Carol Moncado

So over on Facebook, Linnette posted a prompt on the Wake Up Your Muse page. We were talking about it and Jan said she was going to use it for a prompt and it worked for me in Nick and Debbie’s story so…

We decided to do an impromptu Flash Fiction dealie. She wrote two [one about her father and another one that she hasn’t posted yet because it’d make a great query/one sheet/back of book for a novel – warning, Kleenex required] from the same prompt. I worked it into something I need for the novel. So here we go…

She pulled the curtain aside and peered into the darkness as a tear slipped out and trailed down her cheek. Nick moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

He placed a gentle kiss in the crook of her neck. “Are you okay?”

Debbie sniffled and shrugged. “If they go away. If they never, ever find us here.”

“The safe room is ready. We need to have drills.”

“Drills?”

“Like fire drills. Can you get there at night, in the dark, when you think someone’s after you, and take Nicky with you. Can you keep him quiet if you need to? I’d like for you to be able to get him there while blindfolded.”

She peered over her shoulder at him. “Blindfolded? Seriously?”

“I am completely serious.”

“I’m sure you are.” She leaned the back of her head against his chest. “And it makes sense. If they ever get here, we could need to get safe fast. ”

“And not just mobsters. It’s a tornado shelter, too. Darrin told me bad weather can pop up out of nowhere around here. And any time of year. One of the schools not too far from here lost part of a roof in January.”

She groaned. “Year round? Not just in April and May?”

“Nope. Most of them come in the spring, but also other times of year. And a few weeks later you could get a bunch of snow, but you won’t need the safe room for that.”

“No.” She swiped at her cheeks with her fingers. “All right, show me how this safe room works.”

Current Facebook Status: is hoping to get the tree up tonight.  We’ll see if it happens…

Currently Playing In the Background: Big Bang Theory, Season One

Yay!  Fresh meat! Er, we have a new friend joining us!  Andrea over at Andrea’s Take joined me and Jan for FFF! [I think Jan’s is amusing.  Jan is blaming me for making her post it.]

Without further ado:

“Geez, could you warm those hands up a bit first?” Nick covered Debbie’s arms with her own.  Her head rested on his back as she held him.

“I thought you were going to keep me warm.  I’m not used to this whole real winter thing.”  He smiled as she held him a little tighter.

“I will.  But your hands and feet should get warmed on their own.  Cold feet in bed are not a good thing.”

“Do you think they’re going to come after us?” she asked quietly.

He turned easily in her arms and folded his around her.  “I don’t know, babe.  I hope not.  I hope they didn’t figure out that was me, but if they did, we’ll handle it.  We’ll run again if we have to.  If they catch up to us before we can, then we’ll fight them off if we have to.  And we’ll pray.”

“You’ll pray?”  Her tone was incredulous as she turned her cheek to his chest.

“Maybe.  But I know you will.  And I know Vince and Lena are even if they don’t know what’s going on.  And you’re always telling me that the prayer of the righteous man avails much.  I’m guessing it applies to women, too, so between the three of you, I think we’re covered.”

He could hear the smile in her voice.  “I think it would be good for you to pray yourself, too.  If the three of us are good, four of us are better.”

Nick took a deep breath in and blew it out slowly.  “Don’t push me, Debs.  Please.”

 

Current Facebook Status: Tuesday. Cold, rainy Tuesday. Would be perfect if she could stay home, but alas, she must leave.

Currently Playing in the Background: Last week’s NCIS – Ziva got her US Passport!

Current NaNo status:  Uh, yeah.  Let’s not talk about that ;).

So here is last week’s Flash Fiction Friday!  It just kind of… ends, but so goes Flash Fiction ;).

She liked to think there’s a reason for everything, but no matter how she twisted this around in her mind, she couldn’t come up with a reason why God would allow this.  Allow her to be kidnapped, her son drugged and left alone in a diaper that he’d had on way too long, forced to tell the father of her child the truth – after he’d first heard it from a mobster – and now on the run for their lives.

“For I know the plans I have for you, saith the Lord.  Plans to prosper and not harm.  Plans for hope and a future.”  She whispered Jeremiah 29:11 over and over as she leaned against the counter in the bathroom.  She was going to have to do a search of some kind and find all sorts of promises like that in the Bible.  She was going to have to cling to them.  Write them on notecards, memorize them, hide them in her heart and do her best to live them.

She prayed that there would be a good church where they were going.  Whatever town they lived in.  Surely there were good, Bible teaching churches throughout the United States and most communities would have one, right?  Would she be able to find one?  Would she be able to worship freely?  Or would she always be wondering who was watching her and what were they thinking?

And what about Nick?  If they went wherever it was they were going to go together, would he go to church with her?  Would he be open to learning about Jesus and the sacrifice her Savior had made?

“All things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose,” she muttered.  Another good one.  Romans 8:28.  She was going to scour the Psalms and the Proverbs and try to find a good internet connection as soon as she could.

There you go!

Current Facebook Status: has been so blessed! And she has a date tonight!

Currently Playing in the Background: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse [are you shocked?!]

Current NaNoWriMo update: continued FFF and ended up with 1211 words for the day so far and 6274 total.  By the end of today, I need 8335 to be on track and I am currently 2061 short.

Yep.  I have a date tonight!  My birthday is Monday and Matt is taking me out tonight.  My sister is keeping all three girls all night.  My mother-in-law is keeping the boy for several hours so we can go out.  I can’t wait.  Until then, I am ignoring the laundry that needs folded and put up.  Actually, I’m getting ready to do it once the boy goes to bed.  Then the LR will be clean so we can watch a movie or something later – guilt free!

Today’s FFF is part of my NaNo [yes, I picked a prompt that helped with that – and it worked so well!] so if you read on, expect some spoilers about my as yet unfinished, may never be done much less published lastest WIP. 😉  Here is Jan’s contribution.

The FFF rules

He paced the hospital hallway praying for a miracle even though he didn’t believe in them.

Nicky was in there.  He was being looked at by doctors and technically Nick didn’t have any medical standing with the nurses or doctors.  He swore under his breath and glared at the nurse who had told him he’d have to wait until the child’s mother updated him.  He wasn’t on any of the paperwork.

Yet.

He was going to be a part of his son’s life if he had to sue Debbie to get it done.

He didn’t really think it was going to get that far.  She seemed to want him to be a part of Nicky’s life now that he knew about his son.  He’d never believed in real miracles, but if that’s what it took to save his son…

But really, if there was a God, wouldn’t he have made sure Nick knew about his son from the beginning?  He should have.

Instead, his son was…  He didn’t even know for sure how old his own son was.  He could do the math and get a pretty good idea, but he was too worried about whether Nick was going to be okay.  And too tired.  He’d been asleep less than two hours when Debbie had called.  He’d been anticipating a romantic rendezvous with Lisa but when she’d called to say her plane was delayed again, he’d had a beer while watching the end of the baseball game – rain delay followed by extra innings – and finally collapsed about one in the morning.  He’d taken the day off to spend it with Lisa.  Instead, he had no idea if she’d even arrived.  If she’d made it to his apartment, he wasn’t there.

His phone had been turned off.  In case the mob had a way to track it.  They – whoever they was – didn’t think the mobsters did, but it was better to be safe.  He’d have Rick find out and let Lisa know that he was okay and would talk to her soon.

***

What about you?  Do you have a story for us using the first sentence as your prompt?  Set the timer for five minutes and… go!  Feel free to share in the comments!

Update, 3:22pm: 2280 for the day, 7344 total, 991 words off the pace

And now time to get ready for my date!  Or more accurately, get the girls ready to spend the night at their aunt’s house ;).

Current Facebook Status: ‎- no school for the kids. They get to sleep in. Wishes she could but class then WAY too much to do today!

Currently Playing in the Background: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Choo Choo Express

ACK!  I know I’ve been remiss!  This was going to be Erynn Mangum Week because I’m supposed to be getting a free influencer copy of her new book, but I don’t have it yet.  As soon as I do, we’ll do EMW :).

Last week, Jan was at a conference and we didn’t get to do FFF.  I was going to do it on my own but it didn’t happen.  And this week has been crazy with a sick 9yo [Sinus Infection, pink eye], doc appointments, cookie making and birthday parties!

We actually did this last night and Jan posted hers on her blog last night.  Here’s mine :).  It goes with one from a couple of weeks ago.  I think this is going to be my project for NaNo which starts Monday.  We’ll see…  And yes, I know the pics are of Tony from NCIS and they don’t really fit, but I don’t have much time and I adore him so go with it ;).

They had only met once, but it was a meeting neither would ever forget.

Nick had been stuck at the airport.  He’d met a nice girl on the plane.  She lived in the area but storms in the area grounded any more flights.  There were hotels but they were expensive and he was broke.  Debbie offered to let him stay the night at her place.  One thing led to another and the next thing he knew, he woke up the next morning in her bed.

With her.

He’d continued home.  She’d been asleep when he had to leave, but he’d left his card with a note on it telling her to call him.  She had.  They’d… dated.  Sort of.  They hadn’t actually seen each other again – with him living in New York at the time and her in Chicago, it just wasn’t going to work.  They broke up, such as it was and went their separate ways.

He hadn’t heard from her in well over two years when the call had woken him up.  And now she was telling him that he was a father?

He put all of that out of his mind for the moment.  He needed to concentrate.  Figure out what he was going to do when he made it to the warehouse.  He needed to rescue Debbie and the boy and figure out who to call.  He probably needed to call Dave.

He sighed and picked up his cell phone from the front seat next to him.  “Dave.  I need help,” he said when his brother answered.  “And you probably need the Marshalls or the FBI or something.”  As quickly as he could, he told Dave what he knew and arranged to meet him near the warehouse.  He let Dave believe that he was going to stay outside, but there was no way in hell he really would.

He parked a couple of blocks away and started down the street, keeping in the shadows.  When he reached the building, he was amazed at the apparent stupidity of those in question.

The door was wide open.  Or partially open.

He was just going to scout arount, see what he could see.

But then he heard it.

A scream.

Debbie’s scream.

He entered the warehouse, his sidearm in one hand, a needless flashlight in the other.  A quick peek around the corner showed he was clear.  He ran quietly towards the screaming.  When he reached the main room, he could see them.  They wouldn’t be able to see him as long as he stayed on the catwalk above, but would he be able to help her from there?  They weren’t that far below him.

The first man raised his hand and backhanded Debbie.  She fell and sprawled onto the concrete.  The second man raised a gun.

“You’re going to do it or the kid’s going to die.”

Debbie looked up at her attacker.  She saw Nick behind them.  He knew she did because she relaxed impercebtibly.  The two of you are going to kill both of us anyway.”

Smart girl. There was only two of them.  He moved a bit further to his right.  He had both of them in his line of sight.  He took something out o fhis pocket and tossed it to the other side of the warehouse.

“Go check it out,” Thug One said.

“You go.  I’ve got the gun on her.”

Thug One started towards the other side of the room.  When he was far enough away, Nick made his move.

“Drop it!” he yelled.

Thug Two looked up, his weapon swinging towards Nick.  Nick double tapped his heart.  Thug One was running towards them.  Nick went down the stairs his weapon aimed straight at Thug One.  “Stop.  Hands in the air.”

Thug One wasn’t too smart, Nick decided because he kept coming.  Nick fired two more times, hitting him squarely in the chest.

Debbie scrambled to her feet, tears streaming down her cheeks.  “They’re coming, Nick.  More men are coming.  We’ve got to get Nicky and get out of here.”

Current Facebook Status: bought her cake and ate it too! Okay – it was Maggie’s cake but it was yummy either way!

Currently Playing in the Background: Matt/Gloria playing one of the Rainbow Six XBox games.

So, um, I sort of didn’t get a book review up but will make up for that soon :).

Today’s Flash Fiction Friday is really ‘tonight’s’ Flash Fiction Friday because we both had busy days!  And happy birthday to my wonderful little girl!  She’s NINE!

You can find Jan’s story on her blog.

When he got there her desk was in disarray and the phone was off the hook.  Tim stopped dead in his tracks.  He wasn’t sure why, but he was filled with a feeling of dread.  He’d tried to get her to open up about her past, but she’d refused saying that some things were left where they belonged.

But now…

Now, he wondered if her past had caught up with her.

He felt the blood drain from his face.  Gabrielle had been with her.  He girlfriend was missing and his daughter was with her.  Where could they be?

First things first, though.  He dug through the desk until he found the nondescript envelope – tattered and torn, it looked for all the world like an old love letter.  He knew better.  He opened it, found the book mentioned and started the tedious process of deciphering the clues the way she’d told him to.

When he was done, he called the number he found at the location he uncovered.

“Dawn, is everything okay?” the deep, quite masculine voice said.

“I don’t know who Dawn is, but Elise and my daughter are missing.  Her desk was ransacked and they’re nowhere to be found.”

“Stay there, sir.  Help is on it’s way.”

“I’ll believe that when I see it,” Tim muttered.  “Who are you anyway?”

“A friend.  That’s all you need to know, son.  I’d go to the ends of the earth and back to protect Dawn and since your daughter’s with her, I’ll do the same for her.”

“Unless your name is Leroy Jethro Gibbs, I don’t find much reassurance in that.”

“My name’s not Gibbs, son.  It’s Clark.  John Clark.”

“He’s a Tom Clancy character.”

“Why do you think that’s my name?”

Current Facebook Status: heard the three things you don’t want to hear at 5am: the baby gate being opened, whiny 3 year old and ‘Mom, where are you? My s’eepin’ for weeeeeeeeeeeks’. So much for that last half hour of shut eye :p.

Currently Playing in the Background: NCIS Season 7, Disk 5, Episode 1, Double Identity

It’s Flash Fiction Friday!  Today’s prompt, once again, is the first sentence [or two sentences in this case].  Jan and I both took a few extra seconds to wrap them up, but that’s okay – our game, our rules ;).  And I changed the period of time to four years after we were officially done.

She was speechless. This was the exact same bracelet he’d given her for Christmas last year.  He was so proud of himself that she didn’t know what to say.  She didn’t want to dampen his spirits at all, but there were no words.

“I did good, didn’t I, Jenny?” he asked, his eyes bright.

She nodded.  “You did great, Dan.”  She kissed him softly.  “Thank you.  I’ll wear it every day.”

She would she would wear the bracelet every day.

And every night, she would put it back in the box, hide it in his underwear drawer and he’d give it to her all over again.

Tears filled her eyes as she went to start Christmas dinner.  Four whole years of this.  Four years of it always being Christmas.  Four years of living the day over and over and over.

And over.

Every day she wanted to move on, for him to start remembering.  But he never did.  He never remembered the drive to his mother’s house.  He never remembered the tractor trailer whose brakes had gone out and the heroic driver who somehow managed to only clip the rear quarter panel of the car as he careened over the side of the cliff, sparing their lives and probably the lives of several others in cars around them, while sacrificing his own.

Dan would never remember any of that.

She’d already dealt with the daily deluge of questions about his legs and why he was in a wheelchair.  She’d found ways to break it to him gently, but it was always hard.  Always.

And then he’d give her the bracelet.  Because he still loved her.

And because she still loved him, she took it.  And she cried.  And she kissed him.

Then she did it all over again.