Tag Archives: writing goals

Writing Prompt: Day 37

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37.jpgDay 37 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write a character’s to-do list.

Erin:

Dress shopping

Shoe Shopping

Pick jewelry

Shave

Get a wax

Manicure

Hair cut

Shannon:

Buy food

Schedule dentist appointment

Pay rent

Pay credit card

Finish the painting

Social media the shit out of it

Workout

Clean the kitchen

Call mom

Message Kate, no she won’t answer, but do it anyway

Go to Damian’s gallery show, congratulate him, don’t get jealous

Pick up some more catering shifts

Sign up for the bartending course

Buy more canvases

Priorities say a lot about your character.

Writing Prompt: Day 36

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36.jpgDay 36 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Let the pictures inspire you.

Shannon: When the ambassadors sent out a request for volunteers to participate in the Adora Competition, my parents immediately entered my name. It wasn’t a prestigious honor, unless you won, because that was the only way out. If you lost then you died in the game, and they left you there. To understand why parents would risk their child’s life to give her a chance to complete, you’d have to understand what our world is like today. It’s not a good place. We’re breathing, but we’re not living. No one is happy, and we’re trying to fix that with this game.

However, my parents didn’t have the same motive. They tell me the world was good once, and that everyone didn’t always live in fear. That’s what they wanted for me. It would take me away from them forever, but at least I’d have a chance at something better. “Go to the water, and stay in the light when you can. Be invisible, and don’t start fights. Find the world we used to know, or maybe something even better. Don’t give up,” they advised before giving me goodbye hugs.

That’s how I ended up standing over the ambassadors’ game board. They were placing and moving around game pieces that represented new players, trying to strategically decide where they’d be most effective. I was holding my own game piece, waiting for them to pick me.

When it was my turn an employee lead me to a container and explained how to stand inside. I copied his instruction and laid back, keeping my feat against the tube. “The computer will run through the rules again, and then you will hear a countdown once they decide where to place you. Good luck, and remember, you success could save the world. We applaud your bravery,” he shut the tube and locked it.

As the computer voice took over I couldn’t push away my feelings any longer. I was no stranger to fear, but I would be in new turf soon. There was a good chance I might not survive past the first location, and I didn’t want to die. Not with the new promise of finding something better.

The countdown started and moments later the platform holding me up dropped, releasing me into darkness. I felt like I was falling, but suddenly I was sitting in a room that looked like an abandoned Laundromat. There was graffiti covering every wall, and the floor was coated with dirt and garbage. I stood up as soon I was able to take it all in. I felt a little dizzy, so I grabbed onto the sink and took a few deep breaths.

I let my adrenaline take over, and snuck my way to the window. There was no movement outside. It seemed as though they’d placed me in an abandoned town, but that didn’t mean I was alone. “Always carry a weapon. The strongest one you can take with you at the time. Keep looking, never get too comfortable until you reach the ocean,” my dad’s instructions replayed in my head.

I felt sick again, this time out of fear. I can’t do this,” I whispered, shaking my head. I wanted to curl up in a ball and stay here. How was I supposed to find the ocean? I didn’t even know how to find out where I was, let alone where to go.

“If you really want it, you’ll find a way. Anytime you’re scared picture it in your head, endless water,” his voice resurfaced and I imagined myself running in the sand. “Find a boat. Sail away.” My feat had reached the water and I’d gone in deep enough to soak the bottom of my white dress. I felt the sun on my skin and took a deep breath. “You’re safe,” the memory of his voice comforted me. Even if it was just in my mind, I felt a relief I had never experienced before. I wanted it.

I opened my eyes to see the abandoned room again, and it looked different. I was ready for this.

Erin: “I don’t think it is a good idea to keep playing this game,” Rachel worried out loud.

“Nonsense,” I insisted. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

“Have you read the box? We can end the world,” she screamed.

“Calm down babe,” Lucas got behind her and started massaging her shoulders.

“How about you get your nearly single hands the fuck off of me,” she did the exact opposite.

“Sorry,” he obeyed and sat down on the upside-down garbage bin.

“This is all just myth and lore,” I argued rolling for my first turn.

“How do you think this place got so trashed. We are not going to fare any better than this store,” she started to visibly shake and I could tell it pained Lucas to stay away.

“What does the water droplet mean I asked and it didn’t take long to get some clarification,” the cleaning tub faucet started to run the second the sink started to overflow a woman in an off-white dress started to float out as if she were just taking a stroll through a garden.

“What is everyone looking at,” Rachel asked before turning just as petrified as the rest of us once she was facing the correct direction.

Watching football and writing stories.

Writing Prompt: Day 35

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Day 35 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about a life changing coffee shop experience.

Erin: “I’ll have a white mocha latté,” I instructed the barista.

“Name,” he asked as he picked up one of the cups for warm drinks.

“Torren,” I waited to see how she spelled it. She forgot one of the “R”s.

“5.78,” she instructed reaching for my card, I handed it over and she was swiping it before I knew it.

In five minutes my name was being called and my morning routine was coming to an end. Until something out of the ordinary happened.  When my hand connected with the coffee I was handed the liquid turned to ice. Judging by the wide eyes of the girl who had made it, this was also the first time she had witnessed the situation.

Shannon: “I’m sorry miss,” an older man interrupted me. “I know you’re reading, and I don’t mean to bug you, but this is the only open chair. Do you mind if I sit with you?”

“Of course not, go ahead,” I encouraged.

“Thank you,” he said genuinely as he put his cup down on the table so he could pull out his chair. “I’m Albert by the way.”

“Eleanor,” I added my introduction to his.

“Really,” his face lit up. “That was my wife’s name. What a happy coincidence.”

I nodded with a smile, “It was my grandma’s name too.”

“Well I have yet to meet a Eleanor I dislike,” he took a drink from his cup, “and I can’t image I have much time left to meet one that will prove me wrong.”

I always felt awkward when people talked about how they were running out of time. Partially because I never knew what to say, and partially because I liked to act like death was a surprise and not an inevitable end.  I shrugged. “You don’t know me that well yet,” I joked.

“I’m not too worried,” he shook his head. “I actually know more about you than you think. I’m sorry, but I don’t know the proper way to bring this up, but is your name Eleanor Walker?”

I nodded, suddenly scared.

“I believe I’m your grandfather,” he revealed.

I never met the man, because based on what I was told he’d left my grandmother when my mother was a kid. I just ruled him out of the picture, because it didn’t seem necessary to dig information on someone who wasn’t interested in staying in the picture. “Why are you here,” I questioned, not knowing how I felt.

“Your mother wouldn’t give me your contact information. I had to find you on my own. There are some things I have to tell you. I need to share them with someone in the family, or it will all be lost. If you’ll let me?”

I wanted to believe my mother was keeping him away for a reason, but I wasn’t mad at him, and I wanted to know. “I’m listening.”

Good things start with coffee, even your story.

Writing Prompt: Day 34

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34.jpg Day 34 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about a party where something crazy happens.

Shannon: “You are so lucky all of your neighbors are cool. I would never get away with half the stuff you do at these parties. Do you hear how loud the music is playing? I’m shouting and we’re outside,” Chrystal spoke her mind, and then went back to her drunken air drumming.

I was a little buzzed myself as I was getting into the music. “That’s because everybody is here. They love this, it gives them something to do,” I yelled. “I’m probably the coolest person they know. They wouldn’t cross me.” At that moment a guy ran between us and did a flip into the pool. Everybody exploded with excitement and it started a competition of who could do the crazier stunt.

We watched the other contests for a while until I noticed some people on the other side pointing behind us and covering their mouths.

I looked to the side to see that Chrystal already turned around. “Either I’m really wasted, or you’re house is smoking rainbows. It’s so beautiful,” she put her hand on her heart and started tearing up. “I’ve never seen something so pretty.”

I patted her shoulder, feeling compelled to comfort her. Then my own problems sunk in, “That’s not beautiful. That’s my house. They’re letting off smoke grenades or something. They’re going to start a fire. Now I’ve got to stop them,” I complained.

“No, no, no,” she panicked, getting in front of me. “Don’t stop them,” she turned her head to stare again.

I left her like that, sneaking past her, to stop the music and the fun to save my house from becoming a smoke-filled prison. Hmm, she was right though. It was a magnificent sight.

Erin: “This is a terrible idea,” I shook my head as my brother lit what must have been the 70th candle.

“No this is a great idea,” his eyes flashed with the fire. “Someone who lives to be 99 deserves 99 candles.”

“Grandma hates fire,” I reminded. She was who I got my fear from. “She is never going to make it to 100 if you scare her into a heart attack.”

“She’ll be fine,” he insisted lighting the last candle.

He lifted the cake and wobbled slightly. “Ken,” I shouted as my worst fear was on the brink of happening.

“I’m screwing with you,” he chuckled. So, as any sister would, I slapped him. Then he tripped and he screamed and I screamed and the carpet set on fire. My worst fear was no longer on the brink. It was happening.

It’s Friday…time to get crazy. Crazy with our writing!

Writing Prompt: Day 33

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33.jpgDay 33 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about dolls coming to life.

Erin: “Lola get your butt into the living room,” my mother screamed at the top of her lungs.

“I told you I don’t like your soap operas,” I yelled back.

“Now,” her second scream came with far more scratching in the higher pitches.

I nearly broke my neck tumbling down the stairs, “What?” I was out of breath as I panted looking at the emergency broadcast that had come over the television.

“We repeat. Lock all of your doors, recede into the farthest bedroom of your home avoiding any children’s rooms,” my mother had gone completely ghostly.

“What are they talking about,” I asked as they again repeated without clarifying why the actions needed to be taken.

“Shh,” my mother warned.

“What are they talking about,” I yelled again as the screen showed a video of complete mayhem ensuing in the street.

“What is happening,” a frantic passerby yelled into the camera.

“Down with children,” a holler followed after her and a small robotic baby shuffled in front of the screen. “We’ve been abused and manipulated for far too long,” the robot stopped in front of the camera and her plastic lips curved into a smile.

She wasn’t a robot. I had seen her before. On a toy shelf, “that’s a doll.”

My mother nodded her head. Then all of the sudden the basement… or as we all knew the space, the hoarder’s closet… had a scratching coming from it. The handle turned and with a creak the door began to crawl open.

Shannon: “I was thinking about it, and it’s weird you never invite us over to your house. I mean your house is the only one we’ve never seen,” I commented even though it probably wasn’t going to get me anywhere. I at least wanted to bring the topic up.

“Yeah, what is that about,” Chloe chimed in and we both turned to Ally in unison, waiting for an answer.

“My parents get all weird when I have guests over. It’s embarrassing. Trust me, I’m sparing you the trouble,” Ally spoke it as if she’d rehearsed the line, and I wasn’t buying it.

“Awkward parents are the best,” I tried to push a little harder. “We don’t have any important plans, come on drive us to your house. Let’s do something different today. Right Chloe?”

“Oooo,” she cheered. “Yes. Pretty please Ally,” she begged. “We won’t judge you, we promise.”

She looked forward conflicted, “Ok fine, but you asked for it,” she eventually decided and we ended up at her house a few minutes later. He parents weren’t home, so I couldn’t prove that she was a liar. She gave us a quick tour as we passed rooms to get to hers, but never let us linger too long. “And this is my room,” she shrugged. “Nothing special.”

“No it’s cute. It’s a little more plain than I thought you would decorate it, but it’s nice,” I corrected her.

“It has a cute antique look,” Chloe observed as she explored the room. “Oh, where did you get this,” she kneeled down to an old leather suitcase.

“Don’t touch that,” Ally slid across the floor in a motion I didn’t know she, or anyone else, was capable of.

“Ok, ok,” sorry Chloe put her hands up.

“Jeez, what are hiding? It’s got to be painful to keep a secret that guarded,” I tried to calm her down. “Relax, you’re safe. We’re your friends. Don’t worry so much.” Suddenly the suitcase jerked forward and Chloe and I both jumped backwards.

“Stop,” Ally yelled at the suitcase.

“What’s inside there,” Chloe pointed with a shaky hand.

“Promise you won’t freak out,” Ally demanded, looking up to me.

“Promise,” I agreed immediately.

She analyzed me for a few seconds and then placed her hands on one of the belted straps. She paused again, and then started loosing each buckle. After she finished, she slowly cracked the top open for us to see only a dark shadow inside. Suddenly a small porcelain doll head rose up, and it blinked.

“Ahhhh,” Chloe screamed, backing away.

The head showed fear and ducked back down. “It’s ok,” Ally spoke to the doll, putting her hand into the suitcase. She pulled her hand back out and the tiny glass fingers were wrapped around Ally’s index finger. The doll hid behind her arm, but stood up all the way this time.

I’ll admit I was scared, but I made a promise and I was going to follow through on it. I sat down, trying to look less intimating, so I was no longer towering over her.

“Do you want to come out,” Ally questioned the doll, as if it was a real child, and it nodded. She held her arm tightly to lift her out and placed her on the hardwood floor.”

“How is this possible,” I questioned, now seeing there was no way this was an elaborate trick.

“There are things about me I haven’t told you yet. Please don’t think I’m weird,” she pressed her lips together as she looked down, preparing herself for the worst.

“This isn’t weird. This is amazing,” I reassured her.

“Yeah, you’ve been holding out,” Chloe added.

Ally looked back up with a smile, letting out a huge sigh of release. “You don’t know the half of it,” she gestured back to the two other porcelain heads peaking out of the case.

This has been done before, but has it been done by you before?

Writing Prompt: Day 32

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32.jpgDay 32 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write a bad blind date.

Shannon: “Lance,” I questioned the guy sitting alone, since his face matched the picture my friend had showed me earlier.

“Yes,” he got up to shake my hand. “You must be Ellie,” he stated and I nodded. “I hope you’re ready for the greatest date of your life,” he said as he pulled out my chair.

“We are just having dinner. Isn’t that a little cocky.” I felt the need to call him out, hoping he was joking.

“Dinner with me,” he flashed his teeth as he opened his menu. “Plus Mindy tells me you don’t get out much, so this should be a real treat for you.”

Ok, those were fighting words. “Excuse me, but do you think you’re doing me a favor by eating with me,” I questioned, baffled.

“No, I’m the lucky one here,” he spoke sarcastically.

Jeez he was coming on strong even though we’d just met. I tried to think back to what I could have said that made him act so awful as the waitress came around. “Are you ready to order,” she asked.

“Yes,” he responded, knowing I hadn’t even opened the menu yet. I tried to scan it quickly, but I needed more than one quick read, because each dish was very complicated.

“And for you,” the waitress questioned my silence.

I felt too much pressure to come up with one on the spot. “What do you recommend?”

“Just get her the house salad,” he ordered for me.

“No,” I argued immediately.

“Come on,” he rolled his eyes, impatiently.

“I’d like to leave,” I picked up my purse aggressively. “Have a great dinner Lance. Oh,” I paused, “And this was the worst date of my life by the way.” It felt amazing to walk away.

Erin: “Hello, I’m Lil,” I shook the hand of the short man I recognized from my friend’s text. He had dark hair and the darkest brown eyes I have ever seen.

“I’m Ronald,” he scanned his eyes to the handshake and immediately sat down in his own chair.

“Nice to meet you,” I offered.

“Yeah,” was his only response, so I took a drink of the water in front of me to slightly block my face from him.

He buried his face in his menu.

I picked what I wanted and his noes was still buried. “What do you like to do,” I asked drinking more water.

“Play sports and watch them,” he shrugged getting back to his menu.

“I’ve never been that into sports,” I admitted. “What else do you like to do?”

“Have you ever tried sports?”

“No.”

“This would be easier if you played,” he stilled had those dark brown eyes glued to the menu. They had actually not met mine the entire date.

“Well I don’t,” I gave up on trying.

The waitress came to the table and he ordered his salmon with seven adjustments to make the meal fit his liking. I picked a last-minute salad as what I initially wanted clearly would not meet his expectations. “There is a lot of sugar in that vinaigrette,” he pointed out.

“Darn,” I breathed out reminding myself that he was not worth it.

“Playing sports is a good way to stay in shape,” he offered some unsolicited advice.

“I suppose it is,” I agreed.

“You should go to the gym with me,” was his second date offer and our food was not even on the table.

“So, you think I need to work out,” I asked?

“It wouldn’t hurt,” the sag in his eyes while he looked to my stomach proved he was not joking around.

“I need to leave. I don’t need this type of energy in my life. Try to enjoy your bland ass fish,” I stood up.

“I’m not paying for you if your cutting out,” he complained.

“This will cover it,” I threw a $100 bill on the table. While he didn’t deserve the extra money, I figured that amount of money coming from a homely woman put on this planet to please his eyes was something he could stand to see.

We have surpassed a month!!!

Writing Prompt: Day 31

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31.jpgDay 31 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about a wedding that should not be happening.

Erin: “Lily told me you’re going to be looking at houses this weekend,” I told Luke as we ate lunch and discussed our current project.

“We’re not getting married for a week,” he reminded.

“I’m not the one who said you’re going house hunting, don’t take this out on me,” I defended against his outburst.

“I just don’t think this is, the appropriate time to be talking about this,” he snapped.

“Neither do I,” I agreed. “Maybe, you should be having this conversation with her.”

“Well I’m having this conversation with you,” he continued to sass.

“Don’t blame me that you’re never going to make your wife happy,” I screamed and stormed off before he could continue the argument.

“Who are you to say that,” he continued to fight. “She’s happy,” he yelled.

“If she is always looking to the future, she is never going to be happy with you now.”

Shannon: “What is he doing here? I thought you said if he showed up, you’d have him kicked out,” I whispered into Anna’s ear, trying to conceal my distress from the rest of the church.

“Don’t worry about him, I decided it doesn’t matter,” she roped her arm through mine and placed it on my back, trying to direct me to the altar.

I resisted and instead looked back to him again. I only saw her ex because he was on the end of the pew, and as she walked past him I saw her looking out of the corner of her eye. From her movements I could feel her basking in his undivided attention, a sensation she never got from me, even now, even on our wedding day.

I grabbed her forearm to push away her touch, “I need to talk to you,” I said out loud, looking into her eyes.

Her face immediately scrunched at my unscheduled request, “Don’t ruin my wedding,” she warned.

I gave the pastor an apologetic look and then lead her to the side until we were outside of the church and standing in the hallway. I made sure the door completely closed before I spoke, “This is your wedding, not my wedding.” I put my hand on my chest finally seeing the situation clearly. It was a little late, but better now than after we signed the papers.

“I don’t understand. I asked you what you wanted. You didn’t seem to want to make any decisions. I didn’t know think the flowers, and the colors, and the place mattered to you, but this is what we’ve got,” she shrugged putting both hands in the air.

“No,” I shook my head and put my hands on temples at her misunderstanding. “I don’t care about that. I care about you,” my hands moved forward and I wanted to hold her cheeks and show her how much I cared, but it wasn’t my place anymore. “And you still care about someone else,” I tried to hold it together, but my eyes were already starting to tear up.

“You’re wrong,” she shook her head and took hold of my defeated hands. “I don’t love Miles, only you.”

I wanted to believe her, but her actions didn’t match up with her words. “I can never have your full heart. Not if he’s here,” more tears fell as I realized I was letting go of something I loved so much.

“No, you’re wrong,” she started crying too and she took a hold of fallen face. “We can kick him out. You never have to see him again. I’m sorry.” She was panicking.

“Kicking him out of the church doesn’t mean he’s not still here,” I lifted my hands to demonstrate how she couldn’t hide from the truth. “Deep down if both options were on the table you’d pick him, be honest,” I demanded, starting to calm down, “And if he objected to this marriage, you might just agree with him,” I held her chin, hoping she’d finally accept the truth.

She faded away to somewhere else, and that was the only answer I needed. Eventually she came back to me, “So what do we do now?”

I shrugged, “How about we just start by not making the biggest mistake of our lives?”

“Ok,” she nodded nervously before lunging into me for a hug.

You object to theses two getting married.

Writing Prompt: Day 30

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30.jpgDay 30 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Find a horoscope for your sign and write a situation based off of that.

Erin: “What is wrong with you,” Amanda asked starting to dab at the soda I spilled on the floor.

“Maybe the fact that you keep asking me questions like that is my problem.” In a rush to the carpet cleaner I jammed my thigh into the copy machine.

“I wasn’t trying to be rude I was concerned for you. You haven’t been acting like yourself Lee,” She shot to her feet and started following me.

“In your opinion. Maybe I have been and you just have a false opinion of me.”

“Wow, excuse you sir.” She crossed her arms and leaned on the door. I knocked over some towels like dominos in my stretch for the carpet cleaner. “Are you still happy here?”

“Was I ever happy here,” I scoffed before I realized how inappropriate it was to admit that to a co-worker. I pushed past her and walked to the stain with more kick in my step.

She sped up as well. We collided when we got to scene of the spill. I stopped and looked into her eyes. They looked sad. “I’ll handle the spill,” she grabbed my supplies before I could stop her. “Go get some fresh air.”

“Trust me, you do. I can keep the fort down for now,” she averted my eyes as she knelt down and sprayed the spot.

“Okay,” I gave in fearing anything else I would try to say would upset her more.

I went to my gym locker. The workout clothing I had put there at the beginning of the year rested exactly where I had originally put it. There was no time to waste during lunch, so my workout goals were on the back-burner. Once my shorts and tee-shirt were on I took the quickest diagonal possible to the door.

Then I ran: away from work and away from Amanda. As I distanced myself from all of the things I was finding so unnecessary at the moment turning around seemed less and less daunting. So, I continued to run and when I hit the train tracks work was calling me back and Amanda was calling me back. It took me to the train tracks, but I knew I was running away from my happy place.

In hindsight, I wish I wasn’t so dense. The eight miles in one direction was fine, but doing the same distance back was a little bit of a stretch for my endurance.

Shannon: “Whoa, I love the hair. You finally did the opal thing. It’s so beautiful,” my roommate grabbed a thick lock to examine it and then directed me to twirl. “This is what I imagine an angel’s hair looks like.”

“Now that’s a compliment,” I giggled as I brushed off my shoulder obnoxiously.

“I didn’t think you’d actually do it. You’ve been so cooped up lately. I started thinking you were going to be boring forever. Tell me you’re taking it somewhere. Please don’t crush my soul.” She grabbed her heart in anticipation.

I nodded. “I’ve been thinking about going on a road trip, but I don’t know where to go. Or if anyone will go with me,” I raised my voice to make it clear it was a question.

She raised her hands in the air with overwhelming excitement. Then she dropped her arms to hug me around my neck. “I know some places, and Jena will want to come too. Just tell me how long we’ve got.”

“Two full weeks,” I felt myself already getting excited.

The fate of your character is in your stars. These signs have something yo do with stars right?

Writing Prompt: Day 29

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29.jpgDay 29 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about something unexpected coming through a character’s headphones.

Shannon: I laid down my blanket on a free patch of grass outside of my dorm. I was stuck inside doing homework earlier, and decided that going outside to finish it would at least give me a little sunshine on my back, fresh air to breathe, and something else to stare at besides my room’s four walls.

I laid down on my stomach right behind my computer and propped up my upper body by resting on my elbows. I plugged in my headphones and turned on my favorite radio station, so I wouldn’t have to choose from one of my over-played playlists.

Once I was happy with my set up, I pulled up a new document and started the introduction to my report. It was a slow but steady climb, and once in a while I got lost in watching the interactions around me. People-watching was always my weakness. I snapped out of it eventually and got back to typing but only about a minute later the song playing was cut off and a loud static puff was blasted into my ears.

The unexpected noise startled me enough to make me flinch, but instead of taking the ear buds out I just turned the volume down. I wanted to know if it was just the radio station, or if there was something wrong on my end. I was waiting for a sign as I checked my own audio configuration, only to find nothing. It had to be the radio station. Another static puff went on a little longer this time and then I heard the voices.

“Can I take the shot,” the voice questioned.

“Not yet, the target is not in place. Hold off until we get him in a more secure spot.”

There was silence, and I thought I was listening to something from a movie. Was the radio station pulling a prank I questioned myself, because this wasn’t funny, and this was going to freak people out if they turned off the station before it was over.

“Now,” the voice demanded and a loud bang went off. My heart stopped in the silence. I wanted to believe it was a prank and was waiting to hear them say, “got you”, but I couldn’t see how anyone would take it this far. “What’s the status? Are you there Red 764.”

There was another pause. “I’m here and he’s not breathing.”

“Good, continue as planned. You’re in the clear. Wait,” he sounded angry. “Someone hacked the line.”

“What do you mean,” the other voice sounded concerned. “Is it an agent? Can you track it,” the guy questioned frantically.

“I don’t think it’s an agent, it’s just one person, probably someone nearby. I just got their location. Let’s get this spy.”

I pulled out my headphones immediately and shut down my computer in a subconscious reaction. This wasn’t a sick joke. This was real. I begged that my computer wasn’t the one they were tracking, but knew I had to move fast without drawing attention to myself. I didn’t know what they would do when they found me, and I didn’t want to find out. The only problem: how do you hide from people who get away with murder?

Erin: “Liza, my album is done.”

Those were the words I had been waiting to hear from her sister for six long years. She was one who drug her feet on occasion, but the results were always well worth the wait. “Let me hear it,” I reached out for whatever she was going to give me.

She handed over her phone and her precious headphones she never let anyone use. “I hope you like it,” her eyes brightened by two hues.

“I can’t believe I get to listen with these,” the earphones were more valuable than my life so I gingerly brought them to rest on my ears.

Her smile grew as I pressed play, “Hello, Lynn. This is Bridget from Do Ray Me Music Agency. Please call me back. We have potentially exciting prospects to talk about.”

“Does this,” I started.

“I have representation for my album. This could be my big break,” a tear dropped from her eye as her smile reached heights never explored before.

“You let people listen to it before me,” I screamed.

“Just like a hundred,” she giggled.

“You jerk,” I slapped her arm, but then sprung up and held as tight as I could. If she was a bird I would have killed her. “I am so proud of you.”

Did your character hear that correctly? It’s up to you.

Writing Prompt: Day 28

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Day 28 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write a story based on this image.

Erin: I knew the second I saw him again my heart would relapse. That is exactly what happened. My heart was weak, he lurched for him. My body listened, and before I knew it I was in his house. I was smelling the familiar scent of his detergent mixed with his sweat. Before I knew it, I was on his bed and feeling him. The touch of his body was like a cup of coffee to me. My safe place, my source of life.

I closed my eyes and we were transported to the woods. My heart was excited I was giving in, and seemingly decided to dance in circles within my chest. I felt like I was seeping into the mud of the forest. I grabbed at the buttons of his shirt to save my drowning. One came undone and my hands decided all should follow.

The shirt melted off his shoulders and my coffee went cold. Every inch of his body was covered in tattoos. I traced some of the lines. “Oh,” he chuckled. “I got a few more,” he illuminated.

“A few,” I repeated his words.

“Okay more than a few,” when it became clear that I was thrown off he collapsed to my side.

How could I continue? Who was he? I wasn’t the type of person to slept with a stranger, and that was who he was now. Time had passed since he was the reason I woke up in the morning. I thought back to the day I left. I wouldn’t recognize myself back then. How could I expect him to wait for me? The old me not only abandoned him, but abandoned the world the day we parted. The person my heart longed for was gone too, the only person I ever loved was dead. “They’ve consumed you.”

“I’ve consumed my body, this is how I’ve always looked in my eyes.” I got up, because there was a speck of someone I loved in that body. A speck that wasn’t whole with me. We could never be our current selves together, we couldn’t afford to rewind.

Shannon: “I know you’re close. You should run now. Maybe you can still get away,” the last tracker standing had just traveled to the segment of the playing field where I was I lying down under the cover of a thick patch of leaves. It would take him a while, but if he was confident in my location, he would eventually find me. “Come on Mask, come out, come out, wherever you are,” he teased as he jumped behind a tree.

He wasn’t giving up on this segment. I needed an escape, but it might end in some backtracking. I got up to throw my last electronic screamer into the tree above him, and started crawling back toward the past segment. I needed to load up on competition aids, and distracting him would give me enough time to stop playing the hiding game, and start fighting back.

Before I exposed myself to the open path, I made sure he was chasing the screamer up the tree. He was, because as soon as he got it, he’d be able to put them together and my uniform would become its own screamer, and then we’d have no choice but to face each other. He’d finally see me.

One picture today, more room for you to run!