This prompt was a first and last line prompt. The very first and last seemingly unrelated lines were given and the author has to fill in the blanks. I was given the following lines: He woke up in the dark, his feet were cold. & The hot air balloons were still visible in the distance.
Below is the short: (and be warned, this one might be continued. I'm liking how this one is panning out.)
He woke up in the dark, his feet were cold. The tapping on his camper door sounded again, and he realized that was what had woken him up. Then he heard his sister’s voice, “Jeff, you awake yet? We need to get the balloon ready for the dawn patrol.”
He groaned as he climbed out of his bed and opened the camper door. Cindy stepped in carrying two large, steaming, cups. “Please tell me that’s coffee,” he finally managed as he reached for one.
“Hot and black, just like you like it,” she replied. “Hurry up and get ready, it’s four thirty now, and we need the balloon ready for inflation by about five thirty. After the morning events, we will have a break until the evening events start up again.”
“Thanks, Cindy. I’ll be right out.” He smiled at her over the rim of his cup. “Just let me get some more clothes on. You didn’t tell me it would be this cold here. I might have to see if the heater in this thing works at all.” He shivered a little in the cool morning air. “I didn’t think New Mexico would really be this cold.”
“Well you didn’t have to bring it, Danny would have paid for your motel room if you’d wanted it,” she replied. “I don’t know why you towed this thing all the way out here anyway.”
Well crap, might as well tell her now. “Well I was going to save this until the end, but I’m not going back home. I’ve got a job offer here in Albuquerque, and I’m staying after the end of the Fiesta. I brought the trailer so I’d have a place to stay until my house sells back home.”
“What!” Cindy almost screamed. “And you’re just telling me now? How could you!”
“Cindy, calm down. I was going to wait until the last day of the Fiesta and just not go home with you. I knew you’d react like this. Let me finish getting dressed and we can talk as we get the balloon ready.” He almost pushed her out the door before grabbing a jacket from the tiny closet.
Jeff realized that he would need to buy some warmer clothes. His southern California clothing just wasn’t going to work in high desert of New Mexico.
He’d agreed to help his sister and her husband with their hot air balloon during the Albuquerque Fiesta because he’d already planned to move here after the betrayal of his ex-boyfriend. He wanted a fresh start and a new state to put distance between himself and Mike.
****
The dawn patrol was the early bird set of balloons to launch. The main group would launch later in the morning after sunrise. Jeff never understood why Danny loved to be a part of the dawn patrol when it was only about an hour or so later that the rest of the balloons would launch. But here he was in the almost freezing cold—well freezing to a southern California beach lover—helping launch a balloon in the dark.
After they launched the balloons, he didn’t have anything to do except wait near their on ground equipment for the balloon’s return. He wasn’t and official member of their chase crew, just an extra ground hand.
As he was sitting in one of the folding camp chair watching the sun rise and the balloons all around prepare for the main lift off he heard a voice behind him.
“Pretty isn’t it? I love this time of year when all the balloons show up.”
“Yeah, it’s nice,” Jeff replied while trying to stifle his yawn.
“I’m Alex, I work for one of the local radio stations here. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”
"Hi, Alex. Have a seat, and watch the morning show with me." Jeff gestured to the extra camp chairs around him, and watched as the handsome man grabbed the chair beside him."I'm Jeff, this is my first year here with my sister and brother-in-law's balloon."
"Nice to meet you, Jeff."
As they chatted, the hot air balloons were still visible in the distance.
(to be continued)
Anyway I'll have to add more to this one. I really like the way the ideas are flowing through my head on this one.
I do have a favor to ask though. If anyone is interested in participating, feel free to post two unrelated sentences, and I'll try and connect the dots into a story.
