Welcome to the Fifteen Minute Novel. Each morning I spend fifteen minutes writing on a singular story line. Each morning starts with the last line of the previous day. The goal is to get a (very) rough draft out of the simple story idea and to avoid letting the story idea languish in limbo forever, actually writing it out. This is the third year I have done this writing experiment and each year I learn just a little bit about myself and the way I write as well as creating a framework for the story. But without further ado…
Day 108: Gwen nodded and let herself out of the apartment.
Gwen nodded and let herself out of the apartment. It felt a little strange to be moving around the unfamiliar place by herself. Just that morning she walked down to the lobby on her own to meet Alan. It was the first time she either exited the building unaccompanied. Somehow it made her feel as though she forgot something.
She had a little time before she was scheduled to meet up with Michael so Gwen took her time walking between the apartment building and the park. While she walked the distance with Alan, her attention was usually on Alan. Now she looked at the buildings and the various businesses and apartment buildings she passed.
‘Knowing what is where will help me find my way back more easily,’ she told herself when she started to feel like a tourist. It was after the time when most people left for work so there was little foot traffic on the sidewalk with her. There were still cars and people going in and out of the few shops she passed, but it was a relatively quiet walk.
‘Most of the shops are in the other direction,’ Gwen noted. There were a few scattered about her, but mostly this was an area of high rise apartment buildings. ‘The stores are in the other direction or across the street.’
The stores across the street looked like they were either recovering from their early morning rush, or just beginning to open for the day. Gwen tried to decide if any of the stores were ones she needed to stop in. None of them really appealed to her. ‘Maybe there will be more shops I like in the other direction.’
The walk was not long and she soon came to the park. It was an active park with several different playgrounds. While they looked like they would appeal to children in general and she didn’t see any posted age limit signs, she did notice that the children and the adults with them gathered in clusters. One group had small children who needed the adults to be more active in their play. Another held slightly older children where the adults lined up on the sidelines as the children played.
Gwen stayed on the pathway winding between and around the various play areas. There were a few people on the walking/running/biking trail at this hour. It didn’t seem to be a popular time for its usage. She imagined that in the morning when she ran and in the evenings when others got off work it would be more popular.
She approached the fountain where she was to meet Michael and found he was already waiting. He was sitting on the edge of the fountain, fingers trailing in the water. Gwen smiled. “I’m not late am I?” she asked.
He turned and smiled, rising from his seat on the edge of the fountain. He shook off the water droplets and wiped his damp hand on his jeans.
“Not late,” he told her. “I was early. Had to get out of the apartment.”
“Problems?” she asked.
“Steps,” he said. Michael shrugged. “It’s interesting.”
“You never talked about them,” Gwen said. They began walking. Their steps were easy and casual, familiar even in an unfamiliar place. “Not that I was around much lately to talk to.”
Michael shrugged. “Not much to talk about,” he said. “I come for the summer and then I go back to Westport. Besides you’ve had you’d own drama.”
Gwen looked and saw a sad look cross his face.
Ten til Midnight 