This is part of a writing challenge at {W}rite-Of-Passage, a community of bloggers who are looking to get back to the writing part of blogging and brainchild of my friend, Mrs. Flinger. Today’s challenge was to find a person in public and write a story around them.
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"Where's your ticket?" the old woman croaked as she reached out her spotted hand and wiggled her boney fingers, filed razor-sharp and painted the color of congealed blood.
I nudged the children behind me, cleared my throat and replied, "We were told that we could buy tickets at the door."
Her thin lips quivered, as she let out a raspy sigh and replied, "Really?" Her breath smelled heavily of stale cigarette smoke and, in my mind's eye, I pictured her as one of the flesh-eating trolls my grandmother warned would come after us in our sleep, whenever my twin brother and I refused to eat our vegetables.
She raised one penciled-eyebrow and licked her lips; imagining me as her next meal, no doubt.
"Well, you were sadly misinformed."
She pushed back from the reception table and I swear, she made a rattling sort of sound, as if she were chained to the chair. I started to back away, surprised to see that the woman looked MUCH taller than I had imagined and came to the realization that I was indeed terribly wrong -- the woman WAS a very old dragon, trapped in human form.
"I'...uh...um...but..."
I bit my lower lip, knowing that, somehow, this was going to end badly and I scanned the room for an emergency exit.
"Do you have a ticket, or no?"
No, and no craft show was worth being dressed down by a fiery old dragon, right?
"No, DAMMIT."
The drab gray pashmina fell from her thin shoulders and revealed her long swan-like neck.
"That's okay, Sweetie."
She reached into a pouch which hung from a beautiful gold chain-linked belt that was wrapped around her tiny little waist.
"There is no admittance fee."
She pulled out 4 lollipops and handed them to each of my kids.
"Uh...um...but..."
Then, she handed me a bunch of tickets.
"Also, everyone gets a free raffle ticket, today."
I was going to protest -- there had to be at least a dozen tickets, or more -- but, I stared blankly at her warm smiling eyes and, well, I was ashamed to admit that the old woman wasn't a troll, or dragon at all.
"Besides, I can tell that you're having a really bad day."
She must be a mom.
[Note: Although, the conversation is a work of fiction, it is loosely based on an incident, IRL, that did indeed, go very badly. It's all good, though. She apologized. I forgave her. She WAS a mom.]
Other participants writing, today:
Write on!
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© 2009 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.
I totally thought you were gonna get eaten, too. :)
Posted by: Dawn @ Heartbroken | 12/07/2009 at 11:46 AM
I love how you can turn real life in to fiction. I call that my blog. ;) heh.
Seriously, though, one of the things I love best about your writing is DIALOG. You do that SO WELL.
Love LOVE it.
Posted by: Mrs. Flinger | 12/07/2009 at 01:27 PM
Haven't we all been there? I hate that the real story ended badly, but the fictional story was great.
Posted by: Kelly | 12/07/2009 at 02:13 PM
I guess we all have that instinct of turning sad-ending situations into good ones. This is specially superb.
Kudos!
Posted by: Evan | 12/07/2009 at 03:15 PM
Great imagery and dialogue.
I think we've all had those days.
Posted by: Annie Anderson | 12/07/2009 at 05:08 PM
I love the imagery at the beginning. We have indeed all had those days.
Posted by: amber | 12/07/2009 at 10:17 PM
Very good! Although your portrayal of the old woman was so convincing I had a hard time believing she could be so nice, after being so nasty, lol. Well written!
Posted by: Last Girl Standing | 12/07/2009 at 11:50 PM
Well done!
Posted by: pgoodness | 12/08/2009 at 12:23 AM
Awesome - that's how I feel some days anyway: that everyone's a dragon in disguise, just looking to slather me with ketchup and toast me for dinner :)
Posted by: Stephanie | 12/08/2009 at 10:13 AM
I like when people can realize they've made a mistake. Shows good character, IMO.
Great job here.
Posted by: Secretagentmama | 12/09/2009 at 08:03 AM
What a great description, right down to the breath. I saw her change before my eyes once she stood up. Awesome post!
Posted by: Chefdruck | 12/09/2009 at 03:12 PM