Take something from a book or an article that you have read and re-write it into your form.
Give book/author recognition.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Premise: god box
This one is a little more free form. You must write a story in any style you want, the title must be "god box" and the title must be used as the theme of the story.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
god box: Chapter 1 - Boston
Obviously, I'm not writting a chapter book on this story. However, I reserve the right to do so later in life. I like where this is going, but I felt like to develop the story in the right mannor would take too long in this format. Hence, Chapter 1:
"What do you mean you've seen it?" asked Mari.
"I'm telling you, it's there, " responded Britton.
Mari wondered if it could be true. He had heard of it, but no one had actually seen it and survived. All those who had seen it had died of some unatrual cause immediately, or soon after and a curse had followed them affecting everyone they had been in contact with. But Britton said he had seen it over a week ago. He could be wrong.
"It's not possible. You would be dead. All those who came before you had died." Mari staired at Britton with those piercing green eyes. Those eyes had seen so much history, both read and experienced. Mari was a professor at Boston University School of Theology. Britton was a brilliant research student from Ireland.
Most history referred to it as "The Ark of the Covenant", but a folklore that was passed down Britton's family past (a decendant of the actient Gaelic family name of O Duhbda). His father swore by it, his father's father swore by it. But there was a problem. There was only one known written instance. The reference was to something called the "god box", not the Ark of the Covenant. Most had written it off as legend only. But not Britton. And now not Mari.
"It was as my father told me. Solid black as if it were made of obsidian. It had two deteriated pertrusions in the upper outside corners, which could be the hooks that rest upon the shafts that was used to carry it."
Mari stared in disbelief. As if some dream that he had been thrust into, he could not tell if he were awake or dreaming.
"And you found it where again?" Mari asked.
"In the church, in Boston. The Trinity Church in the Back Bay. It must have been Sir Thomason who had brought it over in 1886 from Ireland. The original church burned down in the Great Boston Fire of 1872."
Mari just stared. "How is it you are alive?'
"I don't know, but it was all so accidental. But I did look inside. There are a few other things in there, things that aren't documented. A rod is in there, a few stone tablets. But there's also several scrolls. Must be other accounts." Britton was bubbling with excitement. Mari could see the fluster and tried to calm him.
"Britton, it could be a fake. I mean, it would just be so odd that the Ark of the Coventant would be brought here by the Knights Templar when all the rest of the world would put it in exotic places like Ethiopia, France and Germany."
"But that's the beauty of it, Mari. Think about it; the rest of the world is looking everywhere else. No one is the wiser."
"Professor Scott will be looking. He is always on our heals, it would seem. He really apalls me. His sole purpose is to seek fame and money. I just pray to God that we find it before he does. Or hell on earth may be our payment for failure."
Britton began to describe the placement of the god box. It was in a cellar, which can only be accessed from behind the altar. A hidden dorr in the floor was partially obscured by the altar, which Britton had to move to gain full access.
What Britton and Mari didn't realize just yet is that Britton was special. He wasn't only the descendant of the spinners of the lore, but also of a long line of protectors of the Ark. This family blood line was blessed by God.
That would soon come in handy.
"What do you mean you've seen it?" asked Mari.
"I'm telling you, it's there, " responded Britton.
Mari wondered if it could be true. He had heard of it, but no one had actually seen it and survived. All those who had seen it had died of some unatrual cause immediately, or soon after and a curse had followed them affecting everyone they had been in contact with. But Britton said he had seen it over a week ago. He could be wrong.
"It's not possible. You would be dead. All those who came before you had died." Mari staired at Britton with those piercing green eyes. Those eyes had seen so much history, both read and experienced. Mari was a professor at Boston University School of Theology. Britton was a brilliant research student from Ireland.
Most history referred to it as "The Ark of the Covenant", but a folklore that was passed down Britton's family past (a decendant of the actient Gaelic family name of O Duhbda). His father swore by it, his father's father swore by it. But there was a problem. There was only one known written instance. The reference was to something called the "god box", not the Ark of the Covenant. Most had written it off as legend only. But not Britton. And now not Mari.
"It was as my father told me. Solid black as if it were made of obsidian. It had two deteriated pertrusions in the upper outside corners, which could be the hooks that rest upon the shafts that was used to carry it."
Mari stared in disbelief. As if some dream that he had been thrust into, he could not tell if he were awake or dreaming.
"And you found it where again?" Mari asked.
"In the church, in Boston. The Trinity Church in the Back Bay. It must have been Sir Thomason who had brought it over in 1886 from Ireland. The original church burned down in the Great Boston Fire of 1872."
Mari just stared. "How is it you are alive?'
"I don't know, but it was all so accidental. But I did look inside. There are a few other things in there, things that aren't documented. A rod is in there, a few stone tablets. But there's also several scrolls. Must be other accounts." Britton was bubbling with excitement. Mari could see the fluster and tried to calm him.
"Britton, it could be a fake. I mean, it would just be so odd that the Ark of the Coventant would be brought here by the Knights Templar when all the rest of the world would put it in exotic places like Ethiopia, France and Germany."
"But that's the beauty of it, Mari. Think about it; the rest of the world is looking everywhere else. No one is the wiser."
"Professor Scott will be looking. He is always on our heals, it would seem. He really apalls me. His sole purpose is to seek fame and money. I just pray to God that we find it before he does. Or hell on earth may be our payment for failure."
Britton began to describe the placement of the god box. It was in a cellar, which can only be accessed from behind the altar. A hidden dorr in the floor was partially obscured by the altar, which Britton had to move to gain full access.
What Britton and Mari didn't realize just yet is that Britton was special. He wasn't only the descendant of the spinners of the lore, but also of a long line of protectors of the Ark. This family blood line was blessed by God.
That would soon come in handy.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
God Box
I was walking down Hyman Avenue and just absent mindedly window shopping. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, just shopping, rather just looking.
My thoughts were actually back home in Texas. I was missing the opportunities that I had to spend the weekends with the kids. Not that I did that a whole lot but more than I get to from here.
Then all of a sudden something caught my eye. I wasn't sure just what it was, I stopped. I turned back and looked once again in the window that I had just passed by. What was it? Nothing stood out as I stood there staring in the window. What had caught my eye?
I turned to walk away, I took a few steps and once again that nagging feeling...that something that says, come back. Once again I stepped back in front of that same window and just stood there looking in.
Evidently the young clerk (and she was a cutie) noticed me. She stepped over to the door and asked me if she could help me in anyway.
"I'm not sure." I replied.
"Why don't you come inside and take a look around?" she ask. I just stood there for a moment are so, thinking. What is it that I'm seeing without being able to see it? This is not right, I'm confused. So after an awkward moment of silence, I looked at the young clerk and said "Okay."
The name of the place was The Talisman. Curious type of place, very much what you'd expect it to be. Lots of native Indian type stuff all over the place. Various goo gaos, different whatyamacallits, a real tourist trap type of a store.
I walked back outside after a few minutes of looking around. I was headed to the J-Bar to get my self some of the best hot wings in town. I made it almost to the corner of the block. Then I found myself back in front of the store once again. This is ridiculous I thought.
"What is it? This is driving me crazy." I said to myself.
Once again I stood looking in at the window. It was there all the time I just could not see it for looking at it.
I walked back inside and stepped over to the window, I closed my eyes and allowed my hand to move forward to the display that was there. It touched a small square box. The designs on it were so perfectly placed, so delicately done, so intriscately worked. The box was a work of art within itself. It seemed almost transluent yet at the same time as solid as a peice of crystal. I only wish that I had the proper words to describe it. They alude me.
I carried the box to the checkout counter and ask the gentleman there where the young lady was that had helped me earlier.
He looked at me strangely and then he asked me, "What young lady?"
"The dark haired young lady, she was maybe twenty-one are a little more. Very pretty. Maybe five foot eight."
"Did you catch her name?" he ask me. He still looked at me as if I weren't for real.
Then he looked down at what I held in my hand and after a few seconds a tear came to his eyes. "The God Box!" was all that he said as he pointed at my hand and then he really broke down.
I stood there in mute silence, I had no idea as to what I should say are ask. If anything.
After a couple of minutes he said, "I'm sorry. First of all there is no young lady that works here. There was a young lady, that started this store back, oh, fifty years ago. She just disappeared one day. Knowbody's seen her are heard from her since that day. That box in your hand has not been touched by anyone except me and then only to clean and dust it. She left a note however and it is over here for anyone to read and I think that you had better read it."
It said;
"I must go now, to a better place and time. There will be a man come by someday and he will pick up the box that I left in the window. He will not be able to walk away from it. He will have been a man who knew how god works. He will have only forgotten. The God Box will guide him to me and I shall respond. Do not sell him the box but rather give him the box. He will know what to do with it."
"That lady was my mother." he said. "She loved you and you never even knew it. Until today, nobody has seen her"
"What was her name?" I ask.
"I don't think that that matter's anymore. You have the box, treasure it with all of your being and always remember that you have been loved. You'll figure out who she was in due time." he turned and walked to the back of the store.
I turned and walked out of that store. A day does not go by but that I think about that young lady. I hold that box in my hands and give thanks unto God.
My thoughts were actually back home in Texas. I was missing the opportunities that I had to spend the weekends with the kids. Not that I did that a whole lot but more than I get to from here.
Then all of a sudden something caught my eye. I wasn't sure just what it was, I stopped. I turned back and looked once again in the window that I had just passed by. What was it? Nothing stood out as I stood there staring in the window. What had caught my eye?
I turned to walk away, I took a few steps and once again that nagging feeling...that something that says, come back. Once again I stepped back in front of that same window and just stood there looking in.
Evidently the young clerk (and she was a cutie) noticed me. She stepped over to the door and asked me if she could help me in anyway.
"I'm not sure." I replied.
"Why don't you come inside and take a look around?" she ask. I just stood there for a moment are so, thinking. What is it that I'm seeing without being able to see it? This is not right, I'm confused. So after an awkward moment of silence, I looked at the young clerk and said "Okay."
The name of the place was The Talisman. Curious type of place, very much what you'd expect it to be. Lots of native Indian type stuff all over the place. Various goo gaos, different whatyamacallits, a real tourist trap type of a store.
I walked back outside after a few minutes of looking around. I was headed to the J-Bar to get my self some of the best hot wings in town. I made it almost to the corner of the block. Then I found myself back in front of the store once again. This is ridiculous I thought.
"What is it? This is driving me crazy." I said to myself.
Once again I stood looking in at the window. It was there all the time I just could not see it for looking at it.
I walked back inside and stepped over to the window, I closed my eyes and allowed my hand to move forward to the display that was there. It touched a small square box. The designs on it were so perfectly placed, so delicately done, so intriscately worked. The box was a work of art within itself. It seemed almost transluent yet at the same time as solid as a peice of crystal. I only wish that I had the proper words to describe it. They alude me.
I carried the box to the checkout counter and ask the gentleman there where the young lady was that had helped me earlier.
He looked at me strangely and then he asked me, "What young lady?"
"The dark haired young lady, she was maybe twenty-one are a little more. Very pretty. Maybe five foot eight."
"Did you catch her name?" he ask me. He still looked at me as if I weren't for real.
Then he looked down at what I held in my hand and after a few seconds a tear came to his eyes. "The God Box!" was all that he said as he pointed at my hand and then he really broke down.
I stood there in mute silence, I had no idea as to what I should say are ask. If anything.
After a couple of minutes he said, "I'm sorry. First of all there is no young lady that works here. There was a young lady, that started this store back, oh, fifty years ago. She just disappeared one day. Knowbody's seen her are heard from her since that day. That box in your hand has not been touched by anyone except me and then only to clean and dust it. She left a note however and it is over here for anyone to read and I think that you had better read it."
It said;
"I must go now, to a better place and time. There will be a man come by someday and he will pick up the box that I left in the window. He will not be able to walk away from it. He will have been a man who knew how god works. He will have only forgotten. The God Box will guide him to me and I shall respond. Do not sell him the box but rather give him the box. He will know what to do with it."
"That lady was my mother." he said. "She loved you and you never even knew it. Until today, nobody has seen her"
"What was her name?" I ask.
"I don't think that that matter's anymore. You have the box, treasure it with all of your being and always remember that you have been loved. You'll figure out who she was in due time." he turned and walked to the back of the store.
I turned and walked out of that store. A day does not go by but that I think about that young lady. I hold that box in my hands and give thanks unto God.
Thursday, July 03, 2008
The Unseen Office
You've done it numerous times and probably never even given this a thought.
What is it that you've done?
You walk into a nice, beautiful hotel lobby...there's marble floors and great big leather chairs all around. Beautiful painting hanging on the walls, luxurious drapes hanging on the walls. Walls of beautiful dark woods with tables of various kinds setting in just the perfect spot. Then of course there's the desk clerk, just waiting to make you feel good about life.
Know what I mean?
Now, think of this...
There is (all be it nice) a warn carpet, warn from all the hundreds of people that have stood and walked across it. There's the ever present deposit boxes in the corner, ready for the next person to come on duty or get off, what ever be the case. There on the wall is where you can hang your coat or sweater or whatever pleases you. Then there's the always present door (or doors) that lead into the various other offices.
This is the desk behind the front desk, the front office, where your working computer sets at the ready. The ever present phone on the desk, the box of tissues, the computer monitor, the time clock, the clip boards of various types. Oh, yes there is a calender hanging on the wall also. Usually there is a printer or copier of some type also, you must always be able to make copies.
Shelves that have the books on how and what to do when something goes wrong. the ever present OSHA manuals (can not operate without them). Government, knows all about everything and anything at anytime...just ask them. Almost forgot, there usually is a mirror(somewhere close) to make sure you know how to smile and look good.
Oh, don't forget the office chair and the trash can, absolute must. The walls here are not as pretty as the ones out front in the main lobby. They are normally an off color of white or beige. They usually have some type of awards hanging instead of nice paintings. Notes, list, schedules, anything but nice relaxing pictures.
So, next time remember...that the person that greets you does NOT work in the beauty that you see in that lobby. It very rarely ever effects that person in anyway. His or her reality is very much removed from yours, at that particular time and place.
What is it that you've done?
You walk into a nice, beautiful hotel lobby...there's marble floors and great big leather chairs all around. Beautiful painting hanging on the walls, luxurious drapes hanging on the walls. Walls of beautiful dark woods with tables of various kinds setting in just the perfect spot. Then of course there's the desk clerk, just waiting to make you feel good about life.
Know what I mean?
Now, think of this...
There is (all be it nice) a warn carpet, warn from all the hundreds of people that have stood and walked across it. There's the ever present deposit boxes in the corner, ready for the next person to come on duty or get off, what ever be the case. There on the wall is where you can hang your coat or sweater or whatever pleases you. Then there's the always present door (or doors) that lead into the various other offices.
This is the desk behind the front desk, the front office, where your working computer sets at the ready. The ever present phone on the desk, the box of tissues, the computer monitor, the time clock, the clip boards of various types. Oh, yes there is a calender hanging on the wall also. Usually there is a printer or copier of some type also, you must always be able to make copies.
Shelves that have the books on how and what to do when something goes wrong. the ever present OSHA manuals (can not operate without them). Government, knows all about everything and anything at anytime...just ask them. Almost forgot, there usually is a mirror(somewhere close) to make sure you know how to smile and look good.
Oh, don't forget the office chair and the trash can, absolute must. The walls here are not as pretty as the ones out front in the main lobby. They are normally an off color of white or beige. They usually have some type of awards hanging instead of nice paintings. Notes, list, schedules, anything but nice relaxing pictures.
So, next time remember...that the person that greets you does NOT work in the beauty that you see in that lobby. It very rarely ever effects that person in anyway. His or her reality is very much removed from yours, at that particular time and place.
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