Writing Prompt: Day 238

238.jpgDay 238 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write a message in a bottle.

Shannon:

To the person who finds this,

I’m sending out this letter from an island in Hawaii, hoping it finds its way to stranger who cares enough to read it, and doesn’t immediately throw my note away. I need your help with a little experiment of mine. I’m trying to see where this bottle ends up, and if you call the number on the back I’ll let you know where it has been and who it has been with. If you don’t wish to participate I understand, but please send the bottle out again. Don’t let this line of communication end, and always know you’re not alone, sometimes even strangers think of you.

Sincerely,

Kiana

Erin: All it said was, “Come quick. We are running out of resources.” It was followed by a what appeared to be a poorly drawn map. That was all I needed, I would find them. I had to. The bottle floated to me the letter was destine for my eyes.

Write a floating message.

Writing Prompt: Day 237

237.jpgDay 237 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: What toppings does your character top their ice-cream with?

Erin: Ha, silly question he thought. “I’m a purist. Plain vanilla.”

Shannon: Caramel, marshmallow fluff, pecans, brownie pieces and one gummy bear.

Define your character’s sweet tooth.

Writing Prompt: Day 236

236.jpgDay 236 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: What happens in this building?

Shannon: The building holds a group of scientists who love astronomy. They often spend their nights on the top floor, studying the sky.

Erin: Every room is the same. They used them as controlled environments for illegal human experimentation.

What happens behind those windows?

Writing Prompt: Day 235

235.jpgDay 235 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about someone embracing something they used to hide.

Erin: “I want to show you something,” my boyfriend sat down next to me on the couch.

“Your dream journal,” I asked looking at the leather-bound journal with a moon burned into it.

“That’s not what it is,” he corrected handing it to me without any other explanation.

I read the first few words and they were beautiful. After a few verses, I caught on that it was poetry. “Why is this the first I am hearing about this?”

“I don’t tell people” he grumbled.

“Why,” I pressed.

“Cause it’s embarrassing,” there was a whine in his voice.

“Like that’s stopped you from sharing anything with me before,” I thought that I was different.

“Well you would want me to write some for you,” he reviled.

I shot him an annoyed look, “who’s this one about then,” I pointed to the love poem I was on.

“You, but I didn’t need the pressure,” he argued.

“How are you so articulate on the page, yet we are having this ridiculous conversation,” I shook my head fully aware of this guy I was dating.

Shannon: I used to hide my grades the second I got my papers back. I didn’t want my friend to know I cared about school. I also didn’t want my classmates to see my grades and instantly assume they knew something about the kind of person I was. Eventually I realized by covering my grades I was covering up one more piece of me, and I was sick of hiding. That’s why I decided to let them look, not because I wanted them to know, but because I wanted to stop punishing myself for the truth.

What is being brought to light?

Writing Prompt: Day 234

234.jpgDay 234 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about a story a grandparent tells their grandchild.

Shannon: When I was a kid a tornado touched down in our neighborhood. It took out most of the houses on the block except for ours, so my parents opened up their doors to give some families a place to stay. We lived in our tiny house with three different families, and no one ever complained. I think you can share your room for little while longer, don’t you?

Erin: Things aren’t the same these days. Boys used to court the girls they fancied. Your grandfather recited a poem to ask me on our first date. We went to the diner seven times before he finally took my hand in his. The first time we kissed was during a slow dance at homecoming. By prom he asked me to go steady. Never did he let me go cold or my feet get wet, or did he ever let my hand touch a door handle when he was around. I know you find the whole thing old fashioned, but there was something special about being put above everything else.

How was it in the old days?

Writing Prompt: Day 233

233.jpgDay 233 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write a myth about what an eclipse means.

Erin: The solar eclipse is when evil finally concurs good.

Shannon: An eclipse messes with the world order. If things have gone well for you in the past, then you won’t be so lucky in the future. If your past has been hard, then you will find a silver lining. The world is about to change, let’s hope it’s for the better.

When the sun and the moon align.

Writing Prompt: Day 232

232.jpgDay 232 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Create a unique from of transportation.

Shannon: “I saw you guys riding around in that couch on wheels the other day. Though I did laugh, I have to admit it looked like a lot of fun,” I mentioned, unable to hold back a smile at the memory of them rolling down the hill with their makeshift steering wheel.

“You want to drive it don’t you,” he questioned, giving me a couple eyebrow raises.

“Maybe,” I hummed. “Is it still alive?”

“Absolutely not,” he laughed proudly.

Erin: My favorite form of transportation was taking a shrinking serum and catching a ride on a drone my friend flew.

It’s not about where they are going, but how they get there.

Writing Prompt: Day 231

231.jpgDay 231 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Drop your character in a portal to a mystery location.

Shannon: Everything on the other side of the portal was so vibrant and breathtaking. And that was before I realized most of it was alive. The colorful leaves on the trees were actually butterflies that fluttered off the bare branches as we walked past. They filled the sky like a cloud above our heads and then they settled back on the tree. Turns out after you see one strange thing move, you start to notice everything else that’s moving too.

Erin: The fall was dark and long. At the end though there was light, almost blinding. When I could see however the beauty nearly brought me to tears.

Take your character places.

Writing Prompt: Day 230

230.jpgDay 230 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about a community of strangers living together.

Shannon: “Why do you always have to be such a jerk,” I questioned, taking the toothbrush out of my mouth.

He took a gulp of water and made me sit through his gargling before he acknowledged my question. “I’m not being a jerk, this is who I am. Get used to it,” he flashed his teeth before turning to walk out.

“No,” I argued, but spit into the sink quick before following him. “You don’t get to rule this house just because you have a temper,” I pointed my toothbrush at him. “None of us want to be here,” I looked around at our housemates watching my hissy fit, and lowered my arm, “Why do you have to make it worse?”

“Am I making it worse?” He looked to group he had bullied since we got here.

“Sometimes,” Carol spoke up nervously. “You can do a better job of sharing,” she admitted.

“And compromising,” Eric added.

He huffed, “We’ll at least I say what’s on my mind. Nice to finally know how you all feel.”

Erin: Living with an entire community of peers felt strange. I was used to nosey old lady down the street who brought over cookies periodically. Then there was the little neighbor girl who would always get her toys in our yard. The newlywed couple we watched slowly wear on each other until it was just the divorced thirty something man. I liked the variation, it made me remember where I had been and where my life would potentially end up. The first day of orientation we were all fresh from high school, starting college, looking for friends, and in a vacuum. I decided I would stay aware of the world outside of our bubble, so my culture shock stayed at bay in four some years.

Who are these people?