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!
Don’t Ever Meet Your Heroes – EmJ Watkins – Team 1
“Don’t ever meet your heroes, they say. Where have you heard that before? Have you experienced the why?”
“Claire, do you have to be a critic? Just because you had a bad experience doesn’t mean I won’t.” beaming, smiley-eyed Susy said, “Besides, we are going to them for professional business, NOT to gawk at. Although I might do some of that as well.”
As we streamlined down the cliffside road to an obscure town called Galena in my yellow Honda Civic, which was originally my parents’ car, and no, I have no clue on earth why they chose that color. The reason why Gelena is largely unheard of, and I mean as in maybe five percent of the earth’s population, not your average small, squashed by cities, is part of the mystery. Susy, however, cares more about the person we are about to see, who spearheaded finding information about this ghost town.
“And you are positive the address of his office you had me put in my phone is correct?” I asked, watching the cement road shift to dirt. Up ahead, trees began to loom closer as the beat-up Honda crept further along. Groaning with every spin of the wheels.
“Absolutely positive. You think I’d mistake the address to THE Roderwick Williamson?”
“With all your daydreaming and gossip?” I asked, then pitching up my tone to match her squeaky, thrilled one, “Absolutely!”
With a half-attempted gasp of insult, Susy stated, “I can multitask, I’ll have you know.”
After a moment to let the snickering and giggles pass, Susy let out a breath, “Man, look at that view. Not that trees are much of a view, I suppose. Say, when have you been back here?”
I paused, not sure if I wanted to drain the air of excitement out of my friend, but I suppose it would happen eventually. At least once, reality set in. “Not since my sister’s funeral,” I tried to say nonchalantly. Though perhaps a quiver escaped. Needless to say, this wasn’t the first time I went cruising down this dirt path road with trees on both sides. After all, Aldendale was my home, and apparently it’s also the home to Susy’s superstar. Go figure.
The start of this mystery began with my sister’s death, actually. Well, my adopted sister with me being the one adopted into the family. Anyways. Five years ago, my sister Natalie, a reporter, was found dead in a wrecked vehicle. The weirdest part that the cops couldn’t figure out was that there were signs, like certain wounds, that made it clear she didn’t die in the crash. Yet she was in the driver’s seat. There were also DNA prints and pieces of belongings that indicated at least six others were with her at the time, which is when I should clarify that the car she was driving was some kind of compact minivan.
The case ended as cold cases do, but with the help of Susy, I found some information that might solve my sister’s murder. The last thing she was researching to report on? That little old ghost town. And Roderwick is the key to finding out more since that was one of the people she had interviewed that we could get information on.
“HellOOoooo, earth to Claire. We. Are. Here!” Susy said with a squeal, putting to a quarter of a dilapidated building sandwiched between two brightly colored building complexes.
“Here? Are you sure? You said the guy was a billionaire.”
Acing my parallel parking job, Susy shrugged. “Eh. I may have exaggerated just a tad. He owns a lot of money, but he also gives a lot of it up to…gambling. Not one of his most redeeming qualities.”
“Well, at least we didn’t come to him for budgeting advice,” I said as I switched the car off and stepped into the cool, humid air, “let’s get some answers.”
Before I made my approach to the steps, Susy gallivanted over to the door and knocked. After a moment, the door opened to a stern-looking guy with balding white hair, with what’s left of the tufts not kept from shooting off in various directions. Though his green eyes seemed sharp for his age.
“Here to see Mr. Williamson?” He asked.
“Yes, we are,” Susy said giddily.
“I am he,” he sighed, brandishing the door open, “Come inside.”
At least the inside seemed neater than the wilderness outside. The hallway anyway since all there was was a small cabinet with a bowl for keys and generic paintings on the walls you could get at any craft store. The office, however, was covered in book-stuffed bookshelves and a paper-covered desk.
Sitting at his desk and writing on a paper he must have worked on prior to knocking, he asked, “What do you need?”
“We were hoping for some information you had on Galena,” I asked as Susy perused the room in awe.
Setting down his pen, Roderwick shuffled through some folders, “Well, can’t help you with that. Dropped that case a while ago.”
“What?” Susy blurted out as the ex-detective dropped a folder on his desk with the text ‘Gelena’ in small text on the tab. “But that was your big case. It was all over your blog.”
“That old thing”, Roderwick sighed, “well, that case tarnished my career. Ace detective not losing one case meets his match.”
“You mean you gave up and quit?” I blurted out, earning myself a glare in response.
Then a familiar hand covered my mouth. “Don’t mind Claire. Is there anything we can exchange for absolutely any information you can give?”
He nudged the file towards us, “Take it with the exchange of taking it out of my sight.”
Susie and I exchanged glances as I picked up the folder. “Well, do you have anyone we can go to first for questioning?”
With a short pause, the once-ace detective said, “Linda Anders.”
Thanks for sharing this week, Emily. That was a lot of info!
Exciting! I really like your dialogue here–it’s fun, carries realism but also a lot of wit. Well done!
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….