Day 268 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about a character getting abducted by an unknown species.

Shannon: They were strange creatures, lots of humane features, but they also had some enhancements as well. They had colorful fur in places where humans had hair. They seem to find my hair fascinating as they rubbed it between their fingers. One thought he hurt me after he accidently pulled a strand out. I gave a delayed squeal, and pet a chunk lovingly, hoping it would keep them from trying it again. When he covered my mouth and looked around to make sure no one heard, I figured it must have worked.

Erin: “Where are you taking me?” I nearly lost my voice with how many times I had screamed that exact sentence. I didn’t get any answers. My captors didn’t even talk though so my breath was being wasted. All those little colorful goo balls did was squish and stretch in subtle ways that seemed to mean something to them. Bouncing with a splat on the floor was the only sound I heard outside of the ones I was creating. That was until the crash.

The crash halted our movement. The head squishy used his laser eyes to set me free and a path was illuminating the outside. The door to the outside was glowing too bright for me to see what I was getting into. I could only hope there would be at least one other living creature who communicate through a verbal language.

Who has your character?

Day 267 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about someone saying “no.”

Erin: My greatest fear in middle school was never finding love, and never finding a life companion. So, fourteen years later when all I could do was say no to my boyfriend I couldn’t comprehend my mindset back then. How was that my world. How was becoming a successful boss not a main priority. Most importantly how was finding a man that supported that endeavor important in my fantasies. The hurt in his eyes was hard, but the regret I would have for giving up on my potential would be way worse.

Shannon: “You’re going to say no. Just like that?” he huffed as he looked to the side.

“I said I was sorry, but what, do you want me fake it? Do you want me to lie to make you feel better? I won’t do that,” I shook my head.

He furrowed his brow as he looked back at me, “You know that’s not what I want.” His lip trembled, “But couldn’t you at least tell me why. I don’t understand why you don’t want this?”

I thought he already knew, but I guess he didn’t see it the way I did. “I love you. I’ll always love you,” I shrugged a shoulder. “But love doesn’t make up for the fact that we’re not ready to work at this. We’re floating through this never knowing when it’s going to fall through and then fall back together again.”

“But doesn’t that mean we are working at it, if we’re together now?”

“It’s a start, but I don’t want to fall anymore. I want to know there are no more breaks, and I don’t know that now. You want a commitment then we’ve got to prove we’re capable of it, otherwise it’s all talk,” I explained, more certain than I’d ever been.

Just say no.

Day 266 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Start with the line, “Things sure aren’t the way they used to be.”

Shannon: “Things sure aren’t the way they used to be,” my boss turned his head down, before walking to the backroom.

His store was dead lately. It seemed like the town no longer had a place for antiques. They wanted new things, and who could blame them? Bill had different taste. He didn’t understand how people could let go of the past so easily, not when he preferred it to the present. I think he just wished ever decade could live in harmony, but it wasn’t as easy as it sounded.

Erin: Things sure aren’t the way they used to be. I don’t think that is a bad thing however. Everyone acts like change is bad. It can be. I just think that change that has happened is different but equal.

How are they now?

Day 265 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write a list of what your character needs to buy for a party.

Erin: Food, Alcohol, Speakers, Garbage Bags, and More Toilet Paper

Shannon: Cake, Streamers, Balloons, Tablecloths, Glow sticks, Candy

Shopping list time.

Day 264 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about a ritual your character fears.

Shannon: I didn’t want to get in front of the crowd and do some crazy fire dance to have random people determine the path of my soul. How could they decide where I belonged by seeing me complete a sequence of choreography? They didn’t know anything. They just liked to pretend they did.

Erin: He dreaded even the thought of weddings. Too much commitment, too much money, and too much attention. No thanks, not for him.

What makes your character cringe?

Day 263 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about what happens when the seasons change in the world you create.

Erin: The crops died on the eve of each season change. After the day of darkness, the new varieties would sprout. I hated only getting my favorite foods when the 5ith of the year aligned with my stomach.

Shannon: You could always tell the seasons were changing when the ground started shaking. It would start as a low rumble as the land prepared to switch out the seasons. Did I mention the seasons are artificial here? Sometimes I wonder how different they would be if they were real. People tell me real plants are a lot less colorful, but they have an essence that can’t be captured by any other means. An essence I may never feel.

Seasons are a changin’.

Day 262 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Would you rather write about the victim or the villain?

Shannon: “I’m not running anymore,” she slammed her hands against another door that wouldn’t open for her. She turned around to face me, without one cry for help. As I moved closer, she didn’t attempt to charge, and I could tell by the look in her eyes she had no intention to trick me. “You want to hurt me, go ahead,” she pushed my chest.

Though my own instincts wanted to snap her arm, I was having a hard time understanding her reaction. She was different than most of my victims.

“Just do it,” she screamed, and as I looked closer into her eyes, I realized I didn’t want to kill this one.

Erin: The thing about the dark world was that they never played fair. In their capturing of me they read my mind, took over my body, even wiped the memories that didn’t suit them. The last fact I found out later on. I used to think of myself as a strong person and a survivor. But they took advantage of my mortality, they made me hopeless, they made me a victim.

Make your character good or evil.

Day 261 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Would you rather write about a baker or a fashion designer.

Erin: There are those rare days where the normal stock we make in the morning isn’t enough. Those days are both blessings and curses. The profit is impeccable. The question is at what level of exhaustion and draining is its benefit outweighed.

Shannon: I could spend hours in the studio working on new ideas. Whenever my muse was around I had to catch it while it was still within my reach. I’d spend the nights clipping away at fabric and sewing the pieces together into something I couldn’t see until it was real and in front of me.

What do you want your character to be when they grow up?

Day 260 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Would you rather write about a character who lives in this house or this house?

Shannon: We lived in a tiny house in the middle of woods. We didn’t choose it because we were on some minimalist kick, or because it was all we could afford. We just wanted our house to be a place where we could be together. At our old house we had so much space we could spend the whole day without ever crossing paths. We grew so distant we forgot if we even still loved each other. When we moved into our tiny house it didn’t take long to realize we did.

Erin: I liked my little house. It was just enough room for my few belongings. I could afford way bigger and loved how people always assumed that someone who could would. People would think I was joking when I pointed to my front door. My abode was small and humble, but a larger residence would not make me any happier. I didn’t feel the need to live up to expectations others had for me.

Where is home?

Day 259 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write a backstory for this jacket.

Erin: My inspiration for this piece was my pure hatred for this class. While I agree that students who want to create art should have the right to. I on the other hand do not, and we should not be wasting taxpayer’s money. Art should be optional so school days best benefit the student’s plans for their future. I wanted to take another science class. Enjoy the rest of the art show.

Shannon: “Do you have to wear that?” I wasn’t up for dealing with Darren’s blind support for the town’s new rules.

“Yes, and I have yours too. You should put it on, or you’ll get another strike. There has finally been some peace around here, why can’t you just trust that they’ve made the right choice?” He held out the black coat, begging me to take it.

I understood the idea behind taking away the arts. We had a town full of dreamers who often came back feeling deceived by their aspirations. They were chasing this carrot they’d never catch, and it left them broken. The ones who returned brought gloom back to our neighborhoods, and eventually our leaders had seen enough. That’s why they implemented the new law: no more arts. Anyone who supported or resisted the new law would be punished. They said it would make the town happier, more realistic.

“Because it’s not their choice,” I responded, thinking of the sketchbook I’d hidden under the floorboard in my bedroom. “And they definitely don’t get to tell me what to wear.”

How did this come to be?