“Stars, too, were time travelers. How many of those ancient points of light were the last echoes of suns now dead? How many had been born but their light not yet come this far? If all the suns but ours collapsed tonight, how many lifetimes would it take us to realize we were alone? I had always known the sky was full of mysteries—but not until now had I realized how full of them the earth was.”
― Ransom Riggs, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

It was late one Friday night. She was writing on her blog to pass the time and thinking of ideas to distract herself from the mound of dishes that had accumulated in the sink. Becca realized there was an odd smell from dried food on them, but she chose to light a candle and ignore the stench for a little bit. She was inspired to write. Besides, no one was coming over tonight. She was sure that tonight would be ordinary- Just like last Friday. Eventually, she would do the dishes, eat a snack while she made a list of items she wanted from the store, and then dress for bed. Of course, she lay in bed till her eyes grew heavy while reading in her novel of choice. Her sleep was restless. Her dreams kept her awake for most of the night, tossing and turning.

Where was her list? She made it last night. Becca created the list for today's adventure to town. "Think, girl, think, she said to her cat. "Where did Mama put that grocery list?" Her cat Monti looked at her, slowly blinking his eyes. "OH, I put it on the kitchen counter last night when I finished my snack", Becca said aloud to herself. She walked over to the table, dressed in a cotton t-shirt, denim shorts, and flip flops. She started naming off the things she wanted. Cotton balls for removing nail polish, bird food for yellow and black finches, and coffee creamer; she had to have creamer for her coffee. Becca grabbed her small backpack, made sure she had her keys, and double-checked that she locked the door. But not before she covered Monti with kisses and told him she would be right back. Standing on the deck, she yawned. Her restless sleep, tossing and turning, was beginning to take a toll on her. Becca remembered what most of her dreams were about. The question she asked herself was, "Why am I dreaming of expecting a guest?" Anyway, she loaded her stuff into her 1992 Mitsubishi Eclipse, started the engine, and turned on the radio. With the sunroof open, a summer breeze blowing her hair, she sang along to Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun". When she arrived in town, she noticed it was eerily quiet, which gave her creepy vibes. There weren't many people shopping on a weekend morning, which was odd. You see, the town had a curfew. The town had one rule: never open the door after midnight. The reason is the disappearance of several residents over the past year. Becca pulled into the parking lot of her favorite store, Mast General Drug Store, to look for the items on her list. After she loaded her car with the purchased items, she realized her stomach was growling. She decided to get a bite to eat from the Sub Shop. Mainly, she wanted to relax and not cook or clean the kitchen when she got home.

Carl was sitting by the phone, had it by his computer at work, then on his nightstand at night. Day after day, night after night, he kept checking his phone and email, hoping she would make contact. Till one day, he waited long enough. He decided to drive to her house. He drove up to the family farm where she lived. He knew she loved that place and would make it her final resting place there if she could. Driving up the lane, he saw her unloading a bag from her car.

Unlocking her side door, Becca thought she heard a car engine. Who could that be, she thought to herself. She turned around to see the car she had been longing to see drive down her driveway for years. Oh my, she missed him so much. Gasping, she caught a breath then held it. Tears of joy flowed from her eyes like never before. It was Carl. He was home.

"Every day more of our life is used up and less and less of it is left". Marcus Aurelius

Fandango’s Story Starter #251 – Facts, Fictions & Fantasies #FSS

#missysmadchallenge.

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS June 13, 2026 | guest