Before the end of the news broadcast, Sophia sat calmly on the couch. She rolled the tent peg loosely in her hand. As the anchor started to sign off, Sophia’s glazed eyes regained focus. “I warned him,” she thought. The meticulously detailed plan sprang into life before her.
Her grip tightened on the tent peg.
“The death will be gruesome,” she told her pet goldfish.
“After this, they will allow knives again,” Goldie answered.
THE END
I combined prompts from two writing exercises: “murder by tent peg,” and “before, after.” The rest of my writings from this morning were, as we say, “the compost from which the beautiful flowers of our writing might bloom.” This idea of being willing to write “compost” comes from famous writing guru Natalie Goldberg.
I really like it! Brevity and your use of the right words builds the scene quickly! Why do “they” fail to listen and then act surprised when we do exactly what we said we were going to do?! Where will you take this now? Will Goldie have more to say? Cathy
you are getting some fulfillment out of this for which i am glad…
for me i will always wonder where you are going if it is anywhere but here….now…
and you already know i love and accept you
and miss you so much more…
just as there are many things i dont understand about you… your writings are just one more…
my love us no less
Hi Josh.
With many of these, they are not planned. They just appear at the end of my pen. The point to to provide food for thought. “What’s this about??? What COULD it be about?” I have to answer those questions too.
Shona.
Now I want to read the beginning and the middle but even O. Henry wouldn’t have quibbled with the end. Rita
Dear Rita,
What a compliment. (I think!)
Shona