Stepping Out

Posted on May 14, 2016 by treshabarger

Story #14 for Story A Day Challenge May 2016 and double duty as Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Shoes or Feet.

Dancing the night away

Stepping Out

“Shh, here she comes.” Running Shoes were hoping she would choose them. They loved the dirt trails, the singing birds, the sound of the waves lapping up against the lakeshore. “What time is it? Does anyone know what time of day it is?” Running Shoes knew she liked them best early in the morning.

“Shut up!” Hikers whispered. “We will all know at the same time where she is going. Just let her be.”

“No, we want to go!” Running Shoes inched closer to her feet, at the bottom of the closet. She stumbled over them, picked them up (Ha Ha Ha, Running Shoes stuck out their tongues at Hikers), took a few steps, put them down.

But she didn’t put them on.

They saw her select blue jeans and a purple shirt. “Guess she’s not going running. Or hiking,” Hikers sighed, disappointed.

They heard her humming. “Oh, you know what that means,” Boots gloated. “We are stepping out tonight! We will be the life of the party. Woo-hoo! Y’all have a good time while we are gone!”

Boots reached out and kicked the door closed as they were leaving.

“It’s dark in here,” Running Shoes complained.

“It’s a closet,” Hikers said. “Get used to it.”
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Head Shot: Black & White

Posted on May 8, 2016 by treshabarger

Story #07 for Story A Day Challenge May 2016 as well as Cee’s Black & White Challenge.

Head (Gull) B&Ws

Head Shot

“You’re packing? Where are you going?”

“Hollywood.” Stuart avoided looking at his father in the eye.

“Hollywood? What the heck is in Hollywood? So all of a sudden the fish in New York aren’t good enough for you?”

“It’s not that, Dad. I’m going to audition for a movie. A starring role. I’ll be famous.”

“What kind of movie has a seagull as a starring role? Are you sure this isn’t just some kind of trick someone is playing on you?”

“This isn’t a trick. The movie is based on the book Jonathan Livingston Seagull. A new wave of interest in the story grew after the publishers reissued the book in 2014. I’m going to audition for the role of Jonathan. Look, I got my portfolio ready.”

“Stuart, have you even read that book? Do you know the hardships Jonathan endured?”

“I can do this.” Stuart hopped up on the railing. “Dad, I gotta go. The wind is due to change any minute now and I have to catch the upper draft going west. Bye. I’ll call you when I get there.”

Stuart’s father stared in disbelief as his son took off, suitcase dangling from his feet. “Stuart! Stuart! You can’t be Jonathan Livingston Seagull. You’re afraid of heights!”
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Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Heads or Facial Features