One hour draft
I’ve started listening to ‘Start With This’ a podcast put out by Jeffrey Cranor and Joseph Fink (Welcome to Night Vale) and they give you assignments.
The first episode is ‘Idea to Execution’ and the first assignment was to pick an idea you’ve had, spend an hour working on it. That’s your first draft at that idea. And then you put it out into the world.
So one hour first draft of a story I’ve mainly just mulling around on.
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As the approached the gates her grandfather stopped the car, "We'll walk from here."
Beyond the ornate gates of black metal all Emily could see was a narrow dirt path.
The driver slowed to a stop and as he stared agape at the path, her grandfather opened his own door and got out. "Wait in the village. I'll send for you when Emily is settled in."
Emily dragged her suitcases from the backseat to the gate. Had she known they would be walking all that way she would have packed less.
"Are you sure?" The driver paled at the idea of letting an elderly man and young girl struggle to carry her bags alone for such a distance. "I can--"
Her grandfather held up a hand and the driver fell silent, "It will be okay. It's not nearly as far as it looks."
They awaited until the car curved around the bend in the woods before her grandfather gave Emily a wide smile and wink, "Now then. Give the gate your acceptance letter or it will be a long look."
"My letter?"
Emily thought perhaps it was one of her grandfather's little pranks. Like finding a toy frog in her teapot or when he pulls a something out silly from behind her ear. He had the same sort of twinkle in his eyes but she couldn't be sure.
She opened her messenger bag and pulled out the letter. The parchment had been sealed with wax and addressed to her special. The looping letters spelling out her name and grandparent's address.
Running her fingers over the words she sighed. If there was a prank there was nothing to do but wait to see what happened.
Leaving the suitcases she held out her acceptance letter.
Chimes drifted across the estate and the gates opened before them.
Emily stepped back, not believing what she was seeing. Instead of the empty manicured lawn and dirt path, the school loomed over them.
Ivy covered the red brick walls and in the windows she could just make out people.
"Set your bags down just inside the gate here, dear." Her grandfather tapped the cobblestone passed the boarder with his cane.
"Yes, grandfather!" She squeaked. Emily had forgotten all about her stuff, too distracted by a building appearing out of thin air.
She dragged each case one by one while wishing she'd brought fewer of her favourite things, to just beyond the boarder wall. Placing the last one down she sighed with relief and leaned on the pile.
"Pardon me, young miss. We'll get that for you."
Emily jumped back as the bags began to float up. Her hair and skirt swirled as her bags zipped away on the wind.
As she stared after her luggage her grandfather laughed. "I should have warned you, but I doubt you would have believed me. Most people don't believe in wind spirits these days. Don't worry, they'll take your things to your dorm."
She was a firm believer in science not fairy tales but it was hard to discount what she'd just seen. Or didn't just see, Emily considered to herself. After all she hadn't seen anything.
"What kind of place is this, Grandfather?"
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