Dragon

Thanks much to mouse for choosing me on the last one, that word list was really inspiring!
I'm going to rein in the word count to 170 this time, no more, no less. Your word list is:

Hollow
Song
Stone
Falcon
Daggers
Forever
Pawn
Competition
Odd
Wolves

Hope you guys get as much out of this one as I did out of the last one. I'll choose the next torch bearer sometime on Sunday Sept 27.

Arw65

News

“You threw me to the wolves!” I shouted, trying, unsuccessfully, to shoot daggers at him with my eyes. His green eyes looked troubled and I instantly regretted my outburst
“You should have told him.” He whispered softly. ” I thought you would have- we’ve been engaged for a month now.”
My father still wished I had given James a chance, but there was no competition, Ian was perfect in every conceivable way. I felt like a pawn next to the king- there was no comparison- I didn’t understand how odd, awkward little me could be loved by someone as perfect as Ian. I sat down on the tailgate of my truck, tears just about to stream down my face. Swift as a falcon his stone arms encircled me, his lips pressed to the hollow in my neck. I wanted to stay mad at him, but with him whispering words like “forever” and “eternity” it was a lost cause. I melted entirely when he hummed the song he’d written for me.

mouse

The Competitor

What a glorious afternoon. The song birds are singing and the sun is shining on the stately old oak trees that are growing here in Oak Hollow.

I have been sitting under their branches savoring my victory in the dart competition.

You may find it odd that a girl likes to throw darts. However, I am one of six siblings and the only girl. So, I am forever in some kind of competition, with my brothers. I have even gone hunting wolves with them, but could never bring myself to shoot such lovely creatures. Instead I used a camera .and got far more “shots” than the guys.

However, the dart game is a weekly event held at the Falcon’s Club, which is only a stones throw from the Hollow. (129)

Several of the girls competed along with the guys. When I won, the men all congratulated me. The women shot me daggers of envy.

I vowed long ago that I am no ones pawn.

So, I say, " Ladies. Deal with it”.

Doug

170 words on the nose excluding title.

The Hollow

Charlie sat in the hollow of Harquest songs playing like a tape recorder in his head. He spied a falcon that seemed to float forever before it found a red squirrel as its latest pawn in the game of life. Charlie sat on a large stone more like a small boulder. He was fixated, his eyes like daggers, as he watched the competition between the pack of wolves over the odd looking meat scraps they found.

On the other side of the hollow sat Cherise. Like Charlie, she was perched on a similar stone transfixed on her surroundings. But unlike him, she was viewing a different world. Butterflies danced on lilies and songbirds warbled out beautiful music that echoed throughout the hollow.

They were not alone in their dreamlike hollow.

Perched high on a bluff overlooking the hollow a war ravaged wizard stood stoically waving his wand swishing it side to side. He was the puppet master of the scene below.

He smiled as he pondered what to do next.

Dragon

Ooo, good ones so far. So very different from each other. Arw, it's always so interesting to see a little peice of a relationship, sort of like being a voyeur into their lives. mouse, love the tale of compitition- you go girl, show those boys how it's done. Doug, nice images you've woven, I get a bit of a dark control feeling off this piece (shocking that Doug would venture into the dark side of the mind;) )
Keep 'em coming, I'm loving these!

mouse

170 words- not counting title

The Festival

T’was a yearly event, on the manor grounds, of the Lord of the Glen.

Sir Ian was, one of many Knights, anxious to take part in the Jousting competition. When he arrived atop his golden steed he held a falcon on his padded arm. The bird of prey’s talons were sharp as daggers.

Colorful tents were arrayed in a huge circle around a stone wall. An odd assortment of silk banners hung from poles atop the wall.

Two old men sat at a small wooden table with an elaborately carved chess board, inlaid with ivory. Spread before them were Kings, Queens and Pawns also of intricately carved wood. They seemed oblivious to the merriment going on around them.

Minstrels strolled among the crowd singing song after song. One favorite ballad was the “Grey Wolves Living in the Hollow”.

Children ran after a juggler hoping to catch a ball, should he drop one. But, he didn’t.

Such a time of fun and everyone wanted it to go on forever. But, alas----------

giraffe

170 + 1 word title

LABYRINTH

We didn't notice - this time.
Our brains didn't catch it.
We just assumed. It was so odd

that deception and bad intentions
were lying meek and hidden
in cold, dank earth under that stone.

They say if you ignore it
and look the other way,
you won't even notice the approaching wolves.

It's best to just freeze,
stand there in your tracks
and play innocent - the unwitting pawn.

Then pray that your guardian
spirit will come unleash you.
Be here swiftly, my love, my falcon.

Use those eyes that pierce
my fear of this artifice
and shred it with your wise daggers.

I fell into my need
and paid little mind to
the simple plaintive moan of our song.

I'm frozen in the dark.
Now the demons seem real.
They've waged us in a grave competition.

I don't know about you,
I'm in a big labyrinth
that seemingly goes on and on forever.

Only falcon sight can provide
the means to undo inequity
and free me from life so hollow.

Doug

Incredible giraffe. I loved it!!

Dragon

Wow! mouse you are so good with painting us a picture with your words.
giraffe, loved that. The story was so interesting and the writing style was so unique. I love when someone tries something new (new to me anyway).

mouse

WOW Giraffe-- That was awesome

Peasy

This is pretty fun. I'll try it again. Thanks for the word list, Dragon. I think this is exactly 170 words without title.

She had a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach, and the song on the radio didn't help.
The old Ford Falcon she was driving had belonged to her dad. The ring she was about to sell was once her mothers.
It was the first time in forever that she felt this desperate. She reasoned that she had to do it. There was no other way.
Inside the pawn shop, she approached the counter full of pistols, knives, and daggers.
"The stone has an odd color, and it's awefully small. I can only give you twenty." said the clerk.
Arms crossed and misty eyed, she looked away into a mirror etched with wolves and a moon then said, "I'll take it."
The man had her sign a ticket, and handed her a twenty dollar bill.
As she walked out of the pawn shop, her tears were drying up. She knew a dealer for whom there was no competition. Some heroin would ease her guilt for now.
What about tomorrow?

giraffe

Very cool. I had to read it over to see if you were even using the focus words.

mouse

Peasy
Great visual narrative. I can see the anguish on her face.

Doug

Way over the word count, but I already have one in with the exact amount. Had too much fun being bi-polar and writing this one...

Heartbeat

Hollow point bullets couldn’t stop him.
He was relentless, unbroken by the daggers thrown by the Lords of the Falcon. Heavy stones snapped his limbs, but he still kept coming. He kept coming!

This odd creature is not the Freddy/Jason type, but my next door neighbor and the daggers I threw were limbs from his tree that hung over my fence. It had to go. Hollow point bullets only exist in songs and the hood’.

My neighbor Herb could outrun wolves with his legs in shackles. He’s an odd fellow.
I only see him at night though which kind of concerns me. Of course in the song Rainbow Connection by the infamous Kermit the Frog…”Why are there so many songs about rainbows.” Once again I digress. Back to Herb and his curious behavior.

Maybe I’m a pawn in his game of life, a chess piece twisted and nudged to serve a purpose. It will probably be this way forever as I have given up on trying to figure the man out.

So why do I go on and on about the “neighbor”. Oddly enough, I painted the whole side of his house pink for no reason at all. He never saw me in the dark. His hedges are all shaped like clowns, rather odd I’d say.

Yes I did it, I did it!

Stop! I can’t take it anymore!

Now the music never stops playing, it has to be Herb and his 8 track blasting that hippie music forever.

Maybe next week I’ll tell my therapist about this stuff, but I have to take care of Herb first.

Dragon

Good story Peasy, very deep. Wonder if this will be her rock bottom moment that will make her reach out for help or if her dad's car will end up feeding her habit too.
Doug, I see what you mean about bi-polar. Neat one to read, I somehow always enjoy the ones about people going out of their minds. I'm not sure who I'd want less as a neighbour, Herb or the narrator.

mouse

Doug
Love it. We all have had neighbors like this at one time or another and really would like to paint their houses pink-- Make a good movie script

Doug

Dragon: One of my favorite movies of all time was One flew over the cukoos nest. Besides "the shining" it was probably Jack Nicholson's finest performance. The timing and pace of both was so chaotic yet together. Thats' kinda like being bi-polar which i am among many other things I hate to admit. That would be a whole other thread... I thought about starting one "luciano Van Pelt 5 cents please". lol, maybe.

Dragon

Doug, I very much enjoyed Cukoo's nest too. I always kind of thought Nurse Ratchett's character was brilliantly played. After all, she was a nurse on a psych ward and just trying to do her job but there was still something kind of sinister about her all the same. You're right, some of Nicholson's best work.

giraffe

Can't forget to honor Ken Kesey for writing the brilliant drama that inspired all of the awards they got.

Dragon

Still a couple of days left to submit. Hmm, perhaps if I get time I should think of my own story.