There was an interested conversation going on in the C-Box about what story could be put to a certain image that had been found on Deviant Art. After thinking about it I decided to put up a fanfiction contect. No, there will not be any rewards of attribute points (unless my fellow MODs decide otherwise), all you will receive is the satisfaction of knowing that your peers love your writing ability. After the deadline a poll will be put up for your fellow MRO members to vote on what they feel was the best fanfiction. Alright and now on to the rules.

Deadline: July 9th (1 Month From Today)
Word Count: At Least 500 words.
Story Parameters: Explain the following image. Give us the story of the person, leading up to the picture and possibly on to how the story ends after the picture.
Posts: The story must be posted in one long post instead of multiple posts.

And now... for the piece de resistance!

Happy writing!

Her eyes were filled with tears as the rain continued to pour down, soaking everything around her. The moisture in the air had made her curls drop down into straggly strands that ringed her sorrowful face. Her hands were upraised in what might have been interpreted as a sign of peace had it not been for the cold metal grenade gripped tightly in one hand with the pin in another. Red dots peppered her body and she almost wanted to scream for them to go ahead and do it. At least if they took the shot whatever the fall out might be wouldn't be her fault.

***
(Two Months Earlier)

Jennifer was just your typical army brat. Her father, Brigadier General Harry Thompson was always busy with work at all of the many military bases they had jumped to over the years. Jennifer's Mom had died during child birth 13 years earlier but had left Jennifer's little sister Megan in her wake. Megan was a well adjusted child that made friends easily. She did well in her studies and always seemed to make the Brigadier very proud. Jennifer, well, Jennifer was very different from her sister. Forced to grow up at a young age, the now 19-year-old had been forced to take up the slack and be both mother and big sister to Megan. Jennifer's childhood had been cooking, cleaning, diapering, and just doing her best to keep the Thompson household in order. It was a lot for a young girl to handle but she had pressed on, doing everything she could to try and impress her father. For all of her efforts, things at the house did run smoothly but her grades and social life suffered. Jennifer was the weird girl that was always by herself. She seemed to have no friends and teachers worried about whether she would finally be able to graduate, a year later than most of her fellow students.

Life had taken on a sad monotony that led Jennifer to beg their family doctor to prescribe her anti-depressants, anything to take away the pain but the Brigadier wouldn't hear of it. The stigma of having a child on anti-depressants could seriously damage his military career and so with a few well placed words to the Doctor, Jennifer's request was refused. It seemed like no one understood her or would reach out to her but then she met Kevin. Kevin was one of the ghosts as school. He was a boy, no a man, that blended into the background. He was the man that everyone missed but that never missed a thing. He had seen Jennifer's pain and had decided to do something about it.

For a month and a half life took a surprising turn. The relationship of two consenting adults, even if they were still finishing up school, had all the emotion that Jennifer wanted. The love and affection she had wanted for so long was now being lavished on her by Kevin. Who cared if she had to mix a good bit of passion in with the other two in order to keep their relationship strong? Who cared if she had to do things she had always considered wrong? No matter what compromised she had to make, she was happy. Wasn't that enough?

***
(A week Earlier)

Kevin's parents had been re-assigned to another army base and while he and Jennifer had promised to keep in touch they had known it wouldn't happen. Theirs had been a beautiful romance but their futures were not meant to be spent together. Kevin had doors opening at some of the finest colleges in the country while Jennifer thought she'd be lucky if she could even get into a community college. They were on separate paths but Jennifer still thought fondly of their time together. Kevin had helped her to see that she did have a future to look forward to. She had a chance to get out of the Thompson household and find her own path through the world. She had a chance to step out and prove that Jennifer Thompson could amount to something worth while! It was scary but yet so exhilarating. No longer did Jennifer fear her father's reaction or what he might say to her decision. She had give him her time and had helped to hold the family together for years. Now it was finally time for her to start thinking about herself.

***
(Two Days Earlier)

It was amazing how just a few days could change everything. How a life that had been on track, heading for at least a somewhat bright future could suddenly spiral out of control. The day before, Jennifer had received her acceptance letter from the local community college as well as a call from a local club saying she had the dancing job if she wanted it. It hadn't been the career she'd been looking for but it was going to put money in her pocket while she got through her studies. Once she had the right education she just knew that the right doors would open up. Her life was going to be a story book come true. A real Cinderella story about a girl rising from the ashes to become something special.

The little white stick laughed mockingly as Jennifer watched her dreams disappear. Any chance of escaping that Thompson family was gone. The same relationship that had helped her decided to go for her freedom was the same relationship that would now make sure she could never escape. The two blue lines seemed to be shaking in mirth as the tears slowly dripped down her cheek. She would never escape... she would never have a future.

***
(Today)

Jennifer had her freedom but not the way she had wanted it. An unwed, pregnant daughter was to much of a stigma for a certain military man to bear and so with a few cold words and a bundle of cash, she had been sent out to face the world. Looking into the sky, she closed her eyes as the first few rain drops began to fall. She felt helpless and alone, not knowing what to do. She had an address for Kevin but no phone number. There were no friends she could turn to and even her own family had rejected her. The feeling of bitterness and loss seemed to echo from her very soul up into the sky as the clouds themselves wept for her predicament.

Turning around on the wet street, Jennifer stared at the house she had lived in for the past two years. She would never think of it as a home, but at least it had been a place to stay out of the rain. Her father and sister were walking out the front door right this moment, heading for their car. Her sister Megan was waving, still to innocent to know exactly what was going on. Her father refused to look at her.

The tears fell even faster as the vehicle backed out and drove down the street, splashing water onto her feet and legs without the slightest apology. "It's all his fault!" She murmured bitterly as she watched the tail lights disappearing toward the base's main building. If he had just tried harder... if he had thought more of his family than he did his career... if he had been willing to stand by his daughter no matter what.

Without realizing it, Jennifer began to walk down the street and up the drive back to her father's house. The tears and rain were both still falling but she had come to a decision. Pulling the spare key out from under the mat, Jennifer let herself in and then headed for his bedroom. Walking of to the chest at the foot of the bed, Jennifer opened it and dug through it and within a few minutes stuck a fist sized object in her green pack. Now she just needed to wait until it was time to leave.

***

Megan would be at school until her father returned to pick her up. That meant that he would be by himself. There was no chance of accidental hurting her innocent sister. The guards at the gate waved Jennifer through as soon as they saw her face. The Brigadier General's daughters were a common site at the base and security had become lax concerning them. Splashing up puddles as she walked, Jenifer ran across the parking lot and took up a position standing just outside the door. She knew that he always walked out this door at approximately 4:30 to go to his car. Then there would be the twenty minute drive to school to pick up his golden children and ten minutes later he would pull into the driveway at home.

The rain had been falling all day and Megan was soaked but she didn't care. The cold that had seeped into her boned made her shiver but she refused to give in. This is what he deserved. It was all his fault!

Finally the moment came and he walked out of the building with his had down against the rain. Stepping into his path Jennifer blocked him, her tear filled eyes meeting his gaze as he lifted his head. For a moment it was pure surprise on his features followed almost immediately by the ugliness of anger. She had dared to disobey him? If Jennifer hadn't have been in so much emotional anguish she might have smiled. Lifting her stolen object out of the bag she pulled the pin and then held it up for her father to see. The shift to sudden fear was immediate and almost comical. As the rain continued to fall Jennifer tried to will her hand to open. Her father deserved to pay. He deserved to die! And when he died, she could die as well in order to escape her own inner demons. This was the best way... the only way!

Some one the building must have seen them because sirens could be heard as the MP's were called out to deal with the situation. Staring at her father, the tears feels even harder as Jennifer realized she just couldn't go through with it. She couldn't do it! No matter how much she wanted him dead, she couldn't be the one to do it!

***

Her father's voice was begging, pleading with her to make the right choice as she turned to face those that had arrived to help end this Mexican stand off. The red lights dotted her body but as much as Jennifer wanted to end it she couldn't do it. One of them had to make the choice. One of them had to decide. Voices yelled and screamed, asking what she wanted, asking her to make some sort of demand but still she remained silent. She didn't want anything but for this whole thing to end. She just wanted it to be over.

Suddenly her father lunged forward from where he stood behind her, grabbing for her arm and the slick grenade now held tightly in her fingers. With a cry of pain her arm was wrenched back at the same moment as some impetuous gunman finally made his decision. A single shot rang out, immediately followed by a fusillade of bullets that slammed into the woman's body. Her tear filled eyes flashed with pain and then glazed as he hand loosened and the grenade dropped. A scream of terror tore itself from his throat as he turned to dive away. In slow motion Jennifer and the weapon dropped to the ground and a millisecond after the loud explosion began to echo, Jennifer had one final thought.

"There really is a bright light."

I know it's a poem, but I was bored...

Upon a whispering midnight fright
I came across a wondering delight
She said she travelled ‘round Earth and sea
To learn a little just about me
School must have been let out
For she had a bag around and about
Holding her hands up in the air
She threatened anyone who dared.
Maybe she was a secret spy
That came from the year 1965,
Maybe it was a fad for a while
But the jacket was certainly out of style.

From far away I saw a phone
Wrapped in a signal that read ‘ROAM’
Who would brave the pouring rain
Just to prove they were insane?
A small red light shined on her head
And I realized she should be dead
In her hand was no mobile cell
But a grenade that’d burst when it fell
Her face was calm without remorse
What could have been her sad source?
Was it a lover beaten and scoured
Who had never been loved or adorned?

Whatever her screaming had been for
I knew I couldn’t take anymore
What if the last shoes at a sale sold
And she wanted it more than silver or gold
What kind of ‘tard would cry and piss
For a shopping hit and miss?
One in a big yellow coat,
Who’s tears could flood a castle moat,
With a dumb cry for an inch of aid
She called in a large air raid.
Silly stupid foolish girl
You know you don’t own the world?

Bang; gun fires to her left
Who would report this life theft?
Stupid little policemen friends
Shot the girl who brings the end.
The weapon hit with little noise
One of the woman’s creepy toys
And now the cops scream in pain
For the girl made them fair game
Fire spread across the land
and turned everything to sand
Springing in it’s odd form
A purple rose was randomly born.

Life sprouted after years past
And trees grew where there was grass
The city was lost in the wind of time
And nature thanked her for her crime
A world without the smoke and smog
Without the traffic and the fog
With just the rain and the sun
The city had once again been won
Each day the wind howls with joy
And the trees take the shape of a boy
The river snakes through like a girl
And the sun turns Earth into a pearl.

All was seen in a flurry of time
The little girl had seen a sign
Was she to be the girl of yellow
Who’s future did not seem mellow?
Was this the future certain to be
Or could this be a lie that she could flee?
Were dreams so certain to be real
And did nightmares follow that deal?
Please allow her to change that fate
And watch the rise of nature’s wait
Not from among the grassy dead
But with the trees like previously said

The future is a blurry mist
Like uncertainties cold hearted kiss
But to proceed to what might be
It’s not always best to see.


(c) klampela

6:01 PM

The rain came down in torrents. Five ruby red laser sights were honed in on the cross around her neck. A rain poncho over her back, a bag strapped to her side and a hand grenade in one of her hands with the pulled pin in the other. Sara's mind tried to wrap itself around how she got to this point as salty tears were beginning to mix with the ice cold rain coming down from the small hole in her hood. It made her dizzy just to think about all of it. It wasn't like she was well versed in the use of a slingshot much less a hand grenade.

It wasn't supposed to happen like this. To her left was the sidewalk in front of The First Hope Bank of Grandtown. Parked there was a truck, heavily armored with a man in the front seat dressed in jeans and a shirt. The engine was still running. The new Dodge Hemi V8 engine purring like a panther, prepared to pounce. The man's arm slipped down from across his lap. As it fell to the side, slightly hitting the bar that moves the seat back and forth, blood dribbled down the fingers, making a pattern on the step board that was washed away as quickly as the man's life. Hoping that the grenade would keep them from firing on her, she recounted the events of the last few hours while slowly sidestepping closer to the armored car.

4:42 PM

Sara finished placing the explosive device in the satchel while Jerome looked over her. As she looked over to him, the 501 blue jeans and the Khaki shirt made her smile. It hadn't been so long ago that they had been in the corner of the seedy motel room they had rented upon arriving in town the night before. The sign outside reading D*ust* Tra*ele* with it's burned out lights had made them decide on staying there. When they went to the little window and the cigar chewing, wife beater wearing, lewd commenting plump 40ish hotel manager asked if he could try Sara out after Jerome was finished, The couple was positive that no one would find them until they were ready to be found.

5:19 PM

'It would happen soon,' Sara thought to herself as she sat at the little bistro across from the bank eating a baguette. She smiled at Jerome as they both waited for the moment that would change their lives. The satchel sat on the back of the chair, closed up from prying eyes. Her newly dyed hair was finally dry; although to look at the sky she realized she had to get some sort of rain gear or else she'd be a brunette long before she planned to go back to her original color. She Left the satchel in Jerome's care and while shaking her hips seductively, left the Bistro and went in search of something to keep her hair from getting wet should it rain.

5:59

The shot rang out as Jerome held the grenade up high. He had been trying to keep the police back as he started the armored car. Sara looked on, Bonnie to his Clyde, the world their oyster. All of a sudden, the grenade was at her feet and the world had begun to end by releasing Heaven's tears with a great Boom of Thunder. Sara saw two drops of blood on the grenade. 'Jerome's blood? How odd. No one had ever gotten hurt in their escapades. How could there be blood now?' She picked the grenade up and wondered why Jerome hadn't said anything since starting the armored truck. It took almost a minute before Sara realized the reality of her situation fully.

6:00 PM

A grenade pin is pulled, easily seen in the lightning blast that illuminates the early evening sky above the scene of the latest in a string of bank robberies.

6:02 PM

A grenade goes off....