The fifteen minute novel writing experiment is a attempt to write a complete (and very rough) draft of a novel by writing for fifteen minutes each day. I have taken a timed writing from one of the daily prompts done in 2021, cleaned it up a little and used it as my jumping off point into a story. Each day I will take the last line of the story written the day before and use it as my sentence starter and write for fifteen minutes, growing the story as the year progresses.
Day 12: Best of all, there were no sounds of large predators.
Best of all, there were no sounds of large predators. While Anya was certain that large predators could sneak up on her unawares, she thought that if they were elsewhere prowling in the night there might be howls or growls or at least the squawks and screeches of their prey.
‘I hope the owls are the only predators out tonight,’ Anya thought. She doubted even the biggest owl would be able to swoop in and carry her off. Anya wasn’t sure what time it was, but it was clear that darkness held sway. If she had been near Tyrin, she might have risked leaving the small shelter to continue her journey in the dark. But here, she did not know any of the landmarks or even if there were landmarks. Any dangers this forest held would be easier to see in the light, or so she hoped.
Anya decided to stay put until the morning light. She was still tired, but it was not the bone deep exhaustion she felt when laying down. Anya stayed leaning against the wall. She was awake enough to think and as she waited for the sun she let her mind begin to plan.
Going home, even if she could find home wasn’t a good option. She didn’t know what would happen, but she knew that her family would not want to give the money back. It made Tyrin unsafe until she figured out why it was that they took her. Anya rubbed her arm. The birthmark was flat against her skin so there was no raised bumps to indicate it was there, but Anya felt as though it was the reason they took her. It was why the man showed any interest in her at all.
Anya shook her head. She knew her birthmark was nothing special. “And whatever it is they want me for is coming soon,” Anya thought. The guard thought of her as waiting. ‘So if I can hide out somewhere until whatever it is has passed then maybe I could go home after, when they no longer want me.’ Anya was still unsure about it due to the money changing hands, but finding somewhere to stay until people stopped looking was more of a plan than get as far away as possible before anyone notices.
Anya tipped her head back and rested it on the upper portion of the pack she carried. The thought reminded her of the supplies she had with her. The guard left her with enough food to last for a month if she was careful. With tighter rationing, Anya thought she could make it stretch a little further.
‘With luck it will last until I can find a place.’ When she left the ruins she was walking away from the sun, her path heading due west. ‘If I continue in the same direction I won’t loop back to the ruins,’ Anya thought. Most of the roads in Dovish ran north to south. If she stayed on a westerly path she was bound to run into a road at some point.
Ten til Midnight 