Neighbors

I watched from the kitchen window as Lily played in the backyard.  My brother had given us one of those Fisher Price play sets and Lily loved playing on it every day.  He no longer needed it and felt we could use it for Lily and Stefan.  Thinking about it, I don’t know why he would have such kids play set.  Jon isn’t married nor does he have any kids.  Not that it makes a difference where he got it from – it’s just one of those things that make you wonder.  Jon does have a history of different women in and out of his life, maybe it came from of them. Again, it doesn’t matter.  All that mattered was Lily and Stefan enjoyed it.  Stefan was down for his afternoon nap and would be there for at least another forty-five minutes of so.  Lily stopped taking naps as soon as she graduated to her big girl bed nine months ago.  Stefan being confined to a crib doesn’t have the luxury of getting out of bed whenever he wants to, unlike Lily who saw her new bed as an opportunity to do what she wants.

Our dog Radar liked to play in the set as well.  Lily has tried numerous times to get him to come down the slide with her, but has been unsuccessful as of yet.  When Radar isn’t playing with the kids or scarfing down his food, that dog loves to bark at the neighbors through the chain-link fence.   Abe Rodriguez and his family live next door.  They’re established in the neighborhood and older than us as well.  Abe and Julia or Julie, I can never remember which one it is so I just call her Mrs. Rodriguez, have a grandson about Lily’s age.  When he visits his grandparents, he plays outside on the swing in their backyard.  Radar barks and barks at that kid.  It’s not like the four year old is slinging rocks at the mutt, Radar is just a puppy who barks at everyone not in our family. 

This is one of those times.

I’m standing in the kitchen watching Lily through the window play “school playground” as Radar is up against the chain-link fence barking at the kid and Julia or Julie.  I whisper a curse about how dumb the dog is, open the door and scold the dog.

“Radar!  Get inside and shut up!!”

Not that I care he’s barking at the neighbors, I just don’t want him waking up Stefan yet.  I still got about 45 minutes before I have to change a diaper and I really don’t want to be doing it right now because my dumb dog is being loud.

Radar complies and runs inside. He scurries off to our bedroom where Nat is more than likely resting before she has to go into work this evening.

I wave an apologetic wave to Julie or Julie and ask Lily if she needs anything.  She reminds me she’s not allowed to have anything to drink on the “school playground” and goes back to her fun.  I take this to mean she’s eventually going to be thirsty, so I come back inside, grab one of her Shopkins cups and fill it with water from the fridge.  When I look back outside, Lily is walking towards the chain-link fence.  Julia or Julie’s grandson is there calling her to him.  I look around their backyard to see her on the phone, but paying attention to her grandson.  I look back at the kid to see what’s going on.

OH HELL NAW!!

That little punk just gave Lily a flower through the chain-link fence!

Lily takes the flower and goes back to her play set.

Nope!

Nope!

I’m going to Home Depot next weekend to put up a wooden fence.

This is a writing prompt from my 365 Writing Project Series.  This prompt was about neighbors.

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Rain. Soil. Home.

The kids were racing each other from the northeast corner of the backyard when it started to rain.  My eight year old, Cally, started to freak out and sprinted the thirty yards or so to take shelter where we were on the back patio.  The other four embraced the afternoon shower.  Leaving little footprints in the soil, they laughed, played, and danced.  My wife and I hadn’t seen that kind of freedom from them in a very long time. Too many years being stuck in the two bedroom town-home while our family grew and grew.  I looked down at Cally, who was grasping my hand and secretly yearning to go out there and play with her siblings. 

“Go ahead, baby girl.”

Cally released her grip and sprinted out there to join her siblings in the rain festivities.  My wife and I made eye contact and seeing the happiness in her beautiful brown eyes, I turned to our real estate agent and said, “We’ll take it!”

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Ryan and J'kar

It was 1:58 in the morning as Ryan and J’kar waited in Ryan’s backyard for J’kar’s ride back to Xyrex. J’kar got lost while travelling to Drankellian when he entered an uncharted worm hole and ended up in Iowa. Ryan found him and they contacted J’kar’s people, but it was going to take three years for the trip to earth. So here they sat in Ryan’s backyard – Ryan on the trampoline and J’kar on the tire swing. The cuckoo clock in the living room struck two o’clock as lights filled Ryan’s back yard. It was J’kar’s ride. The friends embraced and said their goodbyes as J’kar boarded the spacecraft.

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Mystery Cookie

While most people dread Mondays or going to work all together, Cooper enjoys coming to work.  He hadn’t always felt this way.  He used to be cynical like a lot of his co-workers in eligibility.  They come to work with fake smiles and complaints about their significant others; but over the past ten weeks he’s overcome the depression he began to deal with after Jenn broke off their engagement.

The happiness started again with a cookie about ten weeks ago.

A single cookie was sitting on his desk one Monday morning about a month after the break-up.  Cooper had no idea where it came from.  He didn’t trust a random cookie sitting on his desk so threw it away.  The next day another cookie was waiting for him.  Again he threw it away.  After a week of cookies, he finally started to accept the gift and eat them.  

And they were delicious!

He started looking forward to coming to work because of the mystery cookie.  He always felt it was that cute clerk girl Megan, but the cookies kept coming after she was fired for assaulting that guy Russ in claims.

The cookies made him happy because it made Cooper feel appreciated again.

Cooper approached his cubicle with the same expected excitement he had every morning now.  He slung his backpack on his desk but didn’t see a cookie.

In its place was a manila envelope. Cooper was slightly disappointed but intrigued with this unexpected surprise. 

He opened the envelope and emptied its contents on his desk.  A clinging sound got his attention first as he picked up a ring that came to rest next to his keyboard.  He held it between his thumb and fingers to examine and realized it was the ring he gave Jenn when he proposed.

“What the heck??!?”

He read the accompanying note: 

“Dear Coop.  I hope you enjoyed the cookies.  I saw how upset you were after the break-up; I felt you needed hope again.  Jenn actually helped me with the cookies, well she WAS the cookies.  She turned out very sweet.   I was thinking of using some of her for your birthday cake next month.  LMK. Megan.”

Confused, Cooper flipped over a picture and vomited as he recognized Jenn’s mutilated body in the background of Megan’s selfie.

***

Taken from Writer's Digest.  The writing prompt was as follows...

One day you come into work and find a cookie mysteriously placed on your desk. Grateful to whoever left this anonymous cookie, you eat it. The next morning you come in and find another cookie. This continues for months until one day a different object is left–and this time there’s a note.

Link to Prompt.

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Steps Challenge

Russ sat in the bleachers of his daughter’s basketball game. Instead of watching his eleven year old soar over her opponents while grabbing rebounds and throwing elbows, he sifted through Google images of Atlantis on his smartphone. His company had offered up a “steps challenge” for his office. The employee with the most pedometer steps in the office gets an all-expense paid trip for two to the Bahamian resort.

They weren’t in the best financial situation when they got married twelve years ago, so they couldn’t afford a honeymoon. They got pregnant with Laura a few months later; then over the next eleven years four more kids arrived. The finances never got any better – they managed to keep their head above water over the past decade, but that honeymoon never came.

This trip was going to be his and this was going to be the honeymoon his wife, Christine always wanted.

“What are you doing?!?!” Christine chastised while hitting Russ in his knee.

“Owww.. What??”

Russ hurt his knee with this challenge. He was walking in the wooded area behind the office on Wednesday when he stepped in a hole and banged up his knee pretty good. He didn’t tell Christine about the challenge nor the knee because it would have brought up too many questions.

“Your daughter is out there playing like an all-star and you’re on your phone!!!”

“Okay okay okay.. I’m done anyways.”

Russ put away his phone but was still focusing on the pictures of Atlantis in his mind. He also focused on the leader board in his office. Megan was about four thousand steps ahead of him on Friday. He worked claims while she was the office clerk. Her job description gave her the reason to walk and walk and walk.

Russ secretly despised Megan. The twenty-two year old recent college graduate doesn’t need to go to the Bahamas. What does she have to get away from? Selfies on SnapChat? Her stupid old beagle named “Buddy”? He’s got kids. He deserves this vacation. She’s got plenty of years to go to Atlantis, Russ tried to justify.

Since he hurt his knee he hadn’t been able to walk as much and his count suffered. Megan was able to catch up and pass him because of the injury. Russ also noted she didn’t do a lot of walking on weekends and it was his time to catch up. Yet he wasn’t able to because of this stupid knee. The final step count would be turned in tomorrow morning at 8 AM and all Russ would have are these Google Images of the Bahamas. He hated he’d have to hear about the bathing suits and cute lifeguards from Megan.

Oh how he despised her.

The buzzer sounded and the game was over. He and his family cheered for his daughter’s winning team. He gingerly made his way down the bleachers to embrace his daughter.

“Excellent job, Ladybug!”

“Thanks” an out of breath Laura said while guzzling down some water.

Russ hugged his daughter and pulled something from her waistband.

While other family members congratulated her, Russ looked at the pedometer he removed from his daughter’s shorts. Seven thousand steps added to his count. Hello Atlantis. Let’s see her stupid old beagle get that many this weekend.

***

Taken from Writer's Digest.  The writing prompt was as follows...

In an effort to improve the health of the office, your company has issued a steps challenge—who can take the most steps in a week. The winner gets a free trip to the Bahamas (something you are determined to win). It’s come down to the final day and it’s between you and one other person in your office—and that person keeps trying to sabotage you.  What happens and who wins?

Link to Prompt.

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1:08

Jacques stood at the corner of 8th and Linus facing north into the park.  He pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the time.  

1:08

But he already knew that.  

He took a breath and even said a quick prayer.  He let out a slight chuckle because he had never thought of doing that before.  Maybe this time will be different.   Maybe it will change things.  It was worth a shot.  He didn't have much time.  He walked into Rogers Park in the direction of the benches near the knolls.  

This scene has played out many times before.  This time had to be different.  This time had to be the one.  He was going to do what he felt needed to be done and then hope for the best.  

Off in the distance he could see her.  His window of opportunity was short and he had to get to her without interruption.  

From the left a homeless man came up to Jacques.

"Sir, can you spare some loose......"

"Here you go Reggie..." Jacques hands over his wallet before Reggie could even finish his sentence.  He hopped over the log border, started off into a sprint and stopped a few yards from her.  There she sat on a park bench reading a book.  She was beautiful.  He's never seen her any other way.  He slowly approached her as she moved her bangs behind her left ear, licked her middle finger, turned the page, uncrossed her legs and placed her left leg over the right one.

He stood awkwardly, and softly called out to her, "Katherine?"

Katherine looked up and held her hand up to block the sun, "Yes?"

"Hi.  My name is Jacques. Jacques Copeland."

"Do I know you?"

"Currently, no.   In the sense of the meta-physical universe, you know all about me and I know all about you.  Look, I know you don't understand, but do you mind if I sit next to you?  I swear I mean you know harm."

"I don't know."

"If it makes you feel safer, there's going to be a couple of cops walking around the corner in a couple seconds."

"How do you???"

Just like Jacques promised, two park and wildlife police officers in conversation walk around the corner and stop by a nearby table.

"How??  How did you??"

Jacques sighed and took a breath, "I've always hoped the explanation would somehow remain.  It takes up precious time.  If you can believe it or not, I am living the same fifty-two minutes over and over again.  We've had this conversation and some derivative of it numerous times.  I'm stuck in time loop, for a reason I've not come close to understanding."

"I think I should leave."

"I knew you were going to say that.  You ALWAYS say that! But Katherine, we've sat on this bench for countless minutes talking to one another.  We've gotten to know one another.  I know your name is Katherine Rhodes.  You're twenty-seven years old and a pharmacy technician.  You called in sick today and came here to read.  It reminds you of your parents.  They've been gone six years.  You like peanut butter but not jelly.  You prefer your mashed potatoes prepared with the skin still on.  You enjoy tea with extra lemon.  You've been to every continental state and have a picture from each state in a mural on your living room.

So you've told me.

You've also been hurt before.  In such a way you can never really open up to a man your innermost feelings and dreams."

"I don't ever remember meeting you."

"You never do.  No one ever does.  Just myself.  Everyone goes back to doing what they were doing when it starts.  At two o’clock, everyone leaves, and I return to one-oh-eight and have to relive this over and over again.  In the span of countless fifty-two minutes over and over, I've witnessed and learned things that other's forget.  But none of that really matters.  The only thing that matters is what I've come here to tell you. "

Katherine stared right into Jacques' eyes.

"I love you Katherine.  I love you.  I want to say I've loved you from the time I first laid eyes on you, but it's been so long and I've wanted to tell you so many times.  But not every meeting comes out the same.  I only have a short amount of time for you to fall in love with me, but right now it doesn't matter. It can be fate, course correction, or I'm just a lucky guy to be able to spend as much time with you as I have.  But I fully believe that the whole point of this... this event. Is because of us.  God.  The Universe.  Whatever wants me to get it right.  It wants me to open up to you just like you've opened up to me little by little over the course of, I don't know how long I've been doing this.  It wants me to tell you that you can be loved, Katherine.  That you can be loved by me and we can beat this thing and when it turns 2:01 we're still going to be here together and we're going to cherish each moment afterwards."

Katherine took a second to comprehend it all.

"If what you say is true and you really do know all this about me.  Have you ever tried this before?  This... This confession?"

"No.  This is the first time.  I've never told you how I've felt.  I realized I was holding that back when we've disclosed ourselves to each other over the..... What I can only assume have been years I've been meeting you here."

"Years?"

"Years."

"If it's only fifty-two minutes when do you sleep?"

"I usually just go to a park bench and sleep until the next reset."

"And during these 'resets' you go back fifty-two minutes in time??"

"Yes, to the exact geographical point I was at 1:08."

"And you're the only one that remembers?"

"As far as I know.  Everyone is doing what they were doing fifty-two minutes prior as well with no recollection of what just transpired."

"What all have you done?  Seen?"

"A lot!  There's only so much you can get accomplished in 52 minutes.  So it's been pretty much all been legal." 

Katherine sat there, trying to take it all in.  It was all new to her.  This man, new to her.  But he knew all about her.  He knew things little things only those close to her knew.  She didn't want to be hurt, but she didn't think she could not at least take the chance.

"All right.  I believe you.  I believe everything."

"Oh, Katherine!"

Jacques leaned forward, embraced her and squeezed her tight.

"You better not be a psycho!"

Jacques laughed, "No."

Katherine embraced him as well.  A genuine smile crossed his lips as he closed his eyes finally feeling safe for the first time in.... in a very long time.

He opened his eyes and Jacques is standing on the corner of 8th and Linus facing north into the park.  He pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the time.  

1:08

But he already knew that.  

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Finally Getting the Call

Oh, boy… I can’t believe this is actually happening.

Devin Allerdyce was excited, he finally got the call.  He was being called up to go on a special mission with the Captain and his top staff.  The timeliness of the event couldn’t have been planned any better.  He received notice while he was talking with his mother back home in Australia.   Mrs. Allerdyce mirrored her son’s excitement which was everything to him.

Back home they thought he was crazy to dream big.  They told him he’d never leave.  He didn’t want to end up like his father.  He didn’t want to have to settle finding a local girl, cutting down Eucalyptus trees, and running the family Hobby Horse business.  Devin saw himself more than that.

I guess I was a hit at the seminar last month.

Devin had given a presentation on interstellar navigation using natural resources.  In which the Captain was in attendance.  Afterwards, he came up to Devin and commended him on his presentation. It meant the world to Devin.

His time was now.  He was moving up the ladder.  He could feel the upcoming promotion and more responsibility handed to him.  He was going to make his mark on this mission to cement his name as a “go to” guy.

Just then his communicator went off and he tapped the badge on his chest.

“Kirk to Allerdyce, we are all set to move out.  Transporter room in five minutes.”

“Aye, Captain!”

This was it.  He was minutes away from exploring a feral environment with Captain James T. Kirk, Federation Legend.  He had his phaser already set to stun and looked extremely awesome in his freshly pressed red uniform shirt.  What could go wrong?

From Creative Copy Challange #152 - The words required are bold.

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