Fictionista Workshop - WitFit December Prompts

December 13, 2009 (www(dot)fictionistaworkshop(dot)com/witfit/2009-12-13/)

Word Challenge: Inadequate

Live Challenge: Open . Take ten seconds to scan the page; pick an article. Write a story, poem, or drabble about your character being involved in that issue.

Creative Original or Derivative: Derivative (Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer)

Disclaimer: All copyright, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners.

Rating/Warning(s): K

Genre: General

"Up to 2 feet of fresh snow is expected to fall in the northwest of the country today," said the dreary voice of the news reporter, "this will mean there will be inadequate conditions for any transport on the roads or rail today, and you are only advised to go outside if there is an emergency. Services like power, water and phone may fail at anytime, and around 50,000 homes in Oregon, Washington and Idaho are already without these services."

"I guess this means that the kids won't be able to make it home for Christmas then, Billy," I swivelled in my chair and frowned at the small gathering in the living room. Billy, Sue, Seth and Leah were here for the annual Christmas dinner, and the kids had promised they would make it this evening and stay for the night. Billy nodded distractedly, and faced the TV again, looking at the overhead images of some snow-covered town.

The phone rang, and I stood up to answer, but Sue rushed to get it. Sue and I had moved in together over a year ago now, but it was still hard to get used to four people suddenly living together.

Since I was standing up anyway, I went into the kitchen to get the boys a beer, and when I came into the living room again, Sue was whispering something into Billy's ear. I figured it was something to do with my need-to-know policy, so I just ignored her.

Every TV channel at the moment was displaying images of wrecked houses and iced-over lakes. It was the most major storm in over a decade, but couldn't there be anything more exiting or happy on at Christmas Eve?

I heard a knock at the door, and my heart rate picked up, thinking it could be the kids, but there was no way they could have come through that storm and got here in one piece, could they? I was expecting the pizza delivery, anyway. Thank goodness they were still running tonight, no pizza would have definitely been an emergency.

I gathered my wallet from the side table in the hall – at least Sue let me get the door this time. When I opened the door however, I was met by the most surprising sight.

There was the other half of my family, smiling at me with suitcases, groceries and pizza in hand. My face must have been a picture of confusion and delight, because Bella came up to be and gave me a huge hug.

"Merry Christmas, Dad!" She said, kissing my cheek, and smiling back at me. I grabbed her in another tight hug.

"Not gonna let us in, Charlie?" Jacob asked, a smile in his voice.

"Oh, of course, get out of the cold all of you," I said, marshalling everybody in. My granddaughter was the last one, and I looked at her in amazement. She already looked as old as Bella, when last Christmas she was in the awkward teenager stage.

Everyone converged in the living room, and I was the last one in. There was everyone, my whole family. Seth, Leah, and Jacob jumping on the pizzas that Edward was putting on the table. Bella greeting Sue and marvelling at the engagement ring I had put on her finger. Nessie holding onto Jacob's hand and sitting on the couch with him. I went over to the TV and turned it off, chucked another block of wood onto the fire, and sat next to Sue. I looked again, smiling upon my bantering family.

www(dot)cnn(dot)/index - Wintry storm causing havoc, churning toward Northeast. Let's just pretend it's in the northwest, shall we?