Weekly Photo + Writing Challenge?

So, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m not a very good writer. Well actually, I came to this conclusion a very long time ago, but I’m finally about to try and do something about it. At least once a week, I plan to set aside some time so write – just a small amount, unless I’m on a roll. Haa. But yes, I wish to improve my writing skills because I would love to be able to share the plethora of imagination I have inside my head with the rest of the world -if not just my readers here. : P

To start off with, I’ve decided to add a little piece of writing to the Weekly Photo Challenge. I may not do this every week, but for this week, I have some sort of idea of what I can write. It will be very similar to NaNo where my writing will not be perfect, but just a way of getting into the flow of writing and hopefully, over time, I will slowly improve. (:

This week’s photo challenge was Hope for which I chose the image of a Sunrise (although I think this particular image may be a sunset.. XD).

The sun cast an orange glow over Alyssa as it peeked above the horizon. Worry over her mother’s disappearance meant another sleepless night for the young girl as her fears continued to plague her dreams. Looking out over the lake, she watched the sky’s reflection as the rising sun changed the colours of the clouds. Another day, another seemingly endless trek through the forest to find something. Anything.

She looked back over at her sleeping friend through the dying flames of the fire, her only companion on this long journey. She had known him less than a year before he volunteered to accompany her, but over the few weeks they’d been on the search, Alyssa had begun to feel like they had known each other for many more years.

Even with great company, she was beginning to tire. Not only physically, but mentally also. She began to wonder if she would find anything, if there was any point to this search or if there would even be anything left to find. Dark, empty thoughts began to fill her head, crushing every ray of hope and every shred of confidence until the soft touch of a hand brought her out of her torments.

“Hey, hey. It’s okay.” Tal said gently, taking Alyssa into his arms as he stroked her hair tenderly.

“I just don’t know if I can’t do it anymore,” she sobbed into his chest.

Leaning back to look into his friends eyes, Tal asked, “do what anymore?”

“We’ve been searching for any sign of her for five weeks now and still we’ve found nothing! Is there even anything to find?” she leaned back into Tal’s muscular chest and they sat in silence for a while as he let her cry until there were no more tears.

“You see that?” Tal asked his friend, pointing towards the horizon. When Alyssa lifted her head and turned her gaze to follow the direction of his hand, he continued , “That beautiful sunrise? It is the beginning of a new day. A day full of new possibilities of new opportunities to arise. You haven’t given up yet, I know you haven’t. And I also know you won’t. We both know you’re mother is still alive out her somewhere, you can feel it, and just the same, I’m sure she can feel you looking for her. I don’t care how long it takes to find her, we will find her, and yes I said ‘we’ because I’m not going anywhere.”

You know what that sunrise means for us? Not just another long day walking through an endless wood, but it means another day she’s alive and another day we’re out here looking for her. For us, it means that there is Hope.”

Well, there’s a little piece of writing, just like I said I would post. I just wrote this now, so no pre planning done here. Hahaha. Hope you enjoyed it!

Amber. xx