I was searching for something to write about and I started to see if there were any good memes. I found this website which I liked more than the rest: http://www.1000wordsmeme.com/They use a picture and you have to write whatever you want about it. I decided to write a story. I was not sure if 1000 words was a rule or not. But I thought it would be fun to try to make it exactly 1000 words, no more, no less. And so I did. It's probably crappy and cheesy, but I liked it and it was fun. Enjoy.
(Do not post anywhere without permission.)
Empty Cookie
Ana stood by the door waiting for the rain to stop. The wind would blow some rain inside the house as she held the door open. But she didn't care, for all she cared she was about to step outside just like that. She wrapped her hands inside her jacket for warmth as she saw some kids stepping outside to enjoy the rain. She smiled at them as she remembered when she used to do that. She missed dancing in the rain. She looked behind to look inside her house. It was empty and quiet, very well organized, yet lonely. She then looked back at the street, and with a smile she jumped into the rain. And without a care in the world she started to dance along with the kids.
The neighbors would look at her strangely. After all she wasn't a little kid, yet she was behaving just like one. She lived by herself ever since her mom passed away when she was nineteen. Seven years later she still lived in the same empty house. A few failed romance, and a few failed jobs. She wondered if she had the right to just dance in the rain instead of working to get out of there. As the rain started to pass away, the mother of one of the kids invited them inside their house. She offered them hot chocolate and fortune cookies.
They were all wet but the lady didn't seem to mind this. She was actually enjoying it. And so was Ana. Ana took one of the cookies and drank some chocolate. As the kids opened the cookies they would laugh and talk about the fortune written on that cookie.
"I'm going to get surprise money!" one of them said holding the paper on the air.
"Yea right, look at this one, says expect the unexpected. What's that supposed to mean?" said another kid looking at his. The other two boys and the only girl exchanged theirs for fun.
"The cookies are wise," said the old lady while sitting with her cup of chocolate at the table.
"What is this?" said Ana looking at hers.
"What does it says!? What does it says!?" asked the kids curiously.
"Nothing," said Ana showing them the empty paper.
"Well, aren't you a lucky one?" said the lady.
"Why am I lucky?" asked Ana confused. After all, what's a blank fortune cookie worth? Probably it was a mistake from the fabric where the cookies were made.
"Well, means your destiny it's whatever you want it to be. You can write in that single strip your whole life, and it would be done," the lady said cheerfully looking at Ana.
Ana just stared at the blank piece of paper. After a while they all went to their houses. While Ana was getting ready to sleep she saw the paper on her nightstand. She took a pen from the drawer and wrote on it. "I don't want to be alone anymore." She then had a dream that night.
In the dream she was holding a red balloon and she let go of it. She woke up and after breakfast she rushed to the town plaza to buy a balloon. She took the paper she wrote and tied it to the balloon. The old man who sold it to her was looking at her wondering what she was doing. She smiled as she let go of the small piece of paper into the sky.
Three months and a few more weeks passed by in a flash. Ana got a new job at the coffee shop of the town. A man came in; he didn't look like a local. Ana knew almost everyone in her town and she knew he wasn't from around. He asked her for a cup of coffee and some waffles. She served it to him with a smile and he smiled back. When he was going to pay he took out his wallet and pay but realized was short of change.
The man reached to his pocket taking everything there was out. A few things came out like a pocket watch, some spare change, a business card, and the paper. Ana recognized it at the moment. Her eyes wide opened and tears filled her eyes as she looked at the man. He wondered what was wrong with her and asked her if she was ok. She nodded as she took the small piece of paper with the tip of her fingers; as if she didn't wanted to ruin it more than it was already.
"Oh, I found that two weeks ago… it saved my life," said the man with a melancholic smile. She stared at what she wrote, it was hers for sure, the same words and her handwriting. She had to hold her tears back and smiled at the man.
"Thank you," she said. He looked at her confused and smiled. He put everything back into his pocket except for the change which he gave her and the small piece of paper which she still had. "Can I have that back?" he said pointing at it.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, yes," she said offering it back, but took it away just as fast. "Are you married?" she surprisingly asked at him. He almost chocked with the coffee. She laughed as he cleaned up the drops of coffee.
"No, why?" he asked back.
"Have a girlfriend? Or are you gay?" she asked him again. She was actually surprised herself she was asking a total stranger such direct questions.
"No, no… but why?" he asked back again.
"Lunch tomorrow?" she asked again hiding away her blush. The man started to laugh and so did she. "I'm so sorry, I don't usually do this," she apologized for being as direct while he tried to control his laughter.
"Of course," he said with a smile after a minute of laughter.
"Ana," she said offering a handshake.
"Patrick," he answered back while shaking her hand.
By Marisabel Muñoz
August 19, 2008
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1 comment:
This was a cute story. No sad ending. Just happiness ever after. I liked it. I'd certainly dance in the rain at any age.
When I first started with this meme I tried to keep to a 1000 words, but as a novelist, I'm still too long winded. I found out later that it's okay to write as little or as many words as the story dictates.
Good job.
DBB
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