Marla, from Marla’s World, has created a writing challenge. The challenge is for multiple authors to write a single story. She will choose a story that she has written, or that another author has submitted for this challenge, and she will nominate the next person to continue writing it. Once that person has added their section, they will nominate the next author. It will continue like this until the story is complete.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Link to this post to add in your addition.
They were sitting in his car, windows rolled up, air conditioning blowing low. The conversation had been flowing smoothly, as it always did between them.
He was telling her about the most recent date he had been on, and how the woman was very odd, trying to cut his steak up for him while they ate. At the mention of meat, she suddenly became extremely hungry. Her attention went from his words to her cramping, growling stomach.
She was vaguely aware he had stopped speaking, and she became very self-conscious. In the silence of the Tesla, she knew that if she even winced at the discomfort, he would hear her. She focused on staying as quiet as possible, but she was sooooo hungry!
Her gaze drifted from his mouth to the pulse at his neck and her stomach growled again painfully.
“So about that steak?” She blurted out, trying to disguise the noise of her hunger, but she only managed to make it worse, the thought of that steaming hunk of meat, blood pooling beneath it.
“Well, the steak was delicious, the date not so much, you know she actually licked her napkin and wiped the steak juices from my chin,” he continued as if nothing else were the matter.
And just like that her stomach was at it again.
Steak. Blood. Hunger. Pain.
“I’m so sorry, I… I….” Without thinking of an excuse, she dashed from the car.
She had gone only a few steps that he heard him call her name. “Mindy!!! I know your secret! Did you think that being friends with you for so long, I wouldn’t know it?”
Mindy turned, reluctantly, slowly…. “You do? But how? Who told you?” She was firing questions rapidly not giving Charlie a chance to respond.
“I suspected that something wasn’t right when every month, on the night of full moon, you’d disappear for a couple of days. And then when I’d meet you, you’d be lethargic and pale. I did some research and I came to the conclusion…..”
Charlie continued talking and he said, “We both have inner conflicts and there is no reason for us to fight with each other, but if we do, only one of us is going to survive and that is the one who gets fed the most. When you accepted my invitation to enjoy a steak dinner with me in my car, I knew right away that you were the same as me. After you devoured that 72-ounce ribeye steak in 10 minutes and never touched your salad or the baked potato, I knew for sure that we are kindred spirits. We were cut from the same cloth which sounds oddly strange, but you run in my veins. I breathe what is yours, and you breathe what is mine. I have your scent, I’m on the hunt, and I’m after you. My mouth is alive, with juices like wine all running inside and I’m hungry like the wolf. We can hunt together, or you can follow me, as I will always be the leader of the pack.”
Mindy chimed in, “I really like your electric car, and this is the first time that I have eaten more than just a hamburger in one, so I must thank you for the scrumptious meal. I feel that salad is rabbit food, but I always enjoy a nice rabbit. I have been a lone wolf for a very long time, and I am highly aware of your potential, but I need my own space. I may succeed or fail, but when I get a setback, I will try again, and I will be happy to say that I did it my way. I enjoy thinking for myself and approaching issues from my own angle. I know what I want in a relationship, and I am not looking for romance, but I also understand your needs. I have a preference for solitude, and I don’t care for chitchat or do I have any desire for social engagements. If we do hookup, you should know that I am going to be the dominate one and if I find out that you are the kiss and tell type of guy, you will never see me again.”
Charlie rubbed his eyes and said, “Mindy, did you say something? Mindy? Mindy?” But Mindy didn’t move. Charlie reached over and shook her. “Mindy?”
Mindy opened her eyes, stretched, and said, “Oh Charlie, I’m so sorry, I must have fallen asleep. That pot we smoked before must have really knocked me out. I do remember having a strange dream where you were a werewolf or something like that. It was so vivid.” Then she paused and said, “Wow, I’m famished. Can we get outta here and get something to eat?”
“Sure,” Charlie said, putting the Tesla in gear and pulling away. Just a dream. Right! Charlie thought, a broad smile on his face.
Mindy fluffed her hair up just a bit, she checked the corner of her mouth for drool and smeared lipstick. She adjusted her little jacket that had ridden up her back. She looked over and smiled at Charlie. ” Sorry about that, I must have dozed off. That’s pretty rude of me, I’m sorry. ”
Charlie’s smile was bright and enthusiastic.
” Almost there, ” he told her ” go on roll the window down a little. I’ll bet you can smell Mrs. Beenettle’s from here. ”
Mindy rolled her window down. ” Oh Charlie- that’s – wow -delicious!”
Charlie too a right by an Elm tree, further down he took a right at an Oak and then they were on a gravel road. His car whispered it’s way to front of a Cottage with a hand painted sign at the driveway entrance that read:
” Welcome To Mrs. Beenettle’s Garden! Side Parking to your right. “
The sign was trimmed with butterflies and tulips.
” Is this a Nursery? I thought it was a restaurant. It smells like a restaurant. ” Mindy said hopefully.
Charlie beamed another smile at side of Mindy’s face and then he found a parking spot- which was easy because they were in the little side lot alone, and there at the gate to the Garden was Mrs. Beenettle.
” Good evening!” Mrs Beenettle trilled at them as they pulled up ” And how are we this evening? ”
Mindy tried to not throw herself out of the car before it had stopped and was almost successful. ” Hungry- I must say Mrs Beenettle, I followed my nose all the way here!”
Mrs. Beenettle’s smile said, ‘ of course you did ‘ but her lips remained shut.
Mindy pointed to the path next to the cottage and Mrs. Beenettle nodded.
After Charlie shut his car off and locked it, Mrs Beenettle was there next to him. They watched Mindy scurry down the path. ” Door Dash would have been faster ” Mrs Beenettle said crisply.
” But would your delivery have been as fresh? ” Charlie replied with his bright, bright smile.
The strolled side by side to Mrs Beenettle’s Garden in the back where she grew her orchard of purple and red Corpse Flowers.
Each flower stood a small distance from the other Corpse Flowers and each Purple and Pink prehistoric looking plant was surround by finely crushed white gravel.
The flower Mrs Beenettle and Charlie were now standing directly in front of was twice as tall as all of the others
and in front of it was a little white wrought iron table and two chairs and on top of the table, slightly crumpled and covered with soft gray pollen-
was Mindy’s jacket.
“How did you find this one?” Mrs. Beenettle asked as she picked up Mindy’s jacket and headed toward the cottage.
“Mindy and I have been friends for years, actually.” Charlie replied. “She recently started showing signs, then her behavior at dinner tonight confirmed it.” He turned back and looked regretfully at the tall flower towering over the others. “After dinner I suggested we go somewhere else for dessert. After we shared a smoke of that special blend you created, she fell asleep while I drove and the things she muttered while she dreamed were frankly quite scary. When we got close and she could smell your ‘restaurant’, I knew this would be her last ride.”
They closed the cottage door softly behind them, blocking out the scent of the corpse flowers. Mrs. Beenettle tossed Mindy’s jacket into the potbellied woodstove and the embers burst into flame, devouring the cotton fabric quickly. She washed the lingering pollen from her hands then joined Charlie at the table, setting a bottle of water down for each of them.
“So, what next?” She asked.
“I need to update the other hunters and see if they have anyone on their radar right now. Otherwise, I…” The chorus of Ozzy’s Bark at the Moon interrupted him, and he dug his cell phone out of his pocket to see H.Q. calling. “Oh crap.” He muttered and skipping any greeting, blurted, “What happened?”
And now for K. S. Wood’s part:
He placed the phone face down on the table with a sigh and rubbed his face.
“Here we go again,” he muttered. “No rest for the wicked.”
“What’s wrong?” Mrs. Beenettle asked, her voice doing a sing-song cadence even when she had no guests to speak to.
“That was Strife at HQ. Blaise is on the trail of another one and needs my help with some persuading. His usual restaurant to bring his unusual dates is under surveillance and he needs a place quickly. Think your little restaurant can handle one more tonight?”
Mrs. Beenettle tipped her water back, finishing off the bottle in one fairly large chug before she set it down carefully.
“I’m sure I can make room for one more,” she said with a chuckle. “But only one more tonight. Almost every one of my precious diners are stuffed.”
“Good,” he replied, standing and heading for the Tesla. But before he got there…..
So I haven’t anyone to pass the baton to yet though I have asked a few, so if you’re a blogger and you’d like to pick it up, comment below. PLEASE WAIT UNTIL I HAVE CONFIRMED THAT YOU ARE TAKING IT BEFORE YOU RUN WITH IT THOUGH!
Last month we had a weird situation where two different people picked up the baton and thus had two versions of the story going. So if you want in, comment and WAIT! If more than one person does end up wanting the baton, then the first person to confirm with me has someone to then pass it too!
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K. S. Wood Writes 
Nice job. I hope you can find someone to take it from here.
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Thank you. I hope someone will pick it up from here. the ones I have passed the baton to usually have either already written OR have told me no already.
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May I recommend Nancy, the Sicilian Storyteller at https://theelephantstrunk.org/about/
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Thanks! I sent her a message!
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Let me know if she’s amenable.
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She said no – she’s got a lot on her plate
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Okay, maybe Pete, aka Mr. Bump at https://mrbump.uk/thirty-second-bio/
or Christine at Stein Writing at https://christinebialczak.com/about/
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Sending messages out to them
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Love the multiple ‘restaurant’ addition! Sounds like there’s a much bigger problem than we first thought!
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Thanks – I was going a different direction when this idea popped into my head…. so I scrapped the first write!
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Fun and frustrating when that happens!
I’ve sent out queries for a few to take the next piece, 2 no and 1 pending…
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Sounds like my queries!
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Good addition to the story. I hope someone picks up the baton and continues it.
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Me too!
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👍🏼🙏🏼👍🏼
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that was good Kelly! Old post but…brilliant and well written by all who wrote the story!
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Thank you
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