A Prelude to Doorways

As some of you may know, I’m in the midst of actually sitting down to write a set of stories that has been on my mind for, oh, probably the past 8 years or so. My central character came to me a little while ago in a very concrete way, and some of the other characters just started popping up too. Weird how that happens isn’t it? The first actual story is called “Doorways,” or at least it will be when I sit down to get it out of my head onto paper, and it will be the first of 22 short stories or poems. This mini-story isn’t really part of the over-arching plotline, but it happens prior to the beginning of “Doorways” so I am calling it a Prelude, because that is what makes sense. It’s not really supposed to be a whole story, just a little introduction to some of the characters, and really doesn’t have a lot to do with the actual stories. Take it as a picture window into a moment before the beginning of “Doorways,” or as just another random bit of writing that I did. And no, the big series is not going to be about a relationships. That would be lame and unnecessary. Enough babbling from me, here’s the story. 

shoes by Nina

“I really don’t know why I bother,” Dierdre sighed as she opened the door to her apartment. She dropped her purse on the floor, not caring when the contents scattered in a messy semi-circle  in the hallway. She stepped over the debris to greet her dog, Tobey, who was patiently wagging his tail, happy as ever to see her.

“Tobey-baby, you’re the only good man in my life,” she mused, laughing as Tobey barked an affirmative answer to her oft-voiced statement.

Giving his floppy ears one more ruffle, Dierdre bent down to loosen the ankle-straps of her shoes. Hopping awkwardly on one foot towards her bedroom, she shook the shoes off, feeling grateful when her bare feet hit the hardwood floors. Leaving the shoes where they lay, she continued into her room, struggling briefly with the zipper of her dress before discarding it in favour of the over-sized shirt she always slept in.

Glancing in her vanity mirror as she took off her earrings and necklace, she noticed Tobey’s head come peering around the corner of the doorframe, one of the recently discarded shoes dangling from his jaws.

‘Tobey. What have I told you about shoe-eating?” she said in a weary voice, “It makes you sick, and it makes mummy annoyed. I just can’t deal with your antics right now; mummy had to sit through another excruciating evening with Jake, and you know what that means.”

Turning, Dierdre fixed Tobey with as fierce a look as she could muster, but his only response was to cock his head to one side playfully and walk further into her bedroom. She sighed, beckoning to the dog, “Come here, you,” knowing better than to be angry with him. She patted him on the head as he finally finally dropped her shoe, still wagging his tail.

“It’s late, and I’m going to sleep!” Dierdre said, “I’m not thinking about him anymore tonight.”

Flicking off the lights, she hopped over Tobey, who was already curled up on the rug in front of her bed, and scrambled under the covers. Staring at the ceiling, her hands curled into fists as she made a final pronouncement: “Tomorrow I’m breaking up with him. I swear it.”

The only response was a soft woof from Tobey. She smiled ruefully, rolled over, and welcomed the Dreamlands. Tomorrow would come soon enough.