Skip to main content

The Mental Ward - Missing Egypt (24)


     Emery was halfway down the hall before she realized Beth hadn't followed her.  The white-clad little girl stood stolidly where Emery had left her.
      "Come on, Beth!" Emery called.
     Beth didn't move.  "They're not going to let me leave."
     A pang hit Emery's heart.  "I know."
     "They're going to come at me with their tubes and their needles."  Beth's voice rose.  "They're going to put me back in the Box."  She grasped her hair with both fists.  "I don't want to go back in the Box!"
      Emery ran back and grabbed Beth's shoulders.  "Don't panic, Beth.  It's going to be okay.  I'll get you out of here.  Don't forget what's already happened -- remember?  You are already freer than you have been in a long time."
      Beth whimpered.  "I need IT.  IT was the only way I was strong enough to fight them."
     Emery shook Beth's shoulders.  "No, you don't need IT.  Look where IT put you.  You need the One who is stronger than it.  Remember?  You are as forgetful as the children of Israel!"
     Beth peeked up at Emery.  "As who?"
     "Never mind.  I'll tell you that story later.  Come on -- let's get out of here."  Emery led the way down the hall and this time Beth followed.
     "But what if we can't get out?" Beth murmured.
     "Hush.  We'll get out.  I have a plan."  Emery hurried into the office, dropped to the floor in front of the desk, and pulled aside the sheet.  Hidden underneath was the control box.  "With this box, we can open and close doors, lock and unlock elevators."
      Beth dropped beside her.  "I know." She pointed at a switch.  "That's the Box."
      Quickly, Emery looked over the control panel box, making a path in her mind as she surveyed the switches and knobs.
      "Okay, Beth, I need you to be very quiet for a minute.  I'm going to make a call..."

Labels:

Comments

  1. JessicaNovember 11, 2015 at 5:37 PM

    Oh, what's going to happen next! I hope they make it out... I have a lot of sympathy for Emery and Beth.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownNovember 12, 2015 at 6:42 AM

    Me too!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

More Snippets from Snow White Rose Red

    One of the shadows moved.   “Were you just going to chuck it in there with no thought for the poor folks on the other side?”   Flip’s voice drawled out.   It was a deep voice and it made my heart skip a beat.      He moved away from the trees and came to stand in front of me.   “Some hard-working fellow is plowing his field and then – whop!   Out of nowhere, a poisoned apple flies out and hits him upside the head.”   He clucked his tongue reproachfully.
1 comment
Read more

A Short Story Break

via Pinterest     It has been a while since I penned a short story.  Usually it takes something like a "short story contest" to inspire me.  But I have noticed my writing skills improve with each contest so there is something to be said for writing short stories.      I say all this to lead into the fact that I am going to try another short story.  There is no contest looming on the horizon, but it has been so long that I think I am due to write a short piece.  Life cannot be entirely devoted to novel-length plots...      I am rolling around different ideas in my head.  There is no one to give me the first three words or a picture to base my story on.  There are no restrictions, no props, and no judges.      Methinks I will try something that is both epic and ordinary...something I have seen before.  After all, personal experience, great things, and the expression of the ordinary are part of what makes a story. 
2 comments
Read more

The Countdown: Eight Days

Eight days.  Do you know what that means?  Barely over a week.  Tomorrow will be one week from the announcement date. Are you excited? I am. So, today, I want to talk to those who wrote something for the contest, whether or not you entered it in the end. What made you start writing your story?  What was the first inkling of an idea that tickled your brain?  What was it that you liked about your premise?  As you wrote, did you have a favorite character or a favorite scene?  And are you glad you wrote it down?  Do you feel like you learned and grew in your ability as a writer as you tried out things for this contest? And, if your story isn't included in this year's Rooglewood anthology (either because you didn't submit it or because it didn't fit with the other four stories selected), what will you do with it?  Will you market it elsewhere?  Or will you lock it away in a drawer?
20 comments
Read more