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 202: Feeling rather proud of herself for her logistics, Sophie sat down at the small table in her room.
Feeling rather proud of herself for her logistics, Sophie sat down at the small table in her room. After her quick and easy meals recently, the various offerings of the platter were tantalizingly delicious and she took her time with each option.
‘Probably a good thing I ate in my room instead of in public,’ Sophie thought as she scanned her options for the next few days. A lot of her initial list involved things that were within ease walking distance of the hotel. It was one of the reasons she chose it. He plan was to start with the things closest to the hotel and as she became more familiar to expand where she went. She decided that she would start with breakfast downstairs, something light and then she would venture out. Sophie unfolded her map. She had marked the hotel and the places she wanted to visit on the map and now she traced the streets with her finger making sure she knew where her first stops were.
By the time she was finished with her small supper, she thought she could find what she wanted. “I think I’ll walk to the farthest place on the first street and then work my way back. That way if I buy anything I can drop it off before going out again,” she told herself as she began to yawn.
Sophie stood and took her room service tray to the hall, setting it outside her door for pick up. She then went back in, checked to make certain her door was locked, the extra little latch thrown before changing into her pajamas and climbing back into bed. She thought about turning on her television, but before she could reached for the remote, her eyes were already closing.
She woke early and after a moment of slight disorientation, Sophie blinked awake. She felt rested and excited t start her adventure. It was a little early, but not too much so. ‘I slept through the night.’
She slipped out of bed and went to the restroom. ‘I’m glad I left some time between returning and getting back to the office though,’ she thought. If this was how jet lag affected her then it was good to have the day or so to reset.
Ophie washed her face and applied makeup. She fixed her hair and dressed for the day. She slipped her map into her bag and settled it across her body. After checking the weather, she decided to take her coat with her incase it was needed. Sophie made her way downstairs to the Hotel’s café. There were a few solitary guests seated and beginning their days. She ordered a Café Americano and decided she wasn’t hungry enough to order anything to go with it.
The coffee arrived quickly and she settled back, enjoying the slower start to the morning. It w2as nice to not rush out of the door as soon as her coffee was poured not a travel mug. ‘Even nicer not to drink it at a desk. Traffic was picking up and Sophie watched as the cars zipped by. By the time the tour group came down enmass for their breakfast, Sophie was done with her coffee and ready to start her day. She stood, left her tip with her cup and moved towards the door.
Ten til Midnight 