CTS Writes

Since I started dabbling in short writing competitions last year, my success has been varied to say the least. However, I’m both shocked and delighted to have placed first in my group in Round 1 of the 2023 NYC Midnight Rhyming Story Competition with the rhyming story LOST AND FOUND below.

The challenge for this round was to write a 600 word rhyming story in 8 days to specific criteria. Mine were a suspense / thriller that had to include some sort of repetition and someone being zealous. Round two, however, was a horror so this may be my last rhyming success 😀

LOST AND FOUND

“Look! There my love,” David stops and points, “A two for one special on giant lamb joints!”
Inside his mouth the saliva now floods, the thought of his lovely wife’s crispy hot spuds.

Utterings of gravy to them mean the most, their love language written in late Sunday roast.
Into the basket the veg go gung ho, one eye on his Maggie who’s floating in tow.

Under bright lights David’s soulmate, his half, illumes as an angel ‘mong mortals and staff.
“The weekend!” he cries with a jubilant squeak, “let’s share a nice bottle to see out the week!”
He pictures the sofa, the two of them there, entwined with red wine, and no worldly care.
Dave strides through the lines with a passionate gait, to the aisle where the Merlots and Malbecs await.
“What shall we have, oh my dear love of mine?” says David, perusing the bottles of wine.
All of a sudden he chills to the bone. He’s stood with his basket, entirely alone.
“Maggie?” he calls as he turns on his heel, retracing his steps, his fear hard to conceal.
Dave paces the aisles where his lover had followed, past packed shelves of packets, his chest feeling hollowed.
He looks for her dress through the ocean of folks, just pushing their trollies with bickers or jokes.
He searches for flashes of long auburn hair, desperate her scent will catch him unaware.
Basket forgotten, Dave runs through the aisles, his breath getting quicker, ignoring the smiles
And the laughter that echoes and drowns out his thoughts. “Oh where is my Maggie?” Dave cries, overwrought.
The faces around him are starting to swim, now leering and jeering, they’re laughing at him.
Bereft of his loved one, the husband returns, retracing his steps to allay his concerns.
“She can’t have gone far, my sweet Maggie of mine,” Dave mutters aloud passing line after line.
But every step taken makes heavy his heart, in twenty three years they’ve been rarely apart.
“She must have been taken,” the dour spouse decries, as hot salty tears bloom like pools in his eyes.
He staggers again to the front of the shop, accosting a man with a bucket and mop.
“I’m begging you please, I’m in terrible strife. I think someone’s stolen the love of my life!”
Suddenly David’s right arm is grasped hard, escorted off by a security guard.
He drops to the floor screaming into his knees. “Will someone not help me, oh somebody please!”
His heart skips a beat at a touch on the shoulder. “My darling!” he howls, but the face is much older.
“My name is Diane and I manage the store,” says the short kindly woman obstructing the door.
“I see you’re distressed, so please come now with me. We’ll look for your loved one on CCTV.”

Up in the office they pore through the screens, Dave watches himself as he paces the scene.

“She must be here somewhere,” Dave pleading for peace. “Quick someone, no, anyone, call the police!”

The manager reaches to put down the phone. “I’m so sorry Sir, but you came here alone.”

Later that night, as the lamb joint is braised, events of the day are but almost erased.

“Don’t leave me again, Maggie, girl of my dreams.” Dave’s warm, haunted eyes start to leak at the seams.

He looks at her smiling at him from afar, her framed portrait propped by a porcelain jar.
From up on the mantle her urn watches on, as David eats dinner for two but as one.