I've decided to give you a sample of my writing. I found this under "Your Weekly Writing Prompt" from Writer's Digest Week in Review Sept. 28, 2013. I normally don't participate in the writing prompts but this one interested me.
At an old bookstore, you find a book that helps you interpret your dreams. But something is strange about it. You fall asleep reading the book, and find yourself in a dream that you cannot wake up from. What is it? And how will you snap back to reality?
Strange enough, I had a dream like this once when I was a child. I was able to wake up, but I kept falling back to sleep and right back into the dream. I knew it was a dream, but I couldn't wake up! I remember trying to open my eyes, but I couldn't. I do not remember how I finally got myself to wake up, but I'll let my imagination take over with the retelling from an adult POV:
Just in time for Halloween and the Dracula series premiere! I wanted to give you an idea of how I can spin a tale. As I mentioned above, my inspiration was from a childhood nightmare. The most challenging part for me was figuring out how to wake from the dream. After a few days of sitting on it, I figured out that a body of water was the key, something that would show her that she was dreaming and showed the way out, thus I created the fountain. I decided to use past tense for her conscious parts and present tense for the dream. I would love to describe the bookstore with more detail, but we were only allowed a maximum of 500 words.
Autumn leaves crunched under my feet as I entered an old bookstore. A bell on the door announced my arrival. The scent of old books and a couple of gray cats greeted me before the wizened shopkeeper did. He directed me to a miscellaneous section of used books. In perusing the selection, I was able to find what I had been looking for: A Guide to Interpret Dreams. The book was an old, brown hardcover with black embossed lettering on the spine and yellowed pages. I paid for my purchase and gave a farewell pat to the cats before I left.
When I got home, I changed into my pajamas and sat down in my favorite reading chair. I held the book in my hands, studying the cover. I had been having a reoccurring dream as of late, where I am alone on a dark night. The only thing I could remember about the place was a courtyard with a stone fountain. As I opened the book, I wondered if it would provide me with answers. After reading a few pages about symbolism, I began to feel drowsy . . .
I find myself in the dark of night, in the courtyard of my dream, wearing only a white gown. I suddenly sense that I am no longer alone. I am frightened because I know a man is looking for me and what he wants from me. His seductive lure beckons me. I cannot escape him. Out of the darkness, he emerges. His pale skin is a sharp contrast to his midnight black hair and cloak. He takes a step towards me. I back away into a hard stone surface. I look behind me to discover it is the fountain. I look into the water and I suddenly see myself asleep in my home with the dream book.
It's only a dream! I tell myself.
I attempt to open my eyes, but they feel as though they are glued shut! I look back at my pursuer who is closing in faster than humanly possible. Was he not just ten feet away? He is right in front of me! I will not run. That will only entice the hunter in him. Besides, I have nowhere to go. He will catch me before I can take one step. If flight is out of the question, the other option is to confront him.
"Why are you keeping me here?!" I demand.
He smiles and I can see the hint of a fang glinting in the moonlight.
I attempt to open my eyes again, but I cannot. No, there’s another way.
He reaches out to touch me. I tumble backwards into the fountain.
I woke up in my chair, with the dream book in my hands. I went to the bathroom to splash water on my face. As I stood in front of the mirror, I discovered two small puncture wounds on my neck!
Happy Halloween!
Veronica
