A month or so ago, while browsing the blog of one of the amazing writers for Geez Magazine (which I’ll be reviewing on Saturday), Chris Cocca, I learned about a site called 6 Sentences. The site basically contains stories that are six sentences long, and they are quite good. Anyways, it seemed like an excellent writing exercise to help improve me writing abilities, so I gave it a shot. I’m going to try this or something similar (maybe some spoken word) at least once a week, and I just might post it. Here’s my first story.
Triumphal Entry
She sat on the kitchen counter in faded jeans and a plain white undershirt, her hair pulled back in an unassuming ponytail, her knees pulled up to her chest, a few tears trickling down her cheek. He leaned back and took another swig of milk, straight from the carton, trying to let her words settle in. She’d fully expected him to hit her, not because he’d ever been physically aggressive before, but her story was so outlandish, she’d imagined only the worst. “Was it James…” He questioned out loud, partially to himself, but also giving her a chance to come clean, “Matt, maybe?” Her tears came down again, hard now, she hadn’t expected him to believe her impossible story, she almost wished the truth was as simple as he thought, but her heart still broke as his questioning gave indication that her hopes for the future were quickly slipping away. It was over, before it had even begun, and all that awaited her now was a life as an outcast, whispered about at the market, ostracized by her community, left alone to raise her child, that bastard child.
Inspiration from Matthew 1:18 1/2
thanks so much for the mention and also for what looks like the beginning of a great piece here. That last line killed me the second time through, having read the biblical reference after reading your story the first time. Have you had a chance to read “Something Like A Smile” on my blog? I think you’d like it…it could almost be a sequel of sorts to this.
best of luck!
nice work.
Hey man, I think the story is great. You are a really good writer! I kinda figured where it was going because of the title of the story, but that didn’t take away from it. Of course, if I had written it, I would have used a different 2nd-to-last word, but you know me :o) The only thing that seemed out of place was that she referred to a “market.” I’m familiar with white t-shirts, milk cartons, and all that, but I don’t encounter markets a lot. In Orlando.