Writer Platform Building Campaign: First Campaign Challenge!

Rachael has posted the first campaign challenge:

Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “The door swung open” These four words willbe included in the word count.

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), use the same beginning words and end with the words: "the door swung shut." (also included in the word count)

For those who want an even greater challenge, make your story 200 words EXACTLY!

So here is mine :D :D Vote for #128

The Creek

       The door swung open. Nani ran out clutching a red fleece blanket around her shoulders. It had been a good ½ a minute since a loud piercing scream shattered her peace and quiet, but it felt like an eternity. The silence that followed was just as deafening. 

     

     Nani rushed down a trodden and snow covered path from her backyard through the tree-lined woods to the frozen creek behind her property. She stopped in her tracks. She looked around. She was sure the scream came from this portion of her woods. 

     

     Nani has had to pull many hikers and kids out of the creek who got too close to its currents or slipped on the slippery algae covered stones and fallen tree bridges trying to cross it. 

     

     No one was there.  There was not a single footprint in the newly fallen snow. As she turned to leave, something caught her eye. A glint reflected off the solid cold creek. Underneath a broken tree bridge sticking out of the creek, Nani saw something familiarly red. 

     

     Nani let out a loud piercing scream as a pair of bulging eyes stared back at her, clutching a red fleece around its frozen shoulders.