18 November 2025, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2925: not the usual flavour

Photo by the author, Deeann D. Mathews

“OK, now that we know that space is so big and they don't have snacks,” nine-year-old George Ludlow said to best friend nine-year-old Milton Trent, “it's time to start our river boating journeys!”

“Yeah, because Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer and Jim don't need to have all the fun,” Milton said.

“We just gotta get Grayson to start building our Lego boat,” George said, and off they went to find George's six-year-old brother.

But things were not going to go the way they thought … five minutes later …

“You know how we used to voluntarily co-ground?” Milton said. “I think the Lord is telling us we need to get back to that.”

“When Grayson becomes Edwina, it is time to change your whole life,” George said. “Wow!”

“I mean, Grayson is usually so quiet, but that was definitely not the usual flavor from him!” Milton said.

“The thing is, my group is kinda the quiet group of Papa's grandchildren,” George said, “but, we're all still Ludlows.”

“I mean, sheesh, how is he that loud without being loud?” Milton said.

“I don't know,” George said. “See, if we had heard him – like paid attention – when he quietly said 'OK, you two, I'm tired.'”

“Yeah,” Milton said. “Maybe we shouldn't have said maybe he should take a nap first.”

“Maybe not … getting told off by a six-year-old doing a good imitation of Robert Edward Ludlow Sr., gray-eyed three-feet-nine edition is kind of a mistake,” George said.

“I mean he told us about how we have had three water main breaks, four major storms, a neighborhood washed out just a half mle from us so we can't go to the only home we've had together, and we don't know what's going to fall in next, and the only space we need to worry about is between our ears and to shut the river of dumbness coming from our mouths and go away before he really gets mad,” George said.

“I don't think I want to see him really get mad,” Milton said, “because then he said that part about he'd yell, but we're going to get grounded bothering him and he's not – he's plotting on us!”

“Yeah, when Grayson gets done with a situation, it can get bad,” George said. “Edwina hasn't bothered him since, and Edwina is out here chasing grown women out of the neighborhood!”

“I hope the grown architects in this counry are getting their lives together, because Grayson is going to come for them,” Milton said.

“And in the meantime we are going to get something to read and stay out of the way,” George said. “Around the World In Eighty Days is looking good.”

“Yeah,” Milton said. “Maybe we can build a hot-air balloon – just gotta get some helium, a basket, and a big balloon!”

“Yeah!” George said.”We just need to read up on how!”

“And maybe let Grayson get a nap first, although we're not going to say that to him,” Milton said.

Meanwhile, the quietest of the Ludlow grandchildren had gone to his room to quietly cry, not able to put all the words to his feelings, but knowing he was unwilling to be pulled into everything everybody thought he should do while he was on a mission of his own. That was a lot for a six year old … but he did know ... and in that assurance, he calmed down into a nap.