In the Future

This next story was a writing prompt given to my English class. Below is the actual prompt.

If all your dreams and plans come true, where will you be and what will you be doing in ten year's time? In one to two pages, describe or explain how your life will be. You might choose a creative format for this such as a magazine interview, 1st person or third person narrative.

I won't lie, I am extremely proud of this essay. It is the best school paper I can remember writing. 

Enjoy! 

            I pull up to the car line and park as I do every Monday through Friday at 3:30.  Usually I don’t have long to wait because the first graders finish school before the other grades, but today they are on a field trip to visit an Amish farm out in the countryside of Pennsylvania. My daughter was so excited to be going to a real Amish farm that when the school bus pulled up this morning she pretty much ran down the front path dragging her little pink back pack through the fall leaves.  My little girl. The six years since she has been born have gone by more quickly than I could have imagined.  I can hardly remember a time without her.

            As the rest of the elementary school comes through the doors my mind starts to wander back through the past fifteen years. First I remember the day my daughter was born. It was the second happiest day of my life. A vision of her beautiful little face blurs the car line ahead of me. I look down and am surprised to find that I am not actually holding her in my arms.  Then I think of the best day of my life: my wedding day. Everything was so perfect and beautiful, with my sister as my maid-of-honor, my parents in the front row, and my husband-to-be standing there in his tux. I remember him saying to me after the reception, “Now, where would you like to live? Our lease ends soon and we can go anywhere after that. California, Texas, Minnesota, anywhere.” We had talked about moving somewhere different before but never anything serious. But at that moment when I looked into his eyes I knew he meant every word. “Pennsylvania,” I said. He looked confused so I told him, “I want to live somewhere with seasons. You know how much I love fall, and Pennsylvania is beautiful every season. Also with my sister, Melanie, living in North Carolina, and my parents in Long Island, Pennsylvania seems like good middle ground. Plus the shore isn’t very far away we could take long weekends to the beach.” 

“As you wish,” he said with a smile quoting one of my favorite movies.

            Just thinking about that day makes me shudder with happiness every time. I think back to when we met in college. I was studying to be an actress at the time, and he studying to be a chef. When we first started dating he would cook for me in the tiny dorm kitchen and help me with my lines for class. I laugh aloud to myself in the car. That dream didn’t come true. At the present I’m at stay at home mom and my husband is fulfilling his dream of owning and being head chef of his very successful restaurant that is paying all of our bills. Of course I have other dream jobs several in fact, but that’s the problem. Which one takes top spot? Which one do I go back to school for? Egyptologist or writer?  I still have no idea, but I have time to choose while we save up the money. The other problem is that the two career paths are so different there isn’t much to do to combine them.

            A rap on my window startles me back to the here and now. It’s my daughter’s teacher holding my daughter herself by the hand. My little girl looks as though she’s about to burst with anticipation. I quickly jump out and walk around the back of our black Subaru Tribeca. As soon as I come into sight my daughter starts jumping up and down saying, “Mommy! Mommy! Guess what? Guess what I saw today?” Hurriedly I thank her teacher for bringing her out to me. Carefully I remove her back-pack and help her into her car seat. She is chattering the whole time about her day at the farm. I know she will continue all though the car ride and the play-by play of her day will start all over again as soon as her father gets home, but I don’t mind one bit. I love hearing about her day.

When we pull into our driveway she is describing the barn cats she saw, and again she asks if we can adopt one of the kittens our neighbor’s cat had. “Well, Daddy and I will have to discuss that some more. Remember what happened to Mr. Fishy?” She is silent for a moment then says thoughtfully, “I think having a pet that’s fluffy will remind me to feed it.” I laugh and we head inside to escape the chilly autumn breeze. Suddenly I am overcome the greatest sense of contentment I have ever felt in my entire life. And even though my career path is uncertain I know that with my family with me I will be able to accomplish anything that life throws my way. I will indeed be able to make lemons into lemonade, or rather apples in to apple cider just like the Amish my daughter so adores.                          

  

Part one: Into the light

This is the first part of a story (possibly a book?) I have been writing for almost a year now

Enjoy!

"Hurry up Vandir! We haven't time to waste! The gate will close soon! And the Queen must know of the prophecy!" said Fanira. "I know, I know. Just a few more minutes," he replied. As soon as it had begun to get dark Vandir had started clearing the campsite. They had spent the entire day hidden in a thicket a few yards from the shoreline. Surrounding the Lake was golden forest and surrounding that were towering snow-capped mountains.

The brother and sister had spent the entire day hidden in the weeping willows near the glittering lake.  They did not want anyone to know of their mission.  They had seen many creatures that day, and they even spotted some humans, which was rare.  Mostly the pair had seen their own kind gathering supplies for the coming winter. The day had been clear, but dark clouds crouched behind the golden mountains promising foul weather.

As night was falling Fanira grabbed her worn wooden bow and quiver and slung them over her shoulder, along with her pack. Vandir checked his sword belt then donned his pack as well.   A sense of urgency quickened their pace.   Cool evening air rushed around them for night had completely fallen by now.  Fanira breathed in the breeze recognizing the familiar scent of the Willow Woods.  As they left the Wood behind the yellowing grass began to thin out and their feet crunched on sandy pebbles. They waded directly into the chilly water, but the water did not wet their leggings.  Instead if felt as if their shins and feet were caught in the icy breath of winter. 

Vandir bent down sliding his hand in the water and picked up an apple-sized stone. The pair continued wading, however they did not ventured deeper into the lake. By this time their legs were quite cold.  As they walked a faint square of light appeared through the water, flicking unpredictable patterns around pebbly lakebed. They immediately headed for the square, and as they drew nearer the light increased. When they reached the spot Vandir lifted the stone above his head and dropped it. The stone plummeted into the cold water and splashed up a fountain of water. The brother and sister flinched, although they remained dry.  The stone thumped onto the middle of the square and created a muffled knocking sound.  Immediately a square of the ground vanished letting a ray of light shoot up blinding them.  Once their eyes had adjusted they saw a wooden staircase. In single file the stepped on to the steps and all coldness was obliterated.   For now the danger had passed, all the need do next was head to the Palace and warn the queen.  Or they would all be in more danger then ever.