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 28: “I understand,” Penelope said.
“I understand,” Penelope said. She could see that Mrs. Merriweather was backing away slightly. Penelope didn’t think she was doing it on purpose but her body seemed to want her to step further away from the file.
“Thank you so much for taking the time to warn me and for showing me the file. I doubt I would have found it on my own,” Penelope said. “I know you must have a very busy schedule.”
Mrs. Merriweather took the line as the escape it was and smiled. “My pleasure and of course I do have to rush, so busy these days.”
“Perhaps when I am more settled you would like to come over for a more proper tea or even cocktails,” Penelope said. They were already moving towards the staircase.
“What an excellent idea,” Mrs. Merriweather tittered. Her voice and movements were once again light and carefree. Her back was to the file and her steps were hurrying her away. Penelope followed her down the stairs.
“When you are more settled,” Mrs. Merriweather said when they reached the door. “And of course we must have you over for dinner, to introduce you to the others if nothing else. Oh, I do love a good dinner party. And don’t you worry I will let the others know you’ve moved. Most of them will keep their distance as you settle in. We can make the dinner party your grand introduction.” Mrs. Merriweather seemed excited by the prospect.
Penelope was less excited about the idea of a formal dinner but she was pleased that the older woman no longer looked like she wanted to cry. They made their good byes and Mrs. Merriweather left, only a trace of her perfume in the air left behind.
Penelope locked the door and cast her eyes to the ceiling as though she could see into the living room and into the file above. She knew that she had other things she probably should do. Supplies she needed to get, the file the lawyers gave her to sift through. But the file was calling her. She wanted to know.
‘Murder.’
The word bounced around her brain. She had never actually thought about it before. Oh sure she thought the word murder before, she loved reading murder mysteries as well as pretty much any other book she could get her hands on, but she had never thought of the word applied to her mother’s death. She was told her mother died in a car accident. There was never any hint of it being suspicious.
Her mother died and after things were settled and a few months had passed, her father married Jeanette in a small ceremony at the courthouse. There was the one required witness, no more. Penelope had been left at home with the housekeeper. Then Jeanette and Trinity moved in and that was that. Afterwards no one in the household mentioned her mother let alone her death.
‘It was only people like Mrs. Merriweather who mentioned her at all.’
Penelope shook herself and tilted her head down. It didn’t matter if her to do list was longer than her arm, she wasn’t going to do anything before looking over that file. “And Mrs. Merriweather said not to look at it before bed.’
She glanced at her watch. It was barely ten o’clock. ‘Plenty of time to look at the file and then get everything else started.’ Penelope walked to the stairs, eager to find out what the file contained.
Ten til Midnight 