Never-Ending Story Meme: Play It Forward

Since so many of us enjoy creative writing, I've had an idea for a different type of meme for several weeks. But I couldn't come up with the inspiration to get it started. Then LJ at Presbyterian Gal posted a very vivid dream that featured God as a character, and it reminded me of an old one-page start to a novel that was sitting in my files. I decided to use that.

So here goes. The goal is to write a story that branches off into different possibilities and to see how long bloggers can keep it going. I'm going to post the start of a story. Anyone who wants to participate may write a version of the next chapter, provided you leave it unfinished and ask your own readers to carry it on.

If you decide to play, please follow this procedure.

1. Put a link back to this post. Label the Link "Chapter One."
2. Write your own installment and label it "Chapter Two." Remember to leave it unresolved. 
   
3. Come leave a comment on this post when you're done. I will list links to all possible versions of the second chapter at the bottom of this post.
   
4. Invite your readers to create possible versions of Chapter Three, following the same procedure. They should link back to you and link back to me.
   
5. Anyone who writes a version of Chapter Three should leave it open-ended and invite people to create Chapter Four. Etc, etc.
   

Let's see what happens and how far this goes. 

P.S. There is no time limit on doing this, but this post will drop into the archives in about a week. Just so you know. And if you have any suggestions for improving the mechanics of how this works, feel free to put them in the comments. I never created a meme from scratch before.

CHAPTER ONE

One night a few years back, I dreamed I was playing gin rummy with God and my father. God was the dealer, of course. He didn't look at all the way I expected him to. His shirtsleeves were rolled up, his tie was askew, and a pencil was stuck behind his ear. Even so, I knew he was God. As soon as the Lord finished dealing, my father put down a run containing the two of hearts, three of clubs, and four of diamonds. I stared at it for a moment before saying, "That's not right. Those cards aren't from the same suit."

Neither one of them answered. My father winked at me and then laid down the rest of his hand. None of the cards went together, but clearly, he thought he had won.

I hadn't even had a turn and was still holding the hand I'd been dealt. When Daddy started to total his points, I said, "You can't count those; they're wrong. We have to go over the rules and start again."

Before I could gather up the cards, God said, "We'll talk about the rules later. At half time."

Half time? I thought. In a card game? Is he crazy too?

That's when I started screaming, "I can't play like this. I don't know what's going on. We have to make the rules clear." Taking a deep breath, I bellowed in God's face, "Do you hear me?"

He gave me the kind of look a parent gives a child who is throwing a tantrum. "I hear you," he said and held out his hand for my cards.

My rage leaked away like air from a punctured tire. Even though my indignation was justified, I could see that God wasn't going to yield to my demands just because I was shouting at him. So I threw my cards down on the table and walked away.

But now I sort of wish I hadn't. Although it was just a dream, it was the first time I'd seen my father since he died when I was eight. Would it have killed me to humor him?

THE REST OF THE STORY (Please Note: I'm listing subsequent chapters with the "string" they follow):

THE REST OF THE STORY (Please Note: I'm listing subsequent chapters with the "string" they follow):

1. Chapter 2 at The Soul on Every Path

Chapter 3-1 at The Wizard's Apprentice

2. Chapter 2 at A Feather Adrift

Chapter 3-2 at Midlife by Farmlight

Chapter 4-2 at Rhymes with Plague.

Chapter 5-2 at Remembrances of an Arkansas Stamper

3. Chapter 2 at Fiwaese.

4. Chapter 2 at Faith in Community

Chapter 3-4 at Prairie Light

Chapter 4-4 at A Home for My Words