Places to Chat
Chatterbox: Inkwell
Ok, so I'm writing a story. Possibly a short story, or a series of stories! I'm not sure if this will turn out into anything definite or it could just be me rambling my ideas off :D So, Im thinking possibly yall could give me some feedback? If anyone was interested in it could be an RP... I dunno. Even if no one reads this, Ill at least have posted it! So, some plot thingies.
Whaleeee I've been thinking. I have these three character ideas that have been floating around in my head. Also disclaimer, this isn't going to be historically accurate. Writers creativity doncha know. Lets see...
A brief overview: A brother and sister live on a small ranch in the Wild West, that their father left the family when he died. On a neighboring farm, lives an eccentric troublemaker. These three ranchers are starkly different, however they have a close bond between each other and this is basically a written document of their shenanigans.
Conflict: Thats where y'all come in. If you like, you could give me some ideas to how the next installment plays out.
If anyone expresses interest in this I'll continue posting! Well, here's the start of it anyhow.
~~~~
On the wild New Mexico plains, there ain't a closer bond between a sister and a brother than is shared by Joan and Chet Mansfield.
It's not common for young kin to stay together these days, but that pair has been sticking it out since they knew how to walk. They share a special connection with each other almost as if they could read each other's thoughts. Both are the youngest of the Mansfield clan, and each of their three siblings have gone their own way. The eldest brother is a banker (who also supports their elderly mother), the second is a hardworking mother and the third is a small farmer out in Virginia, the family's homestead.
So, when their Father died and surprisingly left a ranch out in New Mexico for any of his children to fix up, Chet and Joan moved from Virginia without batting an eyelash. The cabin itself wasn't much. It held one living space and two bedrooms the size of a walk in closet. Well, since last Friday it's been two years since they moved in and both earned a respectable reputation. In those two years they made friends and unfortunately, enemies.
This particular Sunday evening, Joan stood leaning on the porch fence, blissfully gazing at the sun soaked scenery. The sun was lazily casting shadows upon the fir trees that dotted the landscape and Chet sat upon the porch and quietly whittled a piece of juniper. There was a sensitive calmness in the warm wind that drifted upon the sun baked ground. Joan sighed.
"Nice day, huh?" she said as she placed her hat on a peg nearby.
"Mighty nice," Chet drowsily murmured.
Another bout of silence followed but was soon broken by the clip clop of a horse approaching. The horse rider was a rugged, gaunt figure with short dark curly hair.
"Jed? Didn't expect to see you today," greeted Joan, sitting on a rocking chair. The tall man replied with his distinct loud voice, "Howdy Joan. Well, I came for your brother. Hay Chet, you wanna come to town with me?"
During this time Chet still sat whittling. He looked up. "Ain't you got work to do, Jed?"
"I finished up about an hour ago. Comeon boy! You aint got nothin better to do."
"Fine. Joan wanna come along?"
She smiled sarcastically, "I'm busy, thanks."
The two young men saddled up and rode off towards town. Joan knew Jed was a troublemaker, but he was as loyal as they come. Helped her and Chet fix up their dilapidated ranch, so he wasn't too bad. But for some reason, Joan held an uneasy feeling and felt like calling the men back. She murmured to herself, "Im sure its nothing."
If only she had stuck to her gut.
submitted by Tuxedo Kitten
(August 16, 2019 - 2:05 pm)
(August 16, 2019 - 2:05 pm)
Ooo exciting! I'm excited to see what happens next!
(August 16, 2019 - 3:02 pm)
Yay! Thanks for reading it Fleet :D
also-
*clears throat*
Writing is lit
but I may be bit
by the black pit
it holds a mit
I am good at rhyming *DABS* also top
(August 16, 2019 - 4:47 pm)
Ooh! This looks good. Keep going, I'll be reading.
WHOOPS edging on stalkery sounding, UM, keep going, I'll be watching - NO that's so much worse.
Y'KNOW WHAT JUST - tOP.
(August 17, 2019 - 9:15 am)
CHINCH *Flying tackle hug*
(August 17, 2019 - 9:48 am)
This is good so far!
(August 17, 2019 - 4:41 pm)
Thanks Chinch! Not creepy at all *nervous laughter*
Anyway, heres the next installment!
~~~
The air grew cooler as the sun dipped its sleepy head beneath the gray horizon. The two men rode slowly into the dusty town. Chet rhythmically nodded his head to the sturdy beat of hooves. His cool blue gaze swept doggedly around the grimy shops. The wooden walls glanced placidly back at him, their splintery foundation stood undaunted by the approaching night. Nodding to a friendly face, Jed deeply sighed. His dark hair was plastered to his sweaty forehead.
Both men looked austere with battered hats and young weather beaten faces. However, they both were strictly different in appearance. Jed was at least a head taller than Chet, and many would say he resembled Abraham Lincoln. He had a strong stubbled jaw and lanky body. However that’s where the similarity ended. Where Lincoln (many would speculate) was an upstanding and powerful leader, Jed was a tempermental rabble-rouser. With a loud countenance, he wasn’t hard to miss. On the other hand was Chet. Chet had a level headed demeanor, but that don’t mean he aint got no pride. He was a honorable and trustworthy friend, with dusty blond hair and a wide stubbled grin, many came to respect him.
As the men rode into town, they discussed where to go.
"Hotel dinner sure sounds good to me," mentioned Chet.
Jed glanced with raised eyebrows at Chet. "I was more thinkin the saloon."
"Jed," Chet replied while wagging a finger, "You remember what happened last time we went to the Saloon? Why, I almost got my hand blown off!"
"Well, Jim was cheatin you know. Joan agrees with me!" Jed laughed loudly, as was his tendency.
"Why don’t we just hold off a few days," groaned Chet, "Jim can hold a grudge a long while- now whats wrong the hotel?"
"Ahh, Jims outta town this week. Any way it’ll only be for a little while.''
With a relenting nod from Chet, they both arrived swiftly at Spencer's Saloon and sauntered past the swinging doors.
The dusky glow of lamps shone dimly against its blue stained wallpaper. A few tables and a bar was all that occupied the floor space. It was crowded for a Sunday night but everything was the same as it has always been. However a new face accompanied the other regulars that sat round a card table. This stranger was a huge strapping man, dressed in a freshly pressed black shirt and dark eyes peered at an empty bottle from bushy gray eyebrows.
The first thought that came to Chets mind was that this stranger resembled a squat legged badger. And, of course he verbalized this thought to Jed, who in reply guffawed as he leaned against the bar.
"Whale of a man, ain’t he? Is he hiding a sack of potatoes under that shirt of his?" They both laughed.
"Jed, you dont suppose he's a rancher?"
"Naw," Jed loudly remarked, "If he even tried to saddle a horse, it'd buckle right under him!" They both chuckled, then turned to the owner, Spencer, for a sandwich and some beer. Unbeknownst to them, the stranger had heard every comment they jokingly mentioned. This stranger wasn’t one to have his image kicked around by a bunch of two-bit cowboys and he aimed to make them eat their words. He slowly got up from the card game, and strode toward Jed and Chet. Each eye was upon those three men. The events that followed turned the town upside down.
(August 17, 2019 - 6:45 pm)
Oof. I was copying and pasting and didn’t read it over. I feel like it’s pretty spotty... I’m very lazy lol
(August 18, 2019 - 1:20 pm)
tip top
(August 21, 2019 - 9:52 am)