Tuesday 2 June 2009

If Only... - Entry for WAG 14

I have placed the instructions for this Writing Adventure Group challenge at the end of this post. But in essence it was about a time when you wished you could change something that happened.

If Only...


Emily’s mobile bleeped above the noisy crowd. She rummaged in the Gucci bag that Daryl had given her for Christmas. Her heart missed a beat when she saw it was a message from Steve. It had only been a week although it seemed like a month of sleepless nights when she couldn’t get him out of her head.

Nervously she pressed the OK key and winced when she saw the three-word message. Her thumb frantically worked the keys in response, ‘What brought that on?’ She pressed send, sat back and looked aimlessly around the departure lounge as she waited for his reply. It was buzzy with business people this time of the year with one or two couples jetting away for a short break. Emily was due to be called in ten minutes and then she’d be on her way to Dundee. Not long for her to make a final choice.

She looked blankly at the ceiling and frowned. Then, before he could reply she reached for her phone with determined look and sent another message, ‘I love you too, but you should have said...it’s too late now.’



Instructions for “WAG #14: Do-Overs”

Thanks to Carol for the topic idea! (This one is more of a mental/emotional exercise than observational, but you get bonus points if you can somehow tie this to a person you can see and describe OR a physical object.) Think of a time where you’d like to change what happened - whether it’s to get that witty retort in or to say something you never got the chance to say. Write how it should have been and compare it to the reality.

5 comments:

  1. Hmmm. Never thought how a do over might appear on a text message. Quite different from the spoken word. Daryl and Steve, eh? Maybe those two should be texting...

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  2. Great set-up and loads of stuff to be unravelled in there. I like flash fiction where the previous actions and the future actions of the characters seem to spread out from the words presented. Cool stuff.

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  3. Not sure I can cope with anything as exciting as this, it's given me palpitations, and I'm sure I won't sleep tonight!

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  4. LOL- sorry, -loved Frances's reaction to the piece.

    I enjoy reading your fiction. Your writer's voice is so interestingly different from mine.

    Cheers!

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  5. Interesting piece and very modern with the talking through text. I think there are a lot of "If Only..." moments with couples, both ones that work out and ones that don't, and this provided a nice scene for another one!

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