The Fifteen Minute Novel is an attempt to take a single prompt and use the last sentence written each day as a start for the next day. This year I had several prompts circling around a similar story, so I have combined them. However, the story starts the same way each day, with the last line from the day before and a timer set for fifteen minutes. The hope is to end up with a complete, if very rough draft by the end of the year. Some stories are better than others, but I always learn a whole lot about my own writing when I do this so for me it is not only a nice way to work out a story, but it is a tool for helping my writing get better. And so, we continue this story for 2024 with…
Day 194: Sophie thought it amusing.
Sophie thought it amusing. Even now though while she didn’t think anyone was going to go through her underwear and comment on it, she still found herself picking up new panties to take on her trip. She added the plastic wrapped pack to her growing pile of items to pack.
As time grew closer, Sophie started to double check things, making sure that she had everything done. She was certain that she would be halfway across the Atlantic and remember something she forgot and then it would bother her the entire time she was gone. As she double checked things, Sophie realized that part of the nerves were because she didn’t spend as long planning the trip a she normally would.
To calm the nerves she made lists and like Santa Claus, checked them twice. She found nothing naughty lurking. In the office Elizabeth was happy with her work and on her last day before her trip wished her safe and happy travels. With Janine, all of the orders and commissioned pieces were not only done but Sophie dropped off the items for the following month as well so she would be able to ease back into things when she returned.
Finally the planning was over. Sophie paced her bags, leaving plenty of empty space and Janine drove her to the airport. She checked her passport, cash and wallet several times and knew she was ready to go. Sophie thanked Janine when she got out of the car and walked inside the aoorport as Janine drove away.
Ahead of her there were three other people, each with heftier looking bags than Sophie had. She began to doubt her packing as she inched closer to the counter. ‘No hope for it now,’ he told herself. Anything she forgot would have to remain forgotten.
‘And if push comes to shove, I an probably pick up any emergency items there.’
Sophie made it to the front of the line and checked in. As she had done most of her checking in on line, the process was easy. Her luggage was well within weight limits and she was happy to pass it over, responsible for getting only herself and her carry on through the various airports she would have to travel through before the journey was done.
Feeling relieved that thee was no going back, she took herself and her ticket to the next obstacle, the security gate. She deliberately wore no jewelry and had slip on shoes that were easy to get on and off. Her laptop was the only item she needed to take out of her bag and she did, setting it in the gray bin next to her shoes and the carry on bag. When it was her turn she stepped through the gate with nary a bleep and was soon sliding her feet into her shoes and shoving her laptop back into her bag.
Once her bag was once again settled on her shoulder, she looked up at the gate numbers to see which direction she needed. Turning to her right she began to walk. Ass she did, Sophie felt her everyday self sliding away. She was not Sophie Daniels office drone and part time seamstress. She was Sophie Danials off on an adventure.
Her worry slipped away. There was really only one course of action at this point.
Ten til Midnight 