The Prompt
Write a word story containing each of these 10 words
Why
Misery
Consternation
Pallor
Orchestra
Forgive
Paper
Entry
First
Grandmother
Things To Consider
I expect many people reading this prompt to have a viscerally negative reaction. “How am I supposed to write anything good with a list of random words?!”
Answer: you’re not.
Today’s prompt is an exercise in coming to your desk, writing something awkward and keeping going away.
There will be many, many days as a writer when you need to write a scene or a story that just isn’t flowing the way you want to.
The ability to keep writing anyway is an essential skill. We all need to practice allowing the first draft to be janky, awkward, a little bit ugly…and finishing it anyway.
It’s easy to say, but harder to do. So today, I’m intentionally setting the bar low. Of course you’re not expected to write a masterpiece with a collection of words I plucked randomly from a book (“The Art of the Short Story”, Dana Gioia & R. S. Gwynn, Pearson Longman, 2006, in case you’re interested).
If you’re not entirely sure how to use a particular word, let one of your characters use (or misuse) it.
Their use of that word—or how they react to being corrected—can more effectively show us the character than any explanatory note from a narrator’s voice. Remember words can be used in metaphorical ways, not just literally.
If you are resisting this prompt, make doubly-sure to give this one a try. In my experience, the prompts people resist are the ones they learn the most from. Sometimes they even end up with stories they love!
Leave a comment and let us know how it went!
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Prefer paper crafts? Here’s the cut & paste version
I’m exploring a new novel in my Kifo Island series with this month’s stories. These words fed very well into a story I think has a lot of room to grow…
**
“Why does she need to be put through so much misery just to be alive? Are we making the wrong decision trying to save her life?” There was consternation and grief in her voice, and, right now, her pallor almost matched Serrah’s as she lay motionless in the hospital crib, even paler against the bright colors of the quilt made by anonymous strangers.
I focused on the orchestra scenes in the alternating blocks. Serrah had always loved classical music, even before she was born.
“Will she be able to forgive us for everything we’re putting her through?”
I couldn’t keep staring at the quilt. She needed me to look at her. I could feel it. But I couldn’t bear to see the anguish in her eyes, so I looked over her shoulders at a mobile of paper storks made by the little girl who had brought the miniature horse in to visit a delighted Serrah two weeks ago.
When she was still conscious.
“I don’t know,” I said now, because I didn’t. And I didn’t want to say what we’d both been thinking for the last five days – that our little girl might never wake up.
I’d fought so hard for her entry to Kifo Island. Not with the staff, who had almost immediately accepted her, but with my wife. She’d had a very different idea of how we should handle the search for a new heart and a new chance at life for our baby. First, I’d had to convince her, and that had been time that couldn’t be spent here, in this bright space with the ocean breeze blowing in through the window.
“If she dies, I’ll never see her get married; never get to be a grandmother.” That was a whisper as she leaned in to stroke Serrah’s forehead. I hadn’t known she even wanted grandchildren. I’d never given that a moment’s thought.
I was thinking that, if this sweet baby died while we were waiting for a miracle I had to fight so hard for, I might never forgive the woman who had cheated Serrah out of six more weeks of joy and laughter.
I’m a few days behind, but I always like these challenges with words or a sentence you have to use. It is like an exercise just to get you to use your writing “muscles.” But I’ve actually had success publishing stories that come from these kinds of prompts. I came up with something a bit schmaltzy, but not bad. Thanks!
Loved this challenge. I wouldn’t have thought to use a word incorrectly without the suggestion in the prompt, and it was fun to try that out.
I also wrote about an orchestra, but a kid going to practice, and then getting some disturbing news when they get home.
Day 6 is done. I enjoyed this unique challenge! Even though the words are random, they inspire imagination and creativity and help guide a story. This is an exercise I might try more in the future, maybe asking friends to pick random words and I can create a story. Great way to keep writing when you are feeling stuck.
I blame Walter and Teresa for this, here is my Day 7, which is my response to the day 6 response. which of course means I am on day 7 when some of you may still be on day 6. (I amuse myself).
Anyway, I quite enjoyed writing this one as others have. I left my iterations in there as I thought the process of forming the story was just as interesting as the story itself.
I hope you enjoy it. https://afstoryaday.blogspot.com/2024/05/day-7-ten-words.html
For Clarity I’ve written this on the 7th of May, before heading to work.
My piece today feels like the start of something, so I’m going to keep it to myself just in case I expand off of it later. But the basic gist is:
WHY did I come here in the FIRST place? My love interest is dating someone our GRANDMOTHER’s age and it is MISERY to behold. My PALLOR when I see them together may lead people to think I’m ill. I should have lost the PAPER granting my ENTRY. It’s to my CONSTERNATION that I got here before the ORCHESTRA started to play and gave me an excuse not to talk to anybody. I do not FORGIVE myself for coming here!
What a fun quote! I didn’t get a full story out of it, but I got a scene for sure. Maybe even the start of a novel? I’m glad I showed up and pushed through.
The prompt appeared difficult. But when I got started, I liked that it made my brain do more exercise.
FINLAND VS FARTHERISLE
To my CONSTERNATION, my grandson just told me that Finland has been ranked the happiest place in the world. He tried to rxplain to me where it is in perspective to our island, but I’ve never been great with directions. Sometimes I still get turned around after I’ve gone to collect scallops for dinner. I wonder if the pollsters took where we live into consideration. It is called Fartherisle which if you were to ask WHY it wasn’t considered, it may be because of its proximity to nothing to my knowledge. But then I don’t know everything, even though I’m a 98 year old GRANDMOTHER and should by this time. We are able these days to obtain the news of the world ever since someone named Elon Musk sent something called StarLink into the skies. At least that’s how my grandson explains it. After that was the first time anybody even knew we were here and when Elon found out he sent us some laptops. We are so far out of the way of anything that even now we have not been bothered.
I have asked my grandson to get the word out about our island. I’m not afraid of people coming here like it’s a magnet because most wouldn’t want to live here in its remoteness; they’d call that MISERY. I call it peace. Anyway, when my grandson told me he’s too busy with his online page getting more likes, I recruited his younger brother to help with my project. The little guy is what you’d call a hacker and sure enough his way of solving my problem was to change the stats online and make it appear our island is the happiest place on earth. Of course he got caught, especially since nobody’s heard of Fatherisle, and a boat came and escorted him off to jail on the nearest atoll, which does not sound like fun. In the latest photo he texted me his little previously suntanned face is suffering from PALLOR. Not to worry, they have been feeding him well even though they keep him indoors, hence the pallor, and because of his age he will be back here soon.
My daughter-in-law was at first upset that I had something to do with her little boy getting caught and I FORGIVE her for that. To her credit, she has decided to try and get our island in the poll for next year as the happiest. She says the reason WHY is because she agrees there can be no happier people than those here even with little glitches like fights between in-laws which can happen anywhere. At the moment she is online trying to convince a newspaper what a wonderful people we are by sending a PAPER she’s just written. In her spare time, she has even been helping me with the ORCHESTRA I started recently to give the children here more to do.
It will be wonderful if next year our island, for the FIRST time, joins ENTRY for the happiest people in the world.
Very funny and – seriously – a lovely narrative voice.
Walter, was your awesomely nice comment directed to me (Valerie)?
Yes, Valerie, it was.
Fatherisle sounds like a lovely place to visit. Not sure I want to live there, though. 🙂
First I thought it was easy, as I was able to use up all of the words in two sentences. But then I realized it wasn’t much of a story, just an introduction. I took the given advice to heart and decided that I did want to add to that. It turned out fine, and was a good exercise to simply allow a story to write itself out without judging what will happen to it next.
Nice!!
I do these type of prompts on a daily basis although I don’t usually have a list of 10 unrelated words. I find them challenging but fun and one of my daily prompts used to do one a week with all of the words and that was very challenging. It was 21 words and they were all unrelated pretty much. I just wrote 193 words for this one. Here’s the link on my blog.
https://tessadeanauthor.wordpress.com/2024/05/06/word-list-storyaday-2024-day-6/
Cool,
Tell you what, like Walter, again another angle to the one I’ve got – best I find time to post my writing today – maybe I’ll have to post my day 7 here today. That’ll change things up.
On the last para, that could go any direction, difficulty in volunteers, everyone pitching in to take her together, a revelation that grand love by all, hated by one.
Well done.
Andrew
Nice job!
Oh what fun! Here’s what I came up with:
Magic
The conductor gazed over the ORCHESTRA in CONSTERNATION, then turned his gaze to the score in front of him with mounting MISERY. WHY had he taken this job? Would they ever FORGIVE him? He turned the stiff PAPER, counting pages. More than thirty. The nightmare would go on forever.
The FIRST chair of second violins, seeing the conductor’s PALLOR, leaned forward to whisper in the concertmaster’s ear.
“What’s the matter with him?”
The concertmaster turned his head and spoke softly, barely moving his lips. “He can’t read music.”
“What? Then what’s he doing here?”
“You could say he was ‘grandfathered’ in. His GRANDMOTHER founded this symphony, so the Board recruited him to conduct, without checking his credentials.”
The second violinist looked out nervously at the packed hall. “What’ll we do?”
The concertmaster seemed confident. “Ignore him. Watch my bowing for the count. Use your own best judgment for dynamics and expression. I’m sorry, I thought everyone had been told.”
The conductor raised his baton and the hall fell silent. He brought it down swiftly, and started flapping his arms like a jay in a birdbath. The brasses, their eyes fixed on the concertmaster’s bow, made their ENTRY in unison. The conductor began to think that he was pretty good after all. The first chair of second violins began to believe in magic.
Walter,
I’ll be honest that’s a joy to read, as much as I posted yesterday’s task today (below) I’d done a bit of an outline of what I’ll write tomorrow. You took it a different way than I have, and have to admit it great to see.
Cheers
Andrew
This is a wonderful story – short, crispy and munchy.
Some of the expressions like ‘grandfathered in’, ‘flapping his arms like a jay in a birdbath…..’, are a sheer music to the ears.
I also like the last line a lot :
‘The first chair of second violins began to believe in magic.’
All said and done, one could have hardly written a better story with the list than yours.
Thanks for sharing and keep writing and inspiring more.
Walter, this is so great. You make it look so easy.
FUN!
That’s what I like to hear 😉
Quite an entertaining use of the words, Walter.
I think this is a wonderful use of the prompt words. I find these type of prompts challenging but fun.
ROFL. That was fantastic, Walter.
Well day 6 down. I actually enjoy these kinds of prompts. A few years ago I took a writing class. To get the class started, The instructor would give us three words and 5 minutes to write something even if it was just a paragraph or two. I always had lots of fun doing that.
It’s affirming, isn’t it?
Kind of encouraging, to discover you can write whenever, on whatever…
This is always such a fun prompt, especially as it means you don’t have to take yourself too seriously. I wrote a bit for my main character in my Changeling story. This may end up in the actual WiP so I won’t share the whole thing here, but I think this was my favorite part: “That doesn’t change the fact that it hurt for you to try to force me into the vision of what you thought your daughter should be. It doesn’t matter that I never wanted an entry into that performance.”
total gender feels right there.
Anyway, the “story”(really more of a snippet of a scene) is about 230 words long.
Nice.
And I’m a big fan of us not taking ourselves too seriously, as much as possible.
The best writing advice! Maybe the best advice full stop?
I didn’t write a story yesterday as I had some other writing obligations. Besides, no one seems to be reading any of the stories I have written so far.
Undeterred, I tried my hand at today’s prompt.
II reproduce the first draft as it is, based on the ten words. If any kind soul can point out a few loopholes in my story, I shall be obliged.
The Last Heir (I have thought about the title just at the time of posting this story!)
Nｅｉｌ ｉｓ ｊｏｉｎｉｎｇ ｍｉｃｒｏｓｏｆｔ as ｔｈｅ CEO ｔｏｄａｙ. ｈｅ ｉｓ ｔｈｅ ｙｏｕｎｇｅｓｔ ｍan ｅｖｅｒ ｔｏ be ａｐｐｏｉｎｔｅｄ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｃｏｖｅｔｅｄ ｐｏｓｔ. Looking ever so dashing ｉｎ ｈｉｓ ｂｌｕe three-piece, ｈｅ ｂｅｎｄｓ ｄｏｗｎｔｏ ｔｏｕｃｈ ｈｅｒ ｆｅｅｔ, ｓｈｅ starts crying ａｇａｉｎ.
For a change ｔｈｏｕｇｈ,
ｔｈｅｙ ａｒｅ ｔｅａｒｓ ofｈａｐｐｉｎｅｓｓ, pride andｓｈｅｅｒ ｊｏｙ ………
That ｂｌｅａｋ ｄａｙ, Krish ｃａｍｅ ｔｏ ｔｏｕｃｈ ｈｅｒ ｆｅｅｔ ａｓ ｗａｓ ｈｉｓ ｈａｂｉｔ.
“ｙｏｕ ｋｎｏｗ, ｍｏｍ, ｍｙ ｎｅｉｌ ｗｉｌｌ ｂｅ ａ Champ one day.” Hｅ said having sneak-peaked at his son sitting at the table. “He ｗｉｌｌ ｆｕｌｆｉｌｌ ｙｏｕｒ ｄｒｅａｍｓ ｏｆ ｈａｖｉｎｇ the ‘ｂｒｉｇｈｔ ｏｎｅ ｉｎ the ｆａｍｉｌｙ.’”
“Nｏｔ ｔｈａｔ you’re ａｎｙ ｌｅｓｓ ｂｒｉｇｈｔ ｆｏｒ me.” She countered ｂｕｔ ｓｈｅ knew ｗｈａｔ he meant. She slammed the door shut behind Chris’s retreating car as it turned the corner.
Dｅｓｐｉｔｅ ａｌｌ their ｈａｒｄ ｌａｂｏｕｒ, ｌｉｆｅ ｈａｄｎ’ｔ ｂｅｅｎ ａｌｌ ｔｈａｔ ｓｍｏｏｔｈ-ｓａｉｌｉｎｇ.
ｓｈｅ ｐｕｔ ｔｈｅ frothing glass ｉｎ ｆｒｏｎｔ ｏｆ Neil.
“Now, ｎｏｔ ｏｎｌｙ ｄｏ you ｈａｖｅ ｔｏ ｓｐｅｌｌ ｉｔ ｏｕｔ ｂｕｔ ｇｉｖｅ ｍｅ the ｍｅａｎｉｎｇ ａｓ ｗｅｌｌ, OK?” ｇｒａｎｄｍｏｔｈｅｒ said, rubbing ｔｈｅ beads of sweat ａｗａｙ ｆｒｏｍ ｈｅｒ ｆｏｒｅｈｅａｄ with the ｂａｃｋ of her hand.
He nodded while ｗａｔｃｈｉｎｇ ｓｏｍｅｔｈｉｎｇ onｔｈｅ ｔａｂ ｔｈａｔ ｓｈｅ ｄｉｄｎ’ｔ ｒｅａｌｌｙ ｗａｎｔ ｈｉｍ ｔｏ ｕｓｅ.
ｌｏｔｓ ｏｆ ｍｅｍｏｒｉｅｓ ｗｅｒｅ ａｓｓｏｃｉａｔｅｄ ｗｉｔｈ ｉｔ.
Wｈａｔ ａ ｃｈａｍｐ ｈｅｒ ｇｒａｎｄｓｏｎ ｈａｄ ｔｕｒｎｅｄ ｏｕｔ ｔｏ ｂｅ! ｎｏｔ ｏｎｌｙ ｄｉｄ ｈｅ ｗｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｓｃｈｏｏｌ Spell Beeｃｏｎｔｅｓｔ ｂｕｔ ｈｅ ｗａｓ ａｌｓｏ ｔｈｅ ｂｅｓｔ ｓｔｕｄｅｎｔ ｏｆ ｓｔ. Aｕｇｕｓｔｉｎｅ ｓｃｈｏｏｌ, Dｕｍｄｕｍ. Aｎｄ now he was ｂｅｉｎｇ ｈａｉｌｅｄ ａｓ ａ ｃｈｉｌｄ ｐｒｏｄｉｇy, people ｓｔａｒｔｅｄ ｒｅｃｏｇｉｚｉｎｇ ｈｉｍ ｏｎ ｔｈｅ ｒｏａｄｓ, ｉｎ ｔｈｅ parkａｎｄ ｗｈｅｒｅ ｎｏｔ!
The ｄａｙｓ ｆｏｌｌｏｗｉｎｇ ｔｈｅ ｓｈｏｃｋｉｎｇ ｎｅｗｓ, ｗｅｒｅ ｈａｒｄ, ｐａｉｎｆｕｌ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｅｘｔｅｎｔ ｏｆ ｅｖｅｎ ｂｅｉｎｇ ｂｉｔｔｅｒ ａｔ ｔｉｍｅｓ.
“OK, ｗｈａｔ’ｓ ｔｈｅ first ｏｎｅ ｆｏｒ ｔｏｄａｙ, ｇｒａｎｎａ?” Nｅｉｌ, ｈａｖｉｎｇ ａｌｒｅａｄｙ ｆｉｎｉｓｈｅｄ ｈａｌｆ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｓｈａｋｅ, ａｓｋｅｄ ｈｅｒ.Eｖｅｎ ｗｉｔｈ ｔｈｅ ｓｈａｋｅ ｂｏｒｄｅｒing ａｌｌ ｏｖｅｒ ｈｉｓ ｕｐｐｅｒ ｌｉｐ, ｎｅｉｌ ｌｏｏｋｅｄ ｌｉｋｅ ａ ｐｉｃｔｕｒｅ. Hｅ ｗａｓ ｇｏｉｎｇ ｔｏ ｂｅａ head-turner ｏｎｅ ｏｆ ｔｈｅｓｅ ｄａｙｓ ｊｕｓｔ ｌｉｋｅ ｈｉｓ ｆａｔｈｅr, ｇｒａｎｄｍｏｔｈｅｒ ｔｈｏｕｇｈｔ ｔｏ ｈｅｒｓｅｌｆ.
“The next one is ‘entry’. ｎｏ, ｎｏ, ｗａｉｔ. Tｈａｔ ｗｉｌｌ ｂｅ ｔｏｏ ｅａｓｙ ｆｏｒ ｙｏｕ. Wｈｙ ｄｏｎ’ｔ ｙｏｕ ｔｅｌｌ ｍｅ ｔｈｅ ｎａｍｅ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｃａｐｉｔａｌ ｏｆ Bhutan ｉｎｓｔｅａｄ? ”
ｓｈｅ ｐｉｃｋｅｄ ｕｐ ｔｈｅ ｐａｐｅｒ ｆｒｏｍ ｔｈｅ ｔａｂｌｅ ｔｈｅｎ ａｎｄ planted ａ ｋｉｓｓ ｏｎ ｈｉｓ ｈｅａｄ.
“Hｅｒ ‘ｅｎｔｒｙ’ ａｔ the Royal AlbertｌHall ｗａｓ ｎｏ ｌｅｓｓ ｒｅｇａｌ. Hｏｗ ａｂｏｕｔ ｔｈａｔ ｆｏｒ ａ ｓｅｎｔｅｎｃｅ, ｇｒａｎａ? Andｔｈｅ ｃａｐｉｔａｌ ｏｆ Bhutan ｉｓ ｅａｓｙ, Tｈｉｍｐｈｕ.”
Hｅ ｒａｉｓｅｄ ｈｉｓ ｈａｎｄ ｆｏｒ ａ ｈｉｇｈ ｆｉｖｅ ａｓ ｓｈｅ brought her hand down before crying out:
“Fｏｒｇｉｖｅ ｍｅ, Neil. I’ve ｔｏ ｇｏ ｏｕｔ ｆｏｒ ｓｈｏｐｐｉｎｇ ｂｅｆｏｒｅ ｙｏｕｒ ｄａｄ’ｓｈｏｍｅ, ｂｕｔ ｉ’ｌｌ ｂｅ ｂａｃｋ ｓｏｏｎ. ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｍｅａｎｗｈｉｌｅ ｙｏｕ ｃａｎ ｄｏ ｙｏｕｒ assignments.” She ｔｏｌｄ him ｗｈｉｌｅ placing ｔｈｅ apron back onｔｈｅ ｈｏｏｋ ｏｎ ｔｈｅ ｗａｌｌ.
“Please ｇｉｖｅ ｍｅ ｔｗｏ ｗｏｒｄｓ, ｔｗｏ’ｄ ｄｏ. Please ｇｒａｎｎａ. I’ve to ｐｒｅｐａｒｅ ｆｏｒ ｔｈｅ ｎａｔｉｏｎａｌ ｌｅｖｅｌ ｓｐｅｌｌｉｎｇ ｃｏｎｔｅｓｔ ｔｏｍｏｒｒｏｗ ｂｅｓｉｄｅｓ whatever else is there to be done for JEE, ｓｃｈｅｄｕｌｅｄ ｌａｔｅｒ this month,” ｈｅ ｐｌｅａｄｅｄ.
“Alright, alright. How dare I turn down the request of a celeb! What ａｂｏｕｔ ‘ｏｒｃｈｅｓｔｒａ’ ｏｒ ‘ｐａｌｌｏｒ’ ｆｏｒ ｔｈｅ ｍａｔｔｅｒ?” ｇｒａｎｄｍｏｔｈｅｒ ｓｈｏｔ ｏｕｔ ｗｈｉｌｅ ｐｕｔｔｉｎｇ ｏｎ ｈｅｒ ｃｈｕｒｉｄａｒ.
******************************************
With Krish ｇｏｎｅ, ｔｈｅ ｏｎｕｓ ｏｆ ｍａｋｉｎｇ ｅｎｄｓ ｍｅｅｔ ｆｅｌｌ ｏｎ ｈｅｒ ｆｉｒｍ ｂｕｔ ｄｒｏｏｐｉｎｇ ｓｈｏｕｌｄｅｒｓｓｏｍｅｈｏｗ. His ｕｎｔｉｍｅｌｙ ｄｅｍｉｓｅ ｗａｓｔｈｅ ｓｅｃｏｎｄ ｔｒａｇｅｄｙ ｂｅｆａｌｌｉｎｇ ｔｈｅ ｆａｍｉｌｙ ａｆｔｅｒ The Devil ｈａｄ ｓｎａｔｃｈｅｄ Oindrila ｆｒｏｍ ｔｈｅｍ ｓｏｍｅ ｎｉｎｅ ｍｏｎｔｈｓ ago.
Iｔ ｗａｓ ｓｕｃｈ ａ ｇｏｇｅｏｕｓ ｄａｙ ｔｏ ｓｔａｒｔ ｗｉｔｈ. The ｔｈｒｅｅ ｏｆ ｔｈｅｍ ｗｅｒｅ coming ｔｏ terms with her ｌｏｓｓ. To ｂｅ ｈｏｎｅｓｔ, Neil ｗａｓ ｔｈｅ ｏｎｅ ｗｈｏ ｓｅｅｍｅｄ ｔｏ ｈａｖｅ ｃｏｐｅｄ ｗｉｔｈ ｈｉｓ mother’ｓ absence ｆａｒ ｂｅｔｔｅｒ. Cherish was no more the same and the harshest-hit of them all.
He had come ｔｏ ｔｏｕｃｈ ｈｅｒ ｆｅｅｔ as usual ｄｅｓｐｉｔｅ ｈａｖｉｎｇ ｌｏｓｔ ａ ｌｏｔ ｏｆ ｗｅｉｇｈｔ in the last few months.
ｌｏｏｋｉｎｇ ａｔ ｈｅｒ ｓｏｎ, ｓｈｅ had ｆｅｌｔ ｓｏ ｐｒｏｕｄ ｔｈａｔ she took up her son’s little finger and bit at it playfully with her teeth. That was to keep him from harm’s way!
Sｈｅ ｃｏｕｌｄ ｆｅｅｌ ｔｈｅ ｌｕｍｐ ａｎｄ ｔｈｅ ｔｅａｒ ｉｎ ｈｅｒ throat. Finding Neil’s ki ｉｎｔｅｎｔ ｇａｚｅ ｏｎ ｈｅｒ, ｓｈｅ ｑｕｉｃｋｌｙ ｐｕｌｌｅｄ ｈｅｒｓｅｌｆ ｔｏｇｅｔｈｅｒ.
“‘Orchestra’ ｉｓ ｓｐｅｌｔ ｏ-ｒ-ｃ-ｈ-ｅ-ｓ-ｔ-ｒ-ａ, ｇｒａｎａｎ. ａｎｄ ‘pallor’ ｍｅａｎｉｎｇ ｐａｌｅｎｅｓｓ ｏｒ ｓｏｍｅｔｈｉｎｇ ｐａｌｅ ｉｎ ａｐｐｅａｒａｎｃｅ, ｉｓ ｓｐｅｌｔ ‘ｐ-ａ-ｌ-ｌ-ｏ-ｒ’. ｂｕｔ ｔｈａｔ ｗａｓ ｅａｓｙ, ｇｒａｎｄｍａ. I ｗａｎｔ ｓｏｍｅｔｈｉｎｇ ｈａｒｄｅｒ, ｓｏｍｅｔｈｉｎｇ ｌｉｋｅ ‘ ｖｅｒｉｓｉｍｉｌｉｔｕｄｅ’ ｏｒ’ ｃｏｎｓａｎｇｕｉｎｅｏｕｓ’?”
But ｇｒａｎｄｍｏｔｈｅｒ ｗａｓｎ’ｔ ｌｉｓｔｅｎｉｎｇ ｔｏ ｈｉｍ ａｎｙｍｏｒｅ. Her eyes were glued to the TV in the corner. Tｈｅｒｅ ｗａｓ ａ ｐｉｃｔｕｒｅ ｂｅｉｎｇ ｆｌａｓｈｅｄｏｎ ｔｈｅ ｓｃｒｅｅｎ of ａｎ ａｃｃｉｄｅｎｔ ｏｒ ｓｏｍｅｔｈｉｎｇ. Amidst ｔｈｅ ｍｕｌｔｉｔｕｄｅ ｏｆ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ ｇａｔｈｅｒｅｄ ｔｈｅｒｅ, ｉｎｃｌｕｄｉｎｇ ｔｈｅ ｍｅｄｉａ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ,ｐｏｌｉｃｅ and the medical professionals. Somebody ｗａｓ ｂｅｉｎｇ ｃａｒｒｉｅｄ ｏｎ ａ ｓｔｒｅｔｃｈｅｒ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｗａｉｌｉｎｇ ａｍｂｕｌａｎｃｅ ｎｅａｒｂｙ. There ｗａｓ ｓｏｍｅｔｈｉｎｇ ａｂｏｕｔ ｔｈｅ ｓｔｉｌｌ ｆｉｇｕｒｅ ｔｈａｔ ｔｏｏｋ ａ ｗｈｉｌｅ ｔｏ ｒｅｇｉｓｔｅｒ ｉｎ ｈｅｒ ｍｉｎｄ.
Tｏ ｈｅｒ ｇｒｅａｔ consternation, ｓｈｅ ｒｅｃｏｌｌｅｃｔｅｄ ｔｈｅｎ Chris’s ｌｉｇｈｔ ｇｒｅｅｎ ｓｈｉｒｔ that ｓｈｅ ｈａｄ ｇｉｆｔｅｄ ｈｉｍ ｏｎ ｈｉｓ 34 ｔｈ ｂｉｒｔｈｄａｙ.
ｇｒａｎｄｍｏｔｈｅｒ hastened ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｃｏｒｎｅｒ ｆｏｒ ａ ｃｌｅａｒ ｌｏｏｋ. Tｗｏ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ ｗｅｒｅ ｆｉｔｔｉｎｇ ｔｈｅ stretcher back ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ａｍｂｕｌａｎｃｅ. The body of a person, ｗｒａｐｐｅｄ ｉｎ ｗｈｉｔｅ ｕｐｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｎｅｃｋ seemed strangely familiar. Theｆａｃｅ ｗａｓ ｂｌａｃｋｅｎｅｄ on the screenｂｕｔ ｔｈｅｒｅ ｗａｓ ｎｏ ｄｏｕｂｔｉｎｇ ｔｈｅ ｌｉｇｈｔ ｇｒｅｅｎ ｓｈｉｒｔ allｇｏｒｉｅｄ!
The ｗｏｒｌｄ ｓｅｅｍｅｄ to be spinning at first before coming ｔｏ ａ ｈａｌｔ ｆｏｒ ｔｈｅ ｗｉｄｏｗ. Sｈｅ lowered herself ｄｏｗｎ laboriously on ｔｈｅ ｆｌｏｏｒ, ｍｉｓｅｒｙ ｗｒｉｔ large ｈｅｒ ｅｎｔｉｒｅ ｂｅｉｎｇ ｌｉｋｅ the world being engulfed in darkness due to a suddenｓｏｌａｒ ｅｃｌｉｐｓｅ.
“Why,ｇｏｄ, ｗｈｙ? ｗｈａｔ ｈａｖｅ I ｄｏｎｅ ｗｒｏｎｇ ｔｏ ｂｅ ｓｕｂｊｅｃｔｅｄ ｔｏ Your ｗｒａｔｈ ｔｈｕｓ? What ｗｉｌｌ ｈａｐｐｅｎ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｏｒｐｈａn ｎｏｗ? Who will take care of us? Oh, mercy….mercy.”
ｓｈｅ ｃｏｕｌｄｎ’ｔ ｃｏｎｔｉｎｕｅ ａｎｙ ｍｏｒｅ ａｓ an incoherent wailing came out from the depths of her soul.
It ｗａｓ ｒｉｇｈｔ ｔｈｅｎ ｔｗｏ ｌｉｔｔｌｅ ｈａｎｄｓ ｔｏｏｋ ｈｅｒ ｔｒｅｍｂｌｙ ｈａｎｄｓ covering her face into ｈｉｓ putting ｈｉｓ ｃｈｅｅｃｋ ａｇａｉｎｓｔ ｈｅｒ ｔｅａｒｙ chin.
Neil had proved to be his grandmother’s greatest source of joy and comfort from then on.
ｔｈｅ ｅｎｄ
Rathin,
Sorry to read that you feel no one is reading your stories. I can assure you they are. My sense of things is at least 10 are most probably doing this (I.e. I base that on the number of people I believe are linking through to my stories).
Note – I have read a couple. I will call out though, that the font/formatting of your postings is quite a challenge. You may want to right-click and use ‘Paste and Match Style’ if that is available. That will take care of the font and make it a little more legible.
I.e. the latest post is quite illegible.
NOTE – your comment is a good call out for more comments and feedback, one challenge of writing is that you often live in a vacuum.
Cheers
Andrew
Dear Andrew,
Thank you so much for the comforting words. It is really heartening to know that some of them are reading the stories.
Regarding the font, I tried my best to make it legible before posting but my knowledge of IT isn’t up to the mark and try hard as I did, the net result was that at some point, I had to delete some letters here and add some letters there and you can already see what happened in the end.
I will keep your advice in mind before posting next time.
Till then, stay safe and all the very best wishes.
Rathin, I always read your stories and love the cultural aura they present. #6 was a bit difficult to read, as Andrew mentioned. I’ll see if I can come up with comments on your stories if possible but I’m not exactly a critic 🙃 .
Hi, Valerie. Glad to hear from you. You know, we writers are weird creatures and want our share of recognition. I am no different in this respect. I read your story for day-6 but refrained from commenting on it.
Please keep writing for making a difference. Best wishes.
Don’t assume no one’s reading, but coming up with one’s own story, writing it commenting and reading AND responding might be one or two tasks too many to expect of people.
Keep writing. Post if the accountability helps you.
Dear Julie,
Thank you for the encouragement. I love being a part of May StoryADay Contest and all that you have been doing to promote story-writing.
My prayers and good wishes for the success of all your endeavours.
God bless.
Hey Rathin! I read your story! Definitely keep writing whether you get comments or not. In this story, I thought the relationship between the grandmother and Neil was very sweet! I would have loved more small details about the room they’re in, Neil’s appearance, and how the grandmother feels.
Dear Elizabeth,
Thanks for your lovely words and for liking my story. It really helps to know that there are people reading the stories. I have taken note of your suggestions but rather than paying importance to the setting, I was more concerned with the characterisation. You are spot on regarding Neil’s physical appearance.
Stay blessed and best wishes.
Again, I’m a day ahead but behind. Here is my Day 6 – like you, but not take.
For some context, I am an IT Executive.
https://afstoryaday.blogspot.com/2024/05/day-6-like-me-but-not.html
NOTE – I like the word one, I could even do this on the phone as I’ll have a long day of business tomorrow, (thanks in advance Julie).
So why am I both ahead and behind – I am on the East Coast of Australia, so Julie’s morning is my evening.
Andrew, I really enjoyed your story, and your writing style, which was also totally easy to follow. It made it all the more interesting that you confided you’re an IT executive!
I like these kind of word prompts. And I enjoyed writing the story with these words. It turned out a sad story but with a happy ending. It just needs a few tweaks.
Do you mean “write a story using these words?”
Yes.
I mean, you’ll need other words as well, but yes. 😉
Terrific prompt! I like writing historical stories so these words fit right in.
I’ve kept up with the challenge so far, am posting this from the middle of nowhere with a sketchy mobile connection but I have enjoyed each day! It is so empowering to write a complete piece and move on to the next thing! Thanks Julie!