Tag Archives: windows

Salty Shorelines ~ On the trail of a mastermind – #JulyWriting

12 Thursday Jul 2018

Posted by in July Writing, short story

≈ 17 Comments

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Join me every day at Noon EST for the continuing adventures of the bungling detective, N. Owl, in her quest to bring the mastermind, ~M, to justice!  If you’ve  missed any episodes, you can find them HERE!


She really had us running in circles. Trying to keep my composure so the others wouldn’t pick up that I was a bit panicked, I began running thoughts through my head. How could we be so easily fooled by one woman?

I decided we needed a break from all of this, after all, it had been 11 long days of chasing ~M and we hadn’t gotten anywhere. Except in tunnels, and behind doors. The weather had been beautiful so my first thoughts led me to a beach setting. Since we were in Milwaukee, I googled the info and decided on Bay View Park. It had great reviews and what looked to be a perfect “get away from it all” location.

We made our way out the door, back up the winding cobblestone roadway, through the tunnel (good thing I had that match!) and back out to where we began. Hopping in the rental car, we went back to the hotel to change and gather some things, then headed out again to the beach.

The sun made the sand rather hot and I found myself digging my feet into it, trying to find a cool spot. Wait! That’s it! ~M’s fascination with dirt! It had to begin on a beach. What better place to cool off, and since she no longer lived by the beach, this was as close as she could get to it. Why she chose dirt, instead of sand, I’ll never know. But I was sure the beach played a role.

Anyway, it was time to relax and just enjoy the down time. That is, until I heard a lifeguard’s whistle blowing over and over. I looked up from under my floppy hat, down to the shoreline, to see Fred in the water with this ridiculous looking float. I think it was a huge shark, I’m not sure. All I know is the lifeguard was pissed and people were screaming. I wanted to bury my head in the sand, forget my feet. When things finally settled down, we discovered that the beach doesn’t allow flotation devices. Leave it to Fred to play Jaws.

It was then I realized I couldn’t do this with the three of them. I would need to bring in someone else. And I knew exactly who it would be.

Stay tuned for more from this crime solving wordsmith…

 

July Writing Prompt – Salty shorelines – Day 12/31

©2018 Dorinda Duclos All Rights Reserved
Photo via Pixabay CC0

She was Magic ~ On the trail of a mastermind – #JulyWriting

11 Wednesday Jul 2018

Posted by in July Writing, short story

≈ 18 Comments

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Join me every day at Noon EST for the continuing adventures of the bungling detective, N. Owl, in her quest to bring the mastermind, ~M, to justice!  If you’ve  missed any episodes, you can find them HERE!


I found myself tiptoeing to the door, afraid that any sound I made would catch the attention of the stranger behind it. Then I remembered Cory’s sneeze.

I placed my hand on the door knob and slowly turned it. As the door slightly opened, I could see a brilliant light coming from a small area in the room. Pushing it a bit further, I could see a young girl, sitting on a sofa, with what appeared to be a rather mysterious book in her hands. The light that shined under the door was actually coming from a book!

Could this be ~M at a younger age? No, of course not. Perhaps this was one of ~M’s finest creations. A daughter. Or, maybe it was just one of her young recruits creating a decoy. We’d be so enthralled with the light coming out of the book, we wouldn’t even notice if ~M had come or gone. She truly was magic!

I approached the girl and realized her eyes were closed. She looked to be asleep but I think the light was probably blinding the poor child. I motioned for the others to come in, considering I could see them all gawking by the door. Cory and Fred entered the room, but Mildred didn’t. I motioned again, but she just stood there. She was caught in the glow of the book! I waved my arms frantically at her, trying to break whatever spell she was under. Fred and Cory thought I was having some kind of attack and tried to stop me, until I was able to point to Mildred, who was still staring at the light.

Now all three of us were waving our arms, trying to come between Mildred and the book. When, at last, we were able to break her gaze, she looked somewhat bewildered by what was happening. I told her I would explain later, that right now, we had to keep ahead of ~M or we’d never catch her. I knew I was kidding myself, but hey, someone has to believe it.

We walked back out of the room, deciding to try a few other doors before heading back out to the street for another chance at finding ~M. Closing the door behind us, we stood there for several seconds. Something wasn’t right. I could hear the sounds of girls giggling. Damn! She fooled us good. I ran back to the door, flung it open and…nothing. The room was empty. We had been outsmarted again.

And in the empty room, only the walls heard…

“How did I do, mommy?”

“Great job, Auti! They’ll never find us”

 

Stay tuned for more from this crime solving wordsmith…

 

July Writing Prompt – She was magic – Day 11/31

©2018 Dorinda Duclos All Rights Reserved
Photo via Pixabay CC0

In the Summer Following my Birth ~ On the trail of a mastermind – #JulyWriting

10 Tuesday Jul 2018

Posted by in July Writing, short story

≈ 16 Comments

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Join me every day at Noon EST for the continuing adventures of the bungling detective, N. Owl, in her quest to bring the mastermind, ~M, to justice!  If you’ve  missed any episodes, you can find them HERE!


Now, I couldn’t possibly tell you what happened in the summer following my birth, because I have no clue. I was only nine months old. Let’s talk about ~M then, shall we?

(cue Femme Fatale music)

She sat on the grass, always with a phone in one hand. Or maybe it wasn’t a phone. Maybe it was her way of communicating with her army of no gooders. She had the look to fool them all. Cute kid, this ~M was, dressed in a frilly dress, coat and, oh, that hat! She could knock them over with a feather. Maybe that’s when the plume infatuation began.

She looked less than enthused with the young boy sitting next to her. After all, he was encroaching on her cuteness. We would later find out that he was, in fact, Charles, although we came to know him as Brian. Another dastardly trick by ~M. She was incorrigible. You had to feel sorry for Charles, his own cuteness hidden in the shadow of his love for ~M. She, well, she couldn’t care less, she was too busy plotting her next takeover.

(end music)

Which brings us back to this unknown doorway we were all standing in. I could see a glint of light coming from a room, nudged the others to look, also, and then started walking towards it. The hallway was dim but not dark enough to have to strike a match. Good thing, too. Remember? We only had one left. I stuck it in my pocket..right…um…uh…oh, here. Phew!

As I got closer to the door with the light coming through the bottom, I could hear the faint sound of papers being rustled. It had to be ~M in there, probably working on her next installment of “How can I drive them crazy in August?” writing prompts. She was so good at what she did, and everyone knew it. Still, it was hard to figure her out, but I was determined.

Deciding whether or not I should open the door and surprise whomever was on the other side of it, Cory decided for me. He sneezed. Understand, Cory’s sneeze could wake the next state over. There was nothing quiet about it. I knew it. We were doomed. But once he had settled back down, I heard the familiar rustle again. How could this person not hear Cory? There was only one way to find out, and I had to be the one to do it.

 

Stay tuned for more from this crime solving wordsmith…

 

July Writing Prompt – In the summer following my birth – Day 10/31

©2018 Dorinda Duclos All Rights Reserved
Photo via Pixabay CC0

Cobblestone Passages ~ On the trail of a mastermind – #JulyWriting

09 Monday Jul 2018

Posted by in July Writing, short story

≈ 16 Comments

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Join me every day at Noon EST for the continuing adventures of the bungling detective, N. Owl, in her quest to bring the mastermind, ~M, to justice!  If you’ve  missed any episodes, you can find them HERE!


I continued my way down the winding streets, trying very hard to keep the sound of my footsteps to bare minimum. It was way too quiet around here. The fact that I had no idea where I was kept playing tricks on me. I could swear the windows and doors were constantly changing. That stopped me dead in my tracks.

That was her plan all along! To keep me guessing so I couldn’t find her! How stupid could I be not to have realized it when I first saw this? (Don’t answer that). Stopping had made the scenery stop also. So, if I moved, it moved. Clever. But not clever enough for me. I began walking again, heading back to the team and hoping I would still find them where I left them. The doors and windows started their spiral along the path. Changing colors and shapes, but never opening. A very interesting point, if I do say so myself.

When I finally reached the team, I found them sitting around, playing with the rest of the matches. Cory was about to strike the last one. I quickly grabbed it from his hand and shoved it in my pocket. What if we needed it to get back through the tunnel?? Why did I bring these three into this? I was so sure they could handle ~M. I was beginning to realize I had, perhaps, made a mistake.

Grabbing them by their collars, I pushed them out onto the sidewalk and whispered to watch the doors and windows. Especially watch for one that never changed. That would be the door to ~M’s other lair. I was sure of it. Finally turning the corner, Mildred, bless her heart, spotted the one we were looking for. We stopped walking, the swirling came to a rest, and we stood in front of the door to only God knows where.  Fred opened it and entered.  The others followed.

Looking back at the street, I couldn’t help wondering about ~M and her childhood, and what made her this way. I may have to look into that. I entered the doorway, bid the street goodbye with a sullen wave, and closed the door behind me.

 

Stay tuned for more from this crime solving wordsmith…

 

July Writing Prompt – Cobblestone Passages – Day 9/31

©2018 Dorinda Duclos All Rights Reserved
Photo via Pixabay CC0

Condemned ~ #MayWriting #poetry #dark

23 Wednesday May 2018

Posted by in dark poetry, May Writing, Poems, Poetry

≈ 11 Comments

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The windows gave no warning

Of the madness kept inside

She walked in silence, mourning

Searching for the soul who died

Wandering about, unknowing

She was quite simply an aberration

A mind filled with naught, overflowing

Condemned, in her own damnation

 

May Writing Prompt:  Window of warning – Day 23/31

©2018 Dorinda Duclos All Rights Reserved
Photo via Pixabay CC0