Friday! I love Fridays, don’t you? First, I’d like to put a big shout out to my new followers. I plan to pay you all a visit when I get back from my writer’s retreat. What retreat you ask? Well, I am currently holed up by myself in an undisclosed location for an entire week to work on editing my book without distraction. Doesn’t that sound delightful? It would be more delightful if the herd of elephants in the room above me would stop practicing their ballet. But that’s alright. I can work through it. After all, look at the beautiful view outside!
The place I checked into has inspired a little piece of flash fiction. NO, seriously, it totally did. And I took the pictures myself. Can’t you tell? *snickers*
Alrighty then. Without further ado, to the flash fiction …
~oOo~
The place wasn’t what she expected, but it would do. All she really needed was to be alone – undisturbed. This should certainly fit the bill.
It had been a long day. Drives of such distance always managed to suck the energy right out of her. Laying exhausted on the bed, everything around creaked and moaned. It was far from peaceful.
Spring Break. That’s what the clerk in the checkout line had grumbled in his frustration over the grocery store’s low staffing. All the rooms around her must now be alive with the excitement of a fun-filled week off. Whereas she only wanted to crash.
Yet, she found it hard to do with the ceramic eyes piercing through the dark, watching her. They were disturbing – unnerving. In all her years of travel she had never seen anything like this. These ceramic critters were everywhere.
Closing her eyes wearily, she tried to push the thoughts away, but the shuffles and thumps from the other units were so clear they almost sounded like they were in the same room with her. Visions of old Twilight Zone episodes flashed through her head.
Ceramic squirrels jumping on the bed. Although the bed didn’t move. Ceramic deer tight at her head. Yet there was not a breath in her hair. Do ceramic creatures breath? With a snap she’s up and the light is on. All is as it should be.
Silly over active imagination. Letting out a sigh of relief she flips the light off and forces herself into a comfortable slumber. No more will she worry about the impossible. Yet unusual dreams fill her night.
With the rise of the sun she stumbles out of bed, oblivious to the frozen deer behind her. Shuffling into the bathroom she’s frozen by the sight. The two stone critters on the counter have somehow managed to get into her breakfast cereal.
~oOo~
Welcome to my temporary home away from home. Guess what, the critters don’t actually get up and move in the middle of the night. But they did inspire this little ditty. Hope you had fun. 😉
Now for the challenge! I hope you feel like playing. Take any of my pictures from this piece and write a flash fiction for next week. Make sure to let me know. Share the link with me by Thursday at noon so I may include it in Friday’s post. I look forward to seeing lots of creativity at work. Good luck!
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Please know that I always appreciate your time, and love it when you stop by and take the time to comment. Huge thanks! If you enjoyed this post or any of my previous posts, I’d be delighted to have you follow by email or RSS for any future posts!
This was fun…and kind of creepy. Course maybe now I can use it to make my case to my husband that we should never stay anywhere that has animal heads on the walls 🙂
Does your husband hunt or like that hunters atmosphere? I took a tour of a home of an avid hunter last Christmas, there were animal heads everywhere – even a giraffe! My imagination went into overdrive picturing that place in a dim light. No thank you. Creepy eyes following you around the room. Give me the hibbie jibbies.
Those plastic creatures would freak me out!!! I’ve never seen them in a room!! Miss you!!
Totally freaky, right? I’m like “WTF!!!!” Miss you too Miss Author. 😉
An entire week to yourself away from home to edit? What a fantastic idea! I will pass on to you something I learned after many years of apartment living, so you can use it the next time you stay at a hotel/lodge: Always ask for the top floor. I call it the penthouse. You don’t have to worry about noise that way. But, you can do something about it if you are on the bottom. In college there was a year where I swear the people above me where a tap-dancing duo who practiced in the kitchen. When the polite notes didn’t work, banging the broom handle into the ceiling did the trick. It totally interrupted their rehearsals and they got the point. 🙂
I called ahead and asked for the top floor. When I arrived they didn’t have it ready and said it would be several hours due to maintenance issues. I was not happy, but I also didn’t want to sit in my car for several hours as it would be getting dark and I had to do my grocery shopping and stock the frigerator. What’s a girl to do? In any case, they were banging at 3:20 and up and and banging solid since 6:30. I only got 3 hours sleep. Not happy. But no one is answering at the front desk yet and I am holding myself back from marching up there right now. If anyone is checking out today I am moving! NOT HAPPY! And yes, I have considered bringing out the broom if I don’t get to move.
you are so lucky. wow. i live alone and still think the idea of writer’s retreat is fabulous
Thank you, Louise. Unfortunately that’s not the view from my window this time. I have to walk a little farther to see that. It was taken from the grocery store parking lot. LOL
LOL
Okay first – I’d love to get away undisturbed to concentrate on writing and editing for even just a weekend, let alone a whole week – that is absolutely wonderful.
Second, the problem is, if I walked into a room that had little critters with beady eyes on every surface, I’d be DONE – gone… leaving, bye bye. Those things are pretty creepy and it would be nice if they mentioned that (or at least took photos of the room) so you’d know before you go there. lol
At any rate, I loved your story. Can I have some cereal too?
I was dying when I read your comment Nicole. LOL. This is an excellent example of why I need to stay on top of my spam folder. I’m sorry you got caught in there. It was so fun to find though. You made me laugh. I have made peace with the freaky critters. I’m getting ready to sick my dragons on them. 😀
I highly recommend an occasional get away to write. My hubby is so good to me. He has allowed it several times. I’m a lucky girl!
I LOVE your solo retreat plan, Debra. I hope many writers follow suit. 🙂 Can’t wait to see people’s flash fiction work!
I’ve done the solo retreat several times. It usually works well for me. As for the flash fiction, lets hope people play. 🙂
How wonderful that you’re staying at a resort by yourself to get some serious writing done. And you got a bonus this time with the flash fiction! Those ceramic critters are a bit strange. Better than taxidermy creatures, though, which could actually turn into — oh, maybe I better not say. Maybe I’ll find some time to write a flash fiction out of this! But what a bummer about those elephants staying in the room above you!
They are something else, aren’t they? I guess they are meant to bring a sense of the outdoors into the rustic rooms. Yeah, much better than taxidermy. And the elephants are moving to the relatives today. Yay!
Oh my, a writer’s retreat like that sounds like heaven! Even with the army upstairs. Hope you get a quieter room – or quieter neighbors – and get tons of work done!
They did get quieter. Apparently they had four eight-year-olds up there. Once they were asked to be respectful of others they checked out. Too much to ask? Today was a slow day. Hmm – Easter? Back at it in a few hours. Thanks Jennette!
I’m not going to rise to your challenge, honey.
Too busy editing/revising/writing stuff.
The writer’s retreat sounds like Sanctuary to me! Plug in earplugs or maybe the beat will get your juices flowing. Good Luck and great post.
Sorry to hear that, Christine. But I understand. We all have busy schedules. The time to work in peace in quiet has been amazing! My daughter was a little confused when I wasn’t going home with them today, but they’ll do just fine. I have faith. Good luck with all your editing/revising and writing stuff.
It actually helps when I click ‘Post Comment.’ Sigh…
Great story, Debra! I was expecting a gruesome ending…and pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t there. What a beautiful view you have. Is that SNOW? Because I still say it’s NOT fair that you have it in California when we have so little in Michigan. Hope you have a very productive, pleasant…and elephant-free rest of the week. 🙂
Nope. No gruesome here. I don’t know if I am a gruesome kind of writer. I’ve thought about that. I think that is the kind of thing that would sit with me for too long after. Creepy – yes.
Snow! They have night skiing here. Down hill sledding for the kiddies during the day. Great fun. Of course, I’m not doing any of that. Sorry you didn’t get the snow. 🙁
Est of luck on your writing retreat! Lots of great revising. Look forward to your return. 🙂
Thanks, Kourtney! I’m in and out while working so I’m keeping in touch. I want to get a lot accomplished in my last two full days. Keeping my fingers crossed. Hope you had a fabulous Easter! 😀
Ugh typo Est=Best!
Sweet view! Happy editing and enjoy your week alone. Sounds divine!
Thank you pretty lady! This is what I need to do to get the serious work done – leave the world behind. LOL Crazy kids at home. Hahaha
Oh Debra, I do hope you have a wonderful, peaceful, productive week wherever you are! And hopefully your neighbors to the north will check out or I see a move in your near future! Can you believe? You sound so much like my sister. She would take off on a retreat alone to get things done. But you have a busy household, so I understand the need for solitude. Thanks for sharing your flash fiction piece! I’m thinking you are somewhere in the Sierra Nevadas. Stay warm and enjoy! You deserve it! 🙂
Thank you, Karen! When I take off it’s always in driving distance. Does that clue you in? Glad you liked the piece. It was fun. I’m staying warm – mostly inside. 🙂 Thanks for swinging by!
I’ll accept your challenge. I have an outline in my head.
Great! I can’t wait to see what you come up with. Email me your link or include your link here and I’ll grab it.