For those just tuning in, this challenge is about taking a story idea from bare bones idea into a fully fledged story by writing consistently every week day for fifteen minutes. The sentence I end with on one day, is the sentence I start with on the following. Part one was Bob’s story and has nothing whatsoever to do with the story below. Part Two follows a character named Penelope. I have a few basic sentences to act as road marks on her journey. I am loosely calling that an outline. We will see where she ends up by the time the story is done. For now, we start Part two of the 2025 Fifteen Minute Writing Challenge.
Day 23: She found they were all mixed up.
She found they were all mixed up. There would be two gardening related books on one shelf, with five history books, each relating to different topics. She found books on medicine placed next to books on auto repair and culinary tomes next to carpentry.
Mixed in were books that had no titles printed on their spines. Penelope wondered if these were books on magic and reached for one. As he fingers touched the spine, she heard a chiming sound. Penelope blinked, jerking her hand back from the book and wondering how it managed to chime. Then she rolled her eyes as she realized it was the doorbell.
She shook her head and left the library heading down stairs. She reached the ground floor and went to the door. As Penelope wasn’t expecting anyone, she peered through the Judas hole. To her surprise she saw Mrs. Merryweather standing on her door step. Penelope opened the door.
“Hello?” Penelope said hesitantly. Mrs. Merryweather was one of the premier hostesses in the city. She spent much of her time in travel and was known to host the grandest parties. She also traveled in only the most exclusive circles. ‘And there are rumors.’
Mrs. Merryweather smiled. “Penelope, I am sorry to drop in on you like this but I simply couldn’t wait. May I come in?”
Penelope jumped as though startled. “Of course, please,” Penelope opened the outer door and stepped aside letting Mrs. Merryweather in. The older woman looked around even as Penelope wondered why she was here.
“I’m afraid I just moved in this morning so I haven’t had time to get anything sorted,” Penelope said. She thought of the hamper the housekeeper sent with her and some of the items it contained. “I think there is some tea if you would like a cup.”
“That would be lovely dear,” Mrs. Merryweather said. “If I recall the stairs lead to the kitchen and living room?” She was already moving towards the stairs. Penelope closed and locked the door then followed behind.
“They do,” she said. Her guest was already climbing the stairs. Penelope followed along. They reached the kitchen and Penelope found the kettle, quickly filling it with water and setting it on to boil. Mrs. Merryweather looked around the living room as Penelope settled the tea.
“You have been here before?” Penelope asked as she set out a set of tea cups and took the necessary items from the hamper.
“I have, but it has been a while,” Mrs. Merryweather said. “Well obviously,” she added. She walked to the window and was quiet as Penelope finished readying the tea. There was a box of shortbreads in the hamper and she took out a small plate and set several of the cookies on it. She found a tray and assembled the cookies, pot cups and saucers on it. She had no milk or sugar but she did fin a lemon in the hamper as well as a small jar of honey. Figuring they would do, she added the honey and sliced the lemon, arranging the slices on a plate.
Ten til Midnight 