The August heat is making itself real in my neck of the woods, so today’s picture prompt is about using August heat as a setting. As soon as I saw this picture, the words below leaped into my mind.
The sun rose over the still-quiet city, a haze already gathering above the maples and oaks in Nelson Park. I crunched along the crushed gravel path. A few birds tossed out some notes, either early risers warming up their vocal chords or night ones wrapping up their nocturnal activities. Turning right, I followed the path that led to the building with the mayor’s office. A jogger trotted past. I smiled, but of course, he didn’t smile back. You don’t in this city.
I wiped at the sweat on my lip and pulled my damp shirt from my back. The humidity climbed with the sun. It sidled up to you and sank in, just like Mayor Nelson’s words when he wanted to win you over to do something for him.
He thought he finally had me, had finally hooked me and could play me however he wanted. But he didn’t have me. He couldn’t get me.
Picking up my pace, I grinned at the next grim-faced jogger.
But I was going to get him.
Your start is captivating! I want to read more!
Here’s my idea:
Of course Coach would pick the hottest day of the year for us to have our long training run. Fifteen miles in this sauna in our boring town where nothing more interesting than Fran and Henry’s 60th anniversary meet and greet ever happen. All I wanted was to keep up with Andrea, so I started fast. Now I’m exhausted, a mile behind everyone else, and still ten miles from my shower. I don’t even know if I have a chance at a scholarship, so I should let my sorry self quit.
Two police cars fly past me and suck any remaining oxygen out of the humid air as they wail on their horns. What the? I didn’t even know we had two cops on duty at a time here in nowhere-ville. I’m staring after the cops wondering what is happening. It’s not like we have any criminals here. Suddenly I’m being tackled into the ditch.
You’ve got the teen voice down so well–the contempt for anything familiar. And great cliffier-hanger!