30 Day Short Story Challange

Mind of Two Spirits

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Day 14

You just woke up in another person’s body.

hegedus_bertalan-kozmikus_szerelem_cosmic_love Image: https://www.google.com/imghp

I wake up in his body, none other than his body. How I got here I have no idea. I can feel his presence he’s here, with me.“Omg, I must be going crazy”, I hear him say. I don’t think you are, I respond. “Becky? Is that you?” He asks. “Yeah, it’s me. Ryley, what’s going on?” I ask, which is extremely stupid since there is no way he could possibly know. “I have no freaking idea but this is odd,” he replies. “You’re telling me. Omg Ryley you better not make out with your girlfriend while I’m here, that would just be too weird” I practically plead him. He starts laughing, “Agreed. Honestly, I was thinking of ending it between us” he responds. I stay quiet, I’m too in shock to say anything, it might sound cruel but I’ve been waiting to hear those words for the longest time ever. But I know what it feels like to have my heart broken by this man and can’t help but feel bad for the poor girl. “Why? What happened?” I ask. I can feel his remorse, his confusion, his guilt, his pain and yet his relief. “I just need to be alone for a while. I need time for me. To think and stuff ” he responds. “Yeah, I get it. When you planning on doing it?” I inquire. “Tonight” he replies.

I hear his words “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen. I didn’t want to hurt you but I need some time for me, I don’t want to lead you on when I’m so confused” he finishes and I hear the girl crying and I feel so bad I just tune out. “Becky you there?” He says bringing me back to the present. “Yeah, I’m here ” I respond. “Ok. Let’s go figure out why you’re in my head I need to distract myself. Let’s go talk to my grandmother” he says. She sees us and starts to laugh, “Oh this is quite amusing,” she says” Ryley glares at her, “It’s not funny” he replies. “It is to an old woman like myself”, she says with a smile. “You do not see it now, but this has happened for a reason.

“And what reason is that? He asks her. “Oh, my dear boy, your bond to this girl is so strong that fate saw fit to bring you together until it can be refuted no more,” she says. “We don’t refute it, we know we are close friends” he replies frustrated. “Until the bond is forged you will not be free. Your two spirits to one mind” she says and walks away. We leave and Ryley goes to my house, “there’s a key under the mat,” I tell him. He opens the door and goes to my room; he sits on my bed and places his hands on his face. “It’ll be ok Ryley, we’ll figure this out,” I say trying to reassure him. I can feel him smile, “I hope so” he replies.

“I don’t know how long I’m going to be in here with you…so there’s something I want to tell you” I pause not knowing how to continue. “What is it?” He asks. I…for a long time now, what I mean to say is; I don’t know if you ever felt it…but I’m in love with you Ryley” I say terrified of his next words. “How could I be so blind? That’s what she meant…you know I love you too,” he says. “Just not in that way” I reply. “I wish I could hug you right now” are his only words. I get faint and I tumble inside his mind. I wake up to his arms around me. “Are you ok? I was scared. I thought I’d lost you…Becky she’s right I’ve been denying our bond. I have been so stupid. You’ve always been there for me, helped me in rough moments, you’ve always been my friend, protected me even when I didn’t deserve it. We are like night and day but we complete each other Becky. I love you Becky. I love you too,” he says smiling. My heart jumps at his words. He hugs me tightly and kisses me deeply and then he laughs. “It feels perfect. That’s why it never worked with anyone. It was you who I’ve been waiting for. Thank you for waiting for me, you are more than I ever deserved” he says and our lips join again.

-M.A. Fernández

Copyright © 2016 Marlin Alicea Fernández, Soul to Ink. All Rights Reserved

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Hell Hotel

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Day 13

If hell was a hotel what would it look like.

hell Image: https://www.google.com/imghp

I never thought I’d end up in a place like this. I start walking to the main entrance on a stone path, lava in between the cracks. Dried bushes and trees, skeleton remains of dogs or wolves and black rocks all around me. The entrance gate made of sharp rocks each higher than the one next to it, each side meeting at the edge of a letter. The letters on the gate forming one word, HELL. Fire at the top of the gate, a reddish-orange fog behind it which didn’t let you see much past the gate. I go through the gate and a black winged angel stands in front of me, thorns around his body, a black sword lit in flames in his hand. He moves aside for me to pass, behind him I see the hotel. A broken structure half made of wood, half made of concrete, all pitch black. Four immense black pillars decorate the front, each with a demon like gargoyle at the top with red glowing eyes. I enter the hotel, chandeliers made from skeleton bones hang from the ceiling, spider webs around them, all the candles fully light yet never melting. I go to the main desk and a disfigured clown with a discomforting smile and sharp teeth hands me my room key. I make my way to the elevator. I press a bug that acts as a button and the elevator door opens, Freddy Krueger ushers me in and leads me to my floor. I make my way to my room and use the skeleton key to open the door, room 13. The bed is made of rotting wood with pitchforks at each end. There’s a few torture devices as decorations and spider webs all around the room. I go to the bathroom and see my new bathtub shall be a coffin. I walk to the window see if getting some fresh air is even the slightest possibility. I can barely see outside the window, it’s smeared with blood practically all over. I hear faint screams coming from no specific place. I open the window only to notice that the hotel is in the middle of a graveyard; the first tombstone only a few feet away from the hotel. I sit on my new bed and turn on the red light bulb supposed to bright my room. I lay back; to think this is where I will spend the rest of my life. In Hell Hotel, till I die.

-M.A. Fernández

Copyright © 2016 Marlin Alicea Fernández, Soul to Ink. All Rights Reserved

Lithium’s Wrath

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Day 12

Start a short story with the line “ He was angry, so angry that his own power scared him.”

The-four-elements Image: https://www.google.com/imghp

He was angry, so angry that his own power scared him. Fire escaped his hands, lighting roared from his eyes, winds blew all around him and the earth shook with every step he took. “You killed my father, my mother, my sister, even my little brother!” he screamed. “You will pay for what you have done! You will rue the day that you ever came to know me. The day you dared hurt my family!” as he screamed the lighting and fire that poured from his body only grew. The boy in front of him shook with fear. “Please, please, spare me. I did not know who they were…I was only following orders. Please forgive me. If I had known who they were, I would have never struck against them” the boy said while on his knees. The young man’s voice only grew more fierce“ And who was it that sent you?” he shouted as chlorine and potassium spurt out of his mouth. “It was Arsim” the boy answered. “Arsim. He shall pay for what he has done. Go! Tell him that I will come for him. He will pay for what his done.” The boy stood and ran to his master’s kingdom. Lithium started to head for Arsim’s Kingdom, his power so strong no man could stop him. He soon reached Arsim’s court. “Is this what you wanted?” he asks flames igniting at the end of his sentence. “What are you?” Arsim asks with a trembling voice. “ Someone you should have not angered” Lithium responds with a raise of his hand. He closes his fist and snaps Arsim’s neck. Lithium strikes the floor with his palm and an earthquake stars to rumble all the castles walls. Arsim’s Kingdom crumbling at his command.

-M.A. Fernández

Copyright © 2016 Marlin Alicea Fernández, Soul to Ink. All Rights Reserved

Wreckage

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Day 11

Make up a near-death experience

Burnout Paradise - Wrecked Car-720x405 Image: https://www.google.com/imghp

We leave the restaurant it was so much fun, I had a good time…the best I’ve had in awhile. My friend goes with her boyfriend in his car and I go back to mine. I pull out my phone send her a text “see you at your house.” She responds ” Ok. Follow us Jay knows a shortcut” I text her back “alright cool.” I wait for them to get out of the parking lot and follow them. It’s raining, how much I hate rain. I mean I know it’s good for plants and all, plus dancing in the rain can be fun, but on winter and when our going out, not fun! We come to a stoplight, the light turns red and I lose them. I grab my phone and call my friend, “Hey Jess slow down a bit, I got stuck on the red light. Bye” I say and hang up. I speed a little to catch up with them, I can see them a few meters away. I finally catch up to them and we start going up a hill. I’m at end of the hill waiting to turn left, I go to turn but my car won’t go up, it just stays in the same place. “What the hell, come on!” I say to my car. I try again but the wheels just move in the same place and then my car is sliding down hill, I freak out instantly. I hit the break but the car doesn’t stop. I can see the needle in the speedometer increasing, fast. I try the brakes again but that just makes the car swerve even more. I’m on full on panic mode now; my car is about to go into ongoing traffic and there’s nothing I can do. I see a car coming straight at me, he avoids  hitting me head on but I can hear his car scrape mine. The scrape has no effect on my car which just keeps going backwards. There’s a cliff at the end, I slam the break and my car finally responds. The car is still going fast and I slam into the railings, my head rocks forward and hits the steering wheel. Next thing I now Jess is hugging me, “M..are you ok? You gave me a damn heart attack?” I rub my head, “Yeah, I’ fine. Where’s my car?” She points to the railings, it’s barely hanging on” she says. “Omg” I say and instantly start crying. A police officer comes to where Jess and I are sitting “Miss you were extremely lucky. We have no idea how those railings held your car… But thank God they did. Truly a miracle. You take care Miss. You should go rest, calm your nerves. Have a nice night” he says. “Thank you. You too.” He walks away and I look at Jess “Next time no shortcuts” I say. She starts laughing, “Definitely, no shortcuts” and we both start laughing. “Well at least one good thing came out of this…Now I have an awesome story to tell” I say smiling.

-M.Fernández

Copyright © 2016 Marlin Alicea Fernández, Soul to Ink. All Rights Reserved

Striped Justice

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Day 9

Create a character who is falsely accused of a crime.

Court-2 Image: https://www.google.com/imghp

“Hands in the air,” the policemen shout. “Nancy, Nancy,” the man says between tears as he holds her in his hands, blood dripping from her body puddles forming below her. “ Sir, put your hands in the air” the policemen repeat. “ I can’t let go of her, I can’t let go of my wife” he replies. The policemen move forward and grab the man, “No, no, don’t take me away from her nooo!” he says kicking and screaming. “Cuff him,” one policeman says to another. The policeman tries to cuff him but he struggles “No, no, no” the man shouts. The policeman finally detains him “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you? With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me?” the policeman says.“You have to find who did this? You have to find them?” the man shouts.

Three weeks later the man finds himself on trial, “You are being accused of first-degree murder. How do you plea?” the judge asks. “ Not guilty, I did not kill my wife” the man replies. The opposing lawyer begins I call Mr. Jewel to the stand. Now Mr. Jewel is it true that you called your wife 30 minutes before her murder? “Yes, you obviously know this” the man replies. “Is true that on this occasions you had an argument with your wife, in which, you said and I quote “ I’m tired of your shit. You’ll regret your decision. You’ll see?” the lawyer reads. “ Yes. But that doesn’t imply anything. Can’t a man be angry without being accused of murder?” he exclaims. “Judge” the lawyer replies. “ Sir please limit yourself to yes or no answers,” the judge says. The man sighs, “Yes. I said that” he replies. “ Is it not also true that only your wife’s fingerprints and your own were found at the scene of the crime?” the lawyer asks. “Yes, “ the man answers. “And is it not true that only your fingerprints were found on the murder weapon?” the lawyer asks. “Yes,” the man answer. “There you have it ladies and gentlemen of the jury, all the evidence points to only one thing Mr. Jewel murdered his wife. I rest my case,” the lawyer concludes.

Mr. Jewel’s lawyer then starts “ Mr. Jewel isn’t it true that you and your wife were married for 20 years?” he asks. “Yes it is,” Mr. Jewel responds. “ Is it also not true, that during these 20 years there was never any reports of fighting between the two of you?” his lawyer asks. “Yes,” he responds. “Do you believe those who knew you,  would describe your marriage as happy and conflict-free?’ the lawyer asks. “Yes,” Mr. Jewel replies. “One last question, is it not true that when the cops arrived you were pressing your wife’s wounds trying to stop the blood?” he asks. “Yes, I was” he answers. “Thank you. That would be all. Now ladies and gentlemen of the jury why would a man who tried to kill his wife be trying to save her? Why not just let her die? But more importantly, how can the autopsy show that she died minutes before Mr. Jewel arrived as our witness Mr. Jeffrey stated if he was the one that killed her? Clearly, ladies and gentlemen, it is not possible for Mr. Jewel to have murdered his wife. Seeing as he was not there at the time of the murder, which can only lead to the conclusion that Mr. Jewel was framed. I rest my case” the lawyer finishes.“Has the jury reached a verdict?” the judge asks. “ Yes. On the count of first-degree murder, we find the defendant Mr.Jewel not guilty,” the juror responds.

-M.A. Fernández

Copyright © 2016 Marlin Alicea Fernández, Soul to Ink. All Rights Reserved

Today’s Tomorrow

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Day 8

 Relay Writing Challenge (ask for details in comments).

 I decided to use Facebook comments and what my friends texted me. Here’s what I got. I tried to incorporate each into the story as best as I could, it was fun but still a challenge. 

“the truth is so much more than the words we use to describe it.”

“sincerity commitment”

“We waste a lifetime on things we can’t even take to the next.

“don’t take for granted the people you have beside you just because new people arrive in your life”

“The dog left walking and found his best friend crying”

lakey_classroom_02_022613

Photo by: Darren Phillips

“You have to realize that when you’re out there into the world. When you graduate! When your professionals! Things will not be what you expected them to be. People think it’s easy to make it in this world; well… it’s not. Your beliefs and principles will be tested, many will try to deceive you, friends will become enemies, and enemies will become allies. It’s all a process and we can’t stop it, it’s just the ways things are. Just as someone has to rule and others have to follow. Many times it will seem like everything is about power, about control,  but it’s just a process of life. Someone has to lead, because if not there would be no order. Now one thing is to lead and a very different thing is to dictate. Many times the truth, the truth will be so much more than the words we use to describe it. Things always get changed, altered from person to person. Three people can witness the same thing, and their stories are completely different. Why do you believe that is?” the professor pauses.

A girl with blond hair raises her hand “Because they weren’t paying attention to what was happening,” she answers. “Good, what else?” he inquires. A basketball jock raises his hand, “They all observed the event in a different way” he points out. “Good, anything else?” he says with a smile. A girl with red and black hair and many tattoos raises her hand, “ because the human brain can play tricks on us. It is susceptible to exterior suggestions and if a considerable amount of time passed since the event, they could each remember things differently than the way that they, themselves could have remembered in the beginning” she argues. “Now who can tell me why that happens? he asks. A boy raises his hand timidly, “because we’re flawed,” he says and then processed to look down. “Yes, yes, that’s it!” the professor exclaims.

“ We are far from perfect, we make mistakes and out there, in your field; mistakes will be made, sometimes these mistakes will be able to be explained and other times they won’t. But if you make a mistake, be honest, don’t be afraid to show sincerity, accept your limits. But don’t just accept them, just as you show sincerity, show commitment, commitment to fix your mistakes, to become a better you, to become a better professional. The world needs not good, but great professionals and it all starts here. In this classroom!” he continues to speak as he starts to walk around the classroom. “We waste time on things we can’t take to the next phase when we should be focusing on the things we can change, that we can achieve. It’s important to dream, our society is big on that, you can achieve anything they tell you, that’s also probably true. But it will be hard; you will have obstacles, not everything comes easily, and not everything comes fast. Sometimes you have to be realistic you have to align your profession with your talents but not limit yourself to try something new. You can’t be afraid of what you don’t know. There’s always room to learn more, but don’t give up on having fun either. Maturing doesn’t mean you can’t have fun, it doesn’t mean you can’t act like a child at times. It means that you know when you can have fun, when you can act like a child and when you have to tackle your responsibilities. Don’t take for granted the people besides you, no one can do it all alone, you will need help to achieve many goals and there is nothing wrong with needing help. Need is not weakness, it is just need.

A young man raises his hand “ Isn’t it important to be independent?” he asks. “Of course it is. But needing help isn’t the same as being dependent you aren’t relying on others to do things for you, your asking for help on what you are already trying to do, because you realize that not everything can be done alone. You are acknowledging that you don’t know it all. Or do you expect a doctor to build a house? Or a mechanic to fly a plane?” the professor answers. “ No” the boy replies. “ Therefore, need is not weakness. It’s something we will all face at some point or another; now I leave you with this. There once was a dog that left walking and found his best friend crying. The dog asked his friend what was wrong, to which his friend told him he had lost the trail to his master’s home because he was sick and his smell did not function properly. So the dog picked up the scent of the way to his best friends home and led him there. One day the dog no longer had a home and his friend offered him to stay with him and his master at their home…This might sound funny to you, a bit unbelievable since you’re all in college; but tell me. Weren’t they both just in a situation of need? And didn’t solving his friend’s need just help him in the long run? Nothing in this life happens by coincidence, everything is like the domino effect, one day you could be doing something for someone and the next day they could be doing it for you. So just remember today is the day to start using all the tools you have and develop the ones that need to be mastered; so you can start building that foundation of the professional you want to be tomorrow. Class dismissed” he says concluding his discussion.

-M.A. Fernández

Copyright © 2016 Marlin Alicea Fernández, Soul to Ink. All Rights Reserved

Serving Riches

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Day 7

Re-envision a classic story in an interesting new genre (example: Dante’s Inferno as a Western).

I’m not sure if it’s a classic, but I choose the story of Rumpelstiltskin by Brother Grimm. This was by far one the hardest thing I have ever had to write.

Brazil, Minas Gerais state, Ouro Preto, gold nugget from a mine (Gold Route, Estrada Real) Image: https://www.google.com/imghp

“Father where are you going so well dresses?” she questions. Her father balances on his heels “ Ah my sweet, sweet love. Things are going to change for us you’ll see; I have a meeting with the mayor today” he replies.

“ The mayor, how did you make that happen?” she asks worriedly. He laughs, “ I got him to agree since he believes I have important business that will benefit the city,” he replies. She raises her eyebrows “Oh father, be careful, you always get yourself in such bad situations” she states.  He places his hands on her shoulders “ Don’t worry Isabel, it will all be ok. Just come with me ”he says smiling. She smiles “Of course I will,” she responds.

“Sir, the Mayor will see you know,” his secretary informs them. They both stand up “Wait here. I’ll be back shortly,” the man tells his daughter. She smiles and replies “Yes father”. He follows the secretary in the Mayor’s office “Mayor Brisket it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He says as extending his hand. “ Likewise Sir…” the mayor responds. He quickly jumps in “Sr. Eleanor.”

“Yes, of course, you said as much on the phone to my secretary. Now what is this business you believe will interest me so greatly?” the mayor inquires. The man steps forward “This may be hard to believe…but my daughter can turn rocks into gold. It would be great income for the city,” the man says. The mayor starts laughing instantly, “ Do you expect me to believe this?”

“I know it must sound preposterous but it is true. Just put her to the test, “ he replies. The mayor leans on his desk and shakes his head, “ very well bring me your daughter.”

“Emma the Mayor wants to speak to you ”the secretary informs. She stands up confused but still follows the secretary. “Your father says that you can turn rocks into gold. So I have brought you some rocks. Do what you do ”he states. She stands there confused not knowing what to do. “ If you and your father lying I will press charges against both of you.” She knows she can’t let this happen, no matter how crazy her father might have acted “ I can only do it when I am alone,” she replies. He stares at her without saying anything then resumes “ Very well then. Let’s leave her” he says and they leave the room. As soon as they are gone she starts to panic, “what am I going to do? I can’t make gold,” she says to herself. Two hours go by and she starts crying knowing that her situation was getting worse by the minute, then she hears a knock on the door and a man enters. “Why are you crying, my dear? Is there anything I can help you with?” he asks. She shakes her head, “unless you can turn rocks to gold, I believe there is nothing you can do” she informs him. He puts his hand on her chin “ Oh, my dear child, you’d be surprised the many things that can still be done even in this time and age. Now tell me what will give me in return ”he replies. “All I have is my smartphone on me” she replies. “That will do quite nicely,” he answers. He passes his hand over the rocks and they turn to gold. “Now for our bargain,” he says extending his hand. She gives him the phone and he walks out of the room.” Hours later the mayor and her father walk into the room. “You actually did it. I will have more rocks for you tomorrow” he tells them.

They both leave and come back the next day. This time mayor has a whole room filled with rocks and he leaves her to turn them to gold. Once again the man from the day before returns. “Looks like you need my help again. What do you have to offer me today?” he says smiling. “All I have is a tablet”, she replies. “ That will do,” he says as he extends his hand and grabs the tablet. He passes his hand above the rocks and in two hours all the rocks in the room are turned to gold. The man walks out of the room and an hour later the mayor and her father walk in. “ I can’t believe my eyes. If you are able to do this one more time I will give both you and your father good positions under my supervision” he says as he opens the door for them to go. The next day they returned and Emma was left alone with a room full of rocks. Once again the man came to her, “So…what can you offer me today?” he says smiling. She shakes her head “ I have nothing else I can give you. I gave you everything I had” she replies. “Very well, how about a promise then? When you have you’re first born, I want you to promise me you will let me adopt him or her” the man replies. Seeing as she was only 18, this was a promise that meant nothing to her at the moment. “ It’s a deal” she replies. So the man once again turned all the rocks to gold. When the mayor came in and saw all the gold he started the process to find them both employment.

Years went on and both Emma and her father became successful. Emma met a wonderful man and in time they got married. By then she was 25 and was ready to start a family with her husband. A year later she became pregnant and when the child was born, the man she had once met came to take her child away. It was extremely painful for her to see him take her child, so she begged him not to take him away, she promised him money but he wanted none. However he did feel some compassion for her pain, so he made one last deal with her. “If you can figure out the adoption agency I’m using in three days time I will let you keep your child,” the man replied. The man left her with her child, each day returning to hear her suggestions, she had named every agency in her city but none had been the one the man had used. She only had one day left so she went searching for answers when she spotted the man talking to none other than the Mayor.

“Thank you for allowing me to start my own adoption agency, I’m sure Serving Hands will be great for many kids,” Emma overheard the man say. She went back to her home and waited for the man. When the man finally came he asked, “ Now then do you know the name of my agency?

“Is it Many Solutions?” she teased. “It is not” he replied.” “Is it Many Miracles?” she continued. “It is not,” he answered. “Is it Serving Hands?” she finally said correctly.“ How did you know that? There is no possible way!”

“Well, I do now if I were you I would leave my home. The police are on their way.” The man enraged, tried to attack Emma as the police stormed in, however he was still hostile and pulled out a gun, to which the police had no choice but to shoot him down.“Don’t worry ma’am you’ll be safe from now on. This man will no longer be able to hurt you,” an officer says. “ Thank you, officer, my family and I are grateful” she replied.

-M.A. Fernández

Copyright © 2016 Marlin Alicea Fernández, Soul to Ink. All Rights Reserved

 

Cases of Love

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Day 6

Hit shuffle on your mp3 player. Use the third song on your playlist as your writing inspiration. Include a lyric as part of your story.

The song I got was Locked Away by R. City. The lyrics I choose were “Would you spend your whole life with me? Would you be there to always hold me down? … If I got locked away And we lost it all today…Tell me honestly…Would you still love me the same?”

istock_000013348294xsmall Image: https://www.google.com/imghp

“Becky,” he says as he grabs her face. “Becky I need to know…” She stares at him waiting for his next words, but he just stays silent. “ What’s wrong Rick?” He looks down and starts to speak again “Becky… Would you spend your whole life with me?” His words bring all types of emotions to her heart, “are you asking me what I think you’re asking me?” He smiles “ Becky I need a good woman… Would you be there to always hold me down? Through my good…and my not so good” he laughs softly and passes his hand through hair in the back of his head. “Of course I would; you know I would”she replies. He kneels on one knee and pulls out a ring, “Would you marry me then?” he says a grin on his face. Becky places her hands in front of her mouth, “Yes, yes! Of course, yes.” she says and she pulls him up. He starts laughing and hugs her “ I love you, Becky.

“ I love you too Rick.” His face gets hard for a second “What’s wrong?”

He shakes his head “There’s no easy way to say this…but remember that big shot client that came to our company? Everyone thought he was going to bring a lot of money to the table? She raises an eyebrow “Yeah. What about him?”

“Well he did…but it was dirty money. Honestly, I don’t know all the details, but it looks pretty bad. The FBI came to our office yesterday, there pressing charges against anyone who had any type of involvement with that client. All the money he tried cleaning through our company was someone how tied to us; as if it was all our idea, so we could gain more revenue for our company…If I got locked away and we lost it all today…tell me honestly…would you still love the same?” She shakes her head and tears start rushing down her face, “Of course I would. This isn’t your fault and no matter how much time passes. I will wait for you. You’re the love of my life.” Rick hugs her and lifts her up. “I love you so much,” he says.

“And I you,” Becky replies.

-M.A. Fernández

Copyright © 2016 Marlin Alicea Fernández, Soul to Ink. All Rights Reserved

The Things We Do for Love

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Day 5

Syd’s Choice

download Image: https://www.google.com/imghp

“My baby has nothing to eat. What am I supposed to do? Let her starve?” Syd replies in frustration. She’s only two years old; she won’t understand what huger means. I have to do this for her.”

“How are you planning to do this? Tim asks. “What you’re saying is that you’re going to commit a robbery and plan to not get caught.”

“Not if I have your help. All I need is a getaway car…Please, Tim, I wouldn’t ask you if I had any other choice. I can’t let my baby starve.” Tim passes his hand through his hair. “ I could lend you some money.” Syd shakes his head, “you know it wouldn’t be enough. Tim scratches his arm, “ your right man…Fine. I’ll help you.” Syd hugs Tim without thinking, “thank you, man, thank you. Meet me at the corner of Broad St and Corner Ave at dawn.”

Syd goes into the drug store at dawn. “ How may I help you, sir?” Syd starts shaking as he pulls out a gun. “I need you to empty the register. I’m so sorry about this but I need to feed my daughter.” The man behind the counter is paralyzed with fear. “ Please sir I mean you no harm, I just need to put food on the table.” The man only stares at Syd, “Please sir”, Syd screams. “Leave the money,” the man says. “Please sir, let’s not make this more difficult than it has to be.”

“ Leave the money. Take anything you need from the store to feed your child. Come back tomorrow so you may earn an honest living and put food on your table.” Syd just stares at the man and lowers his gun. “Why…why would you do this for me?” The man smiles, “ I too know what it is to struggle, now go…before I change my mind.”

Syd starts taking food from the shelves and walks out of the store and gets into Tim’s truck, “ Syd what happened man? I was freaking shitting bricks.”

“ I was blessed, even in my wrongdoing. Let’s get out of here man. I have to get this food to my baby.” Tim turns on the engine “ I think it’s time for me to try harder Tim. I want to be a good man for my daughter.”

“ You will be… and I’ll help you,” Syd smiles, “ you’re a true friend Tim. Thank you for everything.”

 

-M.A. Fernández

Copyright © 2016 Marlin Alicea Fernández, Soul to Ink. All Rights Reserved

Eyes of the Devil

/ M.A.Fernández / Leave a comment

A few hours late but today’s challenge.

Day 4

Spin a globe, where your finger lands is where the story takes place. Then, open the dictionary to a random word; incorporate this word into your story.

The place my finger landed on was China, Chengdu, and the word appalling.

the_devil__s_corrupted_eye_by_salfauros Image: https://www.google.com/imghp

I’m inside something, it’s cold; relatively cramped…I hear…I hear something. I can’t quite identify it. Oh God…my head it hurts. I touch the back of it, it’s wet, am I bleeding? What’s going on? The sound, it’s getting louder, bang! Bang! It sounds like metal hitting another piece of metal. It’s getting closer each time. Oh God this awful. The sound hits right in front of me. Oh God! My ears are ringing. I cover my ears as the banging continues. “Wake” someone, screams with a strange accent, a man. It suddenly becomes bright. I open my eyes painfully; they feel so tired. What’s wrong with me? Where am I am? The man starts talking to a…soldier? What the hell is going on? I can’t understand the language they’re speaking. They both look back and start laughing, more men appear; all with guns. My vision is finally settling in…I’m in a cage and there are others around me, we’re in the most appalling place, wherever that may be. I don’t even understand, how does a teacher end up in a place like this? What did I even freaking do? I hear crying nearby, it’s a child, she’s extremely dirty. “Hey, hey you” I scream at the guard or whatever he is. He turns around, clearly mad. But that child needs help. “Hey, you need to clean her up, she’s extremely dirty.” He talks to me in the same language I didn’t understand before, what the fuck is he saying. He turns around murmuring, “Hey, she needs to be cleaned, probably treated…she doesn’t look good” I scream louder. He turns around, walks to me and hits me with the back of his rifle. I don’t know what happened next. I wake up and the girl is gone. Days go by and she doesn’t come back. It’s horrible here, they barely give me any food or water, the nights are extremely cold and the days are very hot. I have no idea how long it’s been since I’ve taken a shower.

One day the guards come running and pull me out by my hair, they’re screaming at me and at each other. We walk for a few minutes and I see her body; it’s starting to rot. I start to panic. Are they going to kill me? They man who’s holding my hair throws me to the floor. “Kneel! Kneel!” he yells, in an accent clearly foreign to my own. I kneel down and look up at him and then and the sky. Lord, I don’t know what’s going on…Now would be a good time to help me. “Where is it? Where?” the man is screaming at me. “ Where…where is what?” I’m so confused and terrified. “Whereeee? He screams again. “I don’t know.” I feel the pain stabbing through my leg, right after the gun fired. “Where?” he screams again. I start crying instantly, this man is going to kill me. “ I don’t know… I don’t know what you want. Pain goes through my other leg and I cry out. “Why? Why are you doing this to me? I start crying even more as I speak. “Where?” He says as he lifts the gun to my head. I guess this is the end, Lord forgive me for the wrong I have done, let the good be remembered.I brace myself for what comes next. A loud sound goes off, then I can’t hear anything at all. I feel someone pick me up, but I can’t see anything there’s too much smoke. I’m put somewhere and then I’m elevating, it actually feels quite peaceful. It starts going black, everything, the darkness is so inviting, wait what was that? I hear it again it’s very soft, then louder, that voice…it’s beautiful, “stay with me,”it calls out but…who are you? And I go back it darkness. I wake up in a hospital room; there’s a man with his hand in between his hands. “Where am I?” He looks up suddenly and ruches to my side, “you gave me quite a scare.” I look at him confused, “Who are you?”

“Special Agent Rogers with the CIA” I don’t understand, this means nothing to me. “Why am I here?”

“ One of your students parents is part of our team, he was tasked with a guarding a flash drive containing classified nuclear information. He was compromised. So he hid it in the gift his child gave you the last day of class. The Chinese gang that abducted you took you to Chengdu, China. They believed that you had it; they searched all your belongings but couldn’t find it so they took you, with hopes of torturing the information out of you. Of course you weren’t aware of this at the time. I need to know Rebecca, where is the gift? That flash drive is of extreme importance.”

“It’s at my mom’s house…I left it there because she loved it so much. I don’t remember much after that.”

“ I believe that’s when they took you. I was tasked with bringing you back safely and discovering the location of the flash drive. I must go retrieve it.”

“Wait…we’re you calling to me?  When you saved me?”

“ I was trying to keep you alive.” I can’t help but smile, his demeanor is so rough. “Thank you.” He starts walking out of the room“ it was nothing.”

“Will you come back?” I can see him smile, faintly. “ I’ll do my best.”

-M.A. Fernández

Copyright © 2016 Marlin Alicea Fernández, Soul to Ink. All Rights Reserved