The brief

In 500 words, write a mini portrait of a character, in either past or present tense.  In this story, note, there needn’t be any signficant plot; concentrate instead on describing both character and place, and on conveying a particular mood – and state this mood as the title of your story.  (Forexample: Happiness: Jane had short red hair and …).

Resignation

Dan got out of bed, knocking the empty Smirnoff vodka bottle off the bedside cabinet.  He didn’t need to get dressed, he was still wearing the same faded blue jeans and grubby white t-shirt from yesterday.  He shunned the shower in favour of heading straight downstairs to the kitchen, turning his nose up at the stench of the remains of last night’s curry, switched on the kettle, unearthed his favourite chipped Arsenal mug from the sink which was surrounded by the rest of the washing up that had been there for longer than he could remember and made himself a mug of strong, black instant coffee.  He scratched his stubble (which was ginger in contrast to the thick jet black hair on his head, a fact that annoyed him immensely) and looked at his nails, raising his eyebrows at the amount of grime under them.  He went back upstairs and braved the mirror.  A grey, lined face belying his 33 years stared back at him with a slight look of regret in his green eyes.  Dan ventured into the guest room which acted as his office.  He didn’t even know why he called it the guest room, he never had any guests and he threw the futon out ages ago to make room for the stereo and DVD player.  The only visitors to the room were his dog, Muffin, and Monty the cat who was currently sleeping on top of his black swivel chair, casually half opening an eye as he walked into the room.

The phone rang.  Dan stared it for a few seconds, then picked up the receiver and spoke to his editor while doodling squares and circles on a notepad with a chewed pencil he’d bought at the zoo he had taken his son to years ago.  He replaced the receiver and sighed.  Each time the phone went, he hoped it was her,  saying she wanted to come home.  But why would she come back to this mess?  Not just the mess in the house, but the mess he’d also made of his life?  Muffin ambled in and put his head on Dan’s leg, looking at him pleadingly.  He supposed he wanted food, did he have any?  Dan went downstairs to the kitchen and looked in the cupboard whose door was hanging by a single hinge, threatening to come away any second like a child‘s tooth.  He didn’t have any dog food so gave Muffin some of Monty’s Go Cat instead in an old cereal bowl.

Back upstairs again, Dan turned his computer on and settled down to do some work.  His desk was covered in stained coffee cups, empty vodka bottles and overflowing ashtrays.  A pile of unopened correspondence lay on the floor, he only opened ones that promised cheques inside.  The computer screen flickered into life and Dan checked his email, scanning the inbox for one from his wife.  He shrugged with resignation and started up his word processor and started to type his latest assignment, hoping to meet that deadline.