Written in 20 minutes, with the Carrizozo Writers
and never even got around to the prompt?
James Thomas never had liked Mrs Ramsdale. Not since he had had her for freshman English in high school. Imagine his dismay, all these years later when he found out that she had bought the house next door to him and Linda.
The worst part of the situation though was that she had recognized him, right away, and she wanted to be friends. She would knock on the front door and invite them for barbecues. Of course, he would have to rung the barbecues, because she was too old and decrepit to run herself. The first time they went over she had put the burgers on at three o’clock and by the time James and Linda arrived there had been nothing left of them. Linda had gone home and brought back left-over tuna casserole and potato salad so they all had something to eat. From that time onward, whenever Mrs Ramsdale would invite them for dinner, James would always claim a previous engagement and duck out of it .If Linda answered the door, however, she would usually counter offer, and invite the elderly teacher to their home instead. Mrs Ramsdale always accepted.
It was during the course of one such evening that they were seated around the Thomas’ table when old Mrs Ramsdale mentioned the Lost Dutchman Mine. “I know where it is now.” She said.
James laughed, “That is nothing more than an old story, Mrs Ramsdale,” he said. “There is no Lost Dutchman Mine, at least not in the hills around these parts.”
Linda cocked her head, paying attention.
Mrs Ramsdale only grinned, “Of course there is, James. I could take you there if I wasn’t so old. Don’t you remember when you were in my class? I talked about treasure hunting. I’ve been studying this forever.”
“Well, if you know where it is, but can’t get there, what good is that?” James snickered.
“I can tell you how to get there and we can split the treasure when you retrieve it.”
Immediately, James began working the angles. If she wasn’t full of shit, he could retrieve the gold and never let on. She would be dead soon enough anyway. The entire treasure could be his…
The prompts:
- I waved
- trees dripping rain
tnkerr-Writing Prompts and Practice 