Saffron Amatti, author of the Lucas Rathbone Mysteries, threw down the gauntlet with a monthly writing prompt challenge. August’s challenge is “Send Your Characters to a Theme Park.”
While this may not come as a surprise, my crew were none to happy with me for agreeing to another #writingchallenge. They were downright cranky—so they changed the rules.
Marnie, Tom and Danny Break the Rules—Again!
“Well, Shari has done it to us again,” Marnie said with a roll of her eyes. “We have to choose a theme park for one of @saffron.amatti’s writing challenges.”
“Tchah! Not another one! Theme park? Boring!” Danny flopped into an Adirondack chair and ran a hand through his hair.
Tom scrunched up his face and scratched his forehead. “Does it have to be a theme park?”
With her bottom lip out and a quick shrug, Marnie read the post again. “That’s what it says, but since when do we follow the rules?” She raised an eyebrow and quirked up one corner of her mouth.
Tom sent a wink and a slow nod her way.
Danny rubbed his hands together. “Whitewater rafting it is!”
Later that day—Hudson River Gorge, Adirondack Mountains
Danny took a seat at the front of the raft, with Marnie in the middle and Tom at the back. The water at the top of Hudson Gorge rippled around small boulders jutting up from the bottom of the river.
“Okay, guys, Hudson River Gorge is 17 miles long. If we end up in Tapan Zee, we’ve gone too far.” Marnie giggled. “Say thanks to the Iroquoian and their predecessors for safe passage through the gorge.” She glanced up at the blue sky and gave thanks to the Native Americans who inhabited the region over 4,000 years ago.
Tom pushed them off the shore and jumped into the raft, settling into his seat. Danny expertly guided them around granite boulders to calm waters in the middle of the river.
“Everybody ready? Life vests secure?” Danny glanced back.
“Let’s go!” Marnie and Tom shouted in unison.
As they approached a fast-moving and rocky section of the river called The Narrows, a familiar uneasiness sparked goosebumps to rise on the back of Marnie’s neck and she turned to see a lone figure in a green kayak gaining on them. Tom followed her gaze and cursed. She nudged Danny in the back with her paddle, and then she turned to me with a scowl. The detective’s steely blue stare made me marginally uncomfortable, so I averted his eyes to their stalker.
“Geez! Can we have just one outing that doesn’t include an antagonist who wants us dead?!” Marnie shouted, her face contorted with anger.
I flashed her a wicked grin and said, “Hmm… No.”
Mwahaha!
As Marnie and the detectives recover from their daunting experience, I will drop them into another drama. That’s right! Fatal Vow, Marnie Reilly Mysteries #3, is in progress. I better get back to writing. Enjoy the rest of your week.
Cheers,
Shari