Crossed the 6K mark today. Since I’m going to lose writing days for AmberCon Northwest next week, I’ve been hoping to get 3K a day until we leave so that I’ll offset the time I’ll spend not writing. So far, so good. Here’s a taste from the work in progress.

A two tone electronic chime sounded as they stepped into the shop. It smelled musty and looked shabby. Some of the shelves had dust on the items up for sale. Further ahead Jamie spotted Sabrina talking to someone at the counter, with some lumpy brown cloth thing on the counter between them.

“Hey Sabrina!” Parker yelled. It was the tone Jamie recognized as “Parker trying to be as obnoxious as possible.”

Sabrina looked up in surprise, then her look hardened as she saw them. “What are you two doing here?”

“Costume shopping,” Parker said. “There’s a clearance sale today, y’know? What’s that you got there?”

As they drew closer, Jamie could make out a turkey head on the brown lumpy thing. Jamie could only stare in confusion.

Parker gasped. “Oh my god, is that the Turkey Tim costume? Are… are you Turkey Tim? Are you dressing in drag?”

“What are you talking about?” Jamie asked.

“At Lafayette Park, they have a thing where you can get your picture taken with Turkey Tim,” Parker explained. “Because you need to have your picture taken with someone in a creepy costume every holiday. And Turkey Tim was the one they have for Thanksgiving.” Turning her attention back to Sabrina she asked, “Does this mean you’re cross-dressing? That seems a little… I don’t know, gay, don’t you think?”

The dig on Sabrina caused Jamie to wince. She knew that Sabrina’s parents had sent to her camp to treat her for homosexuality after Sabrina had been caught making out with Parker when they were both tweens.

Sabrina stared silently at Parker for a few moments before saying, “There’s a belly dancer costume behind you.”

Parker frowned and turned to look at the costume rack behind her. “Holy crap, you’re right! This is awesome!”

“Hooray for short attention span,” Sabrina muttered. “What are you really doing here?”

“I’m costume shopping. I’m supposed to ask for Neil?” Jamie half directed that to the old woman behind the counter.

The woman nodded. “I can escort you back just as soon as I’m done helping this young lady.” To Sabrina the woman said, “Here’s your claim ticket. You can pick it up in a couple days.”

Sabrina took the ticket and turned towards the exit. On a hunch Jamie called after her, “Do you want to help me with the costume?”

Sabrina turned and looked back with narrowed eyes. Jamie couldn’t tell what the expression was supposed to mean. She couldn’t believe it when Sabrina said, “Sure” and walked back.

The old woman behind the counter began walking to the back of the store. “Right this way.”

At the back was an old coin-operated photobooth with an “Out of Order” sign hung on the curtain. Jamie looked back and noticed that Parker had not left where she was standing, but instead was dancing with the belly dancer costume and singing, “Ting-ta-ting-ting-ting!”

Jamie yelled, “Come on ‘I Dream of Jeannie’, the train’s leaving without you.”

Parker yelped in surprise, tossed the costume to the side and ran to catch up.