“There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you.”
―Beatrix Potter
Day 25! Amazing! Keep going! We are almost there....
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Today's Prompt:
Scary Road Trip Detour
Regina's 15 minute creative writing:
“This doesn’t look right,” Cassie said, tapping the screen on her phone for the 12th time, then shaking it hoping the little blue car on the screen would move off of the giant green blob and back onto something resembling a road.
“I followed your stupid robot instructions and this is where we are,” Ainsley sighed. “Will you please check the map now?”
“How the hell will a map help us? We haven’t seen a streetlight in half an hour.” Despite herself, Cassie dropped her useless phone in the central console and huffed as she yanked the folded map from the glove compartment. She tossed it open with a flourish and almost blocked the windshield.
“Whoa,” Ainsley shoved his head to the side to keep the road in view, his left eye twitching. They hadn’t seen another car in ages, and this road had gone from 4 lanes to 2 and the pavement had stopped about 10 minutes ago. They were on an unmarked gravel road heading deeper into a forest that seemed to have exactly one common landmark – trees. Lots and lots of trees, growing closer and closer together.
“I don’t even know where we are,” Cassie griped shaking the giant map at Ainsley and gesturing wildly at the trees, then the map again, as if expecting there to be a flashing, You Are Here sign on the page.
“Start where we were and follow where you think we might have gone,” Ainsley suggested, counting his breath in the hopes he could keep his frustration out of his voice.
Cassie stared at the giant page for a few more seconds then crumpled it up and threw it out the window.
“Hey!” Ainsley shouted, turning his head to watch the paper blow away through the back window.
“Watch the road!” Cassie shouted, grabbing the wheel as Ainsley turned it towards the ditch.
He turned to face the road again, yanking the wheel from Cassie’s grip, over correcting and dumping the front wheel into a massive pothole. Their teeth shook with the impact and a loud bang startled them both into staring at each other. The car lurched forward at an awkward angle then stopped.
“I think we blew a tire.” Ainsley said, heart racing so hard he could hardly hear his own words.
“You think?” Cassie snapped, rolling her eyes.
“Please don’t speak to me like that. Remember what Dr. Fisher said – we are in this together. I am not your enemy.” Ainsley counted his breath again. 4 counts in. Hold for 4. 4 counts out. Hold for 4.
He pushed open his door and looked at the damage. The front wheel was sitting on the ground, the tire a lopsided black blob trapped underneath it.
“We’ve got a flat.” He declared, mostly to himself.
“Do we have a spare?” Cassie asked from the passenger seat, turning on her light to examine her nails. They were freshly manicured and perfect as always. No way she would be helping fix a fucking tire. That was man’s work anyway. Well, MANLY man’s work.
Ainsley pushed his glasses up his nose and shrugged. “Only one way to find out.” He walked around the back of the car, pulled the trunk open and started shifting luggage around looking for the spare. He found the tire iron, and spotted the jack bolted to the side of the car. The first drop of rain struck him on the nose. He reached up to wipe it away with his spare hand, the tire iron clanking against the trunk interior. The second hit the back of his neck, and by the time he turned to look up at the billowing black clouds, just visible through the breaks between the trees, the sky opened and he was staring into the pouring rain.
“Oh my god!” Cassie shouted, rolling up her window as Ainsley pulled his jacket over his head and stuck his head inside the front driver’s door.
“I found the tire iron, but I can’t see the spare.”
“Keep looking! And close the door! Rain is getting all over the leather!” Cassie reached forward and shoved him back out of the door frame, into the rain and slammed the door in his face. As Ainsley watched through the window, she picked up her phone and started holding it up again, searching for a signal.
I could just kill her, leave her body here. No one would ever find her. Everyone would believe she left me. Maybe I’ll kill that prick Howard too. The two can keep fucking around in Hell. Ainsley’s fist tightened around the tire iron, his knuckles turning white. He’d pressed his rage down for so long, bit his tongue so many times. He glanced around and thought of just how easy it would be. Pull her out of the car, drag her off the road. One good whack with the tire iron and it would all be over. The animals would get to her before anyone found anything. He took hold of the door handle, a grim smile twisting his lips. Cassie looked up at him through the window. He saw annoyance on her face, then confusion, then just a touch of fear before a blade of white light slashed across her face and she squinted against the glare.
Ainsley turned and lifted his hand from the door handle to shield his eyes from the glare of the swiftly approaching headlights. He froze, his heart in his mouth as he thought of what he had almost done, of what could have happened had he been just a minute faster, hesitated just a moment less.
The rain continued to pour as the headlights approached, twin circles of blinding light, like two eyes staring from the body of a huge old black car.
Rolls Royce? Ainsley thought, stunned as the stunning, if shocking car pulled alongside them. The passenger window of the chauffeur compartment rolled down and a pale man in a crisp uniform and cap called out with a low deep voice.
“Car trouble?”
Ainsley was struck by an image of the black and white Addam’s Family television show. This man could have been Lurch in another life – if Lurch was more average height – though Ainsley was guessing as the man was seated.
“Flat tire. We hit that pothole there.” Ainsley gestured vaguely towards the middle of the road.
The driver nodded slowly. He turned his head as if listening to whoever was hiding behind the darkly tinted windows in the back seat. Slowly he turned back to Ainsley.
“The Master said you can come along with us. You can call a tow truck in the morning.”
“Oh, that’s okay. I think I have a spare-” Ainsley pointed at the open trunk with the tire iron, then let his arm fall feeling foolish. “Actually, I am not sure I do. We’d appreciate a ride.” And if we stay here, there is no guarantee I don’t make myself a widower.
The driver nodded slowly. “Grab your things. One bag each please.” He opened his own door, unfolded from the front seat and Ainsley corrected his initial impression. This man wasn’t Lurch-eque, he could have been the man’s stunt double.
The huge grey man rounded the big black car and walked with an almost zombie gait to the open trunk. “Which bags?” Ainsley pointed wordlessly at two bags in the trunk then set the tire iron back in the trunk, closed the lid as Lurch effortlessly dragged the c
***
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With Love,
Snow White and the Wicked Curse: Chapter 1
Snow White and the Vicious Curse: Chapter 2
Snow White and the Seven Thieves: Chapter 3
The final chapter, Snow White and the Poisoned Apple.
Prefer to read the whole story at once? Grab your copy of Snow: The Complete Erotic Series now! All five books are coming soon in Paperback.
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With Love,
Check out her books:
Snow White and the Wicked Queen: Chapter 1
Snow White and the Vicious Curse: Chapter 2
Snow White and the Seven Thieves: Chapter 3
Snow White and the Poisoned Apple: The Final Chapter
Prefer to read the whole story at once? Grab your copy of Snow: The Complete Erotic Series now! All five books are available now as ebooks and paperbacks. Coming soon in Large Print format!
2nd edition coming 2025!
