Trigger Warnings: mild mention of terrorism
Task Four
It was a rainy day in the town of Gatsburg, a perfect bed-weather for the people who chose to stay in, or if you're anything like me, you'd find yourself huddled over a steaming bowl of dimsum noodle soup.
I sipped my tea as I took in the cramped but efficient space that made up Chow's Dine-and-Scram, it may not be the best name for a diner, but it's the only place that made the best oriental dishes within a town mile.
The constant clinking plates and teacups making me close my eyes as I lost myself to a distant memory...
Task Three
Choose a famous moment from history and create a new fictitious element: write about the setting.
CRASH!!
Went the plate as it met the floor and an 8-year old version of myself could only look on in both fear and confusion as I watched my mother talk rapidly on the phone as she kept her eyes trained on the TV in our living room.
“Mommy—“
Her sudden shriek of terror cut me off, making me focus on what exactly it was that had her attention on the TV screen, but all I saw was smoke coming out of two tall buildings.
I didn't understand what was going on and I was scared at how mommy was crying now, but all I could do was stare at the smoke that kept growing bigger on the TV, feeling as if it was suffocating me even though I wasn't there—its fumes giving off the scent of... potpourri?
Caught unaware that I had somehow closed my eyes whilst lost in memory, I opened them to be greeted by the sight of a young woman, no more older than than myself, who held up a deck of cards as she sat across from me. Though upon closer inspection, I realized they were Tarot Cards just as she started to talk,
“I heard you were running for office, Grainger. How 'bout we cut to the chase and find out if you've got a chance or not?”
Task Two
Choose a painting by an artist - this can be a favourite of yours or a well-known artist from where you live. Now imagine a living room inspired by that painting, and show the room after a couple have had the worst fight of their relationship.
Finally some peace and quiet and an undisturbed time on my reading. I couldn't help but sigh in contentment as I settled on my seat in the library.
But after a few minutes of utter silence, and not a single annoying notification coming from my phone, I began glancing about, silently watching the usual patrons of Gatsburg's Town Library and the occasional student who still manages to lose their way despite the interactive signs we had put up.
It was still a smidge too quiet..
Curiously enough, I started to feel a little uneasy as my eyes strayed to a portrait of a lady painting Roe and I once talked about...
“Now that's downright... creepy.” Roe had said out of the blue as she stopped and stared at one of the newly donated paintings to be displayed in the library.
“Which one? Oh, this—?” I was just about to touch its wooden framing when Roe suddenly gasped in horror. “Seriously, Roe—“
“He shot her. Straight to the head.” I turned to see Roe had a blank look on her face as she kept staring at the painting, then I looked back at the painting and tried to picture all the pastel pinks on it would have made a perfect addition to the Romance Section of the library. Now though, I couldn't get the picture of her mired in blood out of my head.
Blinking away my thoughts, I motioned for one of the guys in staff, “Hey Noel, you mind taking that painting down to Mr. Cross' Antique Shop sometime within the the day?”
Noel's jade-green eyes registered surprise at what I said, “That Portrait of a Lady? But you know how those teens like staring at it right?” Wiggling his eyebrows as he mentioned the hint of a tit in the Victorian-like painting.
“Yes well, I bet Mr. Cross would be just as excited.” I said as I reached for my coat, “If anyone finds me, I'll just be taking my lunch out okay?”
Task One
Describe a room (eg kitchen, bedroom, living room) in a character's house in such a way that it tells us about a person's greatest hopes and fears.
I balanced our takeaway on one hand as I fumbled for the spare key with the other, but the door thankful opened before I could find any more trouble.
“You could have just knocked you know?” Roe greeted me at the door, looking like she hadn't been out in days.
“Just didn't want to disturb you while you were 'in the zone'.”
“But that's just it!” Roe huffed as she quickly turned her back and led the way inside her apartment as she kept venting out, “I was—am positively sure she's Betty!”
I was welcomed by the scent of lotus incenses as we passed through the living room, “Is that why you've been hiding out these past couple of days?” I asked, ducking past a doorway curtained off with beads as we entered the kitchen, finding with no surprise the candles that filled the countertops.
“It was just weird.. She was out of place..” Roe mumbled as she sat down by the table and continued to study the set of Tarots laid out.
Well if it's not the pot calling the kettle black.. Amusing myself as I thought that, I began placing our takeaways on the kitchen table, surreptitiously glancing over Roe's shoulder to see the deck she had laid out. But what really caught my eye was the card spelled with Death.