Day 197 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about a character’s friends.

Erin: Many wondered why I was friends with Lax. I’m not going to pretend that they were completely off base. She could be a lot to handle. Honesty was her biggest strength, excessive honesty in most cases. The thing was she honestly loved me and criticisms rarely fell on me. But when they needed to they did. She made sure my pants looked good, and told me when I was being taken advantage of. She was my hard shell and without her I was a vulnerable pile of organs. We were better together and what others thought of me because of my choice seemed irrelevant to me.

Shannon: I’d known Emma since we were little kids. We had a dance class together and since we both had trouble learning the moves, we always ended up standing next to each other behind the better dancers. What she lacked in rhythm she made up for in humor. She could always make me laugh back then, and she’d only gotten funnier as she got older. Nothing was ever dull as long as she was around. I’d always admired how she saw the world as if she already knew everyone, getting strangers opinions on almost anything and starting conversations with them without a reason or an introduction. I wished everyone was more like her, but I suppose I should count my blessings having her as a best friend.

I met Mia through Emma when were high school. We had the same lunch period, and we meshed as a group almost instantly. She was known for her planning. Whether that was planning for her future or what we were going to do that weekend, she was always on top of it. She wanted to be a part of the excitement, and we were right there beside her, or at least we’d hear about it later.

Introduce your character’s partner in crime.

Day 195 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about a character watching an opportunity pass them by.

Erin: “We’re going to have a great spring break,” my best friend insisted.

“Yeah,” I agreed with the excitement of a kid getting driven to the dentist.

“We live right on a beautiful beach,” she reminded as we looked out to the sun setting over the ocean.

She was right. We were lucky. I just really wanted to go to abroad and study my language. It was the only way I was going to become as fluent as I needed to be to be a successful translator. I knew I would only be able to afford one trip though and I was putting that off till senior year. “Nowhere I would rather be,” I lied and the last light of the sun disappeared to the side of the world I was wishing to be.

Shannon: Stop freaking out. Stop freaking out, my mind was screaming at me as I hyperventilated in the bathroom stall. You didn’t wait in line for seven hours to go home without at least getting the judges’ opinions. Why was I panicking again, it was irrational? If they said “no” it didn’t mean I had to give up on my dream, it just meant it wasn’t the right time, or role, or whatever. I need to turn in my card before they skipped me, so I had to leave bathroom. Sometimes I had to think of it one step at a time to make myself move.

I barely managed the willpower to push the door, and once I was out I had to review the next step. Walk. I went up to the booth and handed over my card without a word.

The lady looked up sympathetically shaking her head, “I’m sorry, but we called your number and…”

“It’s fine,” I cut her off, snatching the piece of paper back, and headed for the exit. I had been in this position many times before, so I knew the drill, but I hated myself for always getting in my own way.

What chance is slipping out of your character’s hands?

Day 193 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about a circus performer.

Erin: My favorite dance partner from a young age was Darcy. Darcy worked with my mother. She was born four years after I was. The second she learned how to walk I started to play with her and teaching her my movies. Building the trust and rhythm from a young age made us flow in our routine like water out of a fountain. By the time my mother realized I had chosen an elephant partner we were too good for her to argue we were unsafe. As I grew older I convinced her to let us join the circus. Darcy and I were a hit of the show between our trunk tricks and risky leg weaving stunts.

Shannon: The only place I ever truly belonged was above the ground. Dancing with silk ropes, curling myself around an aerial ring, or swinging from a trapeze, I take any excuse I could find to stay above the world a second longer.

“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair,” I heard a voice call up to me as I was siting in an aerial ring. I looked down, and soon discovered it was a guy around my age in a clown costume, but no makeup. I’d never seen his real face under the mask, and he was actually kind of cute. Our paths had yet to cross on this tour, but I’d seen his act and I was impressed by how much the children loved him.

“Clowns aren’t safe this high up. I suggest you keep feet on the ground.” I teased.

He crossed his arms. “I’ll prove you wrong,” he pointed up. “I’m going to be up there someday. You wait and see.” The smile he gave after was contagious, but I still shook my head.

What is your your characters act?

Day 191 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Someone predicts a character’s future.

Erin: “Hello my dear,” the palm reader immediately grabbed my hand.

“Hello,” I echoed. “I’m here because…”

“Don’t tell me with your mouth, tell me with these,” she smiled at my palms.

“Okay,” I obliged mentally zipping my mouth shut.

“I see you are in love.” She smiled up at me and I tried not to give away anything with my face. “But you are questioning your heart. Don’t fall into societies expectations my dear. Just because the brain is what we test, it does not mean it is any wiser than the pull of your heart. Don’t fight instincts.”

“That advice is helpful,” I stood up feeling our minute was up, or about to be.

“I’m glad, good luck with your love.”

I was thinking for some time she was a complete sham, but that sentence changed my mind. I had no romantic prospects, but I did have a love. I had my passion and my dream and a job that I could see being the rest of my working career. For a person like me that may have been the most important love of all. “I think we’ll be just fine.”

Shannon: “Why are you looking at me like that?” my boyfriend questioned, catching me staring longer than usual.

I looked away and scanned the rest of the museum again. “Are you sure we’ve never been here before?”

He shook his head. “It’s a new exhibit.”

“But I dreamed about this exact room. I saw all of these painting,” I explained, feeling like a crazy person. “How is that possible?”

“Did you look up the museum online?”

I thought for a second if I had ever accidently stumbled upon it. “No.”

“Maybe,” he was hesitant, “you saw the future?” He shrugged. “And, play along with me, let’s say you did. What happens next?”

“You find something under…” I paused, feeling the same way I did in the dream. The odd case he found under a statue’s foot made me feel uneasy, like I was seeing a different side of him, a darker side.

“Under what,” he pressed, a little too eager.

“Under one of those rocks outside the building,” I lied to see how he would react.

He tried to hold back his excitement, but I saw the slight smirk before it disappeared from his face.

You are not the only one who knows what the future of your character’s holds.

Day 189 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Force your character to pick from three options with unknown outcomes.

Erin: “You have it narrowed down to three. Now just pick one,” my little sister oversimplified.

“You don’t understand,” I argued. “I’m not just picking a school. I’m picking the rest of my life. This school will determine the job I get, the place I move, the people I meet, and all of the other endless things I will do for the rest of my life.” I nearly started hyperventilating.

“Just go with your gut, it will tell you which one leads to the life waiting for you,” she was always so sure of destiny. I wasn’t but chose to be at that moment, because it was easiest.

Shannon: “You don’t seem impressed. Don’t you like anything you’ve seen so far,” an older woman questioned from the other side of the clothing rack.

“I’m sorry, I don’t want to be ungrateful or criticize anyone’s fashion choices. It’s just, none of these make any sense for me. This is a very generous gift, but I don’t think I can accept it,” I pressed my teeth together, ready for her tell me to go to prom in a potato sack for all she cared.

She smiled, oddly pleased with my response. “Then maybe you’d consider playing a little game,” she offered.

“What kind of game?”

“I’ll show you,” she waved for me to follow and I did, more than intrigued. We went into a back room where she led me to one small clothing rack with three hangers holding up black garment bags. “I’ll let you choose from one of these, but you don’t get to see what’s under the bag before you choose. You must take a guess, and you have to wear it to your prom. As you agreed before stepping foot in the store, we do expect pictures. So, do you want to play?”

I hummed in thought, “Do I get any clues?”

“There was a necklace that came with each one. It’s in the pocket. I’ll let you look at those, but only if you play the game,” she explained, making the mystery even more exciting.

“Ok. I’ll do it,” I agreed before I could change my mind.

“Yes,” she cheered, “Go ahead. Tell me when you’re ready.”

The first bag had a silver heart shaped locket necklace. The second one had a gold band with a emerald green jewel. The third had pearl necklace. “This isn’t real, is it?” I held up the last one and she nodded with another conniving smile. “Why would you just give it away? You could do so much more with it.”

“The lady who donated the dresses made it very clear. The girl who gets the dress also gets the necklace,” she explained. “So do you want that one,” she questioned.

I knew I should take the pearls. Even if the dress was hideous, I couldn’t regret the decision. “You’re probably going to think I’m stupid, but I actually want the one with the locket.” My heart was drawn to that one. I had always found lockets to be the most beautiful jewelry. They didn’t hold an eye-catching charm or instant elegance, but they do hold a picture of whatever a person loves most in the world and that’s worth more than any stone.

“I don’t think you’re stupid,” she moved forward to unzip the bag revealing intricate pastel blue and purple lace appliques covering the bodice and thinning out into a off-white skirt. “This one is actually my favorite,” she pulled it out and I was instantly in love. Tears flooded my eyes. I was having a hard time processing how something so beautiful could actually belong to someone like me. “Well go on,” she handed it over, “Try it on.”

Make your character take a blind chance.

Day 187 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about a character’s pet.

Erin: “What you up to bud,” I crouched down to see the little spider he had found. “You want daddy to kill that for you,” I began to offer and saw his little eyes go big.

“No,” he placed his hand on my chest as a barrier. “He’s my pet,” he cooed as the spider crawled between his fingers.

“Yeah? What does he eat?”

“Idonknow,” he mumbled still enamored by his pal.

“If you don’t know these things, then how are you going to take care of him,” I challenged.

“Well I know all about how to take care of a dog dad, but you won’t let me have one of them,” he pushed out his lips.

“With time son,” I laughed walking off to give them some privacy.

Shannon: When I first met the scrappy mutt my brother picked out at the shelter I wasn’t impressed. I was afraid the dog might attack my cat, so I kept my distance in my attempt to keep their paths from crossing more than necessary. What I didn’t anticipate was how much Oliver didn’t mind being ignored.

He’d follow me everywhere with big eyes just waiting for me to eventually look at him. I tried to shoo him away and lead him to my brother, but he always stuck with me like it wasn’t my choice. He was going to give me unconditional love and I had no choice but to accept it, so I did. Turns out it’s hard not to reciprocate that kind of love.

Give your character an animal sidekick.

Day 185 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about your character’s experience with fireworks.

Erin: I had only ever seen fireworks on a screen. So, the first time my parents brought me I screamed and cried at the noise. Everyone laughed at me hopelessly trying to cover my ears. They couldn’t understand what it was like to be so guarded for so long from something so magnificent.

Shannon: For some reason watching firework shows on the Forth of July feels more like my own personal New Year’s Eve celebration. It always the time that I reflex on my life. As I’m watching I think about the previous year, and where I was before and where I am now. I think about how watching them felt a year ago, and question whether my feelings about it have changed at all. Somehow they always do.

What has your character gotten from displays of colorful crashes?

Day 183 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about creating one amazing thing from many ordinary things.

Erin: “Flour, baking soda, salt, butter, sugars, eggs, vanilla extract, chocolate chips.”

“Yeah so,” I argued when I was confident her list was complete.

“They are all fine things alone, but put them together and you have a warm gooey chocolate chip cookie. That’s what I think your traits do. They add up to a heavenly concoction.”

I just blushed and shook my head at her naivety.

Shannon: I’ve always had a fascination with things that get left behind. That’s why I make a lot of recycled art. I’ll take something old and worn down, like bookshelf and make it new and exciting again. I’ll take the garbage bottle caps and toilet paper rolls and make them into containers to hold the odds and ends I find that don’t yet have a place to be reused.

I recently started collecting color pencil shavings from my electric sharpener, and glued them to a canvas. When I was done I was amazed at how beautifully the colors displayed themselves when they mixed back together. I think a lot about how all the forgotten beauty that gets thrown out everyday, and it makes me sad.

Blank + Blank = What?

Day 183 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write a creature experiencing new terrain.

Erin: I thought my eight tentacles on land would make me strong. Many more legs than most land creatures. However, all I could do was crawl, and think about the next time I would encounter water. I was strongest in the water, and that fact made me feel all the weaker.

Shannon: All I knew was this place was too dry. There was too much sand and not enough water and my amphibian skin was drying out. Whoever put me here wanted me dead.

This is not where your character belongs.

Day 179 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Start with the line “Jenny is no Jennifer.”

Erin: Jenny is no Jennifer. When my sister came back she insisted we start to call her the shortened version of her name. As I learned to stop slipping up with my words I realized her new friends had not only changed her name, but also her.

Shannon: “Jenny is no Jennifer.” Kaitlyn scoffed her opinion to the rest of the group as I watched her drag her pen over the candidate’s name.

I looked around to the rest of the group waiting for someone to disagree, but the room was silent.

“I’m sorry, maybe I missed something, but I have her listed in my top three. What’s wrong wit her?”

Again the group was silent as Kaitlyn let out a pity-filled sigh that she had to explain it out loud. She flashed me a fake smile before explaining as vaguely as possible. “She doesn’t have the look.” In other words she was bigger than the rest of the actresses auditioning. Not any less pretty or captivating, just a different size.

I felt my face heat up in anger at how easily they threw her away because of their bias. “I highly suggest you all reconsider. Otherwise, we need more candidates because I’m not settling for anything less than what we’ve seen from her.” The vote had to be unanimous, and I wasn’t afraid to challenge Kaitlyn’s rein.

Who are your Jen’s?