Thursday Night Write – Prompt
Welcome to another edition of Thursday Night Write! With everything that’s going on in the Gulf right now, I have water on the brain (and all the people and animals who are suffering because of this disaster).
The prompt is at left and the rules are simple; give yourself no more than 30 minutes to write something – anything! – inspired by this photo. Then, post 300 words or less of it for comment. Don’t forget to comment at least one other entry if you post one of your own because we are all about supporting each other on TNW!
Also, wanted to say that I got my finished copies of the Prophecy paperback today and they are positively STUNNING. As pretty as they are online, they are 1,000 times more gorgeous in person. I can’t wait for you guys to see them!!! To celebrate, I’ll be doing one very special giveaway and handing out some awesome goodie bags – no strings attached – to all of you (well, up to 50 of you!) who are Prophecy Superfans.
Stay tuned!
Lastly, I want to thank Book Divas for inviting me to guest blog this past week. Book Divas has a fantastic site for book lovers, so please mosey on over and take a look.
Happy Writing!
❤
Michelle Zink 
Sorry it’s late! And just a tad longer than 300 words. I hope you all enjoy it 🙂
I had been here a million times: beach parties, with my boyfriend, with my family on days we went fishing, but I had never known how special it really was. My granddad stood next to me at the very first plank of the dock. He was smiling and I knew he was going to tell me something.
“This is where we had met.” he began, taking the first stride and I followed next to him. “Where we got engaged, and even married…your grandmother and I. Oh, Rose was a character. I remember setting it all up too. I had planned a picnic on the edge of the dock, right along the water. She always made me laugh. The first thing she said was “What about the mosquitoes?!” and I had to promise her that I’d bring bug spray. I brought the blanket and the basket. All she had to do was meet me here.” I watched him stop at the very end of the dock. “Right here.” he stared down at his feet before looking back up out over the water.
I waited since I knew there was so much more to the story. “She came too. Man, did she look good too. We ate, and talked for hours. Then I stood her up and started dancing with her. She loved that; she loved to dance. Then I got down on my good knee” he patted his left leg, “And I pulled out that ring. I had bought it that Wednesday. I had to convince my boss to let me work extra days just to save it up. It wasn’t nothing fancy either.” I saw my granddad’s fingers reach up and play with a small gold ring that hung around one of his gold chained necklaces. “But she loved it. She almost started crying. And by-god she was the prettiest darn thing I ever did see. Well, besides you, Kelly” he patted my shoulder laughing.
“Not even three months later were we standing here again. I had rented out the whole dock, and that small section of the beach over there. I had a long white runway lined out for her, chairs on each side. I had never seen her so happy before. Rose couldn’t stop laughing.” he kicked at a rock and we watched it sink into the water down to the ocean bed. “Then we had such a huge party afterward. God, she danced that whole night. I never knew she had that much energy in her.” he paused again, “But Kelly, I loved her more than ever.” I nodded, still listening.
I watched my granddad reach into his shirt pocket, “This dock is where we shared everything. And she was my everything. Guess I can’t find a better place to say goodbye, huh?” And with that he pulled out a single small red rose, kissed it, and put it into the water right along the edge of the dock, and smiled as it floated away.
because i’m nothing more than
the texture of paint and neutral shades of white and gray and black and the snapshot sound of a photograph taken in the shadows cast by a dying sun and a splash of colour here and there, the ones lucky enough to escape being blotted out by a pair of black chucks and tapered earrings.
i’m nothing more than
fake promises uttered on a dock under a full moon at twilight and the trust from a known cheater, someone who’s never happy with what she already has, someone whose eyes never can linger on just one person for more than five minutes.
i’m nothing more than
studded belts and silver rings and stretched ears, reading sick love stories about schizophrenic nuns and used-up human torches, revelling in the disgusting details of his recovery and her belief that she’s seven hundred years old.
i’m nothing more than
a girl who never wants to grow up, clutching at her green monster-under-the-bed in an attempt to stay seven forever when she’s really seventeen, but who really counts the one anyway? i may be able to drive our souped-up truck on the freeway, and will be graduating shortly, but there’s nothing i’d like better than to curl up with mister sixarmedandgrinningwildly as we watch disney movies in a rainstorm.
no matter how tight your rough hands grip my shoulders or how hard you shake me, tears in your eyes, i’ll just stare up at you with a grim expression and locked-up teeth, so please quit searching for anything else.
i don’t want to disappoint you, don’t want you to know just how fake i am. i’m not some plastic chick who’s looking for a good lay, i’m deeper than just a shallow puddle of emotions. because i’m the girl who clutches at her camera in an attempt to capture the present before it becomes the past, just another memory.
because i’m nothing more than me.
This was, amazing. Really really powerful. The emotion was really raw, in a good way, and completely real. I love the begining especially,how you start off describing yourself. This was just… woah, and… amazing. I absolutely love everything you write, and this was no exception. :)) Amazing job!
hehe, thanks meagan! :]
i was at my grandmother’s house and came up with that first part, and i didn’t get a chance to post it until today because i had to work a few hours. i’m happy with this one, because i found out a lot of stuff about myself by writing it. :]
thankyouu once again!
Yes, I am continuing Venetia’s saga. In case this is your first time reading, Venetia has an amulet that opens up a portal to the Realm of Otherness. Arachne wants to take over the world with it, so Venetia along with Andrick, Reviva, and Cadmon protect it. If you read last week, there was a scene in the water, so with this prompt, the scene will continue.
EXT. RIVER DOCK. EVENING. 1886.
ANDRICK (eighteen with dark, curly hair, green eyes, and wearing a slightly unbuttoned oxford, and relaxed brown pants) helps VENETIA (seventeen with long, brown hair, golden brown eyes, and a brown school girl’s clothes with torn stockings) out of the water and onto a nearby dock. After a moment, Andrick and Venetia realize they are still standing close and hand in hand, so they awkwardly let go.
VENETIA:
You know what you did
right there?
ANDRICK:
Uh, I didn’t do anything!
VENETIA:
You saved my life.
ANRICK:
Well, to be fair, I think
that all of our lives our
in danger, but if you’d
like to think of me as
noble, I will take the
compliment.
REVIVA (a woman with flowing blonde hair, misty gray eyes, and white robes)appears before them.
VENETIA:
Where is Cadmon?
Did he get out okay?
REVIVA:
I think so. He went back
in time. I’m not sure
where, but I’m quite sure
that Arachne doesn’t know
how to travel in time.
ANDRICK:
Are we going to go follow
him then?
REVIVA:
Not yet. Tomorrow, we will
go to Ancient Greece and
visit the Oracle of Delphi.
VENETIA:
Why can’t we go now?
REVIVA:
We’re going to sneak you
home, and you’re going to
get some rest. You have a
test tomorrow, remember?
ANDRICK:
Now I do! Ugh, back to
reality!
This is the first time I’ve read yours and I’m so ready to know what happens after this!
I love the descriptions of the characters, and how Andrick is such a gentleman.
Can wait to read your next entry! 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed that! Yes, I will continue to write their story. Thanks for reading!
I haven’t written anything in so long!!! I’m so sorry I’ve missed it so much. I’ve been so busy lately literally all my Thursdays, this has been my first free Thursday in a long time!!! I want to make sure I write tonight since I haven’t in so long!!! Here we go:):):):)
PS My story is 312 words sorry!!!
_______________________________________________________________________
The dock stretches out before me, endless blue water at its end.
I walk on the wooden dock and hear the pleasant sound of the groan of wood I am all too familiar with and breath in the sun-baked wooden boards mixed with the clean smell of lake water.
I continue my pace down the aisle to water with memories flickering through my mind. I see myself small and scared at the end of the dock jumping into my father’s waiting arms, I see my sister and I on top of the dock jumping into the summer warmed water and racing to the red buoy that seemed impossible to reach, and finally I see my mother sitting at the end of the dock with her feet dancing in the water, always with a drink (incase I got tired of the lake water that continuously entered my mouth).
The dock, the lake…it would all be gone for me now.
My sanctuary, my home.
Why must life always intervene at the worst times? Why must I go to school, work and deal with life’s cruel lessons? Why must I grow up?
Inside I know the answer; there is no way to change it. In life you have work, you have to learn from tough lessons, you have to go to school but worst of all you have to grow up.
I am now at the end of the dock, the groaning of the wood has ceased. I see the water gently lapping, waiting for me. I bend my knees and jump into the frigid lake and for the last time I breathe in the lake water until my nose aches, I swallow the familiar tang of the lake water until my stomach hurts and I leave the child within me on the dock and prepare myself for the world that is waiting for me.
Okay, I absolutely love this. I know what you mean completely in the second to last paragragh! Amazing.
Thanks Meagan!!! I’m glad you liked it. The second last paragraph is how I feel a lot of the time, especially now. I feel like I have to grow up so quickly now, I just wish I could be little again it’s so silly of me!!! Anyways I’m glad you liked it Meagan:):):):)
Okay, I know the oil spill is a big, horrible deal, but when I saw this picture, I thought of summer.
We all sat in a circle on the dock, playing truth or dare. I was already regretting my decision to play. Sure, I loved my camp friends, but they doled out infamous dares, never the type to hold back or show mercy. Last time we’d played with guys, Cailey, one of the craziest, had dared Alexis to kiss Mike. Yes, it was obvious they liked each other, but I didn’t agree with Cailey’s way of getting them together.
Still there I was, on the dock, playing truth or dare.
“Okay, your turn,” Cailey looked at me with a glint in her eyes. When she said “your turn,” she meant I was the next victim, not the one with control. “Truth or dare?” she asked. There was a giddy, yet devious tone to her voice. It was only us girls. I could pick truth, could tell them anything, but I still felt pressure to choose dare.
“So which is it?” she said again, same glint in her eyes, shining in the low light.
“Dare,” I said, looking into her eyes.
“I dare you to jump into the lake,” she paused for dramatic effect. “Naked.”
I felt my eyes widen. I was not expecting that.
“Come on, it’s just us girls.”
“Fine.” I stood up and walked to the end of the dock.
“Take it off!” Cailey laughed, the sound carrying through the air. I was afraid the counselors would hear. “Boys,” she started to yell, “Jenna’s taking it off. Get some!”
“Shut up,” I shrieked, but laughed too. Cailey was a character.
I took a deep breath and shed my shirt and pants. Underneath, I did have a bathing suit. It was a camp thing. But I knew that had to come off too.
I untied my bathing suit top and Cailey whistled. I threw it at her face, covering myself best as I could. She leaned out of the way, letting out a yelp. Then I untied my bikini bottoms. They dropped to my feet. I was glad for the darkness.
I closed my eyes, held my nose, and jumped into the cool lake water.
When I surfaced, I saw Cailey. She stood smiling at the end of the dock, dangling my bikini in her hand. “Yeah, girl.”
Cute story FlaglineGeek!!! I really feel the pressure that Jenna feels to choose dare.
I really liked the line: Cailey looked at me with a glint in her eyes. When she said “your turn,” she meant I was the next victim, not the one with control.
In that line you can perfectly see Cailey’s true character, the boss who enjoys to see people in uncomfortable situations.
I also think you chose a very unique root of writing for the prompt, I never would have thought of truth or dare with a result like jumping into the lake naked!!! It is very creative, awesome job FlaglineGeek!!!:):):)
Awesome story!! 🙂 Iagree with everything Rumple. said, I love it. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen,and certainlydidn’t expect that, lol. Amazing job!
Thank you both so much!
love this piece, can’t single out just one thing that I like the most because it’s all just great!
i also like how you wrote about a game of truth or dare, it was an unusual approach to this simple photo, but you really pulled it off! :]
Thank you very much.
I absolutely love this picture!
———————————————-
Ensley took in a deep breath of the sea air, standing barefoot on the boardwalk. The sky was grey, only small streaks of sunlight escaping the thick curtain of clouds. She stood at three feet, no more, no less and weighed sixty pounds.
Ensley was eight; it was three months after she had watched her parents die and had gone to a foster home. Every time this memory reappeared, she could feel the air escape her and the water that surrounded her; she could smell the sea air and hear the ocean waves crashing as if she were really there.
This was both her most treasured memory and one that haunted her each time she saw the ocean.
Wind tousled her blonde hair as she squinted her eyes, watching the water from safety of the boardwalk. All angels were taught that if you swam deep enough, you’d always find your way to the Night Realm. Ensley shivered in her sleeveless, yellow sweatshirt and black shorts. Her hands hid in her pockets and her toes wished for shoes and socks.
Three months ago, she’d met Kaiden, who was technically her half-brother, but they had always been more of friends than siblings. Her three other half-siblings all with the same emerald eyes and russet brown hair were sitting at the edge of the boardwalk, dipping their toes into the blue water. Ensley, however, stood, and marveled at the blue water.
That’s when she saw them.
Her parents were waving from the depths of the water and Ensley knew that only she could see them. Without a second thought, Ensley dove into the cold water, waves crashing over her head. Struggling to find her parents, Ensley knew she could hold her breath no longer. That’s when she realized that this had been some cruel trick played on her by the same man who killed her parents and almost suffocated her.
If it had not been for Kaiden, Ensley would’ve drowned.
Wow Elly!! Wow!! You’re descriptions are so good. I love the image of the wind tousling her hair. And the part about the Angels knowing how to get to the Night Realm.
Well done!
I love this. It’s so intriguing, but creepy at the same time. In a great way.
OMG Elly this is amazing!!! I got chills when reading this!!! I actually thought it was Ensley’s parents calling her to them and freaked when I found out it was a trick!!!
The imagery is beautiful too: Wind tousled her blonde hair
I can imagine this perfectly as a sad girl looking over the water in beauty and horror.
I would really like to see more of this story, I think if you added more too it it would be awesome *as it already is* but it’s such a unique plot line!!! Awesome job as always Elly:):):)
The desciptions in this are awesome! This asks for your attention from the begining,andjust, woah. Amazing job!
Well this is a new experiment! Enjoy!
The open water,
upon the sunset, filled with beauty,
The wooden dock glows,
For it stands out,
When the tide goes out,
So does the glories colors,
As the day carries on the water turns a silver blue,
With the wonderful reflection of the full moon.
Caroline- I love this: As the day carries on the water turns a silver blue, With the wonderful reflection of the full moon.
I like how you start with a glowing dock and end with the silver blue of the moon’s reflection!
I really like this. I can see the dock glowing in the morning sun, then, as the day carries on, the water turning to a silver blue from the moon’s reflection.
This is beautiful Caroline!!! It’s short, sweet and really paints a picture.
The parts that stick out for me are: The wooden dock glows,/ When the tide goes out,/
So does the glories colors,/ As the day carries on the water turns a silver blue,/
With the wonderful reflection of the full moon.
The moon has always been a favourite symbol of mine and I love how it has a reflection in the water.
Amazing job Caroline keep writing!!!:):):)
Oh my gosh Caroline, this was AMAZING!!!! XD I love it so much, the imagery is absolutely amazing! The entire thing stands out to me really,but my favorite lines were,
As the day carries on the water turns a silver blue,With the wonderful reflection of the full moon. Soo wonderful!! :))
Wow thanks! It only took me about 8 minutes! I read most of your writings and loved them! Thanks for the comments.
I love this picture, Michelle! I’ll be back later with something… hopefully.
I hope it’s okay to do a little self-promoting here. If not, please delete this!
My short story, “People Like Me” has been published in the zombie anthology THE VICIOUS DEAD and it’s now available on Amazon.com.
*Pause to regain normal breathing patterns and to stop jumping up and down*
Over at my site: http://www.redandyellowsocks.com, I’m hosting a contest as a way to promote the book. I hope you’ll check it out!
Thank you!
Danielle
And Michelle- Thank you a million times and more for all your support for me and my fellow writers. 😉 You’re the best!!
Of course it is! I’m SO proud of you, and I know everyone in our little group here will want to hear about your awesome accomplishment!
*hugs*
MZ
Good for you Danielle! I have always loved your writing and always knew you had a bright future! Congrats!
YAY Danielle!! Thats awesome! 🙂
Thank you Michelle, Caroline and Meaghan!
5-27-10
I sit on the dock
My entire body feeling like a thousand blocks,
Due to the heat waves going ’round.
I swear on my grandmothers grave that you could bake on this ground.
(But, of course I lie.
My grandmother is very well and alive.)
The water is so clear,
It has a certain gravity to
It, towards it I feel is how it’s trying to stear
Anyone within eyerange.
And ooh, once you see it, you just
Gotta jump into that magnificant blue
(Or at least dunking in your feet is a must)
To let it cool you, sending relief in gratefully cold panges.
‘Cause that water shines
Like a thousand diamands.
So pure, so bright, it nearly blinds.
I love how it seems to never end.
No sides, no curves, just waves
That you somehow know will stay.
Or at least believe.
‘Cause it’s nice to imagine and believe
that some things will always be.
Meagan- this was lovely!! I like this image: I love how it seems to never end.
No sides, no curves, just waves….. Because it’s true. That’s how it seems.
Love the opening too! Cute!
I love the image this brings. I especially like this part: I swear on my grandmothers grave that you could bake on this ground.
(But, of course I lie.
My grandmother is very well and alive.)
Good job!
Amazing poem Meagan!!! There is such beauty in the way you write and such innocence in how this was written.
There is also amazing use of imagery: ‘Cause that water shines/ Like a thousand diamands./ So pure, so bright, it nearly blinds./ I love how it seems to never end./ No sides, no curves, just waves/ That you somehow know will stay.
I can see the sparkling water and the clearness of the water.
Amazing poem as always Meagan!!!:):):)
Thank you soo much Danielle, Elly,and Rumple!!