ladyhwin

ThinkWrite is coming back to this forum in the hopes that we can revive it and bring back its original luster.
So here is challenge 87...

Word List
-QUILL
-KNOCK
-HELP
-RESERVED
-EQUALITY
-CIRCUMSTANCE
-CRYSTAL
-SHAME
-DRAW
-CRA WL

Word Count will be an exact 287

I will give this challenge 2 and a half weeks, ending on June 15th

Enjoy!

Saxon

It is a shame and sadness that circumstances have forced the return of these challenges to the Think Draw forum. While the think write forum struggled, it had its own life and style. To crawl back can only be considered a failure. It should be crystal clear that, while there was some support for this brutal action, there was also little option and almost no consultation. The site was closed so quickly that no one had a chance to contemplate what the future might hold. There was no equality in this move as it was imposed by the few. It was their lack of help in working with the occasional contributors that finally destroyed the last spark of integrity. A quick hard blow, a single knock on the head and all was irrevocably lost forever; lost on the whim of an unelected and ill informed few.
No longer is there a small part of the internet that is reserved for the creative writer. It is once again relegated to just a side show in another form of artistic forum. And the trail was a hard one to follow as no one thought, in their hast to abandon the sinking ship, to leave a link back to this site. While the patient may have been ill, the brutal killing of the invalid cannot be considered a cure. It beggars belief that so much can have been so swiftly lost. This pre-emptive strike smacks of a preconceived conspiracy of a few members in an appalling undemocratic assault; a coup de tat by the unknown ruling elite against the innocent masses, yet done in their name! The writers quill has been snatched from the hand and nothing of value remains.

ladyhwin

Very nice writing, Saxon. If your feeling on the TW issue are what was portrayed in your writing, then I am truly sorry that you feel this way. I discussed this issue with ThinkDraw and all is well and good. I had no part in closing the TW site and actually plan to still visit it.

Meanwhile, thank you again!

midnightpoet

An old man gazes into a polished sphere of crystal. Reflected within, he barely recognizes the tired, wrinkled countenance staring back as his own. He draws a shaky breath, a tear running down the deep grooves lining his face as his swollen, gnarled fingers slowly trace its path on his reflection.

The small room is lit only by a candle, the light bouncing off the crystal. The man sits in a rickety chair, so unstable it seems as though even his small, withered body might break it. A piece of parchment, an inkwell, and a quill sit on the wooden table next to his left hand. His grasp is weak and his writing shakes as he dips the quill in the ink and scrawls one word.

HELP.

The word is scrawled, barely legible, and blotted in large, disjointed letters across the entire page.

He rolls up the message and holds one end to the flickering flame of the candle sitting before him. As he watches his last hope go up in flames, his pallid face flushes with shame. He knows this circumstance is his doing alone. He knows how audacious it is to ask for help.

A knock on the door, loud and hollow in the one room shack, does not startle the man. His voice comes out as a rasp; “come in.” He does not look up as he hears the door open, hears the footsteps approaching.

A voice, deep and hollow: “I cannot help you. I am reserved for the righteous.”

“Anything, please.”

“Crawl. There is no equality, only humility.”

The old man obeys, and before his frail, trembling frame can slowly, painfully, move even a foot across the dusty floor, he is struck dead.

Login

It's good to see ThinkWrite back in its birthplace. I had forgotten just how good the writers amongst us are.

ladyhwin

Very interesting piece, midnightpoet! I'm going to have to mull over some of it... quite a bit of thought in it... and I like it

Login... its great to see you! You've written in the past too, haven't you...?

ladyhwin

Running, running, running, running. On and on and on and on, until her will and her strength were gone, so she ran, and when she could run no further, then she pressed on again, harder than before. Countless hands groped at her, countless voices called, trying to stall her, to turn her aside from the goal which loomed before her, great and wonderful. It seemed like years had passed since she had lain her writing quill down on the parchment for the last time, pledging her life to this race. She knew that every step she took, every breath she drew brought her closer, ever closer, to that magnificent goal. Some had offered help, but she could not bring herself to accept it, not under the circumstances, not with the promise of perfect assistance ringing in her ears. Some had mocked her, calling her a fool, saying she could never reach such an impossible dream, but she could not believe them. The promise in her hart was too burdened with the sacrifice and sorrows of others. It had to be true! When this calling had come knocking at her heart’s door she had been unable to turn it away, and now she was completely and unreservedly committed. She knew she was no better than anyone else, for “all men are created equal” yet she felt so alone, so different in her zeal for truth and she thought it a shame that not more were like her. The need to keep running was crystal clear in her mind, it was a need that had picked her up when she could scarcely crawl, and now drew her on relentlessly. She had to keep running. He was waiting for her.

Nylecoj

The hall was dark, lined with imposing pillars; cold, without windows or color. A crystal chandelier hung from a dusty chain that must once have swung from a beautiful ceiling of gilded wood, but to its shame the light now only threw more shadows about, deepening the king's frown. At the end of the hall he sat, his brows drawn into a fierce scowl, his fine robes thrown around him in faded splendor.
A loud knock announced the arrival of the guards. The king's frown deepened even more, if such was possible, for between the guards, bound with chains, was an imp. The mischievous spryte was unaffected, dancing between his captures, laughing, asking all sorts of questions. As they drew near the king the imp fell silent, but continued to hop from foot to foot grinning.
"Sir! We found this thing crawling through the town causing trouble." The captain reported, standing at perfect attention. The scratching of quill on paper was the only sound for a minute as a scribe wrote all that passed.
"No imps are allowed within the town!" The king's voice rang sternly, "off with its head!"
"But, whatever shall I do without a head?" the imp asked.
"Nothing!" came the startled answer.
"Oh, but I am so clever at doing nothing already I would much rather keep my head, and considering the circumstance, this being our first meeting and all, I think you all much too serious." Astonished silence answered him, so he continued, "Firstly it helps to say 'how do you do?' and you need more light in here, too dark for me, but I must be going, good day!"
Flash! Bang! He vanished, the chains clattering to the floor, then, suddenly, the king laughed.

ladyhwin

Thank you Nylecoj! Made me laugh....

Two more days until the 15th!

midnightpoet

Nylecoj!! You captured that impish spirit too well - he was very believable and it had me giggling!

marg

Oooohh.. ThinkWrite back home

I'm not sure what happened with the other site, but as I hardly get the time to touch base these days, I'm REALLY pleased to see TW back in TD land.

Sorry that it's rushed (and all the other excuses), but here you go :
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------

Yes, yes.. I heard you knock at the front gate and they obviously let you in - why do you want to speak to me, though ?

Ohh.. so you’re asking about Brother Septimus, are you ? Well, under any other circumstance I wouldn’t help you, but people are starting to think the wrong thing, so I'd better say something.

Let me see.. I’d describe him as ‘a very tall, thin, reserved old man with greying hair, somewhat stooped’; how’s that sound ? He used to sit over there, where the light is good even on bad days and I can still see him now, with his quill flickering in the sunbeams as he wrote.

He used to draw the most beautiful pictures and scenes - it’s a shame that ordinary people never got to see them. I remember one picture he did, with Adam defying Satan, and the snake just literally seemed to crawl to the margin of the page. You don’t see writing like that any more – writing used to mean something then.

It was funny, the way him and the Duke died. They say that Death is the great leveller, but you’d need a crystal ball to foresee that the Duchess would do what she did; yes, I see you've heard all the details !

They took her away, you know; people blamed her secretary for trying to poison her cat, or feeding her canary to the cat or something (well, something to do with her cat) but she was really quite mad.

Maybe there is some equality, after all, but I'm glad the books didn't suffer; hopefully the new Duke will get the wall rebuilt, but if you'd like to contribute...?

marg

Love the responses so far - I'd also forgotten how good TDers are at writing !

ladyhwin.. thank you so much for the challenge and for your excellent entry - you set the bar pretty high !

midnight - your writing was always 'poetry in motion' - I've been missing it and so glad to see you still writing so beautifully !

Nylecoj - LOL.. you're writing about yourself as the imp, aren't you ?

indigo

These stories are VERY good! Midnight...the character in your story made
me think of a Ebenezer Scrooge.

ladyhwin

Alright, thank you all for your responses! I'm so glad to see that people are happy about the change.

Marg - to clarify... although the TW site was a wonderful thing, the original TW challenge was dying out, so I talked with TD and we moved it back here, hoping that this works out better! And I'm glad to see so many responses and from people I remember from quite a long time ago! Loved your story too, beautiful writing!!

ladyhwin

And since it is the 16th already, at least where I live, I have to pass the torch off...

Midnight - its yours I admire your writing and this piece was no exception! You inspired me to bring TW back here and hopefully you're alright with me passing it back to you now

Nylecoj

Congratulations Midnight! I enjoyed everyone's stories, I had no idea how much I missed having TW here

Marg- The imp was sort of based on a little brother, but I suppose it had a piece of me in it too. I am very glad it made everyone laugh

midnightpoet

Thank you, Lady!

I must also say, I'm glad to see TW back here. The other site was wonderful, but it didn't work out. Being back here now, it's so great to see the submissions from Nylecoj and Marg who haven't written in a challenge in so long - great to see you guys!

I gladly accept the torch and thank you all for all the kind words.

Sorry, I'm getting all sentimental. GROUP HUG!

ladyhwin

I'm so glad you accept, Midnight!! I'm so glad to see others who are excited about TW!!!