Prompt: Shuffle your playlist. Using the 4th song, use the lyrics that pop out the most to create your scene.
My song: Weight of the World by Citizen Soldier Lyrics: Can't explain why I'm hurting myself But it feels deserved Why won't you let me let go Peggy ran the knife down her arm, watching as blood began to stream out of the wound she had created. Another line, more warm blood oozed down her arm. The red against the white of her skin was fascinating, drawing her in, hypnotizing her as she poked another hole in her arm. She couldn’t help herself. She couldn’t stop herself. “Hey,” Marcus said almost happily as he burst through the room. In seconds flat, he took in the situation and in one swift movement, he was at her side, kneeling down beside her, and taking the knife from her hand, throwing it across the room. “Hey,” he said, more forcefully, taking her by her shoulders and gently shaking her to get her attention. The gentle movement caused Peggy to tear her eyes away from the blood that was now streaming down her arm and dripping onto the ground. “Hey,” he said again, getting her to look him in the eyes. “Hey,” Peggy said, looking at him, but not really seeing him. “What’s going on?” Marcus asked softly, concern oozing out of his voice. “What do you mean?” Peggy asked. Her mind was in a fog. She couldn’t think. She didn’t even feel like she was real. It was as if she was watching everything from somewhere out of her body. This wasn’t real. The pain in her arm wasn’t real. She hadn’t really done that. She hadn’t really cut herself. She hadn’t hurt herself. That wasn’t her. “What are you doing?” Marcus asked, gently taking her arm and finding the closest cloth he could find to cover it with to try and stop her from bleeding all over, “Why are you doing this?” “Because it feels right,” she said. “Feels right?” Marcus asked. “Yeah,” Peggy said. She couldn’t explain it any other way. She was doing it because it felt right, because something inside of her told her to do it, because she felt she deserved it. She did it because she was a screw up. She messed everything up. She ruined everything that she touched. She ruined everyone’s lives and it would be better for everyone if she wasn’t there, if she wasn’t taking up space. She had to. She had to hurt herself. She had to. It was the only right thing she had ever done in her life. It was the only thing she hadn’t screwed up, yet, but Marcus was going to cause her to screw even this up too. “I’m a screw up,” she said. It was the only thing that she could get out of her mouth to explain all the thoughts in her head. “No, you aren’t,” Marcus said gently. He put his arm around her shoulder and tried to bring her into a hug as he held the cloth even tighter on her arm. Peggy pulled away from him. “Just go away,” she said softly, “Just let me go,” she looked at him with her eyes sparkling with tears, “Please,” she said almost inaudibly. Marcus didn’t say a word. He simply shook his head. He wasn’t going anywhere. There was no way he was going to leave Peggy right now. Knife or no knife, she was in no condition to be by herself.
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Prompt: Turn to page 52 of the book you’re reading. Use the first line of dialogue for your protagonist. Turn to page 29 and use the first line of dialogue as your antagonist’s response.
My dialogue: Protagonist: “Young man, I’m sure your mommy fan find a much better place for you to play.” Antagonist: “Dab on a little peanut butter.” Prompt: “That’s a bit ambitious, don’t you think?” / “Yeah it is! But I’m also prepared for it to totally backfire.” “That’s a bit ambitious,” Allen said, popping a berry into his mouth, “Don’t you think?” he turned to look at his friend. “Yeah it is!” Aiden’s eyes glittered with excitement at the prospect, “But I’m also prepared for it to totally backfire,” he admitted. He always had a plan, and that plan nine times out of ten backfired, so he was always prepared for it to backfire, well, always knew that it could and probably would, however, having a plan for what to do when it backfired didn’t actually happen. There was never a plan on how to get out of it when it did backfire. He would make that up on the spot. Allen rolled his eyes. He knew all too well that Aiden had no plan for when it backfired. He had known him long enough to know that much. “Here,” Aiden said, picking up a jar of peanut butter and a knife, “Dab on a little peanut butter,” he tried to spread peanut butter on Allen’s bread. Allen pulled his bread away from Aiden’s reach. While Aiden had become obsessed with the jar of peanut butter that Carrie had introduced them to, Allen didn’t quite have the same love for the spread. Allen and Aiden began to wrestle. “Young man!” Felicia scowled as she marched toward the two of them. Allen glanced up at Felicia, a guilty look spreading over his face. “I’m sure your mommy fan find a much better place for you to play,” Felicia said, “Now, why don’t you go play around somewhere not filled with weapons!” Prompt: “I don’t have the skills for that….”
Allen stared wide eyed at the weapon in front of him. Felicia couldn’t be serious. He couldn’t handle the most basic knife, how was he supposed to wield a weapon like that? It didn’t even look like a weapon. It looked like something a demon would create to torture people with. “Um….” Allen gulped, “I don’t have the skills for that….” He shook his head, still staring at the weapon in front of him. “No one has the skills for a weapon right off the bat, that’s why you train,” Felicia said, placing it in Allen’s hands. She gently moved him so he was holding it correctly. Allen closed his eyes and let go. “Good,” Felicia nodded, pursing her lips together in a way that denied the fact that he had actually done a good job, “Maybe next time you should open your eyes. You tend to hit the target more that way.” Allen nodded, and was about to do another go when Aiden stepped into the arena, startling Allen and causing him to release the trigger. The ammo hit Aiden in the butt and he yelped with pain. Felicia couldn’t help but laugh. “Much better,” she smiled, “See, I think I would say that was almost perfect.” Aiden growled at Felicia. “Come on,” Felicia rolled her eyes and strolled up to Aiden, “Let’s get you to the infirmary.” Prompt: Bittersweet Moments
Excitement washed through the room. Excitement and anxiety. This was the moment we had all been waiting for. The moment when we knew If all our hard work had been worth it. The announcer said the words. ‘We won!’ It was over! We had been successful. All our hard work had been worth it. Excitement, relief, glee So many emotions washed through the crowd. It was worth it! We had found our success. Our work had paid off. The initial excitement wore off, Then came the sorrow. The feeling of emptiness. That crazy feeling That always comes after the hard work. It was over. After so many weeks. After all the time put in, It was now over. Done. What do we do? What happens now? This had consumed us for so long. It was now gone, Leaving us standing on moving sand. Emptiness and happiness vied for attention Both making us want to squeal and cry At the same time. Oh those bittersweet Moments. Prompt: “Yes, yes, you helped your friends get away. How clever for you,” the antagonist murmured, “How dreadfully noble.” / They gulped, but held their ground. The door was barred there was nowhere to go. But their friends were gone, safe, so they had to smile in a reckless and giddy defiance. / The antagonist smiled too. / “How stupid. You’re the one I wanted. Let them run and never come back- I prefer it was just us. More intimate, no?” / Their smile wobbled.
Peggy trembled as Don Carlos walked closer, but she stood her ground. “At least my friends are safe,” she said with a weak voice. “Yes, yes,” Don Carlos laughed, “You helped your friends get away,” he continued to make his way toward her, “How clever for you,” the antagonist murmured, leaning in to speak in her ear, “How dreadfully noble.” Peggy gulped, but held her ground. She wouldn’t show fear. She fumbled for the knob, but the door was barred. There was nowhere to go. But her friends were gone. Safe. So she had to smile in reckless and giddy defiance. Don Carlos smiled too. “How stupid,” he laughed, ‘You’re the one I wanted,” he moved her hair behind her ear, “Let them run and never come back – I prefer it was just us,” he whispered, his hot breath made her ear drip with sweat, “More intimate, no?” Peggy’s smile wobbled. Prompt: There are far too many people in this room….and I know far too many of them.
Peggy stared around the room at the event that was going on. For being a mob boss, her boss sure knew how to draw a crowd. Everyone who was anyone had been trying to get an invite. If you were of anyone of importance, you were at this event. “You doing okay?” Adriana asked, handing Peggy some punch. “There are far too many people in this room,” Peggy said, taking the drink gratefully from Adriana’s hands and taking a long gulp before continuing, “And I know far too many of them.” “Isn’t that a good thing?” Adriana asked. Peggy took a deep breath. Only an extrovert would think that was a good thing. Prompt: “You shouldn’t have trusted me.” / “That’s the thing.” I grinned. “I didn’t.”
Annette placed the knife at Miguel’s throat. “You shouldn’t have trusted me,” Annette grinned wickedly, moments away from ending Miguel’s life. He had been so easy. So gullible. It had almost made this boring. It almost made her want to not kill him. Almost. Still, she had a job to do, and she had done it well. “That’s the thing,” Miguel grinned, “I didn’t.” Annette scoffed. “Please,” she laughed, “You fell for the whole spiel lock, stock, and barrel.” “Did I?” he asked. Annette stared at him, confused. His eyes dropped toward the space between them, causing Annette’s eyes to follow. He had a knife to her abdomen. Prompt: “Listen, you really need to be more –“ / “Be more what?” / “I was going to say patient, but let’s add quiet to the list.”
Ryan groaned with boredom. This wasn’t what she thought it would be. She wanted excitement. This wasn’t exciting. This was combing through paperwork, and staring at a door, waiting for someone to come in. This was stupid. “Listen,” Charles said, “You really need to be more-“ he stopped before he finished the sentence. “Be more what?” she asked, after waiting forever for him to finish his sentence, “Be more what?” she asked again, poking him this time. She continued to badger him, until he turned around. “I was going to say patient,” Charles hissed, “But let’s add quiet to the list!” “Jerk,” Ryan sulked, folding her arms and pouting. I have been excited for this prompt all day long. Originally I had anticipated something more akin to someone like Hunter or Danny saying these words, or maybe having a scene with the two of them saying it almost at the same time or something, but when I actually got around to writing today's prompt, that wasn't what came out. So, instead of trying to fight it, I just let the words flow out of me and the prompt below is what happened.
Honestly, I think this scene is a lot better than what I had originally planned. I'm super proud of this prompt. Prompt: “You’re a monster,” she screamed in my face. / “I was turned into one,” I simply whispered. When they lied to my face and expected only truth from me. When they took my voice and expected words from me. When they killed my lover and expected love from me. When they stole my pride and expected honor from me. When they turned their backs on me and expected support from me. That’s when I turned cold. That’s when flames burned in my eyes, They took everything from me, Burned it like it meant nothing, And expected everything from me. That’s when the monster in me rose. That’s when the monster in me had, had enough and broke loose. So be aware even the calmest sea can turn to rage. I stared at her, the woman looking in the mirror. She stared back. Her eyes were wide with the horror she had witnessed. She trembled. Poor little thing. She looked so pathetic. So unwise to the ways of the cruel world. I felt sorry for her. I did, truly. “You’re a monster,” she screamed in my face. Her face was dripping with tears and she backed away from the mirror, as if trying to get as far away from it as possible. She tried to look away, but she couldn’t. She was too transfixed to look away. “I was turned into one,” I simply whisper to her. I learned long ago not to raise my voice. It would do no good. Nothing would come of it. She continued to look at me, staring transfixed at the mirror. “I was turned into one,” I continued, “When they lied to my face and then expected truth from me. When they took my voice and expected words from me. When they killed my lover,” I cringed at that one, the thought still too hard to handle. It was a wound that was still fresh, still raw, still hurting, but I had to carry on. “And expected love from me,” I pursed my lips. That was the hardest one to cope with. ‘When they stole my pride,” ripped it from me was more like it, “And expected honor from me. When they turned their backs to me and expected support from me.” When I had needed that support, when I had needed their kindness, they had turned on me. They had ignored my pleas. They had left me to drown in my own agony and despair, and yet, when they needed help, when they needed the kindness they had denied me, they had expected me to come rushing to their aid. They had taken everything that made me human, stolen it, ripped it from me, and then expected me to turn around and give it to someone else. No. “That’s when I turned cold,” I explained, “That’s when flames burned in my eyes. They took everything from me, burned it, like it meant nothing,” my voice was rising as my anger built, “and expected EVERYTHING from me," fire rose in my stomach at the thought. She looked at me. The fear was gone. She looked braver. There was a fire in her belly. I could see it. Her shoulders were straightening and she was looking at me with more confidence. “That’s when the monster in me rose,” she finished, staring me down, “That’s when the monster in me had, had enough.” I nodded my head. Good girl. Yes. “And broke free,” she hollered to the world. I smiled. Yes. The monster had broken free. It was time to unleash it on the world. Be aware, even the calmest sea can turn to rage. Prompt: An archeologist finds an ancient library filled with working spell books.
I did it. I hit the jackpot. This is what every archeologist dreams of. An ancient library! And not only a library, but the books were still in tact, and still readable, and even better, they were spell books, and the best news? They still worked. Prompt: Free Write It’s too loud. Way too loud. Everything. It won’t shut up. Won’t let me sleep. Pounding, Pounding Against my skull. Throbbing, yelling. Too loud Way too loud. I’m in a constant tug of war. Yes is no No is yes. Loud is soft And soft is loud. Nothing has any meaning. Just want to sleep. Just want to disappear. Just want to find an ending. Just want it all to stop. Just want some peace. |
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