Story Challenge 2

[Gemini]

After the success of the first story challenge (with some people writing two!) let's have another one.
Any subject, any style, any length, write your story using the following sentence to begin:

When the door opened, it was the very last thing Eleanor expected to see.

[Daisy]

Thinking cap duly placed on head, and I can already picture my Eleanor!

[Gemini]

When the door opened, it was the very last thing Eleanor expected to see.

Not trusting her own eyes, she quickly closed the door, and went into the kitchen and sat down.
For so many years Eleanor had pushed that part of her life to the back of her mind. She had gone on to university, got her degree, enjoyed her work and social life and age 30 she had married James.
It was a sadness, a big one, that they were unable to have children. Her older sister Kate had four however, and she loved being Auntie Ellie to her nephews and nieces.

Recently her thoughts had wandered back to her teenage years. The way that choices we make then - the good and the bad, change our lives and the paths we go down.
Some things cannot be changed she knew and you have to live with your decisions.
Mostly she was happy, but once in a while she remembered, and had regrets.
At 17, university and her whole life before her, the timing wasn't right. Her own mother had been a single mum, so she knew how hard that could be. It was the only way, but still.....

But now -she could hardly believe it. But she had known. Looking at the young woman on the doorstep was like looking at a photo of a younger version of herself.
Eleanor rushed back to the door, opened it, and welcomed her daughter into her arms.

[Daisy]

Gem - that's so emotional and what you didn't say was clearly there and all the more powerful for being unsaid. Well done.

I've planned mine in my head, but now need to sit down and type it up!

[Clover]

Here for what it's worth is my contribution!


When the door opened it was the very last thing Eleanor expected to see. In front of her was a wide,airy hallway with carpeted stairs leading invitingly upwards. This wasn't what Eleanor was anticipating.She had envisaged something more like the old,box-like home she had been living in previously, prior to Barbara's arrival

However when Barbara moved into the spare room in the house-share Eleanor knew she couldn't stay a minute longer.Blonde,long-legged and fashion conscious Barbara made Eeanor feel totally inadequate.Favouring jeans and sweater Eleanor knew she couldn't compete,especially when her beloved Kenny set eyes on Barbara.Despite her tears and broken heart Kenny and Barbara were soon an item.
Eleanor's life-long friend Lucy decided to help and promised to find her a new home but this little house was more than she possibly could have dreamed of.

To her right Eleanor glimpsed a fully furnished living room with pretty curtains at the window and cosy rugs on thr floor.Ahead a pristine kitchen promised the latest fittings and equipment.

"Perfect" sighed Eleanor.

Suddenly she was grasped round the waist and lifted off her feet high into the air.
A voice she knew only too well spoke softly,
"Here you are Ellie" said Lucy"I hope you'll like living in my new dolls house. Barbie and Ken can stay in the old toy box!

[Gemini]

I love it Clover!! It certainly took me by surprise

[Daisy]

Clover - that's lovely, and very clever. I didn't make the Barbara and Kenny connection until the very last line!

[Oma]

WELL DONE CLOVER, I didn't make the connection either , very good

[Daisy]

... and here's mine.

When the door opened,

…it was the very last thing Eleanor expected to see. Marty was sitting in the chair by the fireplace as she always did when Eleanor visited her. What she didn’t expect to see were the two elderly people sitting on the sofa opposite. They shivered slightly as the cold air wafted into the room. The door closed with a soft click.

“Eleanor, thank you for joining us tonight”, said Marty.

“What are they doing here?” Eleanor was abrupt and not in the mood for wasting time on pleasantries.

Marty considered her words carefully. “They’re hoping I can help them with something that’s troubling them”, she said gently. “They have experienced great sadness and now in the later years of their lives they want to find some peace. You might be able to help.”

Eleanor looked into the empty fireplace, where the logs were set ready to leap into warming life at a wisp of flame from a match. “I don’t see how I can help them”, she muttered.

“Eleanor, many years ago their only daughter, Marie, disappeared. She’s never been found. She was just thirteen. It would make their final years on this earth easier if they could know that she hadn’t suffered and was at peace.”

Eleanor transferred her gaze to the couple. The woman, slight, with neat grey hair, was wearing a sensible fawn-coloured coat and low-heeled court shoes. She was watching Marty intently, unshed tears visible in her old eyes. The man sat upright, with a military bearing, although his overcoat had seen better days, his trousers were creased and there was a dirty mark on one knee. He didn’t meet Marty’s eyes, and shifted uncomfortably on the sofa.

Eleanor spoke very softly, for Marty’s ears only. “I can tell you what happened to Marie. Are you sure you want to hear it?” Her eyes flashed with unaccustomed fire. “She was abused for years and her end came slowly and painfully. She will never be found …..”

The man jolted sideways, clutching his throat. The gurgling noises were eerie, scary, unearthly. Then there was silence as he slumped back in the sofa. His wife, sobbing hysterically, tried to rouse him “Vince, Vince, wake up, don’t…. you can’t … VINCE! Vince! Can you hear me? Vince! NOOOO, NOOOO!”

Marty jumped to her feet. “Eleanor! What’s happening?”

All the fight and anger had left Eleanor. “Eleanor is my maternal grandmother’s name. My real name is Marie, and that monster who calls himself my father made my life a misery, right to the day he took that life and I passed over. Eleanor loved and cherished me in my journey to the spirit world and in her love allowed me to share her name. Comfort my mother as best you can, she’s a good woman.”

The door opened as another chill drought passed through the room and closed with a soft click.

[Gemini]

Oh my goodness! ! That sent chills right through me. Excellent story, Daisy!


I have been wanting to write a ghost story for ages, but not managed it yet!

[Clover]

Well done Daisy. I enjoyed that .

[Nana]

What talented women you all are. Three totally different stories with just the start of the same sentence. I admire your creativity.

[Gemini]

Thanks Nana

I enjoy writing, and the story challenge is fun. Even though I have set both opening sentences so far, I have no idea of a story in mind, just sentence, so it is a challenge
Anyone else is more than welcome to start a Story Challenge by the way!

[Daisy]

Thanks Nana. I enjoy writing too and love the challenge of building a story round an opening sentence.

It would be great if anyone else would like to add their own stories. Don't be shy. 😍

[Gemini]

Yes, I echo Daisy, please do have a go if you feel like it! It can be the Story Challenge, or it can just be a story of any type. Daisy, Oma, Sum1Ls, Clover, Mimi and I have had a go and enjoyed it. None of us are writers as such, I bet a lot of you can do it!