Page 1

(It is important that the opening page sucks in your reader. There has to be a reason to turn the page.)

The alarm blasted from the right side of the bed on the side table. Monte raised his head from under the mound of covers to feel the cold on his face. He looked over at the cell phone that had been set to wake him up. He reached over to grab the phone. He could feel the coldness on his left hand as he turned the alarm off. The outside light peeked through the louver blinds partially open in front of the patio doors. He took a deep breath and sat up in bed.

He began to think about what he wanted to do and what really needed to be done. He usualy made a list of things to do, but he hadn't done that in advance. He slid out of the bed and went into the bathroom to get washed up so he could think clearly.
His life was changing, but he didn't know to what extent. Nothing seemed different. He was doing the same thing he had done for the last eleven months. He was not regretting the day and not resisting what was coming, but he wanted to deal with it in his own way.

He decided to get dressed and he would make his list while having breakfast. Monte fixed himself a bowl of cereal and sat at the dinning table. Just as he began to eat, his cell phone began to ring. He hesitated to answer the phone. He looked to see who was calling and by the fourth ring he decided to answer.

"Hello."
"Happy Birthday," the voice on the other end said.
"Thank you," Monte answered in a soft voice.
"How does it feel to be fifty?"
"Not very different from forty nine," he answered.
"Well I hope you have a great day. I didn't want you to think I had forgotten."
"Well, thanks again for calling."

Monte ended the call and began to eat his breakfast and thinking he shouldn't have answered the phone.