Another month with 30 days, another set of prompts from @WritingDani (explained here). She’s spoiling us! As ever, some are observations, some fiction. Strangely, I again got the highest number of ‘likes’ for #3. Am I writing my best on the third day, or does interest in the series wane after that?

1

Grow

Her love had grown horns as she’d waited that day, thrumming her fingers on the beer-stained tear-stained table, slippery wind in the curtains, heavy sun outside. What if? What if?

2

Flourish

When I was nineteen my grandmother gave me some advice. Maidenhair ferns like tealeaves. Hers did flourish, spilling their delicacy over the steps. Subtle advice, of limited appeal, and usefulness.

3

Dwindle

My life was fine. Completely fine. I followed my prescribed paths, within my porcelain shell. But all my appetites had dwindled. I see that now, as I stroke your arm.

4

Broaden

At the point where the river smoothed and broadened, a castle rose. In the castle a flock of flamingos flaunted their improbability, more exotic than me in that French town.

5

Potential

She is learning to read now, and to do backstroke. Every railing is for swinging on, every step for jumping. She sings sweet songs. So much potential. Not in Afghanistan.

6

Swell

As the days go by those moments gather, each dazzling play of sunlight, every brush of hand on hand collecting, swelling to a glory of clouded senses, clear thinking vanquished.

7

Evolve

I didn’t evolve for three billion years for this, this wanton destruction of our own and so many other species. For what? Money. Money! That hoax, that emperor we worship.

8

Wilt

Her strength was unbreakable but the child was wilting, falling behind, easy to lose. ‘Hop on my back,’ she said, shifting the baby to her shoulder, rejoining the straggling convoy.

9

Sprout

Her head is down as she shares out the salad, soft brown hair lifted gently by the breeze, and he gazes steadily at her. Love sprouts among the pea sprouts.

10

Fizzle

They had talked until all talk had fizzled out, leaving words like ‘never’ and ‘wouldn’t’ and ‘forgotten’ to hang in the air, forming bubbles that leaked out of her eyes.

11

Quicken

She knew what it meant. Never again would a baby quicken inside her, tickling with the faint frill of its fingers, lunging its head, promising the optimism of new life.

12

Harvest

Surely, he no longer loved her. His thoughts were elsewhere.

She looked up, stilled her hands and her mind.

If she nourished these seeds she would reap a bitter harvest.

13

Galvanise

Cone-shaped robots bristling with artillery jerked along the corridor. ‘Gal-van-ise! Gal-van-ise!’ their voices grated. Liquid zinc shot from their flailing guns, coating the row of cowering steel cans. Mission. Accomplished.

14

Crumple

When I accept the way you look at me, my heart crumples, all resistance gone. I look back with the same searching eyes, find my love was there all along. #30words30days

15

Balloon

While her heart ballooned with need, mine grew hands and drew him to me. Now she mutters to our friends, pinning me with icy glares, turning away as I approach.

16

Thrive

Once I taught them to sheathe their claws whenever they petted me, I thrived with the wolves. Their fierce commitment to bonding, to me, was a first. I was home.

17

Gather

I’d sent the children into the garden. I was watching them gather grass and flowers for their magic potions when the news came in. A quiet ting on my phone.

18

Become

Tonight the road, normally cluttered with drab, end-of-day drivers, has become a circus. Festive blue and red lights flash over two cars, astray, silent. On the tarmac, two blanketed shapes.

19

Wane

Summer had come and gone, long days grown thick with heat had finally waned, the promise of autumn sweet. And yet the nights were silent, no knock upon the door.

20

Ripen

The moon ripens, a butter-yellow round beside us, and the motorway is beautiful. The restless traffic becomes a glitter of ruby-red lights, driving towards an eternity of deep purple sky.

21

Wither

Her hand slips gracefully from his at the doorway. She drapes herself on a chair, not seeing, not looking. He walks towards me, smile lopsided. Words wither on my lips.

22

Progress

Progress is slow. One hand for Harry, stopping to look and point; one for Goose, sniffing, straining. I bite the inside of my mouth, the only place left to me.

23

Flop

She circuits the tiny room, door to window to cot – don’t hope too much at the cot. Finally, squawking is whimpering, then snuffling. Finally the stiff body softens, head flops.

24

Overflow

She’s directed out of the queue to the overflow area. Given a number, told to wait, not critical enough for urgent admission. She fingers her wrist, considers making herself urgent.

25

Bud

He gripped my hand at the school gate and I wanted to gather him up. ‘You’ll have a buddy,’ I said, twitching a smile. He sagged in his too-big clothes.

26

Develop

She had developed a stutter during the year. I noticed it after the holidays. When I saw her nails were bitten to the quick I knew I had to act.

27

Expand

She needs to stand at a periphery. Preferably the edge of a cliff, grasses swirling, swelling ocean before her. She needs to see the world expand, let life’s narrowness recede. 

28

Abound

Goals abound, but not in the right direction. His team doesn’t march onwards to victory. The wrong team celebrates, thrusting arms skyward, grinning like looking-glass felines. ‘Doesn’t matter,’ he mutters. 

29

Unfold

Not so much unravelling as unfolding, new layers of our friendship are exposed as time goes by. I’m no geologist, but I’m hoping he’s not so much sedimentary as metamorphic. 

30

Plant

Inside their shifting castle they plant their feet and twist, giggling as the fortifications slip. They dare the tide to attack the walls, filling cracks with grabs of wet sand.