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 118: Light then pushed the blue to the sides so it framed a soft white glow.
Light then pushed the blue to the sides so it framed a soft white glow. Within the glow pictures started to form. Penelope leaned forward concentrating on the small images. It was as though she was watching the television with the sound turned down. She could hear the voices but they were small, tinny. She leaned in closer to hear better.
In the glass, Penelope watched as the neighbor next door took money from someone. ‘At least it looks like money.’ The man handed the older woman a fat envelope and she took it without bothering to look inside.
“We want to know what skills she develops as well as how strong she might be,” the man said. Penelope frowned. The voice sounded familiar but she couldn’t quite place it.
“I don’t think I will be able to test her for strength directly,” the woman told him. “These old families, their houses,” she gestured back to the row of houses.
“I thought you took care of that,” he asked.
She sighed heavily. “I can get the house to let me in because it recognizes I have magic but it knows I am not one of the bloodline so I can’t use any of the houses protections or enchantments.” Even at a reduced volume the voice sounded bitter and not like the kindly neighbor Penelope met outside. “It won’t even let me open any drawers of closets. I am only allowed to open the door to the guest room and the attached powder room. All other doors inside remain sealed against me.”
“But you can talk to her and find out?”
“There is a timeline of abilities. The longer her dreams stay murky the weaker and more indeterminate her abilities will be. The quicker they resolve themselves into something then the more powerful she will be. She didn’t mention any odd happenings when she was younger. Often the strongest mages have things that happen to them when young. Things they don’t really think of as strange but are when someone asks about them.”
“So ask about them,” the man said. “We’ve been watching her since her mother passed and seen nothing of note.”
The woman laughed. “Were you looking for sparks flying or maybe the girl on a broomstick sailing across the city,” she asked. Her tones were mocking. “I assure you they would be smaller things. People who would do her harm suddenly deciding they wanted nothing to do with her. Odd opportunities somehow popping up in ways that seemed almost natural. Assistance that seemed to come at just the right time. Much of it would appear coincidental.”
“And it wouldn’t be?” the man asked. He seemed to take no insult from the mocking, his tone openly curious.
“Very little is ever a coincidence when those with magic are concerned.”
“See what you can find out,” he told her. “And try to break the house’s enchantments. It would provide an excellent location if we manage to secure it.”
The woman nodded and the shadowed man left. Penelope tried to focus on his features but couldn’t. She didn’t know if the scene just had him in shadow or if because she asked about the neighbor, the magic didn’t focus on showing him that much.
Ten til Midnight 