Thursday Doors Writing Challenge 2024

Posted by: Darlene on: May 27, 2024

• In: Doors | short stories
• 54 Comments

Dan Antion is running the Thursday Door Writing Challenge for the 4th year. It’s a fun challenge where we submit our favourite door pictures and then from May 1 to June 1, everyone is invited to share a story inspired by one of the doors. If you would like to join the writing challenge more info is here. The link will also take you to the list of stories submitted. You might want to give it a try.

This is the door I chose submitted by Brenda Cox

Breakfast of Champions by Darlene Foster

Welcome to the Village of Champion, a sign proudly displayed as we approached a small prairie town in the middle of nowhere. The obligatory grain elevator stood proud, displaying the name in big bold letters.

“This is a cute place,” I remarked. “I wonder why it’s called Champion. Do famous people live here?”

“I hardly think so.” Sean shrugged. “Should we see if we can find something to eat?”

“Sure. Looks like a restaurant over there by the service station.” I pointed. “Have you been here before?”

“Maybe, can’t remember. These prairie towns all look the same.” Sean parked the car vertically in front of the diner. “But something feels familiar.”

 I got out of the car and skirted around a wooden pole in the middle of the sidewalk. “What’s that?”

“A hitching post.”

“Do people still ride horses into town?” I raised my eyebrows.

“Probably a leftover from the cowboy past.” He put his arm around me and we headed into the restaurant called, Breakfast of Champions.

The place was cosy, but I felt uncomfortable with dead animal heads hanging on the wall, looking at me with accusing eyes. As if I had killed them and kept their heads as a trophy. I shivered and ordered a grilled cheese sandwich. The only vegetarian choice on the menu.

The waitress looked straight out of a movie; middle-aged with a beehive hairdo and heavy red lipstick. Her name tag said, Mildred. She looked like she had had a hard life.

“Here you are, sweetheart. Do you want ketchup with that?”

“No, thanks.”

“I’ll have some.” Sean had ordered a hamburger deluxe, which came with a pot of ketchup. “You can never have too much.” He grinned and winked causing the horseshoe birthmark by his eye to stand out.

“Can you tell me why this town is called Champion?” I asked.

“Well,” Mildred looked away. “Some say it was named after some banker or something. But, I heard it was because a fellow saved a little girl from drowning in the river. He pulled her out of the water after she fell in. He had a weak heart and the effort caused him to have a heart attack. He died shortly after. Folks considered him a champion and named the new town after him.”

Sean paled and stopped eating. “When was this?”

“Around 1915, I think.”

A couple of farmers entered the cafe and she left to wait on them.

I was surprised at Sean’s reaction. “What is it?”

He swallowed. “My grandmother was pulled out of the river by a stranger when she was quite small. At least that was what I’ve been told. The timing would be right, too.” He shook his head. “It couldn’t be the same little girl, could it?”

The waitress stopped by their table to offer coffee refills and asked if the food was all right.

“It’s all great. I love these pickles.” I took another bite of a crunchy dill pickle.

She smiled. “The boss’s wife makes them with cukes from her garden.”

“Can you tell us what happened to the little girl who was saved from drowning?” I just had to know.

“Her parents moved away shortly after.”

“What about the guy who saved her? Do you know anything about him?” Sean asked.

The waitress leaned in closer and lowered her voice. “According to what I heard, there had been rumours going around that he was actually the girl’s real father. He was a good-looking cowboy passing through on a cattle drive when the girl’s mother met him. She got pregnant and ended up marrying her childhood sweetheart. No one seems to know the name of the cowboy, but he had a horseshoe-shaped birthmark by his eye.” She lowered her voice even more. “It was also said that he didn’t die of a heart attack, but was murdered.”

“Mildred!” a voice called from the back. “The order for table three is up.”

A few minutes later, a large man wearing an apron and chef’s hat arrived at their table. “Was everything to your liking folks?”

“Yes, it was very good,” answered Sean.

“Don’t mind Mildred. She likes to tell tall tales at times. I think she watches too much TV.” He chuckled. “But she’s a good sort.” Then he got serious and said as if warning us, “All towns have secrets and they should stay that way.”

He left the bill on the table and walked away. I picked it up and turned it over. The total was zero with a handwritten note, Don’t come back to Champion anytime soon.

As we hastily left the cafe, I noticed a sign on a weather-worn wooden door that made me shiver as if someone had walked on my grave.

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Tags: Dan Antion, Doors, short stories, short story competition, Thursday Doors, writing challenge