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  1. Jennie Butler

    One Day Without…
    By Jennie Frost Butler

    Doe-Ray stepped out of the weathered cinderblock cabin, long thin braids, two on each side, flopping against her too-skinny shoulder blades. Her denim vest and cut-offs, washed way past any fashionable fading, looked almost paper-thin. As did her toe-stained flip-flops. Even her skin showed almost that same bluish paleness.

    A small scrawny dog followed her across the arid ground, barely bothering to sniff at twisted bits of dry grass that poked warily above the hard soil. The aging spaniel looked as if it had almost given up hope of ever finding anything edible.

    Doe-Ray never once looked back to see if it was following her. The canine had belonged to Three-Fingers-Missing, who’d called it Mutt, along with a string of cuss words, often followed by a strong kick. Now, with both of them gone, old Three would have to take his meanness out on the concrete cabin or almost-as-hard ground. Probably the only way he’d find out how much that could hurt. Once he woke up, that is.

    After Three had fallen into a drunken stupor, Doe-Ray had tied him to the iron bedstead with coils of wire she’d found hidden under a pile of dirty clothes in a corner. Even if he came to any time soon, that would keep him from chasing after them.

    “Come on, Muttie,” Doe Ray said softly, finally glancing back at the dog, and snapping her fingers. “We gotta get moving. Once upon a time, I had a family. Good people. If we can find them, they’ll take us both in.”

    Tired ears perking up a bit, the old spaniel broke into a clumsy trot, so that they were now traveling forward side by side. Neither looked back again.

    1. mcullen Post author

      Brilliant writing, Jennie. I can see this scene with your strong descriptive writing.

      1. Jennie Butler

        Thanks, Marlene. Not all prompts grab me, but when one does, it can bring forth something totally unexpected, and vivid.

        1. mcullen Post author

          Indeed. . . and your writing shows your vivid imagination and sometimes your (unexpected) wild side! And the results are absolutely delightful!

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