Welcome to the fifth week of the Spring Writing Challenge!
You all did so well with your stories last week! There were so many interesting and unique ways you interpreted the prompt. It’s now the fifth week, so it’s time to do it again! Will your story have fairies? Time travel? Ghosts?! Whatever you decide, we can’t wait to see what you come up with.
So, without further ado, here’s your next prompt!
Week Five Prompt – The Sentence Prompt
Write a story that includes the following sentence:
Needless to say, this wasn’t the first time…
Wait…what’s a sentence prompt?
A sentence prompt is a prompt that uses a particular sentence. It doesn’t matter where your story takes place, who’s in it, or what’s said. The only thing that matters is that your story must include the sentence, “Needless to say, this wasn’t the first time.”
Before you start writing, we have some important rules for you to follow.
Writing Rules
1. Please keep the content of the stories you post to a PG rating. Please avoid real curse words. Violence/fighting should be limited and purposeful. Please do not include any spice.
2. Your story must be 1,000 words or less, and must contain the prompt to be counted for the challenge. You’re not required to post it in order to “win” the challenge, but if you want it to count for your team, your story must be posted by Sunday at 11:59 PM ET, and you must include your team name.
Remember to scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and post your story as an “answer” to this question, not a “comment”. 🙂 You’re all doing such a great job! I’m so proud of all the stories you’ve posted.
Happy Writing!
Team #1
Once again by Ada Flannery
It was a hell of a way to die. He stood on the edge of the roof watching as the horde of zombies slowly approached. They moved in slow motion because, well they were dead. There was no way to get away. Either he jumped off the parking garage or he let them get him. The first would just be stupid. He would probably break something and be eaten anyway or he could just be eaten, become one of them and hopefully not be killed by one of the remaining Alivests before they were able to create a cure.
A door opened next to him and he was surprised to see his brother standing there.
“Lucas? What are you doing here?”
“Well it seems like we had the same stupid idea.”
He walked over and leaned against the railing.
“Did you think we’d go out this way?” Lucas asked while running his fingers through his hair.”
“Not exactly, I was hoping to be able to help the Alivests find the cure so that even if this happened I would be able to come back sooner.”
Hayden wanted to laugh. They were having this conversation like there was nothing only thing to worry about. He looked back at the zombies and tried to guess what jobs they had before. This was hard seeing that their clothes were so torn and dirty.
He tried to think back to what had gotten them in this certain situation. Needless to say, this wasn’t the first time. They had been cornered like thisbefore but there had always been away to, well get away. Lucas gave a soft huff, almost a laugh.
“Remember the time in the subway station? You threw a vending machine down the stairs just to block the exit.”
“It worked, didn’t it?”
“Barely. We were one second away from becoming brain stew. I had to carry you half the way after you twisted your ankle.”
“Yeah, and you screamed louder than me when one of them grabbed your backpack.” Lucas grinned.
“That was a good backpack.” He tapped the railing with his knuckles, Hayden’s eyes stayed on the slow-moving horde.
“Then there was the hospital.” Lucas let out a low whistle.
“Oh man, that one was insane. You hot-wired an ambulance and drove it through the front entrance just to get me out.”
“You were bleeding out and surrounded. What else was I supposed to do?”
Lucas shrugged. “I don’t know… not crash into a wall of infected?”
“Still,” Hayden said, his smile fading, “this might really be the end.”
Lucas didn’t answer right away. He reached into his coat and pulled out a small, cracked radio.
“Not yet. Alivests put out a signal an hour ago. There’s a new safe zone… twenty blocks west. If we can make it past the walkers, there’s a chance. We could possibly get down the way I came up.”
“Twenty blocks through downtown? That’s suicide.”
“Maybe. But so is standing here waiting to be lunch.” He offered the radio to Hayden.
“Come on. One more time. We’ve gotten away before.”
“One more time.” And they ran. Down the stairwell, boots slamming against concrete, breath echoing in tight, dusty air. The moans of the dead filtered in from cracks in the walls, getting louder the closer they got to street level. Lucas gripped the crowbar tight in one hand, radio in the other. Hayden clutched a short, rusted machete, more like a survival knife, but it had gotten him out of worse.
At the bottom floor, they paused at the heavy exit door. Lucas pressed his back to the wall and peeked through the narrow window.
“Four—no, five. Close. But if we’re fast…” Hayden nodded.
“We sprint. No fighting unless we have to.” Lucas smirked.
“Just like the old days.”
They burst through the door like bullets. The street was a graveyard of wrecked cars and dried blood. There were bodies too far gone to walk but still hungry enough to try grabbing them. One almost got Hayden, its twisted hand caught his jacket, but Lucas slammed the crowbar into its skull before it could pull him down.
“Don’t die before I do,” Lucas panted.
“It would ruin the story.” Hayden laughed through gasps, adrenaline keeping him upright.
“No promises.” By the time they reached 15th Street, Hayden’s legs were burning and his vision swam. They ducked inside an old bus for cover. Hayden collapsed against a seat.
“I don’t know if I can keep going.” Lucas stared out a cracked window.
“We’re five blocks out. We don’t stop now.”
He turned to his brother, eyes wide with something more than fear.
“They have a lab, Hayden. They’re close. They might actually have it.”
“The cure?” Hayden whispered. Lucas nodded.
“They just need more immune blood. People like us.” Hayden blinked.
“You’re immune?”
“Yeah. Didn’t want to tell you before. Thought you’d do something stupid to protect me. But you know it’s genetic? Meaning neither of us can become one of them, we’d just die.”
Hayden snorted, he couldn’t believe that Lucas hadn’t told him. Though he had to admit that it sounded like him. Lucas reached out a hand.
“Let’s finish this.”
They climbed out together. The last blocks were war. More zombies. A fire in a gas station. A collapsed overpass they had to climb. Lucas was bitten, but only scratched, and it didn’t take. Hayden started limping, but didn’t stop. Then, at last, they saw it: a wide fence of metal and barbed wire, patrolled by figures in dark armor. Alivests. The gate opened when the patrol spotted them. Lucas fell to his knees once they crossed the line. Hayden collapsed beside him, both of them laughing, half-mad with relief.
“You ever want to tell that story again,” Hayden muttered, “make sure you leave out the part where I almost puked on a soldier’s boots.”
Lucas coughed a laugh.
“Deal.”
And for
the first time in years, they were safe. For now.
This is an exciting story! Is it part of something longer?
Not at the moment, I just came up with it. I’ve been wanting to write something with zombies for awhile! 🤣😊
I love zombies! I would totally be interested in reading more about these two brothers and their fight for survival! Great job this week.
TEAM A
SUSAN BY ADELAIDE RIGGS
Near the local dirt road in a lush field, there was an abundant variety of grasses, wild flowers, and small creatures. All who dwelled here lived their lives with simplicity and gratitude. This included Susan, a beautiful flower whose color reminded everyone of a ripe summer lemon (but she was not quite so sour).
One morning, Susan was in the clearing enjoying a soft breeze when suddenly the air rapidly changed direction. Fragile as she was, Susan fell on her face, unable to get up. Panicking, she tried calling for help but the ground muffled her voice. Susan was helpless.
Just a minute later, a tiny, round old woman wearing a bright red cloak with black polka dots came into the clearing. It was Mrs. Dotty! She noticed the girl laying on the ground.
“Oh my!” exclaimed Mrs. Dotty as she hurried over to Susan. “What ever happened to you, dear?”
“I fell and ca-can’t move,” replied Susan quietly. “Could you he-help me?” Then she began to cry.
“Yes, yes of course! Be patient my dear. I’ll go as fast as I’m able to the house of Dr. Chippy.” And with that, Mrs. Dotty turned and quickly scuttled away, her red cloak fluttering behind her.
Susan was alone again, and very anxious. She wondered if she would never rise to see the blue sky again. Despite these thoughts, she tried to focus on her respiration. After what felt like months, she heard a pitter-patter, and out from the tall grass appeared Dr. Chippy with little Mrs. Dotty riding on his back.
“There she is, Doctor!” said Mrs. Dotty, pointing with one hand while the other five hung on tight. Needless to say, this wasn’t the first time he had been summoned, however this was the first time he had dealt with little old woman riding on his back.
“I see, I see! Please do not yell, you’re already near enough to my ear!” replied the doctor. Dr. Chippy was tall, dapper, orderly man, with a decent amount of good humor. They approached Susan.
“Hello?” asked the girl.
“Hello! So sorry about your condition. I’m Dr. Chippy, and we will help you get up.” These words made Susan feel better.
“Pardon, but where is the other one?” inquired Mrs. Dotty.
“Well, Perk should have been behind us. Excuse me for a second.” The doctor filled his cheeks and gave a couple sharp whistles.
In a moment, a boy appeared next to them. He looked rather lofty, and had a smirk on his round face. Mrs. Dotty jumped up and landed in a ball, her arms and legs tucked in.
“Perk!” said the doctor sternly as his son began to laugh. “This is a serious matter. I did not ask you to come along to play games!” Susan thought it was quite funny, but would have enjoyed it more if it weren’t for the condition she was in.
“Ok, let’s get to it,” said the motivated doctor. “Madam, you fetch some water from the brook and grab some witch hazel on your way back. Perk, you’ll need to climb onto my shoulders so we can lift this poor girl up.” Immediately Mrs. Dotty flew down the hill to complete her orders.
Just as Perk was about to climb upon his father’s back, Dr. Chippy noticed a break in Susan’s back. “Oh my, we will need some long grass to bind that wound. Got it, Perk?” “Sure, dad!”
Overhearing the doctor’s concern, Susan’s nerves were on the rise. “A-am I going to be OK?”
“I believe you’re going to be just fine,” consoled the doctor.
Perk made quick work of gathering some long grass and wasted no time in hopping up onto his father’s shoulders. They worked together to lift Susan up off the ground and stand her upright, Dr. Chippy encouraging Susan throughout the process.
Mrs. Dotty arrived not a moment too soon with the water and witch hazel, the latter of which was applied to Susan’s fracture.
In a jiffy Dr. Chippy had bound her wound with the green bandage and all was well.
“Oh, thank you all! I feel so much better, except it feels like my eye might be bruised,” said Susan.
“Well miss,” Dr. Chippy responded, “it does look pretty dark.”
“Black, I’d say,” added Mrs. Dotty.
Dr. Chippy applied the witch hazel to Susan’s bruise, but it did not seem to work.
“I’m sorry, but there is not much else I can do. What’s your name, miss?”
“Susan.”
“Susan,” Dr. Chippy looked her in the face. “Your black eye is beautiful.”
“Black eyed Susan.” said Mrs. Dotty….