Well, I wrote my six pages, and also started the laundry, ate the dinner DH made, cleaned the bathroom, and took turns wrangling the baby. So as a reward I made a pair of drabbles. Like my previous one on this theme, they're not anywhere near the end of the story, just incidents the characters view as endpoints. And I'm proud to say they're exactly 100 words apiece. Usually I settle for anywhere in the ballpark.

Going Home

For twelve years the regiment has been his only home. He wonders if it’s too late to become any other kind of man than a soldier.

Dan and Maria are the last to say goodbye. He shakes Dan’s hand, and they embrace.

“The Royal Oak in Market Stratton,” he says. “Come find me, when this is over.”

“You’ll be there?”

“They’ll know where I am.”

“Will you look for your Dulcinea?” Maria asks.

“That’d be mad,” he says.

“That didn’t stop you before.”

Dan raises an eyebrow. “Do you know where to find her?”

He knows. But he’s no madman.

Unmasked

“It’s a woman!”

Five years of nightmares come to pass in an instant. Her shirt torn, all eyes upon her. She clutches the tattered remnants across her bosom and thinks fast. When they put her ashore she’ll run away, take a different alias, find another ship. Maybe a privateer, much as she’d hate to leave the navy.

And then Captain Edwards is there, with Will beside him. She hates the compassion in Will’s eyes.

“Sir, she’s a lady.”

“That much is evident, Lieutenant.”

“That’s not quite what I meant, sir. She’s Lady Elizabeth Fielding.”

Damn him. Damn him to hell.

Very nice, Susan. Very evocative of your stories.

JC, you realize now you're going to have to post the whole thing, if you have to do it in a series of 100-word drabbles. I want to know the rest--how he got there, who she was, what happens next...

Ah, Monday, when the leaves turn color, the swallows return to Capistrano, and the new drabble topic shows its pretty face to the world....

(Okay, 1 out of 3 ain't bad.)

Challenge #35 ("The End") is now closed.

Challenge #36 was begging to be a timely topic: Holiday Hell. Oh, yes. You know you want to.

Well, dang, Bev. Now I'm gonna have to finish it. Actually, that might help, reducing some of the key scenes down to drabble size. Hm. Lemme see what I can do...

drabble for Holiday Hell :

She’s curled up in the chair, pressing her fingers to her face until the veins stand out hard on her forehead. She is bad; no one loves her; she pulls her hair in despair. I want to leave her there. I give her tissues and comfort her. Minutes ago, her sudden fury shattered our fragile holiday cheer as she screamed my painful secrets out before mother, children, and all, furious as I cried. Then, she wanted me gone. Now, I’m here, understanding, forgiving her, again.

I expect no apology.

Hours and miles away I realize, someone should have comforted me.

Deb, insent.

Zenkitty, that's powerful.

This is the one thread I insist on catching up - not skipping, not even skimming. It means I'm hardly ever at the end, but I still don't want to give any post up.

So, belated, but still:

Amy, if you still want somebody who has no idea about romances to read yours, I'd love to try.

deb, as usual, I would love to read - you have my university address, the one that agrees to talk to yours, right?

This thread is a wonderful read. Thanks, all of you.

Zenkitty, that was heartbreaking.

I'm trying to think of hellish holiday memories and not coming up with any. Hmmm.

Nilly, I'd for you to read it! One caveat -- there are love scenes that are fairly graphic. If you don't mind those (or don't mind skipping over them) I'd love to send it on. Is your profile address the one to use?

Deb, go you on the Cruel Sister progress!

Amy, no problem. And, yup, profile address (and, um, you said that timing isn't urgent, right?)

I'm trying to think of hellish holiday memories and not coming up with any. Hmmm.

One reminder from the moderator: IT CAN BE FICTION, folks.