Marla, from Marlaโs World, has created a writing challenge. The challenge is for multiple authors to write a single story. She will choose a story that she has written, or that another author has submitted for this challenge, and she will nominate the next person to continue writing it. Once that person has added their section, they will nominate the next author. It will continue like this until the story is complete.
Marla has started the ball rolling with this:
He woke up slowly, stretching out his fatigued muscles as if he hadnโt just spent all day yesterday using them. He laid in the bed staring at the unique shape of the ceiling. He had always loved this house โ the architecture made him feel at home and at peace.
He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and tried to stand up, but his calf immediately cramped. It wasnโt a bad cramp, but it was enough for him to flash-back to the competition yesterday between his brother and him. Once a year they met up at this place, the last place they had seen their grandmother, and they created a competition that their entire family would participate in.
Because it was in memory of their beloved grandmother, Tutu Lulu, they had decided that it had to take place on the ocean, as that was her favorite place on the planet since she was a young girl. She had taught them Aloha สปฤina, or to love and appreciate nature, especially the crashing waves. Therefore, this competition involved the ocean.
They would compete against each other in various โeventsโ such as surfing, speed-snorkeling (which was something they had created as children), and shallow-water scuba diving. The whole family truly enjoyed it, and everyone turned up.
Yesterday had been so much fun, except whenโฆ
Susan of Sillyfrogโs Blog continued with
Yesterday had been so much fun, except when Kai, his older brother, and he nearly came to blows in front of the whole family.
Kai accused him of cheating in their speed snorkeling event. Heโd won it for the first time ever and wasnโt going to back down to Kaiโs arrogance.
The claim was made that he had grabbed onto big brotherโs ankle which was ridiculous. But Kai produced evidence in the form of red and purple finger marks above his foot.
A shouting match turned into a shoving match and if his brawny uncles hadnโt intervened, who knows what would have happened.
It was decided to break for their picnic lunch before entering the water for a more relaxed shallow scuba diving experience.
The two avoided each other until dayโs end.
Stars twinkled and the moon looked larger than ever on the horizon when Kai approached his little brother beside the bonfire on the beach.
Looking at his hands as one finger traced the rim of his sweating beer, Kai whispered to him,
โI heard her, Noa. She spoke to me clear as day.โ
Kai had taken Tutu Luluโs disappearance the hardest. She had named him after the sea and had been her sidekick longer than he. He hadnโt really recovered from their loss.
โIโm sorry. But when you, someone, grabbed me Tutu Lulu spoke to me.โ
โWhat did she say?โโฆ
Di, from Pensitivity101 continued with
โShe told me that difficult times were ahead and you and I would have to put aside our differences and work together.โ
โDo you think it was Tutu Lulu who grabbed your ankle to attract your attention then?โ Kai ran his damp fingers through his hair.
โI donโt know, but it makes sense. The finger marks are beginning to fade but looking more closely, they couldnโt be yours as theyโre too small.โ
The two brothers sat side by side on the sand. There was three years between them, but Noa was the bigger of the two though in the shadows cast by the fire, it was hard to tell one from the other. โShe always seemed to prefer you. Sheโs never come to me, not even in my dreams. Did she say anything else?โ
โI doubt it as we started to fight and the uncles intervened. I wonder what she meant?โ
Now it was the following morning and yesterdayโs events were still preying on Kaiโs mind. The competition was over and everyone would be returning to their own homes after the traditional family meal in the huge kitchen. As always, it was a joyous affair, but suddenly their laughter and banter was shattered by the sound of rocketsโฆ
Fandango , from This, That, and the Other, continued with
โWhat the hell is that?โ Kai said. He and Noa ran outside, followed by the rest of the family.
One of the uncles looked at the rockets streaking across the sky. โOh Jesus,โ he said in disbelief, โthose are anti-ballistic missiles and theyโre coming from the direction of Pearl Harbor. Someone go into the house and turn on the television.
Everyone gathered in the living room and silently watched the shocking news that satellites had detected a half dozen missiles launched from North Korea headed toward the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Tensions between the U.S. and North Korea had escalated over the past few months, but no one anticipated that North Korea would actually go so far as to launch potentially nuclear armed missiles at Hawaii.
The solemn newscaster tried to reassure viewers. โMilitary leaders are confident that our anti-ballistic missiles will intercept and destroy the incoming North Korean missiles well before they get close to Hawaii,โ he said.
โAnd if not,โ Noa said, โbend over and kiss your ass goodbye.โ
โShut up, Noa,โ Kai said. โThis is serious.โ
Nancy, The Sicilian Storyteller at The Elephantโs Trunk continued with
The adolescent and teen years for Noa and Kai were not easy ones. Being half Hawaiian and half Korean, they were constantly teased by the other kids in school. It was their large, loving family that kept them grounded and focused.
The ocean is what saved them and stories at the feet of their beloved Tutu Lulu. Among those special times, Noa and Kai will never forget the days their grandfathers and other elder members of their family recounted the day Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese.
The brothers would often play โwarโ down on the beach; they spent so much time in the water, their mother teased them about eventually growing fins. As the boys became older, their attention was drawn to exciting careers that would allow them to continue their relationship with the water โฆ that was their calling to become Navy SEALs.
Now, with the television droning on in the background about North Korea possibly launching anti-ballistic missiles at Oahu, Noa and Kai knew exactly what they had to do.
*****************************************
Good news! My friend Pete at Mister Bump UK has been tagged by me and will continue passing the baton.
The Elephant's Trunk 