Esther Chilton

Sometimes it can be difficult to start a short story off. Perhaps the title won’t come, or the opening line just doesn’t flow. Or maybe that’s all going smoothly but you’re stuck after coming up with an eye-catching title and enticing opening. Here’s a beginning to help you (ok, it’s not exactly blistering but the alliteration wasn’t bad!) Hopefully it’ll get your creative juices flowing and spark off a short story idea or it may start you thinking about all the different directions the story could go in and so lead to something bigger. Enjoy 🙂

The Final Journey

I can’t stand this. This is the worst journey of my entire life. I think I’m going to be sick. I wind the car window down and feel the short, sharp blast of early morning air. That’s better. Stomach back under control. But I’m not. Now I’m going to cry.

I blink back the tears and look out the smeary window. A hint of blue tries its best to lighten the leaden-looking clouds. It doesn’t succeed. Cows graze on grass, their mouths moving slowly, oblivious to the pricks of rain patting their skin.

I look away and find my eyes locking with a pair of brown eyes, eyes that I have seen far too much of over the past fortnight. Sandy, as she insisted I call her, reaches across and takes my hand.

“It’s all right. Not long now,” she says.

I pull my hand away. But what if it isn’t all right? What if she’s wrong? What if it’s never all right ever again?

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