Inland 360 staff
There’s something magical about made-for-TV Christmas movies, and it’s not the dependable happy-ever-after ending.
Somehow these movies can summon joy or tears in even the most calloused and unsentimental humans.
Instead of watching one (or four) this season, how about writing one and breaking the rules of their predictable format?
Last year we asked people to finish the story of “Richard the Sharp-Eared Reindeer.” This year we invite readers to finish the story of Bethany, the big-city workaholic.
We’ve started it for you, you just have to finish it and send it in.
You can send us your ending in 300 words or less in one of four ways. Entries are due by midnight Dec. 9. The author of the winning entry, to be announced Dec. 20, will receive two free movie tickets.
- You can write your ending in the comments section below
- Or email it to contests@inland360.com
- Or mail it to Inland 360, PO Box 957, Lewiston, ID 83501
- Or drop entries off at the offices of the Lewiston Tribune or Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
Include your name and address, and we’ll send you an Inland 360 sticker.
Christmas Eve begins as just another 12-hour work day for Bethany — one more chance to prove her dedication to the flashy Seattle firm where she has spent the best years of her life as a non-specific professional.
Little does she dream, this is her lucky day. Her boss calls her in and, after minimizing her success on her latest projects, asks her to take over “the big account.” The moment Bethany has been waiting for all her life has finally arrived. She can almost taste her promotion.
“I’m on it. I’ll have it done for you by the end of the day tomorrow,” she promises with enthusiasm.
“Tomorrow?” says the boss, who isn’t important enough to get his own name. “It’s Christmas! The office closes at noon. Go spend the day with your family.”
It is crushing news. Not only is the Big Account a dream career move, it was the perfect excuse to avoid her family and small Idaho hometown for the holidays. The thought of spending 1.5 days in a place with no goat yoga, cat cafes or organic-vegan-and-gluten-free menus makes her cringe. “There isn’t even a Target within 50 miles,” she grumbles as she listlessly packs up. At least there will be plenty of quiet time to work on my proposal, she thinks, shuffling files, snapping her Italian leather briefcase closed and flinging it into the car.
After an idyllic winter wonderland drive which she barely notices, Bethany pulls into her old neighborhood of outdated homes bedecked with equally outdated holiday spirit. Her mom and dad, who have kept up their health and appearance, greet her warmly as she pulls into the driveway. They fuss over her as they carry her bags to her room, left untouched since she moved out 15 years ago.
After a cozy Christmas Eve dinner of tuna noodle casserole, Bethany excuses herself to work in her room when she notices something horrifying. Her phone’s battery is at 7 percent. She rummages around for her charger and then realizes something even worse — in her hurry, she forgot to pack it.
Bethany asks her mom for an extra charger. “Oh sweetie,” Mom says, “We don’t have those fancy phones here, you know that.”
In a panic, Bethany flies out the door, ignoring mom’s advice to “for heaven’s sake put on some boots.” She drives recklessly, careening into a parking spot at the town’s hardware store, owned and operated by her old high school flame. Unknowingly, she parks beside a big patch of ice. As she gets out of the car, her expensive, big city-girl heels don’t have the proper traction, her foot slips and …
4 Comments
David E. House
Write Your Own Christmas Movie (Entry)
Submitted by David E House
Pen Name Stewart A. Martinson
Address: 2408 East D. Street, Moscow 83843-9509
Bethany falls, her head hitting the pavement. Barely conscious, she hears a man’s voice saying, “Bethany, you okay? It’s me, Dallas, from high school?” She’s perplexed. Taking her inside, he grabs the first-aid kit to mend her scraped elbow and head.
Dallas sees she’s returning back to normal, “Remember me? We dated in high school.” Bethany remembers all too well that it broke her heart to leave him, but she wanted the ‘big city’ life, even if it meant giving up the ‘love of her life.’
Being in shock, physically and emotionally, all Bethany could do was stare. The memories of their time together flooded her mind. She sees that he is extremely attractive, but not wearing a ring. Not really thinking, Bethany grabs his arm and pulls him towards her, kissing him gently, yet passionately. Dallas is surprised, “Wow! Either you remember or that’s the best ‘Thank You’ I’ve ever received.”
For the next four hours they share their past. Dallas closes up the store driving Bethany home. On the way, he tells Bethany that he still thinks of her often and has always hoped she would return one day. He uses this hap chance opportunity to declare, “Every morning I open the store, I pray that’s the day you return. I’ve never stopped loving you.”
Bethany is overwrought with emotion. She hears a small still voice, “Everything you really need is here. You can have a life of success or you can have a life that is blessed.”
Upon arriving, she runs inside to her room. Her mother calls up to her, “Did you get the charger? Is everything okay?” She answers, “Did you know that Dallas never married?” Mother replies, “We all live with hope, this is the time of year for miracles, even in small towns.”
Owen Hemphill
Her foot slipped and both legs flopped up in the air. Landing on her hands, but mostly her head. Seen through the big glass window high school sweetheart, Justin rushed out to assist. Bringing her a sitting position her to sitting position, and making sure she was conscious, she seemed to be alright. She wiped her eyes and gave a smile, but Justin didn’t look back with a smile more with a concerned look. She looked down to find her front tooth on the ice beside her. She nervously got to her feet, extremely dizzy and asked if they had chargers because she couldn’t leave empty handed. Justin told her to wait in the car while he went in to grab her one, while she waited in the car telling her to not worry about the price. She blushed and thanked him though she ached every time she moved her jaw. They agreed that Bethany shouldn’t drive home so she asked if Justin could give her a ride to her parents house. He walked her in and sat her on the couch. The only thing she could think about was throwing her assignment and just having a quality catch up with her family and old crush Justin. But, not until after her strong sleep, some hot cocoa, and soft Christmas music to drift her off into dreamland. Being surprised that such a mouth piercing day has turned upside down.
marcelle bourgeau
Her foot slipped slipping into a fuzzy state of mind as she came to her senses as she arises from the cold gravel as she continues to walk into the store rubbing her head and tightening her heels she begins to walk into the store to find a charger as she is greeted by welcoming staff members “hello” as she is still dayzed from her fall. Hello i am looking for a charger and i would like to ask the time “it’s rounding 4:30 ma’am “ oh boy i better get home soon to help mom and dad. Getting back in her car she plugs her phone in and rushes home, upon her arrival she takes a seat on her bed and begins the submitting of her paper for the big promotion. By mid evening the submission is final and a big weight is lifted off of her chest, greeting her parents at the dinner table to make small talk she feels a sudden throb in her chest as she checks her pulse she notices her earring is gone, in a flash she wakes up to a beam of light centered on her torso as she cannot see into the abyss surrounding her, she calls for anybody to help her off of this very tall table as a clear white face submerged from the darkness “hello ma’am we thought after the second week in the coma you would have been gone.”
Grace Qualman
…her head crashes to the ground just as Erik, the high school sweetheart that turned sour, walks out after closing up shop. Erik runs over to Bethany, scooping her up in his arms (he has a tight jacket on, so we can all see his big muscles). He carries her to his truck, wraps her in a blanket, and drives her to the nearest hospital.
At the hospital, he sets unconscious Bethany on a stretcher, and she’s whisked away.
He sees his ex-girlfriend, a doctor(also Bethany’s arch nemesis from high school), and feels the awkward tension, because she broke up with him last month.
“Who is she?” said the secretary, eyeing Bethany.
“I don’t know,” Erik takes off his beanie and runs his hand through his hair, “she fell outside my shop.”
“I see,” she says, frowning in concentration, “Didn’t she look like that Bethany girl you used to date?”
At the mention of Bethany, Erik remembers the magical high school relationship.
He runs into Bethany’s room, where she’s waking up. She feels the presence of love, and an old nurse looks at her, as if reading her mind.
Erik knocks on the door, and the nurse smiles knowingly.
“He’s in love with you, and you feel the same,” she says in the wise, creepy way those characters always act.
“What? No…” Bethany looks up, with Erik in the doorway.
“Bethany, this sounds crazy, but… I think I’m in love with you,” Erik
shyly combs his hand through his hair.
“Erik… I don’t know. I have a Big Account I need to finish. Work before love, right?”
Erik says romantically, “I’d wait until you finish the Big Account, and every big account after.”
They kiss without abandon, the all-knowing nurse simpering as the scene closes.