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!
Books
By Abigail Harrison
Team 1
526 words
Cormac ducked back from the window. He spun around and sat on the ground, back pressed against the stone wall. He strained his ears to listen, trying to breathe quietly.
Voices drifted out of the open window above him. “Brother Finan, have you finished punching the signatures?”
“Not yet, Trian.”
A soft clink wafted out as someone presumably dropped a needle into a tray. “Then what are you staring at?”
Cormac winced and tried to scrunch down even lower. He looked around, searching for the best avenue of escape. Thorns to his left, dry, noisy grass to his right, and open space straight ahead.
A sigh, then a rustle of paper. Finan replied, “I think I saw a face peeking in through the window.”
A chair scraped back.
Cormac froze, eyes wide and heart pounding.
Footsteps approached the window, bare feet on wood. One of the monks was coming to check.
Cormac spun to his right, then pushed off the ground. He found his feet, then ran for the corner of the building.
“Cormac!”
Cormac cringed. He slowed to a stop, then turned to see Brother Finan leaning out the window and frowning at him. Needless to say, this wasn’t the first time he’d been caught. However, it was the first time he’d been caught while he was supposed to be milking the cows.
___
Father sighed. “Cormac.” He rubbed his face, then dropped his hand back into his lap. “For years, you’ve snuck off to the monastery when you were done with your work. Your mother and I could accept that. But this time, you left in the middle of milking time, with poor Betsy lowing in her stall, waiting for you. What were you thinking?”
Cormac stared at his lap. “I’m sorry. I thought I could come back and finish milking her…” He trailed off.
“Before anyone noticed?”
Cormac nodded jerkily.
Father sighed again. “Cor, what was so important that you had to leave? What was more important that doing your duty in helping to support your family?”
Cormac shrunk in on himself. “This was the first chance I’ve had to see them punch the signatures.” It was such a stupid reason.
“What? The monks were punching… signatures?”
Cormac looked up. His father was staring at him, confused. “Oh. Signatures are stacks of paper, folded together, and they punch holes in them to sew them into books.”
Father’s mouth thinned to a line. “So, it’s more of this bookbinding.”
“Yes.”
Father’s eyes went hard and cold. “So that’s what you want to do? Spend your life with the monks, making books?
Cormac felt a shiver run through him. He nodded slowly.
“Very well, then.” Father leaned forward. “You have two options. You can stay with the family, herding the cows, building fences, raising a family of your own, and never mentioning books or the monks ever again. Or you can leave, join the monastery and make your precious books, along with everything else that comes with being a monk. No land, no wife, no inheritance, no family.”
Cormac stared at his father, mouth a gape, chest cold and tight.
Father glared. “You must choose.”
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….