When Sylvia looked up from her novel and realized she’d been in a time warp for over two hours, her heart skipped a beat. Her son hadn’t made a peep.
“Benny?” she said quietly as she stepped inside his bedroom. He wasn’t there. She peeked into her own bedroom — nothing. Sylvia then checked the bathroom, panic rising in her chest. She scurried into the kitchen and dining room, yet there was still no sign of him. Not a trace.
Where could he have gone? Where could he be?
Sylvia ran to the kitchen sink and looked out the window into the backyard. It was pouring – windy, too. There’s no chance he was outside. Yet, she threw on her raincoat and knee-high boots and ducked out the back door.
“Benny!” she yelled, her voice getting muffled by the whipping wind. She slopped through the saturated, muddy lawn toward the maple trees near the property line. But, of course, he wasn’t there.
Sylvia returned inside, kicked off her boots, and removed her coat. She took a deep breath, and, for a moment, closed her eyes.
And then she smiled — how could she have been so irrational?
She opened the basement door and went downstairs. The lights were already on. When she stepped around the corner and saw the green sheet covering the hiding place under the stairs, she sighed in relief. A hand-painted piece of cardboard taped above the entrance read: The Dragon’s Den – Dare Ye Enter?
“Mom? Is that you?” a small voice said.
“No,” Sylvia replied in the creepiest voice she could muster. “I am not your mother.”
The sheet was thrown aside. Benny looked up at her, smiling, book in hand. He adjusted the lamp beside him. “Why are you so weird?”
But Sylvia simply laughed and pulled her son into a monster of a hug.
Thank you so much for reading “A Rainy Day Spent Reading” — I hope you enjoyed it.
Writing prompt(s): If you are hoping to get some words on the page today, consider writing about the following ideas:
a time warp
a dragon’s den
a missing person
a rainy/muddy spring day
Have a great weekend, everyone!
I enjoyed A Rainy Day Spent Reading. It was delightfully atmospheric.
Thanks for adding me to your recommendations! I am honored to be in such fine company.