Wednesday's Words on a Friday

 

The original Words for Wednesday was begun by Delores and eventually taken over by a moveable feast of participants when Delores had computer troubles. Sadly, Delores has now closed her blog forever due to other problems.

The aim of the words is to encourage us to write. A story, a poem, whatever comes to mind.

If you are posting an entry on your own blog, please let us know so we can come along to read it and add a few encouraging words.

This month the words/prompts are supplied by ME and can be found right here.

This week's words/prompts are: 

1. amber 

2. alabaster 

3. bowlegged 

4. extensive 

5. seesaw 

6. kill 

and/or: 

1. lighthouse 

2. market 

3. cloudy 

4. pigeonhole 

5. goldmine 

6. mute 

Here is my story: 

Eric had good news for Khoral after seeing his friend who knew people in immigration. There was a place he could live where he would not be noticed much and no one would question why he was there or where he came from. "The old disused lighthouse on the edge of the bluff. The current tenant is an old man, an orphan with no family and he wishes to live somewhere warmer in his last days. I'll take you to meet him, you'll find his knowledge of lighthouses and ships is quite extensive."

They set off early next morning with Eric explaining to Khoral that Old Pete was bowlegged, from a condition suffered by many in the olden days, known as rickets, caused by a deficiency of vitamins, so the long bones are not strong enough and bend under the weight of the body. 

Old Pete was delighted to see them, he hadn't had anyone to talk to for quite a while. His amber eyes twinkled and he showed Eric and Khoral his little garden, "not much grows out here, so close to the sea, but planting helps to kill the time" then he took them inside. Next to the front door was a set of small boxes, "pigeonholes we call these, I used to use them for mail that needs to be sent and for storing candles in case the power went out. Hardly any need for candles these days. He showed them his pride and joy, an old fashioned alabaster lampshade that had once belonged to his grandmother. It gives off a lovely soft glow," Pete said. "On cloudy days I sit here beside it and read to pass the time. My latest passion is goldmines, I like to dream about adventuring."

Khoral wondered about the light part of the lighthouse, "does it still work and would I have to operate it?" "No," said Old Pete. "Shipping companies don't need lighthouses anymore, they have much more sophisticated ways of navigating treacherous waters these days." They went up the winding staircase and had a look at the great light anyway, marvelling at the view from the height. "Look over towards the south, you can just see the edge of town where the market is, if you want to buy groceries there it's about an hour to walk and if the weather is going to be bad it's a good idea to buy extra so you don't have to walk through a storm just to get some milk," said Pete. "the girl who runs the bakery stall is mute, no one knows why, but just so you know, if you speak and she doesn't answer."

Pete made them all a cup of tea and explained a few more quirks that come with living in a lighthouse, the Khoral said he would be very happy to have somewhere to live where he could see land and sea every day. "But where will you go Pete?" he asked. "I'm moving into a small room in the home run by the church," said Pete. "The nuns will look after me and I'll have my adventuring books to read and dream of goldmining."