaled, and stood up. “Okay, let’s get to work”. I said walking toward the closet in the corner. I put the key in the lock and turned, waiting for the magical sound of the lock turning, a sound I knew would start my day in earnest.

“Click”…

Copyright 2007 - Karina

Please be sure to visit Writer's Island for more participants.

Sunday Scribblings #5 - Hi my name is...

I didn't participate last week....just couldn't get my muse to show up for the "collector's" edition.

But I'm back. This week I present my first short story for Sunday Scribbings.

Same time, same place?

Every morning for the last two weeks we've been having coffee together, and I don't even know his name. As I watch him over the book I pretend to read, I wonder if he too is aware of our routine. It started innocently enough, I came into the coffee house for my morning jolt of caffeine, sat at my usual table, and cracked open my book. Sitting there enjoying the early autumn breeze, mixed with last sunrays of summer, I watched him walk in and order. "Large, black, two sugars please". His voice, strong, confident, brought my eyes away from Harry and Hermoine just long enough to notice the chiseled cheekbones, the bright blue eyes. Handsome. He sat at a table directly across from mine, dug out his newspaper, and sat back to read. Our eyes met for a second, and he smiled. I smiled back. Then went back to my book.

The next day, almost having forgotten our brief encounter, I heard it again. "Large, black, two sugars please." And there he was. Handsome. Again he sat across from me, again he smiled.

Almost two weeks later now, and we continue this charade. Pretending not to notice the other one noticing. I read, a different book now, he persuses the local news. I close my book, place it in my purse, and stand to leave. He folds his paper, nods at me, and walks out the door.

Each day, the smile lasts a little bit longer. Each time, we walk out the door a little bit closer in time. We do a dance, we toe the line.

"Large, black, two sugars please". I hear again. He sits, he smiles, I smile.

My coffee done, I close my book, look up. Folding his paper he stands. We reach the door together, he holds it open. I laugh. "Hi, my name is Destiny", extending my hand. He takes it. "Justice".

Copyright 2007 - Karina

View more Sunday Scribblings here.

Writer's Island #2 - The Gift

I didn't participate in Sunday Scribblings this week, the prompt was "collections". I just couldn't find the muse this time.

This week prompt for Writer's Island is "The Gift".

I'm on vacation this week, so I decided that I wanted to keep it short, and so, when I thought short, I thought, well...I'll do a haiku. I've never written a haiku before, so you all get to partake of my first effort ever. It isn't the greatest, but it's my frst, so I'm giving myself a break.

Enjoy:

Knowing one is loved
Surrounded by family
Is truly a gift

Copyright 2007 - Karina

Please visit Writer's Island for other participants' links.

Writer's Island #1 - My Imaginary Life

Just the two of me...

I live a lie most days
although I tell the truth
What you see is what you get
and yet

I'm not who I seem to be
the inner me, the outer me
a contradiction
a mystery

I am the person that you know
I wear my heart out on my sleeve
I share my passions
I bare my soul
but you don't see

my imaginary life
the one I keep all to myself
the tales I spin
the songs I sing
the life I live within

an imagination like mine
never takes a break
never stops creating
so daily I fantasize
i'm in disguise

moving along at a normal pace
inside my head I run a race
i'm two in one
a dual existance
and we dance

Copyright 2007 - Karina

Thank you to Writer's Island for the prompt. I'm writing more now thanks to these prompts then I have in a long time. I'm grateful!

For more, please visit Writer's Island.

Sunday Scribblings #4 - Writing

I see this as a work in progress, I can see so many more stanzas in my mind's eye, and am looking forward to flushing it out much more. In the meantime, I wanted to have it up for this week's Sunday Scribblings:

On Writing

Infinite words in the universe
numerous languages to choose
topics as vast as the oceans
where shall I direct my muse?

what am I writing today
a poem, a story, a simple haiku
or is it the novel in progress
a song, another book review?

Am I staying above the surface
or digging into my soul
is it merely a creative moment
or am I reaching the ulitimate goal

whatever direction I take
whatever my form of delivery
in writing, I'm breathing, I'm living
I'm creating a piece of my history


Copyright 2007 - Karina

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Sunday Scribblings #3 - The End

The Sunday Scribblings Prompt for this week is "The End" I actually wrote this a few weeks ago, but just found it tonight again, and it fit perfectly, so I thought I would share it here.

Two Worlds

He watches in the background
Taking in the action
But never taking part
He absorbs the details
Stores them for later review
And never participates

There is a certain beauty
In the way his eyes scan the crowd
Focus momentarily on this thing
Or that
There is a special mystery
Hidden within that reserve
As if he knows something
The rest of us are oblivious to

He smiles periodically
When something strikes his fancy
And frowns almost instantly
As if he remembers himself
And now and again, he grins
And almost winks in my direction
As if he knows I watch him
Watch us

We play a game of sorts
Pretending not to see
That I’m as aware of him
As he appears to be of me
I follow his gaze
To different focus areas
And watch through his eyes
The world I inhabit daily

The train reaches the station, the doors open
I step inside
He takes the random dollar bills and pocket change
From inside his guitar case, places his guitar inside and closes it
He stands to leave, looks straight at me
And bows.
The show is over.

Copyright 2007 - Karina

View other Sunday Scribblings here.