Writing Challenge ~ January 2016

[Britwitch]

WRITING CHALLENGE ~ JANUARY 2016​

After the brilliant range of stories we had in the Special December Challenge, here are your prompts for this, the first challenge of 2016.

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https://49.media.tumblr.com/772415b010afc4df17f042a21cadc5b4/tumblr_nod8mmLf251tzv1dpo1_500.gif

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You can involve the prompts themselves in your piece and make your link to the prompts as obvious or as subtle as you like or use them simply as inspiration for something else. You can use part of the prompts, just one aspect of the images, or use them in their entirety.

As there are several prompts you can of course chose to use all of them in one piece or write one for each…again, it’s your writing, your challenge. You write whatever you’re inspired to write!

The word limit for this challenge is 2,016 words and your submission can take whatever form you desire – poetry or prose, complete story or a vignette. Erotic or not, serious or light hearted, it’s whatever you want it to be!!

Post only your submissions in this thread, constructive comments and reviews are to be posted in the appropriately named – Comment and Review Thread
And please, if you do take the time to read? Please just take a few more minutes to leave a comment.
The deadline for this month’s challenge is Saturday 30th January 2016, with February’s challenge hopefully going live the following week.

Previous challenges and reviews can be found here.

Happy writing!

 

[DreamCloud]

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The Dream​

I felt a muscle in my lower back strain as I sat up quickly from my sweat drenched pillow. I was breathing hard; my hands clenched painfully. It took a moment for the stress to lower and the unwarranted fear to subside. The room was dark, lit only by the LED glow of my bedside clock. It was 4:32, I still had two hours before the alarm.

“That dream again?” Samantha asked sleepily. I smiled though she couldn’t see it. Her mere presence washed away the rest of my discomfort.

“Same one,” I whispered my reply, not wanting to wake her fully. Samantha sat up anyway. I really should marry the woman. There was nothing she wouldn’t suffer for me and I for her. Her clothes took up most of my closet, and I was down to one drawer in the bathroom. I found her beautiful, a most willing lover. There was no rational reason not to take a knee.

Samantha took my hand and pulled it to her thigh. I knew the expression on her face though darkness hid it from me.

“We’ll be exhausted,” I joked, her hand moving mine higher. I could almost see that sly sexy smile.

“Tired but happy,” Samantha whispered. She was never a morning person. At night, she was a sensuous goddess, but in the morning extended foreplay was a necessity. I never shied from the challenge to make her quiver. She never tired of making me work for it. I traded sleep to hear her delicious moans.

“You ever think about seeing someone about the dream?” Samantha said as I washed her back. We had time for a leisurely shower after our dalliance. Always made my day better.

“A shrink?” I replied, “I figure it will go away on its own.” I kissed her shoulder. “Besides, rising early seems to agree with me.” I loved making her laugh. She turned and tilted her head upward, demanding a kiss. I pulled her under the warm rain and kissed her perfect lips. I had to break, the sensuality was causing a rise in me.

“My, aren’t you the horny one?” Samantha chided, her hand teasing me.

“Stop,” I said sweetly, moving my hips away from her grasp, “I’ll be late and so will you.”

“I love you,” Samantha said, her hands moving higher, less lusty more loving.

“And I you,” I returned. Our lips merged again. I would have to shop for a ring. Only a fool would screw up the best thing in the world.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Same dream every night?” Tom asked in surprise. The meeting wasn’t starting for another ten minutes, so we were alone in the conference room.

“For the past month or so,” I said, sipping strong coffee, “I think it’s stuck in my brain.”

“Coffee’s a bit harsh,” Tom apologized, “Mary’s running late, so it fell to me, and I think I put in too much.”

“I can use the caffeine,” I said, letting him off the hook.

“You think it means anything?” Tom asked. “Your dream,” he added when I raised my eyebrows.

“Hell, I don’t know. It makes no sense,” I replied, “One moment I’m sitting comfortably watching minutes pass by on an old wall clock. The next, I can’t move, and the water is rising all around me. I always wake up just when I begin to drown.”

“Drowning,” Tom said smiling, “that’s a lot like getting married.”

“Or maybe losing Samantha,” I said, tipping my cup to him.

“That girl will never leave you,” Tom laughed, “she’s as love struck as you are.” I looked around, making sure no one else was entering the room.

“I’m picking up a ring at lunch,” I informed him, “a simple solitaire with a platinum band.”

“So...finally popping the question,” Tom said, leaning back in his chair. His smile grew, forcing mine to grow as well.

“She’s perfect,” I said, “I’ve been afraid of being tied down, but now losing her seems the bigger risk. I can’t imagine life without her anymore.”

“That sounds like love,” Tom added, “you planning something special.”

“A nice dinner I think, she likes the personal romantic thing,” I chuckled, “it won’t be at 2:04, that’s all I know.” Tom looked confused so I added, “It’s the time on the clock when I drown.” For some reason, he found that hilarious. We had to stop our conversation when Susan from marketing came in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hello lover,” Samantha said when I answered her call, “I’m getting off early and thought you might be able to play hooky as well.” I smiled and opened my desk drawer. The ring box had been sitting there for three days, waiting for the right time. Maybe today was the day.

“Early dinner and show?” I asked.

“That sounds lovely.”

“Someplace nice,” I added, “little black dress nice. I can get home about 3:00.”

“That will give me time for a nice bath.” I could feel her smiling. “I’ll be nice and relaxed for the show after the show.” I shifted in my seat. Only Samantha could move my blood with her words.

“Bubble bath?” I asked, visions of her languid form filled my mind.

“Bubbles hide too much,” Samantha said seductively, “and I’ll need to shave in places where extra care is needed.” I had to use my hand to rearrange myself.

“I’m at work,” I whispered as if others might hear. Samantha laughed softly, proud of her effect on me. She knew my desires and how to put pleasant images in my mind.

“I’ll be waiting,” Samantha said, ending her amusing torture.

“I’ll be dreaming,” I admitted. A few I-love-yous and I went back to work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I bet those dreams go away as soon as she says yes,” Tom said before the 1:00 meeting began, “pure anxiety is all.”

“She might say no,” I added, still a little nervous.

“The only way you won’t get a yes is if you don’t ask,” Tom said, his friendly chuckle filling the room.

“Well, I’ll find out tonight,” I said, taking a deep breath.

“You’ll have little rug rats in no time,” Tom laughed.

“You know,” I admitted, “that isn’t as horrible of a vision as I once thought. I wouldn’t mind having a little Samantha or Jacob running around.”

“You?” Tom emphasized, “Changing diapers and bathing babies?” I smiled at him, imagining doing just those things. I saw Samantha doing them with me. A vision of her belly, fat with our baby, smiling at what we had done, was not unpleasant.

“Maybe I have a biological clock as well,” I joked.

“The only clock you have is in your dreams,” Tom countered, “Where is everyone?” I looked up at the clock, 1:04. A bad feeling shivered up my spine. It felt like a foul breeze had found its way under my shirt. Something wasn’t right.

“You okay?” Tom asked.

“Something’s wrong,” I said, looking around like it was close and I just couldn’t see it.

“Yeah, everyone’s late,” Tom repeated.

“No,” I said, my breath catching as the hair rose on the back of my arms, “something else.”

“Take it easy,” Tom said as I stood trying to locate the problem. Samantha flashed into my mind and I fumbled my phone out of my pocket. The call went to her voicemail, which meant nothing, but increased my uneasiness.

“I have to go,” I said, gathering my notebook.

“This is crazy,” Tom commented, “this is your meeting.”

“Cancel it,” I said, rushing out the door.

The drive home was hectic. I had no idea why my stomach was turning over. Cars were driving too slowly and refused to push the yellow lights. My horn caused more fingers to rise then the increase in speed I desired. Sweat formed as I struggled to slow my heartbeat. Something was digging deeper, demanding I move quicker.

The memory of the dream came back to me, flooding my mind with fear. The clarity increased. The water wasn’t rising, I was sinking beneath it, the clock following me down. It was just past 2:00 when I reached my driveway.

I burst through the door, calling for Samantha. Something was very wrong. I barreled through the house, room to room when I received no answer. The bed held her clothes and light music was coming from the bathroom. She didn’t answer when I called again. I rushed through the door.

Samantha’s head sunk below the sickly red water. A trail of blood was smeared on the tub behind it. Pain ripped into my heart as I climbed into the tub, pulling my baby up out of the water. I hugged her to me, begging her to wake. I reached for my phone to call 911. It was 2:04.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I ruined our night,” Samantha said with sadness. She looked beautiful to me. Her color had returned, and the doctors assured me it was only a mild concussion. I pulled the curtain that divided her hospital bed from the next. It wasn’t the privacy I desired, but the doctors insisted she stay put for a couple more hours.

“Will you marry me?” I whispered. She stared in disbelief. ”I’m sorry, I forgot the ring at my office. I was planning on doing it at dinner tonight.” My fears climbed as I remembered her in the tub. I had almost lost her. “I don’t want to lose you.”

“Why would you lose me?” Samantha said, then smiled, “of course I’ll marry you.” I violated concussion protocol and kissed my future wife vigorously. Something wonderful settled over me. The world was no longer a maelstrom of difficulties that needed to be waded through. A straight path appeared, and it wore a gorgeous smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I felt a muscle in my lower back strain as I sat up quickly from my sweat drenched pillow. I was breathing hard; my hands clenched painfully. It took a moment for the stress to lower and the unwarranted fear to subside. The room was dark, lit only by the LED glow of my bedside clock. It was 4:32, I still had two hours before the alarm.

“That dream again?” Samantha asked sleepily. I smiled though she couldn’t see it. Her mere presence washed away the rest of my discomfort.

“Yes,” I sighed, ”and it hasn’t changed.”

“Good,” she laughed, “I’m late.”

“What?”

“I have an appointment in the morning,” Samantha said.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m telling you now,” she laughed, rolling on top of me and knocking me back to my pillow. “I took one of those home tests and it came back positive.”

“The dream,” I reminded Samantha. She reached into my pajama bottoms, intent on starting something. It wasn’t like her to be the morning aggressor. The way she was moving and the pace of her breathing made me think my arousal was miles behind.

“Pregnancy makes me horny,” Samantha answered my unasked question. She bit my ear aggressively, I gave in and took control. It was almost 5:30 when we finally caught our breath.

“You’re going to wear me out,” I said, with a chuckle. It was one of our better romps, with lots of laughing play.

“A pregnant woman needs her exercise,” Samantha joked. I pulled her closer and let her use my chest as a pillow. I blew lightly on her sweaty neck and enjoyed the shiver it sent down her body.

“The dream frightens me,” I admitted.

“It should,” Samantha said, “you'll be outnumbered if it’s true.” I had no doubt of its truth. Not after the tub.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The water receded down my body as I rose. The clock was rising with me, showing 2:04. Two others appeared from the water in my arms. Babies - twin girls. Their eyes and mouths opened. A demanding cry from healthy lungs pierced my heart. They owned me.

“Damn,” I whispered, shaking off the sweat as I woke, “You would think I already got the point.” My wife, with her baby belly, lying next to me laughed softly.