Lockdown stories

[Gemini]

We all have the time to write a story now. We probably have the time to write a saga

Lockdown doesn't have to be the theme, but it can be if that inspires you.
Try your hand at writing something, it will pass the time for you and for those who read it!

As usual, any theme, any style, any length. Go for it!

[Daisy]

Gem - I've been trying to come up with a lockdown themed story for a couple of weeks. The inspiration hasn't struck yet, but I'm sure it will!

Stories or poems about anything - all are welcome. If you've never tried your hand at writing before now might be a good time.

[Daisy]

With so much more time on my hands than usual, I don't know why it's taken ages to come up with an ideas for a story. It's only short, but any comments or suggestions would be very welcome, ladies.


A MOMENT IN TIME

Serena stood in the garden, savouring the perfume of night-scented flowers and the warm smell of the day’s sunshine on wet earth. She stood quietly, and breathed in deeply concentrating on her senses. She marked the slight rustling of animals of the night going about their evening routines, and wondered about their lives, so very different from her own.

Beyond the confines of her small garden, the world was silent, as it had been for several weeks now. Neighbouring houses were in darkness, their owners probably asleep and perhaps dreaming of the day when life would return to what they kept calling ‘normal’. Serena wasn’t at all sure ‘normal’ was what she wanted anymore. The hustle and bustle, shopping, caring for grandchildren, lunches out with friends, endless housework to keep up appearances.

She yearned for something simpler, purer, where each moment had its own value instead of being rushed through to get ‘things’ done. She yearned for time with her grandchildren to play games, go on country walks, or just chat about their lives, instead of the endless time spent at the school gates, or taking them on play dates, or to swimming, ballet, football and all the other activities crammed into their young lives.

“I want time to just be with them,” she said to herself. “Time when I don’t have to keep looking at my watch, juggling to get parking spaces to pick them up, trying to remember which mum or gran at school belongs to which of my grandchildren’s friends. I want to be able to stop and look at something they find interesting instead of constantly hurrying them to the next activity. Time to just be.”

Deep in thought, Serena hadn’t noticed the new quality of the silence. No more rustling in the borders or sounds of tiny paws scurrying about. The almost full moon was hazy, veiled by lacy clouds. “Like an old lady’s net curtains”, she thought to herself. Every nerve in her body was alive and waiting. She had no idea what for, but she was acutely aware of a new sensation of anticipation.

She watched the clouds as they travelled across the surface of the moon. Then suddenly they’d gone and the moon’s silvery brightness washed over her tiny garden with its neatly trimmed lawn, and lovingly tended borders. The sheer beauty of the moment caught her by surprise, and she held her breath. Did she hear the slightest sound, or was it the merest touch of air that made her look up. She didn’t know, but as she did so, a magnificent owl glided above her, outlined by the silver disk of the moon. He gracefully landed on a bough of the old apple tree, still back lit by moonlight, and seemed to look straight at her.

Serena watched, entranced, as the owl paused, looked around and then gracefully took off to continue his hunt for dinner. Cloud drifted back over the moon, and the garden returned to darkness.

Serena shivered, feeling the evening chill for the first time. She turned to go indoors, back to the bed she’d left when she felt too restless to sleep. As she quietly climbed the stairs, she felt an immense peace come over her, and knew that she would sleep and her dreams would be of that one, small but perfect moment in time.

[Plantaholic]

That is a lovely story, I felt I was there in the garden with Serena. Thank you Daisy

[Gemini]

Wonderful

[Daisy]

Plant and Gem - you're both very kind - thank you. I woke up about 3 am last night with this more or less written in my head! Goodness knows why.

[Sunshine]

Such a lovely story. Beautiful.

[Daisy]

Aww, thank you Sunshine. xx

[Daisy]

Ladies - I'm feeling rather lonely in Story Corner - please come and have a go at a short story or poem. It can be on any subject, not just lockdown.

[Gemini]

Maybe I will get started today!

[Gemini]

...... and that was a month ago!!!
I really am going to write one, honest!!!!

[Daisy]

I haven't had any more inspirations, either, Gem.

[Gemini]

At last, my lockdown story!!!
I had the idea weeks ago, but only started to write it today.


A Perfect Day


When she woke up on Wednesday morning Josie knew it was going to be a really good day.

As she lay in bed, watching the sun stream through the gap in the curtains, she knew. Even the cheerful birdsong from the tree outside her bedroom window made her smile. Reaching over for her phone she checked her text messages. Three texts already this morning from friends wanting to arrange meetings!

They were an invitations for dinner at her favourite restaurant one night next week with Kay and Lorna, lunch out in town on Saturday with Helen, and a theatre trip with Margaret for a couple of weeks time. She smiled and made a mental note to check her diary and reply. Being a sociable creature, Josie hope to be able to do all of them!
She logged into Facebook and gave Likes to the holiday posts of a few of her friends. Lovely to see people jetting off to enjoy themselves. Relaxing beside shimmering pools and drinking jazzy cocktails by the beach at night.
Her email inbox provided more pleasure. Skimming through the usual ads and offers, she opened one from Fiona, one of her friends from the online group to which she belonged. She was organising a country house spa weekend away for anyone who wanted to go. ‘Count me in!’ Josie quickly replied.


Josie opened the curtains and surveyed the perfect day. Not a cloud in the sky. She hopped into the shower with her favourite Jo Malone shower gel, which smelled divine. Sheer luxury, and a good way to begin a good day.


Glancing in the full length mirror, Josie was very pleased and a little smug to see how slim she looked in her linen trousers, and how shiny her hair was looking. The latest cut really brought out the bounce in her hair.

She took a tray laden with a her phone and diary, a bowl of strawberries and melon chunks, a Greek yogurt, an almond croissant, a cafetière of coffee and her favourite mug onto the patio. She set the tray on the table and sat down to enjoy her breakfast and the beautiful morning. As she drank her coffee she leafed through her diary. Hardly an empty day there. This was turning out to be such a busy summer!

Her neighbour Alice called over the fence asking Josie if she would like to go out with her. The plan was a trip to a National Trust garden, and lunch in the tea rooms, meeting up with Alice’s daughter and grandchildren there. Josie readily agreed, Alice’s daughter Rachel was lovely and the three year old twins a delight. She arranged to be ready at eleven.


Josie tied a scarf under her chin and settled happily next to Alice in the open topped car. The friends chatted all the way to their destination. They found a parking spot straight away.
They had a truly lovely time. Lunch was perfect, the children angels, and the ladies had a good chat whilst keeping an eye on them.

Hugging her neighbour thank you, Alice went back into the house at four o’clock. Just time to relax with her book for a while, before getting ready to go out again!

This evening was one Josie was looking forward to very much. A dinner party at Michelle’s house. Just ladies relaxing. Food, wine and chat. Michelle was the best cook Josie knew, it promised to be a perfect evening. Her friend Claire, who was tee total, would give her a lift there and back, so not even a taxi to think about.

By midnight a contented Josie was sleepily slipping between her crisp Egyptian cotton sheets, safe in the knowledge that she would end her perfect day with eight hours undisturbed sleep.


******


‘Time to get up!’ Josie told herself. She had lain in bed too long. The rain she could hear hammering against the bedroom window wasn’t encouraging her to get up.

She dragged herself out of bed,still tired after another disturbed night. She showered and dressed in a tee shirt and jogging pants.

Not even the garden to pass the time in today. Netflix again she supposed. She could start on decorating that back bedroom to give her something to do apart from read, eat, scroll through Facebook and watch telly. A Zoom chat with a few friends the following night was the highlight of this week for her.

As she brushed her out of condition hair which was crying out for good cut and colour, her eyes fell on definite bulge around her waistline where the lockdown pounds were showing. Josie sighed.

She lay back on the bed and closed her eyes for few minutes and let her imagination roam to a perfect day, a day she hoped would come, when days were better than they were right now.




THE END

[Plantaholic]

Lovely story, beautifully written Gemini.

[WeeGranny]

Love it Gem! And very true to life!