I have taken an extended sabbatical from blogging with the intent of having more time to devote to writing a creative non-fiction novel based on my stories from Slice of Life Sunday. Everything had gone well until two weeks ago when I developed a panic attack while writing about a particularly painful memory. Several days later, I sat down to write again and the panic attack returned. I realized something was dreadfully wrong. I have consulted a therapist who believes I have suppressed part of that memory for over 43 years. She has advised me to put my book on hold and to get back to writing about something that brings me joy. She says if I am to remember I will when the time is right. I am taking her advise.
I had always loved participating in writing prompts by fellow bloggers and I just discovered that Geraldine from My Poetic Path has started a new ‘monthly’ meme entitled Monthly Movie Musings. Once a month, on the first day of the month, Geraldine provides a movie title as a writing prompt. She says she had “always been intrigued by movie titles. Obviously, Hollywood and other film-makers work hard to weave their magic with the teaser that is the title. But what other roads could be explored with that very same phrase/or word?” I find this to be a very intriguing way to develop writing prompts. So, without further ado, July’s Monthly Movie Musing prompt “Nowhere To Run” has inspired me to write:
Night of the Stalkers
The old woman, crippled from years of enduring the affects of rheumatoid arthritis, finally succumbed to exhaustion from many trips hobbling between the front and back doors of her home. She could not make another trip. With the resolve of a cornered cat ambushed by a pack of wild dogs, she pushed the heavy oak door leading to her porch wide open, standing dead center under the muted light, presenting an easy target to the sinister stalkers that had been circling her house for more than a half an hour.
“You want me? Come get me!” She screamed into the cold autumn night knowing she had no where to run and couldn’t even if she did.
“What are you waiting for? Not so tough now are you?” She taunted as the menacing shadows rustled through the leaves in her front yard.
“Cowards! You’re all gutless cowards!” She accused her faceless stalkers as they crept closer to her porch.
“Geez Mrs. Wilson, if you didn’t want to pass out candy you shouldn’t have left your porch lights on.”
