Welcome to February! Right now the snow is gently drifting down and even though it looks very cold I am very happy that the weather finally committed to a single form of precipitation. All weekend we rode the line between rain and snow so it is actually pleasing to just see snow. But I can’t look for too long as there is a lot to do today. Today in addition to the regular writing prompt and the Fifteen Minute Novel I am posting Chapter 13 of the monthly novel and then I am going to make certain Cursed can be released through Smashwords. (I’ll do a seperate post when it is available). Busy busy. So on with the morning writing prompt.
I have to say I kind of like this one. Not sure what I would do with it, but I kind of like it.
Monday, February 1st: They were in the lobby playing cards.
They were in the lobby playing cards. Most of the space was empty, the bar having closed over an hour ago. Occasionally the clerk on the night desk cast glances their way, but as they were quiet, the only sound the shuffling of the cards or the discards hitting the table, he made no attempt to send them on their way. They all had rooms in the hotel and he knew it. After a week in this town, they were becoming close to feeling like regulars. The card game was silent. The four of them weren’t big on chatter at the best of times.
Theia communication was, at this point non-verbal. The play of the game was signaled by taps to the table. One tap card to deal, two taps to fold. The sequence was established on their first night and now covered every move that could be made in their game.
There was no money that passed hands. They were playing to pass time. He was certain that every man at the table knew who had won how many games and kept score in his head. He knew he did. This night he was holding the same average he kept all week. He was doing no better than he had on the previous nights. The fact that he was doing no worse was more of a relief. Today had not been a good day. It was long and brutal. He knew, in theory, that his body needed to sleep. He needed rest. But when he lay down and attempted to close his eyes to get that all important rest, images danced behind his eyelids. Images he would rather forget he had ever seen before and certainly didn’t want repairing in the dark of the unfamiliar hotel room.
He always ended up fighting his demons in the darkness and rising from the bed more exhausted than when he went in. Here though he was awake and at least part of his mind was focused on the game, he felt an odd sort of quiet fill him, lulling him into an almost meditative state. Even though they never discussed it, he knew the others were in a similar state. This summer had been a brutal one and the memories those long hot days carved in the brain would stay with them all for a long time.
It wasn’t something they discussed.
And so each night they were required to stay here, they played cards. They played until some signal sounded within each one of them. It was never officially acknowledged but there would come a point where, the cards would be gathered, slipped into the case and dropped into a pocket. Then they would rise as one and separate, each moving towards their own spaces. That pint seemed to come at the same time each night.
It was in that moment where night was still very much in force but a sliver of light lined the horizon. It wasn’t dawn, not yet, but dawn could be tasted on the air, like a woman wearing too much perfume walking towards you. She hadn’t rounded the corner yet, but you caught her scent. It seemed to be that moment, where they all managed to achieve some sort of inner…well if not peace than equilibrium. Then there would be sleep. Eyes would close and for a few hours the bod would lay unconscious, recharging what needed to be recharged before another day was begun. The system was tolerable for now, but he knew sooner or later, it wouldn’t be enough. That something would need to be done. He knew this relative calm would end as well. They bought time, nothing more.
This night’s game ended and after seeing that thin line of silver on the horizon, he turned towards his room, ready to accept tonight’s rest. This time though someone reached his room before he did. His door was slightly ajar. Seeing it made his heart beat faster. If someone was here, that meant only one thing.
“Time’s up.”
Ten til Midnight 