Below is the challenge results for Wednesday, May 25, 2005. Challenge: Write a poem or short story (500 words or less) about betrayal, where the main character is a widow, the key objects are a locket and a picture, and the place is a train station. Written By: © Litha Sonner Today was the day. She had her bags packed and was anxiously waiting for the cab to arrive. Finally, she hears a knock at the door. She felt her heart beating more rapidly now. She opened the door and handed her bags to the cab driver. Looking back into the house, she walked out and began to close the door. Suddenly she remembered something. She walked over to the small table at the end of the sofa and slowly picked up a gold locket. She placed it in her coat pocket as she walked out the door. When she arrived at the train station she only had a few moments to board the train before its departure. She found an empty compartment and put her bags away. She sat back in her seat trying her best to relax and praying that no one else would sit near her. She was not in a talking mood today. She reached in her pocket and pulled out the locket. She seemed hesitant at first but she finally opened it to reveal the picture inside. A single tear began to run down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away. She remembered how much she still loved him. Constantly asking herself, "How could he have done this to me… to us?" In her eyes there could not have been any problem so large that ending his life would fix. So why did he do it? He left no note or explanation. She felt so betrayed. Written By: © T.M. Park The Mattress Jamie sauntered into the studio, checking her camera to make sure it was ready to take pictures of the subject of her interview. Surveying the room, she noticed the painter's unusual canvas. She had never seen anything like it except for the 3D artwork that a street painter had done of a helicopter a few months ago. "Oh good, you're here," the painter came into the studio from a side room. "You warned me I wouldn't believe you unless I came and saw for myself." she replied as she looked over the various creations the painter had done. She stopped in front of one that caught her eye and lifted her camera to take a picture. Stopping herself, she turned to the painter and asked, "May I?". Not waiting for his answer she turned back and took the shot. "What do you call this one?" she asked as she lowered the camera, still focused on the art before her. It was a painting of the ocean with the sun setting in the background as a male and female walked along the shoreline. "I call each piece `The Mattress’, leaving the interpretation of each piece up to the individual who sees it." the painter replied. "What would you call it?" he turned the tables on her. "Perfection." she whispered. She turned her focus on interviewing the painter and took a few pictures of him next to the mattress before going on her way, certain that someday, she’d see that mattress again. Written By: © ~ShelDreams~ Sitting on a bench, I see her waiting at the train station. A new day, a new life. Waiting for her destiny to arrive. She takes out an antique locket, looks at the picture inside, And a look of dejection mixes with the hope in her eyes. Her husband's gone, never to return, gone to that place for the dead. He will live forever in her heart, but today is the time to start anew. Written By: © T.M. Park After the reading of her husband’s will, the widow sat at the train station with a folder in her hand awaiting the arrival of a family. She had been afraid to read what was in the folder at first. Afraid of what it said. But after she read it, she knew that the life she thought she had lived for all those years was filled with lies and betrayal. She opened the locket that her lawyer had given her. The locket contained a picture of her husband’s betrayal - the family she had always wanted but could never have. Written By: © Kimberly Ann       Sitting alone in the corner of the train station softly weeping gazing longingly at the locket her husband had given her on their last anniversary, it held a picture of them kissing.       Katherine came through the front door finding her husband and best friend lying on the floor in pools of their own blood. She ran to the phone and called 911. She knelt down next to her husband looking for any signs of life. She reached to find a pulse when she heard a gurgling sound from behind her. She turned as quickly as she could still being on her knees. Kim laid there looking at her with such hate. Kim tried to say something but Katherine couldn't make it out. She leaned over her so her ear was close to Kim's mouth. Then she spoke again Katherine could barely understand what she was trying so desperately to tell her. With her dying breath Kim made Katherine understand. "If I cannot have him than neither can you."       Katherine just stared down at her now lifeless friend with such heart breaking betrayal. Kim had been closer than any of her sisters she had bee her kindred spirit since before grad school. When had she turned against her, how long had this been going on? The sirens now stopped in front of her house she stood up and ran to the door flinging it open. That was the last thing she remembered before she woke up inside the ambulance. There was a detective there with her and as soon as she opened her eyes he started asking her questions. She took him step by step through everything that had happened from the time she walked in her front door to the time she fell out of it. She must have hit her head on the way down ' cause it was throbbing now.       The hospital had kept her over night for observation. That next morning the detective from the ambulance stopped by and told her that they had went over her house with a fine tooth comb and found nothing to contradict her story and when they had went to Kim's house the basement had photos of Katherine and her husband all over and a very disturbing diary. It had Kim's confession in it. Now Katherine could do what ever she needed to the case was closed.       Katherine walked back over the threshold and looked in at the blood stained carpet and knew she could not stay here so she packed up her clothes and her most precious items and left for the train station. Her sister lived in the next town over she would stay with her until Katherine could get everything straightened up.       There she sat alone in the corner of the train station softly weeping lovingly gazing at her beloved in the locket he'd given her on their last anniversary waiting on her train. Written By © Kanoa My dear daughter Dream of your future What will it be? After you ride on Daddy’s knee? You speak of being a painter Maybe a pilot in a helicopter A teacher, a doctor An astronaut, an actor I’ve watched you jump and dance on your mattress In that lovely white dress You could be a beautiful ballerina Proof is on my camera Written By © Genta Hughes Watching from Above      He could not believe that he was going to do this. Jay was an expert at this but seeing what he toke and whom he toke it from made his heart work. He was a thief by night and an appraiser by day. He knew the value of the locket the widow was wearing. Her husband had brought it in two years ago. He wanted to sell it for extra money. Times were tight and he had accumulated some medical bills. The man stated he did not have long to live. He wanted to leave his wife in a comfortable position. Jay was astonished at the price of such a simple locket. It was a turn of the century locket. It was kept in very excellent condition. He had under priced it on purpose and had all intentions of making a profit for himself. But something had stopped him. He considered that it might be his conscience but thought otherwise. He remembered opening the locket and seeing the picture of the husband and the wife. He knew what he had to do.      Jay glanced around the train station. It was unusually slow for a Friday. He sighed as he realized things never go as planned. Then he noticed her at she tugged her luggage through the terminal. He had found out that her husband had passed away two months ago. She was moving to live with her daughter. She had sold most of the items though auction. She had kept many personal items. He caressed the velvet box and knew there was one more thing she needed before she left. He walked across the station and stopped a few inches away from her. He inched closer and slipped the box into her bag. He turned and hastily moved out of the train station.      Linda sat on the train. She realized this was a new beginning. She was going to leave with Stephanie. Stephanie had found love a little later in life than she had. She was going to help with the children and to have companionship with Stephanie. Linda reached in her bag for the book she had picked up to read along the way. She was caught off guard but the velvet she felt. She pulled out the velvet box and was astounded. She had not packed it. She begin to panic that may be it fell into her bag by mistake. She could not resist temptation and opened the box. Tears came to her eyes when she noticed the locket. It was given to her by the one man that loved her. She noticed the note and read it carefully. Her hand instinctively went to her mouth. She laid the note to one side and picked up her locket. She opened and saw him.      The letter simply stated: I return this to the rightful owner. I attempted a betrayal and now I need to set it straight. It was unsigned but Linda knew it was a sign from him. Even from above, he would always be with her… Return to the Writing Challenges Main Page The entire contents of this site is copyrighted. Please do not use it without prior permission from the owner or author.