Writing with my 1010 Students

Today was my CE 1010 students' second day in class. I pass out interesting photographs and set our timer for 15 minutes and write. I also write with them. They always enjoy this activity.

My first picture



The October air is sharp against my face as I walk toward the castle. The moat surrounding the castle is still, almost translucent. I feel as if everything about the castle is saturated by a mysterious golden light. Entering, my heart jumped into my throat as there were ghosts standing in the shadowy hall! A wax candle burned and the musty smell of damp and dust filled my nose. I froze for a few moments unable to move. I knew they were rumored to be there, but I had not believed it could be true. My relations, but which one? Why did they haunt this place?
I stepped forward towards them, and they vanished. All I could hear was my heart beating and nothing else. I took a deep breath and exhaled. Trembling, a little, I kept walking. The sound of my feet kept me from not thinking too much. Entering the hall, my eyes gazed at the painting on the left. One portrait in particular had cold steely gray eyes.



Eric pushed his still-damp hair from his face. She noticed he smelled faintly of cedar and fabric softener. The silence was broken only by their footsteps. She touched his arm and said, "Look." Before them was the old barn of their childhood. As they approached the barn, a squirrel scampered over a log. Pine and damp grass gave an earthy smell. The last time they were here it was summertime, but now the fall air was biting. "Do you think the secret box is still hidden in there?"
"I don't know."
He pushed the door, and they crept in. A cobweb fell across her face. The air was dusty and without much sunlight, she couldn't see everything before here. A sort of deja vu feeling came over her and she....



A fuzzy pink tinge along the horizon showed that daybreak was drawing closer. Clair stretched her arms over her head and then walked towards the dock. Hearing only the rustling of the trees behind her, and her bare feet, the silence was broken by a fish that leaped out of the water.
The sky lightened very slowly, and Claire felt like the air itself seemed to be quivering with anticipation. The lake seemed to be imbued with a mysterious glorious light. Sitting on the edge of the dock, she glanced down at the green mossy poles below her. She didn't want to break the spell as the sun rose and she watched silvery beams of light dance off the lake.
Rubbing her arms to warm herself, she was suddenly reminded of why she was here in the first place. A memory forced itself to the surface of the first time they came to this lake, but now her mother was gone. She tried to hold back the tears, but her eyes started to fill.