Today’s writing prompt and my response.
Day three of this week’s challenge and it’s a picture prompt today.
The story starts here.
A nursery rhyme boot … picture prompt
It was the attempt at the neatly combed hair that worked on Dirk’s sympathy. He leaned down, catching a whiff of unwashed body.
‘What’s happened here? What’s going on?’
Hilary closed her eyes, opened them. ‘The curtains.’
‘Curtains?’
Her eyes implored him. ‘Get me out of here? Please?’
Poor woman. She didn’t appear crazy, despite the curtains. Dirk held out his hand and helped her up. ‘I’m booked into a hotel not too far away. Come on.’
She wobbled, leaned her hand against the wall.
‘How long since you ate?’
‘Can’t remember.’
Breathing through his mouth, Dirk wrapped an arm around Hilary’s bulky coat and supported her back along the high street, down the alleyway to the carpark. The car was still there, something he hadn’t been certain about.
Easing Hilary into the passenger seat, he tried Google again to find the way to the hotel. Google maintained her obstinacy, advising Dirk to do a U turn at the earliest opportunity.
‘Too late now,’ he muttered. He turned to Hilary. ‘The Boot Country Inn. Do you know it?’
Her head leaned against the window, her eyes were closed, but she nodded. ‘Yes, turn left out of the car park and just keep driving. There’s a sign on the main road, about 4 miles.’
‘Thanks.’ Dirk pressed the ignition, again thankful the car started. There was weirdness in the air here and who knew what and who it affected. He hoped he hadn’t been here too long himself.
Some four miles on, he found the sign. Not as spruce as it looked on the internet. He turned down the track and drove on, surprised at how rutted the road was. More misgivings. What was this place going to be like?
He soon found out. Ahead of him, standing by itself on a wide green field, stood a massive, house-sized boot, with a steep roof, a balcony and a smoking tin chimney. His mind immediately recited, there was an old woman who lived in a shoe. No sign of kids, he was grateful to see. Behind the boot, steep grey cliffs rose.
‘Is this it?’ he asked Hilary.
She stared out the window. ‘Are the curtains closed?’
Read part four here.
[PS Read a bit of nonsense based on the nursery rhyme here.]
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