Hello... is anyone here?

Oh yeah, sorry... the one that's been missing is me.

Busy with lots of things, editing course, cars, car shows, house rental, garden, hot tub (thank you Steemit) etc. and the two most exciting things (for me) - my birthday present is almost finished and I have ideas for a new anthology.

The major thing that has kept me off Steemit is editing Ash's story. No, I haven't wrapped my head around it all yet.

I have been thinking though, and that's the biggest part of writing for me. During the thinking part, ideas have been coming to me and last Sunday, a whole slew of ideas arrived all at once. I wrote them down (good job, too - I never would have remembered them all) and all I have to do now is write those stories. Of course I'll share them with you guys here on Steemit first - that's the whole point :)

Following the 13 stories - Penny Dreadfuls - last year, I decided that I may as well do another.

Here's what I have so far:

Urban Legends and Stories:

Psycho on roof of car, beating a dismembered head on the roof

Creeper in remote campsite - evidence found when packing up

Hitcher on lonely road - driver refuses him a lift

Kids hitchhiking (Teens) and what happens when they split up to maximise their chances of getting a lift

Animal in campsite, snuffling around - what the campers find the next morning

Woman filling up car late at night in lonely area - spin on Urban Legend

Bullied teen, magical/mystical grandmother

Puzzle box

Car found in shed - the adventures of the young man that buys and restores the car

You need a long spoon to sup with the devil - that's all I have, a title

Absinthe - Great-Grandma's stash of alcohol discovered on her death

Woman cruel to cats

Baker's dozen - a baker is short-changing his customers - until he stiffs the wrong customer

That's what I have for now. The stories will be worked upon and I have a few that are really exciting and I can't wait to get to work on them. Right now, I have nothing, but... gimme a little while.

Oh... and then there's this. Not much for the moment, but it started coming and I started writing.

No title yet. I'll just call it 'Urban Legend' for now.

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Urban Legend (Working Title)

Sideways glances at the girl in the passenger seat, following directions from the three boys in the back seat, concentration wavering between them all. At the junction, he took a longer than usual look up the street and pretended to make an extra ‘lifesaver check’ before pressing the accelerator.

“Quit checking Cheryl out and concentrate on the road!” The fourth voice from the back seat chimed in.

His face and neck heated up and the four cramped back seat passengers laughed. Cheryl took one look at him, but remained silent. Tight-lipped, a frown embedded in the skin of her forehead, the trip anything but a joy-ride for her at least.

“You ok?” He nudged her knee with his hand whilst changing gear.

She nodded without looking at him. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

“Take the next road on the left. Drive slowly or you’ll miss it.” One of the passengers in the back called out.

The jumble of voices calling out instructions simultaneously rendered their directions indecipherable. “There, that’s the turn. Damnit, we missed it. Back-up.”

He put the car into reverse and pulled back a few feet so he could make the turn. The inside of the car fell silent. Crawling forward at walking pace so he could make sure his dad’s car didn’t hit the potholes and rocks strewn along what should have been a road, he frowned, pursed his lips and concentrated on his driving.

“Andy, we’re close.” Cheryl’s whisper could be heard clearly only because the rest of the passengers were so quiet.

Andy pressed the brake to slow the car more. “Where? Here?”

“Just a few yards.” Cheryl’s whisper became quieter. He had to strain to hear, even in the silence.

She tapped her hand on the steering wheel and he applied the brake fully. Andy looked out through the side window, applied the handbrake and took the car out of gear. His hand reached for the key in the ignition to turn off the engine.

“Don’t switch it off.” Cheryl’s strained, tense voice caught his attention and he looked right at her. She shook her head to confirm what she’d told him.

“What now?” Andy looked at Cheryl. She shrugged. Andy turned to his other passengers.

They shrugged together and Andy grinned. “You look like those three monkeys, only there are four of you.”