stephofthenight
04-24-2010, 05:56 PM
"Mom? ...MOM... Mom where are you?"
The girls frantic voice wavered as it rang out in the midst of the night. Echoing off the empty walls she called home. She flipped a switch and lights flickered on as she ascended the stairs two at a time. Hastily searching every room for a sign of her mother, or where she had gone... But the eerie silence only confirmed her weary hearts fear, her mother was gone. She was all alone in the cold, damp house. Samantha slowly descended the stairs, noticing for the first time how frightening being alone could be, She could not find the comfort she normally found in solitude. She was cold, scared, and truly alone. Where could she go now? Who would she run to? Her father had left her when she was seven, now her mother was gone too? Her thoughts were flowing like the water out of the cracks of a dam, flooding her mind as tears flooded her eyes. Her only choice was her grandmother Iris...
__________________________________________________ _______________
Iris was in the kitchen making some herbal tea when the letter came. She casually tossed the letter aside not registering the importance of the sender. The letter remained un opened through the day as she went about her daily chores of tending the shop and her garden. Later that night as she was relaxing next to the fire sipping her tea, listening to the wood crackle, and watching the ash fireflies, she remembered the letter. She walked back to the kitchen, washed her tea glass, hung it to dry, and picked up the letter. As she nestled down into her rocking chair she noticed the sender for the first time, her granddaughter Samantha. She had never met Samantha, though not for lack of wanting to. she had not seen her daughter after she married that dread full foreigner Iris had forbid her to see. She only heard from Katie seventeen years ago when she had wrote a letter without a return address to say she had a baby girl named Samantha. There was no way she could write back to her, there were other letters throughout the years. All the same. No return address, Katie had sent occasional photos of Samantha. But it was the letter from ten years ago still haunted her thoughts, how sad poor Katie sounded to announce he had left. Leaving her and Samantha all alone with no money and nowhere to go. Iris wiped her tear stained cheeks, catching the tears about to spill over in the process, she hadn't meant to start thinking about Katie. She opened the letter carefully and begin to read...
Dear grandma Iris,
This is your granddaughter Samantha, I don't know how to say this, or really what to say. But mom has left, she was acting really weird all month and today I came home from school to find her gone, with no trace of where she went. Dads been gone for about ten years now, So I have nowhere to go. You probably are surprised, and had no ideal I existed. It gets even better, I'm coming to live with you my plane leaves at six I should be at your airport around nine tomorrow morning
Your granddaughter,
Samantha
Iris dropped the letter, watching it float to the floor. Her granddaughter, was coming...Tomorrow... She hastily began to make preparations cleaning the spare bedroom, washing sheets, making sure the house was in perfect condition. She called up Peter and asked him to watch the store tomorrow so that she could go to the airport and help her granddaughter get settled in. Content for the night she curled up in bed, and slowly drifted off to sleep.
__________________________________________________ _______________
The morning was cold and grey as Sam grabbed her bags, trying to remember something about the lady she was about to go live with. She couldn't remember anything her mother had said about her, or had her mother ever mentioned her? Sam couldn't quite remember. She loaded the taxi with everything she had, which wasn't much. The two green suitcases held all of her belongings, just some clothes, the shoes on her feet, and the picture of her parents. She sighed realizing she was as ready as she would ever be, took one more long look at the simple home, got in the car and shut the door. They drove mostly in silence, the driver giving up small talk after about five minutes. She sat with her forehead pressed against the glass window lost in her own thoughts and worries. Would Iris leave her too? What had she done to make her mother leave? Did her father leave because of her? Would her grandmother accept her? would she be welcomed? what would her new school be like? Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by a sharp "we're here" by the taxi driver. She paid him and hustled into the airport. The airport was extremely busy, with people from all walks of life. Amazingly she still felt alone, Sam began to criticize herself, I need to grow up she thought, how will I ever get through this and start a new life if I can't get over this one? She hurried through the ticket line, checked in her luggage, passed through security and was Boarded in a blur. She was simply following directions, completely lost in her thought.
__________________________________________________ ______________
...Buzz...Buzz...Buzz... The alarm sounding jolting Iris out of her sleep, she laid dazed for a moment puzzled by the early alarm, than it came flashing back to her. Samantha! She was coming in today, Iris through on her best clothes, quickly fixed her hair, grabbing a biscuit as she bustled out the door. Her thoughts where muddled together in her head. She was worrying with what to say and how to act towards and granddaughter who she had never met. She arrived at the airport, found a parking space and made it inside before the real panic hit. How would she find her? How would she know it was her? So many people around the terminal.
__________________________________________________ _______________
"We will be landing soon, It's a chilly day here in Montana so bundle up, and as always Thank you for flying with us." The voice sent chills down Sam's spine, the knowledge that she was about to face the great unknown made her want to tell the pilot to turn around and take her back home. Knowing that she had no other option she took a deep breath and closed her eyes as the plane began its decent. The wheels hit the ground and the plane came to a screeching halt, people got their things and left, headed to collect their luggage. She sat there calmly as the others left, waiting until she was alone to drop the façade, say a short prayer and put on a smile. she went to get her luggage searching the crowd wondering which one she was. She pictured herself walking off with an old lady who was grey headed and all wrinkly. She collected her two bags and perched herself on a bench right beside the terminal sign. Holding up the sign she had made. With Iris and Samantha printed across it in bold block letters. People came and went, until she was the last one there, she was disappointed and afraid. Another person had deserted her, now she was convinced she was the problem. For the first time in years she didn't fight the tears. She just hugged her knees to her chest and cried. Then she noticed a small lady walking in. she was probably about 5'2 maybe 130 pounds. She had warm honest eyes. As she noticed Samantha she hustled over, Both nervous Sam managed to half mumble half sob
"are you Iris?"
"Yes. You must be Samantha. Sorry to keep you waiting I was at the wrong terminal."
"It's okay"
Samantha murmured as she stood up. Iris gently led the shaking girl to her truck and headed for home. She spent a good bit of the drive analyzing the girl. She was built like Katie, tall and slender with that golden hair and those big blue eyes. Iris noted her sad mouth, and decided she was going to have to teach the girl to smile. Unsure what to do or say she let the drive pass in silence.
As they arrived at the house Samantha drew a sharp breath partially from the cold air slapping her hair in her face, but mostly from the view. The house was two stories, on top of a hill, With a creek running through the front yard. Her grandmother unlocked the door carrying her luggage. As she walked inside she was amazed at how homey it felt. there was a fire place with a rocking chair beside it, the kitchen smelled of warm cookies, and the back yard had a beautiful garden of herbs and roses.
"Your room is upstairs, last one on the right. When you get settled in, come on down and have a bite to eat."
Iris' sweet voice interrupted her thoughts. Unsure what to say she walked up the stairs and into her room. The room was lovely, A big canopy bed, wooden dresser with a large mirror. The room connected to a master bathroom just as extravagant as the rest of the house. She walked back into her room exploring further the double doors led to an outside balcony. Shutting the doors tight behind her, making sure to lock them she sat on her bed. Running her fingers over the stitching of the quilt for the second time today she let her grief overcome her and just curled up and cried. She woke up with a start from the phone ringing, looking at the clock on the lamp stand she saw she had been asleep over two hours. She made her way down the stairs slowly listening to the phone ring. As the answering machine picked up she wondered where her grandmother was? She rounded the corner of the kitchen to find her sipping tea. "Good afternoon" Her grandmother greeted her.
__________________________________________________ ___________
thats all i got at the moment. please kill it with critsism. and tell me what you like. This is my first attempt at a short story and its not finished
The girls frantic voice wavered as it rang out in the midst of the night. Echoing off the empty walls she called home. She flipped a switch and lights flickered on as she ascended the stairs two at a time. Hastily searching every room for a sign of her mother, or where she had gone... But the eerie silence only confirmed her weary hearts fear, her mother was gone. She was all alone in the cold, damp house. Samantha slowly descended the stairs, noticing for the first time how frightening being alone could be, She could not find the comfort she normally found in solitude. She was cold, scared, and truly alone. Where could she go now? Who would she run to? Her father had left her when she was seven, now her mother was gone too? Her thoughts were flowing like the water out of the cracks of a dam, flooding her mind as tears flooded her eyes. Her only choice was her grandmother Iris...
__________________________________________________ _______________
Iris was in the kitchen making some herbal tea when the letter came. She casually tossed the letter aside not registering the importance of the sender. The letter remained un opened through the day as she went about her daily chores of tending the shop and her garden. Later that night as she was relaxing next to the fire sipping her tea, listening to the wood crackle, and watching the ash fireflies, she remembered the letter. She walked back to the kitchen, washed her tea glass, hung it to dry, and picked up the letter. As she nestled down into her rocking chair she noticed the sender for the first time, her granddaughter Samantha. She had never met Samantha, though not for lack of wanting to. she had not seen her daughter after she married that dread full foreigner Iris had forbid her to see. She only heard from Katie seventeen years ago when she had wrote a letter without a return address to say she had a baby girl named Samantha. There was no way she could write back to her, there were other letters throughout the years. All the same. No return address, Katie had sent occasional photos of Samantha. But it was the letter from ten years ago still haunted her thoughts, how sad poor Katie sounded to announce he had left. Leaving her and Samantha all alone with no money and nowhere to go. Iris wiped her tear stained cheeks, catching the tears about to spill over in the process, she hadn't meant to start thinking about Katie. She opened the letter carefully and begin to read...
Dear grandma Iris,
This is your granddaughter Samantha, I don't know how to say this, or really what to say. But mom has left, she was acting really weird all month and today I came home from school to find her gone, with no trace of where she went. Dads been gone for about ten years now, So I have nowhere to go. You probably are surprised, and had no ideal I existed. It gets even better, I'm coming to live with you my plane leaves at six I should be at your airport around nine tomorrow morning
Your granddaughter,
Samantha
Iris dropped the letter, watching it float to the floor. Her granddaughter, was coming...Tomorrow... She hastily began to make preparations cleaning the spare bedroom, washing sheets, making sure the house was in perfect condition. She called up Peter and asked him to watch the store tomorrow so that she could go to the airport and help her granddaughter get settled in. Content for the night she curled up in bed, and slowly drifted off to sleep.
__________________________________________________ _______________
The morning was cold and grey as Sam grabbed her bags, trying to remember something about the lady she was about to go live with. She couldn't remember anything her mother had said about her, or had her mother ever mentioned her? Sam couldn't quite remember. She loaded the taxi with everything she had, which wasn't much. The two green suitcases held all of her belongings, just some clothes, the shoes on her feet, and the picture of her parents. She sighed realizing she was as ready as she would ever be, took one more long look at the simple home, got in the car and shut the door. They drove mostly in silence, the driver giving up small talk after about five minutes. She sat with her forehead pressed against the glass window lost in her own thoughts and worries. Would Iris leave her too? What had she done to make her mother leave? Did her father leave because of her? Would her grandmother accept her? would she be welcomed? what would her new school be like? Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by a sharp "we're here" by the taxi driver. She paid him and hustled into the airport. The airport was extremely busy, with people from all walks of life. Amazingly she still felt alone, Sam began to criticize herself, I need to grow up she thought, how will I ever get through this and start a new life if I can't get over this one? She hurried through the ticket line, checked in her luggage, passed through security and was Boarded in a blur. She was simply following directions, completely lost in her thought.
__________________________________________________ ______________
...Buzz...Buzz...Buzz... The alarm sounding jolting Iris out of her sleep, she laid dazed for a moment puzzled by the early alarm, than it came flashing back to her. Samantha! She was coming in today, Iris through on her best clothes, quickly fixed her hair, grabbing a biscuit as she bustled out the door. Her thoughts where muddled together in her head. She was worrying with what to say and how to act towards and granddaughter who she had never met. She arrived at the airport, found a parking space and made it inside before the real panic hit. How would she find her? How would she know it was her? So many people around the terminal.
__________________________________________________ _______________
"We will be landing soon, It's a chilly day here in Montana so bundle up, and as always Thank you for flying with us." The voice sent chills down Sam's spine, the knowledge that she was about to face the great unknown made her want to tell the pilot to turn around and take her back home. Knowing that she had no other option she took a deep breath and closed her eyes as the plane began its decent. The wheels hit the ground and the plane came to a screeching halt, people got their things and left, headed to collect their luggage. She sat there calmly as the others left, waiting until she was alone to drop the façade, say a short prayer and put on a smile. she went to get her luggage searching the crowd wondering which one she was. She pictured herself walking off with an old lady who was grey headed and all wrinkly. She collected her two bags and perched herself on a bench right beside the terminal sign. Holding up the sign she had made. With Iris and Samantha printed across it in bold block letters. People came and went, until she was the last one there, she was disappointed and afraid. Another person had deserted her, now she was convinced she was the problem. For the first time in years she didn't fight the tears. She just hugged her knees to her chest and cried. Then she noticed a small lady walking in. she was probably about 5'2 maybe 130 pounds. She had warm honest eyes. As she noticed Samantha she hustled over, Both nervous Sam managed to half mumble half sob
"are you Iris?"
"Yes. You must be Samantha. Sorry to keep you waiting I was at the wrong terminal."
"It's okay"
Samantha murmured as she stood up. Iris gently led the shaking girl to her truck and headed for home. She spent a good bit of the drive analyzing the girl. She was built like Katie, tall and slender with that golden hair and those big blue eyes. Iris noted her sad mouth, and decided she was going to have to teach the girl to smile. Unsure what to do or say she let the drive pass in silence.
As they arrived at the house Samantha drew a sharp breath partially from the cold air slapping her hair in her face, but mostly from the view. The house was two stories, on top of a hill, With a creek running through the front yard. Her grandmother unlocked the door carrying her luggage. As she walked inside she was amazed at how homey it felt. there was a fire place with a rocking chair beside it, the kitchen smelled of warm cookies, and the back yard had a beautiful garden of herbs and roses.
"Your room is upstairs, last one on the right. When you get settled in, come on down and have a bite to eat."
Iris' sweet voice interrupted her thoughts. Unsure what to say she walked up the stairs and into her room. The room was lovely, A big canopy bed, wooden dresser with a large mirror. The room connected to a master bathroom just as extravagant as the rest of the house. She walked back into her room exploring further the double doors led to an outside balcony. Shutting the doors tight behind her, making sure to lock them she sat on her bed. Running her fingers over the stitching of the quilt for the second time today she let her grief overcome her and just curled up and cried. She woke up with a start from the phone ringing, looking at the clock on the lamp stand she saw she had been asleep over two hours. She made her way down the stairs slowly listening to the phone ring. As the answering machine picked up she wondered where her grandmother was? She rounded the corner of the kitchen to find her sipping tea. "Good afternoon" Her grandmother greeted her.
__________________________________________________ ___________
thats all i got at the moment. please kill it with critsism. and tell me what you like. This is my first attempt at a short story and its not finished