Good morning one and all. I hope you are having a good one. I woke up feeling pretty good today actually. The sun is shining, but cooler temps are predicted today which means I an actually leave the house and have a chance of not dripping with sweat by the time I return. which in July counts as a minor miracle where I live. I have all of my things to get done lined up in a row and what looks like ample time to do them. Well, barring unforeseen circumstances. Sneaky little things that. Anyway, lets start today off right with a writing prompt. Are you ready? Good, let’s go then.
This could be fun to play around with, maybe for a short story. I think I might have to change the details about the car though. but it could be fun. Especially depending on who Dan is hiding from and why.
Tuesday, July 6th: The bedroom was small and tucked under the eaves.
The bedroom was small and tucked under the eaves. He knew he would bang his head if he stood up too fast. But the bedroom was clean, it came with its own bathroom and it was only for one night.
‘Besides it’s the only available room in town,’ he thought.
“This will be fine,” he told his would be hostler. He nodded, Dan placed his suitcase on the bed and followed him back down to the front desk to complete his check in process. Dan tried to walk as quietly as he could, but the old Victorian wasn’t the sort of house one could move through quietly.
The fact almost made him smile.
The bedroom he was renting for the night was tucked away in the corner of the Victorian mansion turned bed and breakfast. He suspected that it was originally either storage or a maid’s room. He was fairly certain that as of ten minutes ago it was a former child’s room that either served the family or was tacked on as a bonus for a visiting family with children. The proprietors had been hesitant to rent it to him given its size and location at the top of the house, but they recognized his dilemma and were willing to help.
He was even getting a discount on the room.
Dan appreciated their effort and lack of mercenary feeling. He was certain other proprietors would have gouged him on the price. While this small town was visited throughout the year for a variety of reasons, the town seeming to have some sort of tourist schedule with one event fading into the next as the calendar pages changed, the current festival was the highlight of the social year and the bed he was now renting was the only available one for miles.
The festival’s popularity was a bit of a surprise, however the fact that people booked their rooms almost a year in advance of the following year’s festival was more surprising. This bed and breakfast for example was filled with people who booked their rooms for this year’s festival on the day they checked out from last year’s festival. Apparently many of them had done so for the past ten, fifteen and even twenty years.
He still wasn’t entirely clear on the festival or its importance. He hadn’t been paying much attention as he drove into town. He was concentrating more on his smoking engine and ability to actually make it to town before his car completely collapsed.
Sleeping outside the town limits would leave him too exposed.
‘Especially in a car that doesn’t run,’ Dan thought.
He suspected in town he would be safe. He thought he could check in somewhere safe, spend the night and figure out his next move. He thought a small town would notice strangers and he could stay safely tucked away in the bed and breakfast until morning, hoping watchful neighbors would keep alert for him giving him one night of peace.
He hadn’t been counting on the festival, or the throngs of people clogging the small town’s streets. He wasn’t certain yet whether that was a bonus or a draw back. It would help conceal him but it would also conceal anyone following him. He thought he had a few days head start, but wasn’t entirely sure.
Dan followed the proprietor back to the front desk and signed all the necessary papers. The card he was using to secure the room was legit, but it couldn’t be traced back to him.
Ten til Midnight 