Create a short story, piece of memoir, or epic poem that is 26 sentences long, in which the first sentence begins with “A” and each sentence thereafter begins with the next letter of the alphabet.

Photographers, artists, poets: show us ORDERLY.

As Val disembarked from the plane she was feeling a little nervous.

Being in a new country surrounded by unknown words was strange at first.

Composing herself she approached passport control.

“Don’t ask me tons of questions”, she thought to herself.

“English, thank God they speak English”, she thought as they asked her why she was visiting their country.

Forgetting everything she’d planned to say she mumbled something about seeing the sights.

Going through another security check she arrived at luggage collection and collected her suitcase

Heaving it onto a trolley she started walking towards the ‘Nothing to declare’ exit.

“If he’s not here I’ll just die”, she thought.

Just a few weeks ago she’d agreed to come here and meet Rumi.

Keeping her promise, she’d managed to arrange some time off and book a flight.

Lots of people had warned her to be careful.

“Maybe he’s a weirdo”, someone had said, “Maybe he’s just after a passport”, said another.

Nothing had deterred her, because she knew what she was doing was right.

Over the last few weeks she had got to know him very well.

Playing together like two overgrown kids they had discovered much about each others psyches.

Questioning all and everything they had realized how connected they already were.

Racing from unknowns to friends to almost lovers without ever having seen, or barely heard, each other.

Should they have waited longer, tried to talk more, demanded recent photos?

Two short telephone calls, the first less than a minute, the second about three.

Unbelievably neither of them needed more, they just knew.

Voices woke Val from her thoughts.

“Welcome”, said Rumi

X … a single gentle kiss.

“You look wonderful”, he said, “You too” she said.

“Zany ain’t we”, she said, “Too right” he said, “Let’s go home”.

A to Z

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