Struggling Writers discussion

Welcome to the Struggling Writers group story!

Here's how to play:

1. Make sure you READ the story. If you're going to contribute, it'll be 10x easier to play if you read the previous posts before you to catch up.

2. Read the post before you. Read what the previous post added on to the story so you know where to continue!

3. Add your own few sentences! Add on to the story!

Rules:

*No erotica or foul language in the story!

*Try to stay on track. Yes, you can add plot twists and all, but, for example, if the character is on the way to a baseball game, don't all of a sudden start your piece off saying that she's in a swamp.

*Only write 4-5 sentences per post. :)

*You can post and add on as many times as you want!

*Try to start & end with ellipses (which are the "..."s). For example: Lizzy turned the corner and saw...

So I'll start off:

It was cold and dreary as Parker walked down the street, clutching her messenger bag to her chest. The wind whipped and howled around her, tossing her auburn hair around her shoulders. Ducking her head, Parker turned onto Webber Avenue and bumped right into...

...the young man from her dream last night. He was a perfect copy, though she had never seen him before, and he was even dressed in the same clothes...

"Ah, here you are, I had visions of the wind distributing my novel across
town". "I'm Tom by the way,
let me help you with the bag, how did the edit go? Looks like we're in for a wild one". and he ushered her into the building, "My office is on the first floor, only two flights", and he grinned, a shy though playful grin seeing her for the first time, her wind hidden face now unobscured by waving hair.
"The edits are coming along, a number of questions ..... Oh, I'm Parker, which you've guessed, very pleased to meet you at long last" and she offered her hand, just as they reached the door to his office....

...But the look on Parker's face was still impossibly confused. "Wait, what's going on?"

The man turned to her, his eyes glinting, and said...

"I'm a private detective Parker, and a good one. I am also a writer, writing is my first love, until I have the scent of a worthwhile case. Neither of my professions are just 'bread and butter", he explained, continuing,
"What did you think, that I'm a sleaze who lured you up here, under false pretences?

..."No," Parker hesitated, glancing at her watch and then the storm raging outside. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I have to go..."

"The storm, of course, ah well" he considered, finishing by lifting the telephone and dialling just as another trashcan made its way along the street and he had to shout.
"Could I have a cab its 'WebberLies' detective agency in Webber Avenue to 'Have Edit Will Travel' uptown --- That fine with you, Parker? She nodded her yes whispering,
"Best get back soon I guess".....

She waved goodbye and went down to the lobby until the cab arrived. When it did, she slid in the smooth leather backseat and gave the cabbie her address. Finally, they arrived at her house. She stepped out and saw a figure looming on the front porch. It was...

...a man she thought she had left in her past. Parker hadn't had the easiest childhood, her dad working for the biggest pharmaceutical company on the globe and her mother being wrapped up in governmental spy games. She swallowed hard, maybe going to a friends would be better than getting out...

...but the man looked up at her, his cold eyes smiling. "Hello, Parker," he said in a chilling voice. Parker gripped her messenger bag as a wave of fear washed over her. "You aren't supposed to be here. You better leave before I..."

... Parker summed up the courage and the guts to interrupt him. "It's my house. Now get off my porch." Just the sight of this man twisted her stomach into knots. She was surprised that she could manage to speak to him so coldly when they had once been so close...

...as childhood friends. The man smirked and nodded. "Very well. I'll see you around, Parker." And with that, he disappeared down the steps and down the street. Parker's hands were still shaking as she picked up her phone and dialed...

...her Uncle Pete. He would know what to do, she had wanted to put this all behind her and he was one of the few who had understood that. When he answered she spoke a single cold phrase, "Jason is back." and heard a sharp intake on the other end of the line...

...and then her uncle hissed, "How can you be sure?" Parker sighed and said, "Well, he was just on my front porch, and I know exactly what he wanted." She hesitated. "He wanted..."

... "Well, I made him leave before he could say anything, but I'm pretty sure he wanted something from me again," Parker explained. Pete groaned and raised his voice at her, "You just made everything worse, you know that? Now you have to really watch your back..."

"I'll be with you in 5 minutes Parker. Lock the door until I arrive, and I'm bringing Barger."
'Uncle Pete's mongrel will be some comfort' she thought whilst bolting the door, 'hes supposed to be 1/5th. Deerhound'. Parker was still in her coat when he bounded up the drive with Uncle Pete, The rasp of Barger's tongue usually made her shudder but today it gave her only the warmth of a fellow being's loving recognition. She was glad Uncle
Pete had driven to her through the storm and she was relieved that he'd
brought Barger and his washing 'Hello'.....

"Thanks for coming." She said as Uncle Pete and Barger entered her living room. "Why did you say I made everything worse?" Her face was sad with guilt. "I really had nothing to do with his coming here. We haven't had contact since...

......his parents moved, two years back.....you had to change your email address and your website for God's sake!" he reminded her, collaring Barger to stop him knocking things over.
" He saw it as some kind of virtual game" replied Parker.
" If only you had'nt given him your old smartphone, all this could have been avoided - attempting to blackmail your father with your diary into giving him a job in the company wasn't virtual, the skunk!
" It was a fantasy diary Uncle Pete, writing practice", she reminded him, her eyes nipping with the memory of painful, excruciating explanations.

...Some of her most private fantasies had been in that diary. She thought she had erased the memory of the phone before she gave it too him, but Jason had proved her wrong. "Still, you made a mistake that will follow to your grave. I plan on giving the guys a call once I let Barger sniff things out and someone will be here 'round the clock." Pete's voice was gruff but caring, Parker was the closest thing to a daughter he had...

...but it wouldn't be enough, and Parker knew that. Jason was sneaky and deceitful. He always got what he wanted. In the end, all that he really wanted was Parker and her money. Her father never trusted him. He always used to say that...

...and it had taken Parker a little too long to realize that Jason really was just as her father said. She just wished she had listened a little sooner and maybe her father would be around. Jason had blackmailed himself a job into the company and then tried to take over. Her father was now in a coma and the doctors didn't think he was going to wake up. A insistent licking at her hand snapped her back to the present and she realized a tear had slipped out. Barger never licked someone, ever, and her Uncle seemed quite surprised. "Well, i'm going to take him outside and have a look around. Is there anything I need to know about?"...

"Listen Unce Pete, I met a new client today, I'm doing some proofreading and formatting for his new novel, I've half a mind to ask him to follow Jason, see what he's up to. It's WebberLies the private detective agency on Webber Avenue, have you heard of them? She asked, sidestepping the question.
He was thoughtful a moment ,
" Yes, they did some work at the tennis club, someone stealing the trophies, very good outcome, caught the theives before they sold on, good firm, go for it girl, I'd feel pathetic if we did nothing."

"But..." Parker hesitated, thinking of her father, "What if he tries to hurt me again?" Like he hurt my father? She wanted to add. Uncle Pete sighed. "Parker..."

..."he's a dangerous man and if he is truly determined to hurt you he will stop at nothing to do so. Now, that doesn't mean we need to ship you out to a safe house. I know that your father taught you how to handle yourself, so with a couple guys here you will be just fine." Uncle Pete finished firmly, pulling the door open to take Barger out.
"That's true." Parker said quietly, padding upstairs to check...

...her computer.
Uncle Pete wished his sister had engaged a companion for Parker, 'She needs a steadying influence at home', he thought. They travelled the world with their work, were seldom around, the housekeeper only came in two days a week and he felt that Parker's lonely childhood, episodes, alcoholic Nannies and thieving friends....
she needed companionship.....good people , she had been, alone , for too long in her life, the fantasy diary and the writing came out of this..... not proper work he thought.....but he was 'old school', happy with his dog, his car and his early retirement.

Parker gnawed on a hangnail worriedly as her phone rang. She glanced down at the screen and then picked up. "Hello?" On the other end was...

.....Tom Plunder, the detective novellist....She knew that Dad's embolism was no direct fault of Jason's, just the stress but she would always associate him with that day, never forgive him and there was the blackmail.... her tears flowed suddenly and freely. Tom Plunder had another 20 pages ready for typesetting...she pulled herself back from the brink of blubbering down the line...
" Yes, that will be fine, I'll come over tomorrow if you have time, I might have a bit of business to put Webberlies way.

Is 1 o'clock o.k. with you?".....

"Sure," replied Tom, "Let's get this show on the road!, I'm yours any time of the day or night! Oh, and so is Webberlies."

Parker smiled through misty eyes. Tom's effervescent good humor had a way of brightening her spirits. Maybe he was the ali she needed.

Parker put down the phone and went to the stairs. She heard her uncle in the bathroom across the hall from her room, and she smiled as she went downstairs, feeling better knowing him and Barger were there with her. When she got downstairs she saw the front door was open, which she found strange, but just as she was about to close it, Uncle Pete and Barger were returning from their walk outside. Parker stared at them. "If you're down here..." she said quietly, "then who..."

A door clicked open and closed, uncle Pete grabbed Barger and started up the staircase.....the neat shoes and tweed skirt of aunt Tess appeared "Where did you two get to, I came over to hurry you and invite Parker, there is a hot dinner waiting at home. Barger nodded "Yes,yes" in the forward,back two-step beloved by owners of happy dogs and Parker had to agree. When at last their relieved niece turned the key to lock the house, behind her Uncle Pete kissed his mobile phone, winked conspiratorially at Aunt Jane,
"I'll take Barge and follow you and Parker in my car, Janie" he said softly kissing the tip of her nose.