Froggy
09-27-2013, 12:06 AM
As promised, this is my writing thread. Here I'll post anything from short stories to epic novellas and even (rarely) bits of poetry. Feedback is appreciated, and if I haven't already, chances are I'll rep you for it as well.
So, in order to get this writing thread started...I'm providing you with the beginnings of my first story, but I'm not quiet sure as to how long it will be...if it will be just that, a short story, or an epic novella. With that being said, I hope you enjoy my first short story.
~
It was a chilly night in Boston, Massachusetts. The wind blew with a ravaging roar that was loud enough to waken even the most peaceful of slumbers, and those slumbers of Mrs. Kissinger’s children were not to be excused. Mrs. Aubrey Kissinger was heir to a small estate located in the more rural areas of Boston, nestled away on the end of a quaint Cul-de-sac. She was a stern woman who reached no higher than five foot six inches and weighed somewhere around the margin of one hundred and forty three pounds. She was brunette, her hair taking more to the redder shades than those of the deep, brown hues that could be seen in bright daylight. Despite her wealth, she was very much a widow and would have had three children to care for on her own had it not been for her full-time babysitter, Ariana.
Her husband had died some five years ago in a factory accident that she spoke little to Ariana of, and Ariana had dared not to ask her children of the details. After the death of her husband she had sought for a full-time babysitter and Ariana had been the one candidate that had met all of the woman’s requirements. She had gone to school to be a nurse and was working on her degree; she had her CPR license and had passed a rather rigid criminal background check. She’d even paid for her own finger prints and urine examination to please the woman; to secure the job. Ariana was able to boast of her driving record, not one accident and not one ticket tainted her record. At first the woman had been afraid of her youthfulness and the fact that Ariana was twenty three years old, eight years older than her eldest child, but her fears were quickly pacified with a fresh CPR license and a clean background check.
Ariana had little experience with babysitting children outside of occasionally caring for her friend’s daughter, but that was rare in itself as she was busy working and attending classes. Still, when the opportunity presented itself, she saw it as an easy way to earn income while providing a stable, high-paying job to last her through her school years. Mrs. Kissinger had taught her everything she needed to know about her precious children, right down to what size shoes they were and where she kept the delivery money. The woman was meticulous beyond comparison, taking an entire week to teach her how to care for each individual need of her children. Ariana had spent entire days here for five days a week, and sometimes had worked two weeks in a row for the woman while she was away on business trips. Still, the benefits of working for the woman made the trials and the extremities worth it. She was paid $15 an hour to care for the three children and often averaged fifty hours a week, and she was allowed to do her homework while she was there. This was a near-fixed income that the woman took the taxes out herself so that Ariana didn’t have to worry about it, and she was given cash every Friday night after she left the home.
These benefits far outweighed any paid vacation that another company had offered her and she had swooped upon this job without question. The children were simple enough to care for and she knew how to cook as well. Adrian was her eldest son and he was fifteen years old. She often times helped Adrian with his homework and he had grown to respect Ariana for that. Ariana knew the rules, all three children were to have their homework completed before they could play or watch television. Several times Ariana bribed them with ordering take-out, but occasionally they would request her cooking and she would have to take them to the store with her to get ingredients. Jane was the eldest daughter at eleven years old, and Ariana found her to be the most difficult to relate to.
She was the typical preteen, obsessed with boys and social appearances. The girl cared little for her grades and little for takeout, which made bribery a bit difficult with her. She had eventually learned over time to bring her make-up bag and to promise Jane that they would have a girl’s night if she did her homework, and that often times worked. Sometimes she would let the children have friends over, no more than one each, and under the agreement that the house would remain spotless an hour before their mother arrived home. This earned her a great deal more respect from Jane and bickering rarely became an issue between the two, but when it did happen Ariana was not afraid to report the behavior to her mother and let the woman deal with it.
Jasmine was the youngest child and absolutely adored Ariana. She was only seven years old and was at that point of thinking that Ariana knew everything while her mother knew nothing. She wanted to do what Ariana did, and occasionally Ariana would bring her scrubs over to play dress up with Jasmine. The girl loved it and despite the bagginess of the clothes she had a blast. Little did the girl know, Ariana was planning to take her to a uniform shop for her eighth birthday and have her own uniforms made to match Ariana’s. She’d spoken with Mrs. Kissinger about the idea and the woman had agreed and had even offered to help pay for it. The family as a whole was rather tolerable, and sometimes they were even fun to be around.
The home itself was as grandeur as a turn-key Victorian. It held all of the important original features: the floors, window panes, stair railings, and all of the modern touches that made it feel like home. The kitchen was one thing that drew Ariana to the home, it had a glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances (inclusive of a massive refrigerator and a six-burner oven top, plus a grill top!), and marvelous quartz countertops with a large, 6’ island in the middle. The home was aged yet elegant at the same time, boasting five bedrooms (a master, one for each of the children and one for Ariana as well), three baths, and a study that Ariana frequented during the nights.
The outside of the home was lined with a wrap-around Victorian style porch with stained wood that was durable to the elements. The grounds around the estate were lavishly landscaped and cared for by both Mrs. Kissinger and the gardener that she had hired. She took special pride in her flower gardens and they were often times the focus of Ariana’s photography. She’d taken it up as a habit, something to do as a break from studying. Mrs. Kissinger had even paid her extra to take photographs of the landscape around her home, beautiful photographs, and to turn it into artwork on the walls.
Oak trees lay scattered about the estate, some with branches that were as thick and round as two people side by side and that touched the ground itself. A forest spread thickly behind the house itself, and Ariana had been told that there was a small pond located within the forest. A vegetable garden was in between the forest and the house. Overall the estate was something for others to but gawk at as it was so exclusive and few rarely came by. Occasionally children would come to play, but Mrs. Kissinger would not allow it for more than a few hours. The woman would occasionally hold Bridge games in her dining room and ask Ariana to host with her fabulous cooking skills, and Ariana would gladly oblige as it got her name out as a chef as well.
Despite the beauty that filled the home it was not the slightest bit comforting to the children who lived there when the weather turned ravaging outside. Lightning clashed against the walls and thunder shook them throughout the home. Ariana had been studying for a test in front of the fireplace when she heard two children running down the hall, screaming in fright. Ariana looked up and closed her book just in time to see Jasmine and Jane come running into the room. “What’s wrong you two?” Ariana asked, though she had a feeling that it had to be the storm outside. “There are monsters in our rooms- Jane saw one too,” Jasmine told her, looking frightened. Ariana just looked at Jane who surprisingly nodded her head. “It’s true,” the girl told her, and soon enough she heard more feet shuffling into the room and looked up to see Adrian.
So, in order to get this writing thread started...I'm providing you with the beginnings of my first story, but I'm not quiet sure as to how long it will be...if it will be just that, a short story, or an epic novella. With that being said, I hope you enjoy my first short story.
~
It was a chilly night in Boston, Massachusetts. The wind blew with a ravaging roar that was loud enough to waken even the most peaceful of slumbers, and those slumbers of Mrs. Kissinger’s children were not to be excused. Mrs. Aubrey Kissinger was heir to a small estate located in the more rural areas of Boston, nestled away on the end of a quaint Cul-de-sac. She was a stern woman who reached no higher than five foot six inches and weighed somewhere around the margin of one hundred and forty three pounds. She was brunette, her hair taking more to the redder shades than those of the deep, brown hues that could be seen in bright daylight. Despite her wealth, she was very much a widow and would have had three children to care for on her own had it not been for her full-time babysitter, Ariana.
Her husband had died some five years ago in a factory accident that she spoke little to Ariana of, and Ariana had dared not to ask her children of the details. After the death of her husband she had sought for a full-time babysitter and Ariana had been the one candidate that had met all of the woman’s requirements. She had gone to school to be a nurse and was working on her degree; she had her CPR license and had passed a rather rigid criminal background check. She’d even paid for her own finger prints and urine examination to please the woman; to secure the job. Ariana was able to boast of her driving record, not one accident and not one ticket tainted her record. At first the woman had been afraid of her youthfulness and the fact that Ariana was twenty three years old, eight years older than her eldest child, but her fears were quickly pacified with a fresh CPR license and a clean background check.
Ariana had little experience with babysitting children outside of occasionally caring for her friend’s daughter, but that was rare in itself as she was busy working and attending classes. Still, when the opportunity presented itself, she saw it as an easy way to earn income while providing a stable, high-paying job to last her through her school years. Mrs. Kissinger had taught her everything she needed to know about her precious children, right down to what size shoes they were and where she kept the delivery money. The woman was meticulous beyond comparison, taking an entire week to teach her how to care for each individual need of her children. Ariana had spent entire days here for five days a week, and sometimes had worked two weeks in a row for the woman while she was away on business trips. Still, the benefits of working for the woman made the trials and the extremities worth it. She was paid $15 an hour to care for the three children and often averaged fifty hours a week, and she was allowed to do her homework while she was there. This was a near-fixed income that the woman took the taxes out herself so that Ariana didn’t have to worry about it, and she was given cash every Friday night after she left the home.
These benefits far outweighed any paid vacation that another company had offered her and she had swooped upon this job without question. The children were simple enough to care for and she knew how to cook as well. Adrian was her eldest son and he was fifteen years old. She often times helped Adrian with his homework and he had grown to respect Ariana for that. Ariana knew the rules, all three children were to have their homework completed before they could play or watch television. Several times Ariana bribed them with ordering take-out, but occasionally they would request her cooking and she would have to take them to the store with her to get ingredients. Jane was the eldest daughter at eleven years old, and Ariana found her to be the most difficult to relate to.
She was the typical preteen, obsessed with boys and social appearances. The girl cared little for her grades and little for takeout, which made bribery a bit difficult with her. She had eventually learned over time to bring her make-up bag and to promise Jane that they would have a girl’s night if she did her homework, and that often times worked. Sometimes she would let the children have friends over, no more than one each, and under the agreement that the house would remain spotless an hour before their mother arrived home. This earned her a great deal more respect from Jane and bickering rarely became an issue between the two, but when it did happen Ariana was not afraid to report the behavior to her mother and let the woman deal with it.
Jasmine was the youngest child and absolutely adored Ariana. She was only seven years old and was at that point of thinking that Ariana knew everything while her mother knew nothing. She wanted to do what Ariana did, and occasionally Ariana would bring her scrubs over to play dress up with Jasmine. The girl loved it and despite the bagginess of the clothes she had a blast. Little did the girl know, Ariana was planning to take her to a uniform shop for her eighth birthday and have her own uniforms made to match Ariana’s. She’d spoken with Mrs. Kissinger about the idea and the woman had agreed and had even offered to help pay for it. The family as a whole was rather tolerable, and sometimes they were even fun to be around.
The home itself was as grandeur as a turn-key Victorian. It held all of the important original features: the floors, window panes, stair railings, and all of the modern touches that made it feel like home. The kitchen was one thing that drew Ariana to the home, it had a glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances (inclusive of a massive refrigerator and a six-burner oven top, plus a grill top!), and marvelous quartz countertops with a large, 6’ island in the middle. The home was aged yet elegant at the same time, boasting five bedrooms (a master, one for each of the children and one for Ariana as well), three baths, and a study that Ariana frequented during the nights.
The outside of the home was lined with a wrap-around Victorian style porch with stained wood that was durable to the elements. The grounds around the estate were lavishly landscaped and cared for by both Mrs. Kissinger and the gardener that she had hired. She took special pride in her flower gardens and they were often times the focus of Ariana’s photography. She’d taken it up as a habit, something to do as a break from studying. Mrs. Kissinger had even paid her extra to take photographs of the landscape around her home, beautiful photographs, and to turn it into artwork on the walls.
Oak trees lay scattered about the estate, some with branches that were as thick and round as two people side by side and that touched the ground itself. A forest spread thickly behind the house itself, and Ariana had been told that there was a small pond located within the forest. A vegetable garden was in between the forest and the house. Overall the estate was something for others to but gawk at as it was so exclusive and few rarely came by. Occasionally children would come to play, but Mrs. Kissinger would not allow it for more than a few hours. The woman would occasionally hold Bridge games in her dining room and ask Ariana to host with her fabulous cooking skills, and Ariana would gladly oblige as it got her name out as a chef as well.
Despite the beauty that filled the home it was not the slightest bit comforting to the children who lived there when the weather turned ravaging outside. Lightning clashed against the walls and thunder shook them throughout the home. Ariana had been studying for a test in front of the fireplace when she heard two children running down the hall, screaming in fright. Ariana looked up and closed her book just in time to see Jasmine and Jane come running into the room. “What’s wrong you two?” Ariana asked, though she had a feeling that it had to be the storm outside. “There are monsters in our rooms- Jane saw one too,” Jasmine told her, looking frightened. Ariana just looked at Jane who surprisingly nodded her head. “It’s true,” the girl told her, and soon enough she heard more feet shuffling into the room and looked up to see Adrian.